Jowett's and Hills

[AlanBartlett]

Stumbled across this on my computer earlier on and thought it would be worth an upload and post.

Its from the the Bideford 2009 rally of Ken Roger's weasel, triumphantly tackling Porlock Hill. With 3 people aboard Ken, LEvi, and myself

http://youtu.be/qkOxbC_jjgo

[george garside]

Brilliant! In 1929 a two seater singer junior (16.5bhp) ascended Porlock 100 times and singer was so proud of its achievement that they named a model the Porlock. However in 1933 a Jowett owner went one better and spent an afternoon nonchelontly tootling up and down Porlock in a bog standard Kestrel toewing a Rice folding caravan. I have lost the press cutting I had so can't aadd any detail but a photo of the outfit is on page 59 of The Complete Jowett History and I have an original works publicity copy of the photo.

A bit on the Weazels hill climbing ability. In July 1935 The Autocar tested a Weazel in North Yorkshire and to quote ''---- Sutton Bankis of course the fairest of these climbs. It has a perfect surface; there is nearly a mile of steady pulling; and the gradient, even if it does not attain its reuted 1 in 3.9 , or whatever the figure is, certainly rolls the gradient meter over 1 in 4.5 for quite a stretch. On a fine Sunday one may usually see a few cars either stalled or making heavy weather of Sutton Bank.

Traffic prevented a rush at the hill on third so second gear was engaged at quite low speed near the foot of the hill anad the whole ascent very easily made on that geaar at a speed varying between 18 and 23 mph''

george

[Forumadmin]

The new hill at Porlock is tame compared to the old. I think the old is either private or a toll road now.

[k. rogers]

George, I've been looking for a road test of the Weasel for years in period publications such as Light Car, etc. and am interested to read your quotes from the 1935 Autocar! Could you possibly tell me the issue number and I will keep a look out for it on the internet and at autojumbles?