Reasons for owning a Jowett ?

[Chris Spencer]

I thought that in the clubs 90th year that we could has members state the reason for owning your Jowett (s) - maybe we could publish some of the replies in the Jowetteer or should we have enough print them into small booklet - so was it a family thing, or just that you liked the style of the bodywork, was it the only car that fitted your budget at the time or were envious of the Jowett owning neighbour - maybe there is something more comical on how you came to own the car - whatever it was please list within this thread - many thanks

[Chris Spencer]

So to kick off - I have been interested / involved in vintage / classic cars form my early teens - originally gaining a general interest through my stepfather who had a multiple fleet of Austin / Morris A60's as a taxi fleet but also through a local garage where I had a Saturday job helping out in the workshop. From here I recall going to my first local classic car rally and then getting involved in the organisation of the rally itself for several years - the seeds were sown and a succession of vintage / classic cars followed - it also spawned a career with a vintage / classic car company for the first 5 years of employment. Several years ago after being classic car less for the previous few years I started to look around for something and for a while ran a low mileage Hillman Minx but the new residents parking policy for Westminster spoilt that (having the works vehicle & Sharons car - keeping a third proved prohibitive). Whilst running the Hillman I came across news of a Jowett 8 in pieces - part restored - but now abandoned - with the current owner threatening to split / e bay the parts - I managed to do deal and the car went into storage - where it has stopped since - so question is why did I buy it ? well being a soft Yorkshireman I did not want to see the car split up, more importantly it came at the right money but the real reason behind the purchase was the 'Yorkshire' link - Jowetts were built a few towns away from where I was born and this link was the strongest factor in the purchase of the 8.

So the 8 is still in storage but we are due to relocate property in the coming weeks - the new property holds a largish garage / workshop - but I need to add some storage space first but within the next 12 months the 8 should be on the doorstep and at that point I can probably make a start on the restoration. Needless to say I have purchased a Jupiter project since and there is possibly a third Jowett ( on the road car this time) due to enter the Spencer Stable anytime now - watch this space

[paul wilks]

I suppose like many Jowett members today I owe my allegiance and love of the Jowett Javelin to my father. When my father decided to buy his own car rather than continue to use the services of a local car hire company with a fleet Ford E493A (and later 100E) Prefects, he scoured motor magazines for a worthy purchase. He considered a Riley Pathfinder but finally decided on a Javelin on the strength of the recommendation of a work colleague, an enthusiastic owner of a Golden Sand PA model. I was duly taken to view various cars but all were either too tired or just too expensive. Dad insisted on the very latest spec. (later front suspension) and it had to be a deluxe model!

In 1959 he settled on a 1953 deluxe model, originally black but resprayed a very attractive metallic Caribbean Blue, with brown leather seats, excellent internal trim, white wall tyres (!) and full size stainless steel wheel discs. She was a beauty. Her Reg. No was NVM 285 and chassis no. E3/PE/23897D. She joined several Javelins in our home town of Runcorn at the time!

Dad used the Javelin for his daily run to and from work as well as for our annual holiday down to the South West or several times a year up to my dad’s parents’ in County Durham. The ex-main agents H.O.Addis of Birkenhead helped keep her on the road with both Mr Addis and the chief mechanic, Les Francis owning and driving Javelins.

With membership of what was then the Southern Jowett Car Club and a couple of visits to Howden Clough for spares and seeing the CD saloon I was hooked! And when I was considering a car of my own in 1967 I could have considered a Morris Minor, an Austin A35, or even a Wolsley/Riley 1.5litre (very nice!) But I ask you, were any of them competition for the Javelin? It was natural to hanker after a Javelin but by 1967 good ones were not that common.

Unfortunately by 1967 dad’s Javelin was showing all the signs of old age- rusted door bottoms, rear wings and front wings in the usual places and the chassis also being very poor at the rear. But on the point of taking her for scrapping I found my own Javelin only two miles from home! Reg. No. is HJU592 chassis no E2/PD/20229D. The previous owner had found her in a scrapyard in Doncaster and used her to bring his family down to Runcorn. The rest of the story is well known so I won’t bore you! But just as a final comment I still have my Javelin. I am still an enthusiastic Jowett owner (but have had my off days!). I still find the Jowett Car Club to be fantastic- friendly and helpful and wouldn’t have been able to get my Jowett back on the road nor keep her on the road all this time.

Thank you Jowett car Club members!

Paul