JowettTalk

Hi!

Magnus from Sweden here, I thought I should introduce myself and my car.

I happen to become an owner of an Bradford last summer.
I was out driving a smaller road, when I noticed an old car that had been pulled to the roadside together with other junk. So I stopped and went to have a look, upon closer inspection it turned out to be an old Bradford that had been rebuilt for hay transports. I knocked at the house door and an old man open. I asked him about the car, and what his plans was for it. He told me that he was cleaning up the farm and was going to send it to the scrapyard. So I asked if I could buy it, and he said, sure, give me 500 SEK (ca 50 Euro) and you can have it. That was not a price to arguing about, so I bought it and transported it home.

After I got home I ordered home a copy of the old registration papers, and here is the story of those tell:

The car was a 1949 Bradford CBL Van.
Chassie number D9/CBL/22558.

It was first registered juli 19 1949 with AB Motortillbehör. (the car dealer)
In 25 april 1950 it was sold to Baker master Gunnar Sjölander, in Näs.
In 30 august 1952 it was sold to Fabricator John Alfred Rödén, in Kramfors.
In 15 may 1957 it was sold to Auto-Diesel B.Johansson, in Sollefteå. (a company)
Then again the same day to Miller Janne Dahlgren, in Bålsjö.
The road tax for each year was:
1950 5 euro.
1951 and 1952 7 euro.
1953 and 1954 10 euro.
1955 and 1956 11 euro.
In 1957 the engine broke down and the car was left standing.
In 18 october 1960 the blacksmith Valfrid Sjödin reported it in as scrapped to the registration office, but the truth was that he rebuilt it into a tractor with a big platform with high sides in the rear for hay transports. (the big platform and sides was gone when I picked it up) He also mounted a new engine in it, from a Ford Prefect along with two gearboxes from the same kind of Ford´s.
It was used for this purpus untill the mid 1970:th, and was after that parked in a barn, ant there it stood untill it was pulled it out and I found and saved it.

The engine and transmission was in good shape, so after a little fixing I got it running again.

Here are some pix of the Bradford:








CBL
D9 CBL 22558
D9 CBL 13407A

49A 13407

Nice repair the farmer have done to the muffler:)

Regards/
Magnus

edit: some spelling.

Magnus,
Some great pictures. I am glad the system prompted you to contribute. I hope you find the forum helps you get this on the road. Perhaps some of us could have a holiday over there and help get it on the road! It is a short trip for Jormma in Helsinki in his boat (or Bradford). For years I have been dreaming of a trip around the Baltic, just waiting for the situation in some countries to improve!

Hello Magnus and welcome to the Forum.

Well done for rescuing a Jowett!

What do you plan to do with it now? Sadly in pristine condition you are currently not going to get more than about 8000 of your euros for it, but you could have a lot of fun turning back the clock for this tough little vehicle.

I run a Jupiter and my neighbours think I'm a madman (ok ok so I am) because every time I get in the car I can't stop smiling. Jowetts just do that to people. We can introduce you to a supply of spares, and people who know all there is to know about the Bradford and as Keith says, watch out you may even get volunteers traveling by Jowett to lend a hand.

all the best for you magnus..... hope the bradford will be on the road in his old glory...wellkom to the mad jowetter's... i'm also a newcomer....keep bed's ready for volunteers......and beer....
all the best
peter

Great to see a new owner, and a great save by the looks of things - that would have almost certainly been off to the scrapyard and lost forever.

There are a few Scandinavian members, so hopefully you will find some local help, anything you need there's a helpful bunch on here who are normally quick to answer any questions and are very knowledgeable. They also seem to know everything about anybody who has ever done something like it, so can put you in touch with the right people in the club. E-mail is a wonderful thing, and forums like this are a great way for us to share what is going on.

And if ever you need a hand, just let us know when the weather is nice enough to pitch a tent in that field of yours. Looks lovely.

Jack.

Thanks everyone for your warm welcome!

It is nice to hear that people have and are willing to share knowledge and information about these nice little cars!

My plan for it at the moment it to keep it in this way, it is untill I have gather up all the parts for a renovation to original.

By the way, I took it to a car show this past weekend, and it made a lot of interest among the visitors, a lot wondered what it was for make (many have never heard of a Bradford), many came and talked about how they remembered these old home made tractor that farmers made in the old days, but some some knew what a Bradford was and what they had looked like.
Many thaught it was nice to see a car directly from the barn, among all the other renovated, polished and shiny cars.

Magnus