12 Javelins- Barn Find TASMANIA

[craig ainge]

12 barn-find Jowetts!
24 April 2014
http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/new ... 800023414/

A group of Jowett enthusiasts from the UK have discovered 12 unrestored Javelins in a barn in Tasmania.

Members of the Jowett Car Club (JCC)were led to the bumper stash after a tip-off during a trip across Australia.

Club member Jack Moon told CCfS: “Our members travelled to Australia for their national Jowett club rally. While they were out there they were invited to go and have a look at a bunch of cars in a barn.

“We’re still waiting to hear how these cars ended up in Tasmania, so all we really know is that there are 12 cars, all Javelins, which haven’t moved in 40 years. Even taking into account that more people over there have large barns of this size, it’s an incredible find. Occasionally we might find two or three being stored together, but to come across 12 – which are all solid, having spent years in dry storage – is pretty much unprecedented.”

Produced from 1947-1953, the Javelin handled well and its profiled body allowed it to reach speeds of up to 80mph, making it a popular rally car. But it was dogged with mechanical issues and the steel body was prone to corrosion, making these survivors all the more remarkable.

The Jowett Car Club members are now are working with their Australian counterparts with a view to repatriating the vehicles back to their place of birth. They say that the owner of the cars is keen to see them going to good homes.

• www.jowett.net/forum

[ian Howell]

. . . 'thick and fast they came at last' (Lewis Carroll).

Now, where is there a stash like that a bit closer to home?

[NoelStokoe]

Is there a chance that the chassis numbers of these 12 Javelins were taken when the pictures were taken......Eden and I would love to know!
Noel

[Andrew Henshall]

12 barn-find Jowetts!

A group of Jowett enthusiasts from the UK have discovered 12 unrestored Javelins in a barn in Tasmania.

Members of the Jowett Car Club (JCC)were led to the bumper stash after a tip-off during a trip across Australia.

Club member Jack Moon told CCfS: “Our members travelled to Australia for their national Jowett club rally. While they were out there they were invited to go and have a look at a bunch of cars in a barn.

The Jowett Car Club members are now are working with their Australian counterparts with a view to repatriating the vehicles back to their place of birth. They say that the owner of the cars is keen to see them going to good homes.

• http://www.jowett.net/forum

Can I try to set the record straight as the report from CCfS is not totally accurate in several areas. The Javelins in question are owned by a long-time member of the Jowett Car Club of Australia. The existence of these cars is well known within the JCCA, as is the fact that the owner always had plans to restore some of them and his two Jupiters one day. This is clearly not a "Barn Find" by UK members of the JCC. While it can be described as a stash of Jowetts, there was no tip-off as such.

As reported previously (and accurately) in this forum by Keith Clements, several people took the opportunity to visit to view his collection while in Tasmania for the JCCA National Rally. This was a unique chance to view a large collection of unrestored Jowetts while travelling in that particular part of Tasmania.

So, less of the hype, and more talk about what we can all do to help get these Jowetts back on the road.

Best regards,

Andrew Henshall

Victorian State Representative
Jowett Car Club of Australia

[Forumadmin]

Hype actually helps raise the profile and attract people to thinking about taking on a Jowett to restore. The danger is that these Jowetts will never find a home unless some publicity is given to them.
Ideally we need a dozen people with the wherewithal to take on such a task. Finding one in Tasmania, or Australia has proved difficult in the last 10 years whereas in Europe there may be a market. Shipping one or two is unlikely to be viable but a dozen may be.
Some journalistic licence helps create a story.

[Andrew Henshall]

I agree that we need to find people to take on these Javelin projects. Interestingly, up until now, it seems that Rex has not done anything about finding new homes for any of the many cars in his collection; he has not even advertised them in the JCCA newsletter. However, the chances of finding owners in Australia are nil as you point out. In fact, the JCCA has had an offer on the table of a free Javelin (partially dismantled - one of two in our collection), plus all the parts needed to make it complete vehicle, available to anyone who is interested in joining the club and taking over ownership of the car for a nominal sum ($10?). No-one we have approached has taken up the offer, not even the few people recently who have been looking to buy a running Javelin - we can't even give them away at present!

Regards,

Andrew

[Jack]

12 barn-find Jowetts!

A group of Jowett enthusiasts from the UK have discovered 12 unrestored Javelins in a barn in Tasmania.

Members of the Jowett Car Club (JCC)were led to the bumper stash after a tip-off during a trip across Australia.

Club member Jack Moon told CCfS: “Our members travelled to Australia for their national Jowett club rally. While they were out there they were invited to go and have a look at a bunch of cars in a barn.

The Jowett Car Club members are now are working with their Australian counterparts with a view to repatriating the vehicles back to their place of birth. They say that the owner of the cars is keen to see them going to good homes.

• http://www.jowett.net/forum

Can I try to set the record straight as the report from CCfS is not totally accurate in several areas. The Javelins in question are owned by a long-time member of the Jowett Car Club of Australia. The existence of these cars is well known within the JCCA, as is the fact that the owner always had plans to restore some of them and his two Jupiters one day. This is clearly not a "Barn Find" by UK members of the JCC. While it can be described as a stash of Jowetts, there was no tip-off as such.

As reported previously (and accurately) in this forum by Keith Clements, several people took the opportunity to visit to view his collection while in Tasmania for the JCCA National Rally. This was a unique chance to view a large collection of unrestored Jowetts while travelling in that particular part of Tasmania.

So, less of the hype, and more talk about what we can all do to help get these Jowetts back on the road.

Best regards,

Andrew Henshall

Victorian State Representative
Jowett Car Club of Australia

Hi Andrew,

To explain a bit further - we passed on some of the photos Keith had taken from his visit to a journalist, who asked a few questions that we tried but were in most cases unable to answer.

We gave them what information we had, which was fairly limited (I got photos and very small amount of info from Keith that they were owned by JCCA member) and they have created a story through perhaps a little hyperbole.

Hopefully this will raise the idea for possible "barn find" buyers to consider a Javelin, even if the barn finds in question are perhaps better known than the story suggests!

Jack.

[David Kemp]

If club has free or next to free Javelin in australia, I am A member & want one. Point me in the right direction.