Need help is it a jupiter

[pontbil]

Hi everyone new guy (Bill) here have a few questions

I am looking at what I am told is a Jowett Jupiter fiberglass race car.
where do I look for the vin number?

[pontbil]

Additional pics

[Keith Clements]

To identify as a Jowett we need pictures of the chassis or mechanicals, not the body, or internals. Nothing you have imaged so far was made by Jowett.

[Srenner]

Based on the rear wheel barely visible and the shape of the needle on the large gauge on the left of the dash, yes, those appear to be Jupiter parts. Keith is correct that pictures of almost any part of the frame could confirm the car. The front suspension is easy to ID, as the rear suspension. Please send more pics!
Thanks, Scott

[Keith Clements]

After a closer look the torsion bar adjuster looks Jupiter. So yes you may have found something. Where is the car? PM/email me if you want to keep such info from public view.
The thing to look for is the frame/chassis number which is stamped on the horizontal lugs on the front chassis tube. They may not be there with such a body of course!
Looks like the bulkhead is not Jupiter either. Ed, our registrar, will soon comment I am sure!

But more pictures please.

[Srenner]

Keith, yes, I now see that as well. The pics aren't in the Gallery and will not enlarge as posted, Tonight I will dig through some emails, as I have an idea on this car. Bill, I assume the engine is missing and likely the gearbox as well?

[pontbil]

Thanks for the quick replies.
I will post some better pics once I get the car dug out, home and cleaned up.
Car has a inline 4 cylinder and manual trans I know its not the original flat 4.
The car is located in Maryland

Thanks
Bill................

[Srenner]

Here is a bit of an email I copied regarding the Mistral bodied Jupiter that was run in SoCal. The associated picture did not copy. The picture is embedded in the email, not as an attachment. Need to figure how to get it to copy.


Caption with picture:
It was Class D Sports. I remember it vividly, since each time one of us would line up at the S/F line, the PA announcer would remind us all, and that we had just set a new record on the previous run. The photo is from that shakedown day at Riverside. Apparently it was my turn to run it around the track. It looks like Earl kept his Air Force flying suit for just this kind of occasion.

On Sep 4, 2011, at 9:04 AM, jack martin wrote:

> Peter:
> as best as i can remember, we (earl and I) bought the Jupiter from some kid whose name I don't remember. The chassis was shortened to give an 86inch wheel base to accommodate the body which came from sports Car Engineering. I do think it was a Mistral. It was molded from a Maserati but I don't remember which one.
> Damn, my memory. We had the engine race prepared but again, my memory doesn't harken back to that time. It didn't seem important to document those things then, we just wanted to get it running and finished and on the track. I don't have any color pics, but we painted it a deep blue, using Jack McAfees paint both in Burbank. if i can locate more pics i will send them. I also received an email from Scott Renner of Jowetparts.com. I will be in touch with him soon. We ran it only once, at Del Mar. It was pretty. Pretty slow. Probably because we were so afraid of fire that we loaded it down with fireproofing. We did have an anecdotal incident with it. To test run it, we took it to Riverside Raceway. Unfortunately the track was being used the NHRA (?) that day and the only way we could get on course was to enter. They were using the long back stretch backwards, so we would run the 1/4mile and then go like hell around the course the reverse direction. Back to the start line, wait for another run and repeat. Each Time we set a new NHRA record for our class, which was something like sports cars under 1500cc; of which we were the only one. the record probably still stands.
> for the life of me I don't remember why we stopped. It had great potential. Scot said he actually spoke to my nephew about the engine with little success. i will attach some more pics if I can find them. i am also including this email a to Pete and Earl as they probably have more memory than I.
> jack
>
>
>
> Jack
> Can you tell me a bit about your Jupiter. I assume it was a Mistral kit body. Did you install it or purchase as is. Where did you race it?
>
> Peter
>
>
>
>

[pontbil]

Here it is

[pontbil]

so more pics.

[pontbil]

a few more

[pontbil]

I have registrations from the 1959 and into the early sixties and Alabama in the seventies. I have the previous owners receipt from 1956.

[pontbil]

California registrations from 59 to 63
Please let me know what you think not sure what to do with it.
Thanks
Bill.................

[Keith Clements]

Hi Bill.
Quite a find. Probably the best thing to do with it is to return it to the state it was in when it raced. This will require some research and guesswork as some changes may have been made since.

Clearly decisions have to be made on what to keep and restore or make new. Your skills and budget as well as enthusiasm all come into the mix.
Similar restorations of specials have been and are going on to Jupiters.

[Srenner]

The VIN area is missing, but perhaps the CA title has the VIN or the motor number, either can help ID the donor Jup. Would you please provide the VIN from the various titles?

I'm with Keith, too far gone to find a body and restore, so return to period modified car. Jup engines/gearboxes are available, but would require chassis work for steering just for starters. Pinto motor obviously wrong, but perhaps any period Brit motor/gearbox would work. Other way to go might be just make it as nice as possible, as is. The Ford is highly tunable at low cost, pick up a 5 speed gearbox and have one seriously quick flyer. The chassis and rear axle are up to it.

Regards,
Scott

Send me a pm through here with a phone number and I'll call.