Jowett Jupiter Sports Car - Classic Car from Bradford Yorkshire of February 2012 where a full half page is devoted to it. "Every marque has its chronicler. Jowett's is unquestionably Edmund Nankivell...the author has amassed a commendably catholic collection of illustrations...all this helps to put the special bodied Jupiter in the context of the time...it is well produced and, commendably, has a colourful printed hard cover..." Bienvenu, friends, to the Home Page of the Jowett Jupiter, one of the best classic sports cars of the early nineteen fifties. Discover a little of its history, its motor sporting successes, books, who is campaigning their Jupiter today half a century after the Jupiter era... Friend: having reached this tiny outpost on the world-wide web, why not take a little time to read about the life and times of this unusual and rare classic sports car? The Jowett car. What some would call a sportcar or even an antique car - only in the very best sense of the word of course! Note that the Jowett Jupiter was always a rare car with only 900 built.

Jowett Jupiter for sale New web page:- this new page carries links to websites offering Jowett Jupiters for sale. There are many more Jupiters for sale which are not on the internet, you could contact Edmund Nankivell for information Another must-have new book has arrived! Ed Nankivell's v ery new edition of the book:- The Jowett Jupiter - The Car that Leaped to Fame This fully revised and updated award-winning edition available from Wordery , and Amazon of course and you might even find it on eBay . Yes, a book is also out, written by Edmund Nankivell and published by him, is entitled Jowett Jupiter Special Body - from Abbott & Beutler to Rochdale & Worblaufen. Available from Amazon and Chaters. Why not treat yourself to the book The Jowett Jupiter, a Car for Road Rally and Race. An easy on-line way to buy this excellent book at a knock-down price is through Chater's Motoring Booksellers of 25 Murrell Green Business Park, Murrell Green, Hook, Hants, England. Chater's price is now �4.99.

Or, you can order from Chater's by telephone +44(0)1256 765 443 Jowett Jupiter | Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki Share Ad blocker interference detected! Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers Wikia is not accessible if you’ve made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected. Jowett Jupiter 93 in (2,400 mm) [2] Length Series 1 163 in (4,100 mm) Series 1a 168 in (4,300 mm) [2] Width 62 in (1,600 mm) [2] Height Curb weight 2,100 lb (953 kg) [2] The Jowett Jupiter was a British car made by Jowett Cars Ltd of Idle , near Bradford from 1950 to 1954.

Following the launch of the all new Jowett Javelin the company decided to use its power train in a sports car, the only one the company ever made. Contents Edit For the chassis design Jowett approached ERA to design one and they came up with a tubular steel fabrication based on a design by Professor Eberan von Eberhorst who had been with Auto Union . [1] The suspension used torsion bars front and rear and was independent at the front. On this frame Jowett built a steel and aluminium open body with a bench seat for three people. There was no external access to the boot (trunk) and the bonnet (hood) was rear hinged and opened complete with the wings. The Mk 1a came out in late 1952 with a little more power (63 bhp) and an opening lid to a boot of larger capacity. As well as the 731 Mk1 and 94 Mk1a made by the factory, a further 75 chassis were supplied to external coachbuilders such as Stabilimenti Farina , Ghia Suisse and Abbott of Farnham .

Powertrain Edit The flat four overhead valve engine of 1486 cc was more highly tuned than in the Javelin and had its compression ratio raised from 7.2:1 to 8.0:1 developing 60 bhp (45 kW) at 4500 rpm giving the car a maximum speed of 85 mph (137 km/h) and a 0-50 mph time of 11.7 seconds. [2] Two Zenith carburettors were fitted. A four speed gearbox with column change was used. Rally success Edit The Jupiter was an instant success with a record-breaking class win at Le Mans in 1950, a class 1-2 in the 1951 Monte Carlo International Rally, the outright win of the 1951 Lisbon International Rally, and a class 1-2 at Dundrod in a gruelling 4-hr sports car race on public roads in September 1951 in Northern Ireland.

This was a resurrection of the famous Ulster Tourist Trophy Race of 1928-1936 previously run on the 13.7-mile (22.0 km) Ards circuit. Le Mans was again class-won in 1951 and 1952, and lesser events were taken in 1952 but by 1953 newer faster cars were proving a match for the Jupiter which was after all a well-appointed touring car first and foremost. Performance Edit A car tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1950 had a top speed of 86.1 mph (138.6 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 18.0 seconds. A fuel consumption of 25.1 miles per imperial gallon (11.3 L/100 km/20.9 mpg -US ) was recorded. The test car cost £1086 including taxes.

[3] Jupiter R1 Edit A racing derivative of the Jupiter, the R1, was entered in the 1951 1500 cc sports car race at Watkins Glen, driven to first place by George Weaver. In the Le Mans 24 hour race in 1952 another example won its class at 13th overall, driven by Marcel Becquart and Gordon Wilkins. Three examples of the R1 were made - one survives. Jupiter R4 Edit The original Jupiter was a somewhat heavy car and this handicapped its performance. An intended successor, the R4, was made with fibreglass body and a new lighter chassis and showed the potential of being a genuine 100 mph (161 km/h) car but Jowett closed before the car could reach production. Three prototypes were made of which two survive. [1] Preservation 1952 Jowett Jupiter - Conceptcarz conceptcarz Tweet One of the rarest sports cars to reach North America was the British Jowett Jupiter. Its heritage went back to 1906 when Benjamin and William Jowett of Bradford, Yorkshire, expanded from bicycle repair into automobile building.

They built their first prototype car that year, but commercial production didn't begin until 1910. The first Jowetts had flat, twin-cylinder engines, and this horizontally opposed layout would become a Jowett trademark. In 1936 a flat four engine was introduced. Produced by Jowett Cars Ltd. of Bradford, England, the Jupiter was a British Automobile that was produced from 1950 to 1954. Jowett produced commercial and light vehicles from 1906 until 1954. Riding high on their success from the Jowett Javelin, the Jowett Company chose to test the waters by using its power train in a sports car, the only one the company ever made. ERA was chosen to design the chassis, and was done so by Professor Eberan von Eberhorst, from Auto Union. Eberhorst created a chassis design that consisted of tubular steel fabrication, with the suspension using torsion bars front and rear and independent at the front. Jowett modified this by building a steel and aluminum open body on this frame with a bench seat with room for three passengers.

The hood was rear hinged and opened complete with the wings, while there was no external access to the trunk. More impressive than the Javelin, the Jupiter a more highly tuned flat four overhead valve engine of 1486 cc. With a maximum speed of 85 mph and a 0-50 time of 11.7 seconds, the Jupiter came with its compression ratio raised from 7.2:1 to 8.0:1 developing 60 bhp at 4500 rpm. Besides a four speed gearbox with column change, the Jupiter also featured two Zenith carburetors. All Jupiter sports cars were powered by the same Jowerr-designed 1486cc flat four pushrod engine of 60-62 bhp in standard form. In 1950 the Jupiter achieved a record-breaking class win at Le Mans and became an instant success. Adding to this status was the outright win of the '51 Lisbon International Rally, a class 1-2 in the '51 Monte Carlo International Rally, and a class 1-2 at Dundrod in September of 1951.

The Jupiter was again class-won in both 1951 and 1952 at Le Mans, along with various other lesser events throughout the year. During its production life and beyond, the Jowett Jupiter reached high successes in both national and international competitions. Unfortunately in 1953 the competition was getting heavier, as newer faster cars were giving the Jupiter a run for its money. Late during 1952, a new model with a bit more power (63 bhp) was introduced, the Mk 1a. The aluminum-bodied MK 1a showcased an opening lid to a trunk with a lot more storage room. Only 94 Mk 1A's were constructed by the factory, and a total of 731 Mk1 were built. In addition to these vehicles, Jowett also produced 75 fully equipped rolling chassis that were supplied to external coachbuilders. These specialist coachbuilders included Ghia Suisse, Abbot of Farnham, Richard Mead, Farina and Gebruder Beutler. While only example of the R1, a sports- racing derivative of the Jupiter, survives today, 3 examples were designed.

The R1 won the 1500cc sports car race held at Watkins Glen in 1951. One year later another R1 model placed 13th overall in the Le Mans 24 hour race. The R4 was the intended successor for the Jupiter unfortunately the Jowett Company shut its doors before every reaching production. Constructed with a fiberglass body and featuring a newer lighter chassis, the R4 had high hopes of being a 100 mph vehicle. The cheapest 100 mph car exhibited at the 1953 London Motor Show, the R4 Jupiter turned many heads. Two out of three prototypes have survived to this day. Before it could ever be raced by the Works, the factory closed. . Jowett Car Clubs Services Jupiter Welcome to the world of Jowett Cars This website has recently moved from where it was hosted so as to provide even better means for bringing those interested in Jowetts, and the knowledge they have, together. This page is a portal to most of the web facilities available relating to Jowett cars made in Bradford. If this is your first visit then you can learn something about the cars and the clubs that support the marque.

Links to other webpages will enable you to find out more. Please use the Contact form if you have a question or have information that may further our knowledge of Jowetts. If you are new to this site why not quickly pin yourself on one of the guest maps, if your geography is any good. If you live in the UK, please use this map otherwise use the world map . Note you must select one of the pins! Contact us. If you are interested in talking about Jowetts then register on the forum or go along to an event that is closest to you. We may be able to put you in touch with a member close to you, although some parts of the world have few Jowett members! Use the Contact Form to state your location and preferred language. Note that JowettTalk is multi-lingual, although most communication is in English. If you already own a Jowett (or even if you do not), please join one of the clubs to gain full benefit from the Jowett community. Please share your experiences and knowledge as well. If you are looking to buy a Jowett then there is a link to a regularly updated 'For Sale ' section.

Many are now buying Jowetts as 'project' cars. A wealth of information exists on this site on how to restore the cars, with lots of help coming from club members. JowettTalk Over 20826 posts • Over 3658 topics • Over 629 members JowettTalk is an active forum that has lively debate on technical and other issues related to Jowetts, answers questions both technical and historical and lets you know what is going on in all the club sections across the world. You need to register to take part. JowettTalk has its own search facility but you must be logged in to use it. The pre-2006 JowettTalk can still be searched using the Jowett.Org search . Most of JowettTalk is viewable by the public, but some sections are only accessible by registered users or special groups. JowettGallery Over 8000 items • Over 332 contributors JowettGallery was launched in 2007 to gather knowledge about Jowetts into a library.

The JowettGallery has its own search facility to find technical and historical articles as well contributions shared by members in their personal albums. Users can also comment on items in the archive so furthering our knowledge. The JowettGallery is integrated into the forum, JowettTalk, so that pictures, videos and documents can be referenced and discussed. By default, items are not available to the public, but owners can change this to share them with the world. The Legacy Project Both JowettTalk and JowettGallery have special areas of co-operative space that allow members to work on subjects together. Members can upload information into these spaces and then curators can reorganise the items once they are checked and completed by others. In this way there is an accumulation of press cuttings , parts' lists, manuals and technical bulletins , historical pictures, audio recordings and videos . Each club also has an area to store documents or records of events which may assist members organising events in future. Access can be strictly controlled, if required, either based on groups or individuals. Club membership is checked at login so that access can be authorised. Affiliated clubs thrive in Europe , Spain, America, Australia and New Zealand. Members contribute from many other countries.

There is a website devoted to the Jowett Jupiter and you can visit the the Jupiter Owners Auto Club website . Look at the regional sections in JowettTalk and Jowett Gallery for more detail. Spares, Cars for sale Each club has a spares scheme and they do co-operate to provide a comprehensive service. JowettTalk has a section on Cars and Spares for sale. Each club has a shop. Look also at the Memorabilia section of JowettTalk for more to buy or sell. Services Each club produces a regular magazine some of which can be viewed in JowettGallery. Jowetteer from the UK, Flat Four from New Zealand, The Javelin from Australia, Jowett Jive from America. Note the above will not be seen unless logged into JowettGallery and your registered email address corresponds to that in a club membership list. Clubs maintain registers of cars and the registrars often know each car's history. So if you have any information please contact them via Contact Form .

The Cars British cars made in Bradford from 1906 to 1954 namely- Jupiter, Javelin, Bradford, Jason, Black Prince, Curlew, Kestrel, Weasel, Flying Fox, Falcon, Long Four, Focus, Blackbird, Kingfisher, Black Prince, Wren, Grey Knight, Silverdale, Chummy, 7cwt Van, Short Two. Scroll through some examples below by touching the arrows. 1901 V twin The two Jowett brothers, William and Benjamin, with their sister, Ruth, formed the Jowett Motor Manufacturing Company with capital of £90 split into equal shares. Their main work was building replacement engines for other cars. After many experiments they produced a 55° v twin as replacement for 6hp de Dion and Aster engine – theirs was much smoother running – quite an accomplishment in those days! Arthur Lamb looked after the clerical side of the business, and bought Ruth's share for £60 – the business was now valued at £180. 1905 Horizontally opposed The first 4 stroke horizontally opposed 2 cylinder engine was built and a car with a smooth running engine was a possibility.

Many experiments followed with different drives. 1906 Tiller steering Eventually the AK 494 was born. 6' wheelbase, tiller steering 815cc horizontally opposed engine with the capability of 2750rpm, driving at up to 48 mph. This car then underwent 4years and 25,000 miles of trials and refinement. 1910 Started building cars Jowett Motor Manufacturing Co started building cars!! Production started on 48 cars in batches of 12 over the next 6 years. The first car went sight unseen to South Africa. An Englishman living in Cape Town advertised nationally. He wished to purchase a car that could climb Table Mountain in one clean ascent. He challenged a manufacturer to supply on a sale or return basis. The first production Jowett was supplied on this basis and never was returned!! 1911 8hp Resistance was being felt to the meagre RAC rating of 6.4hp for sales so the Jowett was advertised at 8hp(RAC) and sold well with no changes! A waiting list of one year developed and business went well.

1916 Earliest Jowett in NZ The final car number 1648 or the last of 48 produced in 1916 was sold to a doctor in NZ, and is the earliest Jowett in NZ – still in Christchurch waiting to be restored. 1916-19 War Work After the cessation of 24 hour war work Jowetts lacked any volume of work but couldn't shed staff so they made a loss for 1919. On 30th June Jowett Cars Ltd was registered with £30,000 of shares of which £1500 was paid up equally between the three. About this time a disused quarry at 5 Lane Ends was purchased for £100 and the Bradford City Corporation paid for it with tipping rights. 1920 New factory A newly built factory was moved into by January 1920. The first car rolled out by April. By late 1920 a new road traffic act meant that by increasing bore and capacity to 907cc an RAC rating of 7.04 hp meant £7 road tax per year.

So the 6.4hp became 8 hp and now 7 hp. 1922-1923 Jowett Car Club Jowett Car Clubs formed and the "Southern Jowett Car Club" is now the "Jowett Car Club" of today. 1925 Across Africa In response to challenges to British Motor Car Manufacturing Companies. The First 1770 miles through Kenya and Uganda. The Second across Africa 3800 miles from Lagos to Red Sea in 60 days over mostly no roads averaging 30mpg + 77 miles/day. Compact disk with images of the booklet of the 1926 Across Africa journey available from the Jowett Shop. 1929 Minor changes to engine camshaft and clutch and 4 wheel brakes introduced. 1932 Rubberised bushes on suspension points. "Silent Bloc" bushes. And "Lay rub" couplings on drive shaft. 1935 4 cylinder engine introduced in "Jason" and "Jupiter models. Very raked radiator and twin carburettors.

1937 Back to single carburettor Radiator rakes lessened and back to single carburettor on 10hp 4 cylinder engine and 8hp 2 cylinder engine. 1939 Public company Jowett by now a public company. Both Jowett brothers had retired, but still had majority shares. 1940 1949 Jupiter chassis at Earls Court Gerald Palmer leaves for MG May 1949. October London motor show "Earls Court" Jupiter chassis on display. 1950 First class win at Le Mans March 2 Jupiters ready -One for USA April show. 3rd Jupiter entered for Le Mans in June Finished 16th overall. 1st 1500cc class and broke Aston Martin's 1937 record with 75.8 mph average. First of 3 consecutive class wins. 1951 Motorsport success More rally and racing successes for Javelin and Jupiter. Best production figures for Javelin. Early 1951 gearbox built 'in-house'. April 1951 gear steel EN36 became unavailable due to Korean war.

Alternative steel caused major problems and gearboxes became a problem. 1952 Gearbox problems Gearboxes became a 'big' problem but various other shortcomings didn't help. In May delivery was halted briefly, for more gearbox experiments. Sales of Javelin were dropping off badly. Christmas 1952 200+ bodies stockpiled around stores and roads. Briggs asked to stop body supply temporarily in Dec 1952. 1953 Into profit Start up negotiations with Briggs stall. New commercial vehicle range tested, but not to be put into production. No new Bradford CD! Trading improved and backlog of cars sold, and 1953 saw profit of £25,000 and 1954 of £74,000 1954 Factory closure In July employees were told the factory and most jobs and machines would be with International Harvester from October. Last Jowett left Idle on Nov 4th 1954, a Jupiter. 1955 Jowett Engineering Jowett Cars Ltd sold to Blackburn Aircraft. No debts and shareholders paid out pound for pound!!!!

Jowetts promised to supply parts and service till Dec 1963, which it did at Howden Clough Bradford. 1956 Jowett Car Club of Australia formed. 1960 Blackburn Aircraft became part of Hawker Siddeley Group. 1962 Login The system will see if the email address you gave is already in the JCC membership list. If so, it will populate any fields in forms, thus saving you work and giving you the opportunity to update the record. If your email address is not on file then just enter your details which will be kept so you do not have to do it again, unless they change. There is a link on the 'Login' form if you have forgotten your password. HELP! An ACCESS CHECK is performed after login. The help guide explains what this does and how it routes you to the various services. Update account details When you login you are presented with an ACCESS CHECK page with links to help maintain your details that are held on file. You can update your account login details if your email or phone number changes or if you join a Jowett club and need access to Jowett Internet Services. HELP!

First Aid This facility allows you to locate a member so may aid when visiting foreign parts or in the unlikely event you are broken down in a Jowett. Used on a smartphone with geo-location it can guide you to close to the member's house. It also helps organise 'Get a Jowett on the Road days' or other events as members close to the event can be contacted. Members indicate whether they are able to offer spares, towing or accomodation assistance and if they need help getting a Jowett on the road. This allows you to renew membership on-line and correct any details. Currently only available for JCC Ltd members. HELP ! Contact Info. You can use this form to contact any club officer in any club, so if you know with whom you wish to communicate please say their name, club (region) and office held. We will endeavour to put you in touch with a relevant officer, if you do not, but please give your location and car details, if appropriate. You may like to look at this page first as it has information on each regional club, and has links to each regional website . Click on the picture for each club to enter its album of information.

There you will find links that enable you to contact club officers directly. Email: Please use the form to send an email. Website: jowett.net The Jowett Car Club Affiliated clubs thrive in America, Australia and New Zealand. Members contribute from many other countries including Spain . There is a website devoted to the Jowett Jupiter and you can visit the the Jupiter Owners Auto Club website . The oldest one-make car club. An advert appeared in the Bradford Telegraph and Argus on 12 May 1922 causing the formation of the Southern Jowett Car Club, from whence the present club can trace its ancestry. The Southern Jowett Car Club held its first rally on 26 August 1923. The car in the logo from a period photograph taken in 1923 on the Scottish Tests rally is a 1923 Short Two that is still alive and well. Click on the logo to see a high definition image. This car along with about 100 Jowetts of all ages were together at the Milestones Museum, Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK on 25th and 26th May 2013.

See this thread on JowettTalk for details. A re-enactment of the first Southern club run took place from Titsey Hill on Sunday 25th August 2013. See here for details and see here for the re-enactment of the Northern Club run from Bradford Industrial Museum to Boroughbridge on 11th August 2013 . Tweed Valley Rally, 26th to 29th May 2017. Booking form here . News on JowettTalk here. Our Mission To celebrate classic British cars made in Bradford from 1906 to 1954 namely- Jupiter, Javelin, Bradford, Jason, Black Prince, Curlew, Kestrel, Weasel, Flying Fox, Falcon, Long Four, Focus, Blackbird, Kingfisher, Black Prince, Wren, Grey Knight, Silverdale, Chummy, 7cwt Van, Short Two. To encourage the maintenance, running and preservation of Jowett vehicles; whether car, commercial, vintage, pre-war, post-war, tractor or stationary engine. To provide members with help, technical back-up, spares and companionship.

Have a look at the 'Technical' Section of JowettTalk to see how well members help each other. Profile Formed in 1923, the Jowett Car Club claims to be the oldest one-make car club in the world. The club has used computers since 1974 and its old website remains here. A forum is accessible to those interested in the Jowett marque and an interactive library is available to club members. Please register on them. Locally run sections in the UK organise friendly social events. The Events webpage has some of them. but also have a look at the 'What's on' section in JowettTalk for events all over the world. The annual meeting in May brings hundreds of members and their cars together. Members provide voluntary services that cater for Jowett owners and those interested in the cars and their history. An insurance scheme is offered by three companies that support the club based on the business they get from club members. STOLEN. A maroon Short Two with dickey seat has been stolen. Registration number NE 5890. Please report any sighting to police or inform webmaster . More detail in this thread .

Owning a Jowett can be a very rewarding experience. Make sure you are protecting your project and loved ones with comprehensive car insurance . It is best to be covered when the unexpected happens. Compact disk with images of the booklet of the 1926 Across Africa journey available from the Jowett Shop. Practical Classics Restoration Show, Club of the Show 2015, Stand of the Show 2014 , Best Live Working Stand 2016 see video here Next show March 2017. See pictures and read narrative of the 2016 event , the 2015 event and the 2014 event here on the forum. We had Amy's Jupiter SC in the Display Cars section as well as an impressive club stand hailed as surpassing our stand in the previous two years when it also won the best stand award. Next year come along and be inspired to do a bit of restoration or at least see how it is done. Go here for more detail. Jowett The Jowett Car Club is international and offers a monthly magazine, library, parts, spares, technical information, events, motorsport, rallying and global contributions from its members.

It celebrates Classic British Cars made in Bradford- namely- Jupiter, Javelin, Bradford, Jason, Black Prince, Curlew, Kestrel, Weasel, Flying Fox, Falcon, Long Four, Focus, Blackbird, Kingfisher, Black Prince, Wren, Grey Knight, Silverdale, Chummy, 7cwt Van, Short Two. The Oldest One-Make Car Club in the World. Established 1923 and on a computer since 1974.

Jowett Cars 1910-1954 Jupiter, Javelin, Bradford, Jason, Black Prince, Curlew, Kestrel, Weasel, Flying Fox, Falcon, Long Four, Focus, Blackbird, Kingfisher, Black Prince, Wren, Grey Knight, Silverdale, Chummy, 7cwt Van, Short Two 1954, 1952, 1945, 1940, 1938, 1936, 1935, 1933, 1932, 1931, 1930, 1929, 1927, 1925, 1922, 1920, 1916, 1910 . This site was superceeded in 2006 by the home pages in jowett.org and by JowettTalk (mostly viewable by the public)and JowettGallery (mostly only viewable by club members). Nevertheless the site still contains some valuable information.

This is a Sitemap where only some of the hot spots are activated (click on the rectangle to enter); alternatively use this search facility. If you are new to the site, please visit the welcome page. That page also tells you what is new on the site. If you have been away for a while have a look at the Revision History. February 2006. Great article from Old Timer in German provided by Jaak Jacobs. These are the major sections. Please click on a link to navigate the site or you use the Table of Contents below. JCC ANNUAL CAR RALLY BRADFORD DIAMOND JUBILEE | YFA Download description pdf This film is from a collection held by the Jowett Car Club. The film provides a brief history of the Jowett Company, and chronicles the Club’s annual Rally held at Saltaire showing many fine vintage cars on display. The film opens showing a cover of the programme for the Jowett Car Club Diamond Jubilee National Rally on 12th-30th May 1983.

The commentary runs through the history of the company, from its beginnings in Bradford on to Idle just outside Bradford, and the factory is shown from the air and in some early photos. This is followed by Club member, Keith Wear getting into a Jowett Javelin at the Idle factory and driving it away for the Rally. He turns into Highfield Avenue and through the village of Idle, passing the Idle Working Men’s Club and the Holy Trinity Parish Church. The film then shows a variety of models of Jowett cars making their way to the Rally at Saltaire form as far away as Switzerland and Holland. These include pre-wars, Bradfords, Javelins and Jupiters. The film then gives an overview of Saltaire, showing cars arriving on a rainy day at Salts Mill. The cars park lined up in the grounds of the mill. The organisers are on hand to direct the cars to be parked up according to model of car. As the driver arrives he is stopped and questioned about the car by two policemen who ask him why there is no seatbelt, with one of the policemen smiling at the mock interrogation.

He finally backs his car into place alongside a long row of Javelins, some of which are shown in close up. Then the Jupiters arrive and again park up alongside each other in pristine condition, and some are filmed with their bonnets open. The commentary explains that they won their class in the Le Mans 24 hour races in 1950, 1951 and 1952 and also in the 1951 Monte Carlo Rally. An old bright yellow Jowett Bradford van has ‘Telegraph and Argus’ written on the side, and one of the camera men, Colin Egglestone interviews the daughter of William Jowett who recounts aspects of her family’s history. At the Saltaire United Reformed Church more, and older, models of Jowett cars have congregated, including a line of Bradfords, some of them being polished by their owners. One of the Bradfords is an ice cream van. At the front of the United Reformed Church the Hammond Sauce Works Junior Band plays. Among the cars on view are a 1920s Jowett Sports and a long tourer.

Two young girls accompanied by a woman get out of a Jowett Tourer all in Edwardian dress. Jowett car owners stand around having dicsussions, and a reporter from the Telegraph and Argus interviews a group of them, including Gordon Brooks, chairman of the Rally Committee, who is asked what the oldest car at the Rally is. This pre-First World War car, with Tiller Steering which predates the steering wheel, is then shown, also with its bonnet open. A man and a woman in period dress are handing out flyers. The Lord Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor Norman and Mrs Free, arrive and walk around the cars chatting with Club members. One of the judges makes notes on one of the cars in his notebook. A wide variety of makes are shown, some close up. The Club Chairman, Drummond Black, who has been escorting the Mayor, now announces the winners with the Lord Mayor presenting the prizes, which include real Yorkshire shuttles, to a watching crowd. The cars then make their way home up Victoria Road.

End credits: ‘Filmed by Colin and Ian Egglestone’ ‘Assisted by Darren Smith’ ‘Hammond Sauce Works Junior Band’ ‘Produced by Keith Wear’ This film is from a collection made by Jowett Car Club member Keith Wear. The film provides a brief history of the Jowett Company, and chronicles the Club’s annual Rally held at Saltaire showing many fine vintage cars on display. The film opens showing a cover of the programme for the Jowett Car Club Diamond Jubilee National Rally on 12th-30th May 1983. The commentary runs through the history of the company, from its beginnings in Bradford onto its move to Idle just outside Bradford. The factory is shown from the air and in some early photos. This is followed by a man getting into a Jowett Javelin at the Idle factory and driving it away for the Rally. He turns into Highfield Avenue and through the village of Idle, passing the Idle Working Men’s Club and the Holy Trinity Parish Church. The film then shows a variety of models of Jowett cars making their way to the Rally at Solitaire, from as far away as Switzerland and Holland.

These include Pre-Wars, Bradfords, Javelins and Jupiters. The film then gives an overview of Saltaire, showing cars arriving on a rainy day at the large factory. The cars park lining up on the grounds of the factory. The organisers are on hand to direct the cars to be parked up according to model of car. As the driver arrives, he is stopped and questioned about the car by two policemen who ask him why there is no seatbelt. One of the policemen smiles at the mock interrogation. He finally backs his car into place alongside a long row of Javelins, some of which are shown in close up. Then the Jupiters arrive and again park up alongside each other. The cars are all in pristine condition, and some are filmed with their bonnets open. The commentary explains that they won the Le Mans in 1950 and 1951 and came third at the Monte Carlo Rally in 1951. An old bright yellow Jowett Bradford van has ‘Telegraph and Argus’ written on the side, and a reporter from the paper interviews an elderly lady. She is a member of the Jowett family who recounts aspects of her family’s history.

At the Saltaire United Reformed Church, more and older models of Jowett cars have congregated, including a line of Bradfords. Some of them are being polished by their owners. One of the Bradfords is an ice cream van. At the front of the United Reformed Church a junior brass band having the initials HJB plays. Among the cars on view are a 1920s Jowett Sports and a long tourer. Two young girls accompanied by a woman get out of a Flying Fox. They are all in Edwardian costume. Jowett car owners stand around having discussions, and a reporter from the Telegraph and Argus interviews a group of them, including Gordon Brooks, chairman of the Rally Committee. He is asked to identify the oldest Rally. This pre-First World War car is then shown, also with its bonnet open. A man and a woman in period dress hand out flyers. The Lord Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor Norman, and Mrs Free arrive and walk around the cars while chatting with Club members. One of the judges makes notes in his notebook about one of the cars. A wide variety of makes are shown, some close up.

The Club Chairman, Drummond Black, who has been escorting the Mayor, now announces the winners. The Lord Mayor presents the prizes to the winners in front of a watching crowd. The cars then make their way home. End credits: ‘Filmed by Colin and Ian Egglestone’ ‘Assisted by Darren Smith’ ‘Hammond sauce Works Junior Band’ ‘Produced by Keith Wear’ Download context pdf This film is one of many made about the Jowett Car Club by various individuals and organisations over several decades, going back to the early 1950s and covering each decade up to 1984. This film was made by Jowett car enthusiast and Club Officer Keith Wear, assisted by Colin and Ian Egglestone. The Jowett Car Club has built up a sizeable collection of films in an Archive of which Keith is the Film Librarian. Keith can be seen in the opening sequence leaving the offices of the former Jowett Cars Ltd factory in the Javelin at Idle, Bradford. This film of the National Jowett Rally of 29th May 1983 is representative of many of these films.

There is also a film from 1927 of a demonstration of Jowett vehicles as being suitable for military purposes because of their lightness and gripping qualities when driving through mud. The Jowett Car Club was formed in 1923 and has expanded to have members from all over the globe. It is the oldest One Make car club in the world. As well as organising rallies and other events, it also produces a monthly magazine and provides advice on buying and restoring Jowetts. Each year the club holds an international rally and these have been held in many different locations in the UK. Bradford was chosen for the 1983 rally to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of the club, being the city in which brothers Ben and William Jowett designed their first car in 1906 and where production commenced in 1910, ceasing in 1953. The display of Jowett vehicles and Concours took place at Saltaire near Bradford. This is a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site.

In 1853, Sir Titus Salt founded an extensive worsted spinning and weaving mill with a model village providing good housing for his workers and facilities including a school, library, institute, church etc. Saltaire is a combination of the founder’s name and that of the adjacent river Aire. The mill is sited on the banks of the Leeds Liverpool canal on which much of the raw material and finished goods were transported. The Centenary Rally was a significant event in the life of the Jowett Car Club. Keith Wear, an owner of a Jowett Javelin built in 1952, decided to produce this film together with fellow experienced cine enthusiasts Colin and Ian Egglestone, members of the Bradford Cine Circle. They agreed upon an outline for the film, and Colin and Ian undertook the camera work. Young Darren Smith assisted with sound recording at the event, and Ian edited the film with commentary by Keith. Upon completion the Film was previewed at the City Hall in Bradford to the Lord Mayor’s civic party prior to being included in the programme of the Bradford Cine Circle members' open show to the public which took place over three evenings.

In the film, as Keith makes his way to the rally in the Javelin, he passes the unusually named Idle Working Men’s Club. As might be expected with a name like that, many have sought to join up! Among the Honorary members are Paul Gascoigne, Roger Moore and Uri Geller. Coming from throughout the U.K. and from Switzerland and Holland many Jowetts are seen, on a slightly misty morning, on their routes to Saltaire and arriving at Salts Mill. Saltaire United Reform Church provides the background for the display of Jowett ‘Bradford’ vans and light trucks and an excellent collection of vintage vehicles dating from the early 1900s. The oldest car was from the 1910/13 period and unique in having tiller steering which preceded the steering wheel. The company of Jowett was founded by the brothers William and Benjamin Jowett in 1901, when motoring was still in its infancy. It started with a water cooled V twin engine, and then in 1904 produced an air cooled engine with overhead valves, the first of its kind, using a spark plug for ignition.

They produced their first car in 1905/06, for which they designed their famous two cylinder horizontally opposed engine; although production was delayed because they were concentrating on the production of the Scott-Jowett motorbikes. It wasn’t until 1910 that a lightweight 6 cwt car was manufactured in large numbers. In the 1920s they produced a 7hp vehicle that was regarded as the best of its kind on the road at that time, especially noted for going up hills – very important in West Yorkshire! They soon branched out making a variety of models: four-seaters, two-seaters, saloons, a sports and a light van. In 1926 one of their standard cars was the first to make a journey across the desert from Lagos on the Atlantic to Massawa on the Red Sea – 3,800 miles in less than two months. On into the 1930s they produced a four cylinder car, and during the Second World War, as with the First World War and like many engineering companies, they switched production to munitions work, making parts for tanks and aircraft.

After the war the company introduced a completely revolutionary car in both body style and technical design. The Javelin had a four cylinder horizontally- opposed engine and a gearbox controlled by a gear lever mounted on the steering column. This enabled provision of a front bench seat for three persons, usually two adults and a child. Although designed as a family saloon the Javelinwon the 1.5 litre class at the Monte Carlo Rally in 1949. This was followed by the 60 bhp of the Jupiter, which could get from 0 to 60 in 15 seconds, and a top speed of 95 mph – although only half the average acceleration of today’s cars, at the time this was high performance. In 1951 the Jupiter won a whole series of races in the 1.5 litre class, including the Monte Carlo Rally – where it was runner up as well – and it was the only car in its class to finish the Le Mans 24 hour Grand Prix Endurance. The Jupiter also won the 2 litre class of the Le Mans 24 hour race on 1950, 1951 and 1952.

The 50th anniversary booklet produced by Jowett boasts that the factory employed the latest methods of assembly with the most modern machinery. It is signed off by the managing Director, Arthur Jopling: “I have every confidence in our team, our products and our future.” After 1951 Jowetts developed prototypes for a R4 Jupiter with a fibre glass body. In 1950, Jowetts developed the prototype CD range incorporating a Four door saloon, Estate Car, Van and truck. The bodies were to be produced by Briggs Motor Bodies of Dagenham. These never went into production due to financial considerations and contractual difficulties. Ford Motor Company purchased Briggs. In 1953 Jowetts developed a proposed update to the Jupiter in bringing out the R4 sports model. The body was manufactured in Fabric Reinforced Plastic. A car was displayed at the 1953 Motor Show though it never went beyond prototype stage before the company withdrew from vehicle production completely, continuing for a further ten years manufacturing spare parts for existing cars and vans. So, with all this success, why did Jowett fold in 1954?

It did in fact continue to manufacture spare parts for existing cars for another 10 years, but ceased to make new cars. The company was one of many that went under with the stiffer competition from Europe and Japan once the affects of the war began to wear off. Before the war Britain was in a strong position: in 1937 providing 15% of all world vehicle exports. It was in an equally strong position in the immediate post-war period when, in 1950, 75% of British car production and 60% of its commercial vehicle production was exported, accounting for just over half of all exported vehicles worldwide. However, by the mid-1950s the US car industry was catching up with domestic demand, and so exports to the States fell off dramatically. At that time the US were well in advance of British cars in terms of comfort – with power steering, radios, electronic windows: all the things that would appeal to those driving the long miles down the wide open roads. In Europe too production was recovering, and Japanese industry really took off.

Vauxhall had already been taken over by General Motors in 1925, and these, together with Ford, accounted for 29% share of the British market. In response to this competition the British Motor Corporation was established in 1952, comprising Austin, Morris, MG, Riley and Wolseley, with a 40% share of the British market. From then on over the next few decades there was a whole series of takeovers and mergers. The 1960s saw BMC acquiring Jaguar and then merging with Leyland – which acquired Triumph and Rover – to form British Leyland Motor Corporation in 1968, encouraged by the government, and especially Tony Benn as chairman of the Industrial Reorganization Committee. These remained the big British owned producers, alongside the big three US companies of Chrysler (UK), Ford, and Vauxhall (GM). Britain gradually slipped down the league table for manufacturing cars, from fourth in 1968 to sixth in 1974. At present the motor cars that are built by UK owned companies are for very small specialised markets.

One explanation for the decline of the British motor industry during this period is briefly outlined by Susan Bowden in her review of Timothy Whisler’s book (see References). This is that the management of the British motor industry were so confident in “the innate superiority of the company's products”, that they “failed to read the signals of changing market conditions.” Bowden herself cites the long term detrimental affects of government influence in providing a cushion for British producers. Whatever the merits of this analysis (much simplified here), cars manufactured in the UK at present are regarded as being of a high standard. Most makes of car, and many models, now have their own classic car club. Many of these were formed after the Second World War, although the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain was formed as long ago as 1930.

A Veteran car is any built before 1919 (this has changed slightly over the years), a Vintage between 1919 and 1930, those made during the 1930s are classed as aPost Vintage Thoroughbred, and a Classic those made after the Second World War but no longer in production, although where the cut off date is here is one of dispute – this has nothing much to do with the zero rate road tax for ‘Historic Vehicles’ which the Labour Government fixed as pre-1973. In looking at the cars in this film, it isn’t hard to see why so many much prefer the look of the classic cars of the past to the blander look of cars of today. (With special thanks to Keith Wear for contributing much of this context) References Susan Bowden, "Review of Timothy R. Whisler, The British Motor Industry, 1945-94; A Case Study in Industrial Decline." EH.Net Economic History Services Remembering Britain's failed car companies - picture special | Autocar Newsletter Remembering Britain's failed car companies - picture special The history of British car making is littered with success, glory, incompetence and failure.

We look at those marques that have fallen by the wayside Allard was formed in 1945 by racer Sydney Allard Allard produced several models, including sports cars and saloons The Allard P1 Sports initially used a Ford 3.6-litre V8 and three-speed manual transmission, making many parts easy to find The Allard J2 was recreated in 2011, some 53 years after the company closed Alvis built high-end premium sports cars Alvis' Fifties models included the Three Litre sports saloon and TC 21 Alvis was orginally formed in 1919; it stopped making cars in 1967 Austin built cars for 83 years; the affordable Austin Seven was a popular car in its day It was built from 1922 to 1939 The Austin A35 was a reliable, affordable car that was also offered in van and estate forms The Austin-Healey 100 went into production in 1953 Damiler built luxury saloons and sports cars Daimler soldiered on for years but eventually disappeared in 2010 Gilbern launched in 1959 It produced the GT

, Genie and Invader The company went bust in 1973, partly due to the increasing cost of its cars The rear-engined Hillman Imp was popular on both road and track The Hillman car company first appeared in 1907, but the brand had disappeared by the late Seventies The Hunter was one of Hillman's most popular models Jensen started out as a coachbuilder but branched into car production in 1935 The Jensen Interceptor was a highly regarded luxury GT The Jensen-Healey went on sale in 1972 The Jensen name reappeared briefly in 2001, with the launch of the S-V8 Jowett, which produced the Javelin saloon, ceased to exist in 1954 The Jowett Jupiter Tourer used the company's own flat-four engine Marcos produced sleek sports cars but went under in 2007 The Marcos 1800 GT went into production in 1964 The TSO was launched in 2004 in an attempt to revive Marcos Morris was one of Britain's best-selling automotive brands.

It started in 1913 and closed in 1983 The Morris Minor is one of several classic British economy cars Panther built some oddball cars, including the six-wheeled 'Six' Panther first appeared in 1972, and a revival of the brand is still on the cards Reliant's cars offered buyers cheap, simple transport The Scimitar was a pioneering sports estate but it didn't stop the company from petering out in the Nineties Riley made distinctive and popular sports cars in the Twenties and Thirties The brand became distilled as time went on, however, and died in 1969 Rover produced cars from 1904 until 2005, when it shut along with MG Rover The Rover P6 3500S was a hit thanks to its 3.5-litre V8 and four-speed manual gearbox The Rover SD1 was praised for its stylish looks Standard sold primarily conventional cars from 1906 until 1963 Singer started building cars in 1905 but eventually wound down in 1970 Sunbeam built the first British car to win a Grand Prix; its Alpine, pictured here, was a popular sports car V

8-engined versions of the Alpine, called Tigers, were also built Sunbeam shut down in 1981 Talbot was founded in 1903 Talbot disappeared in the early Nineties; the company was frequently paired with other manufacturers, including Peugeot The Talbot Samba was produced from 1981 to 1986 The Triumph Stag's 3.0-litre V8 suffered from its issues but the vast majority of its faults were easily resolved Triumph made its first car in the Twenties but eventually came to a halt in the mid Eighties The Triumph TR4 saw action as a patrol car Triumph's TR6 is perceived by many to be the last true sports car from the company The TR7 was the last in-house developed Triumph TVR was founded in 1947 and produced myriad popular cars, including the Cerbera The brand survived for a long time and focused primarily on six- and eight-cylinder sports cars TVR production ended in 2007 A relaunch of TVR is currently in the works, under new ownership Wolesely was one of Britain's earliest car companies; it was founded in 1901 Its line-up included the 4/44.

The brand was eventually killed off by BL in 1975 Close Follow @@autocar Car making is hard. Profitable car making is a whole lot harder, and for proof you only need run a wistful eye over the defunct marques named below. Some were born close to the dawn of the car, when bicycle makers and blacksmiths saw money in the new-fangled horseless carriage. Dozens of opportunists founded car companies, many of them clever engineers, savvy businessmen and sometimes both. Car making at the start of the 20th century was like internet entrepreneurialism at the end of it: plenty jumped into the pool, but only the fittest survived in a market that many didn’t understand. But other car makers have gone despite early successes. Recessions killed many and bundled others into doomed liaisons. Misreadings of the market, the complacency that came with selling sub-standard cars to Britain’s colonies, destabilising government policies, failure to spot the competition and poor management all contributed to the demise of car makers.

But what annihilated great chunks of the British car industry from the 1960s through to the century’s end was a poisonous mix of politics – from communist-agitated unionism to catastrophic government meddling and cost-obsessed management who couldn’t see that building a genuinely better car might build a better business. Allard Sydney Allard built almost 2000 cars between 1946 and 1959, many of them fast, American V8-engined sports cars, although there were plenty of saloons and even a woody wagon. Alvis A maker of between-wars, high-quality sports cars in its heyday. Duller saloons followed, but the Graber-styled TC to TF series of coupés and roadsters were a handsome swansong. It was bought by Rover in 1965, but car production ended two years later, Alvis becoming a military vehicles maker. It was swallowed by BAE Systems in 2004. Austin During much of its 83-year life, Austin was a serial maker of tediously dependable family cars. But it also produced two landmark designs, both called Austin Seven.

The 1922 original was an affordable car that put much of this nation on wheels, and its 1959 namesake triggered a design revolution for small cars. That car was the Mini, the Seven label soon being dropped. The Mini was also available in larger sizes as the 1100 and the 1800. Like both Austin Sevens, the 1100 (and near-identical Morris) became huge sellers. But it was 1973’s 1100 replacement, the Allegro, that doomed Austin. By this point, Austin was embedded within British Leyland’s Austin-Morris volume car division, which BL was desperate to revive. That almost came with 1980’s highly successful Mini Metro, but the Maestro and Montego follow-ups blew much of the resulting goodwill. Austin withered in 1988 with Austin-Rover’s relabelling to Rover, and the Metro, Maestro and Montego lived on briefly in a weird state of brandlessness.

Austin-Healey A joint venture between Donald Healey and Austin resulted in the beautiful 1953 Austin-Healey 100 and the later ‘Frogeye’ Sprite, successfully built and sold by BMC. But with the Frogeye becoming an MG Midget and the Big Healey being outlawed by US legislation, the marque retired in 1971. BMW considered a revival in the late 1990s. Daimler Once a supplier of motor cars to royalty, Daimler grew out of the German company but soon built its own models. Poor post-war management induced decline and a Jaguar takeover, its cars eventually becoming badge-engineered derivatives. It finally disappeared in 2010. Gilbern Virtually the only Welsh car maker. It began selling a GT component car from behind a butcher’s shop in 1959 but grew fast after the Genie’s launch. It went bust in 1973. Hillman A successful maker of staple family cars, Hillman broke from the pack with its rear-engined, Mini-bashing 1963 Imp.

Government interference led to the building of a new factory at Linwood, near Glasgow, but the growing pains of this, reliability troubles and strikes not only undermined the (rather fine) Imp but also dragged the Rootes Group, which owned Hillman, to its knees. Chrysler bought Rootes in 1967, Hillman dying in 1976. Jensen Originally a coachbuilder, Jensen produced its first car in 1935. Beautiful American-powered GTs became a speciality, reaching its zenith with the 1966 Interceptor and FF, a technical tour de force that combined four-wheel drive and anti-lock braking decades before any Audi. The financial wall was hit in 1976, a revival flaring briefly in the 1980s before closure in 1993. Jowett It started with flat twins in 1913 but is best remembered for its advanced Javelin saloon, whose body supplies were undermined by worried rivals. Jowett sank in 1954. Morris To lose one best-selling marque seems careless. To lose two — Austin and Morris — seems downright negligent.

Morris started with the highly successful Bullnose in 1913, a post-WW1 price-cutting strategy winning it 51 per cent of the UK market. After an early 1930s stumble, Morris shot back with the hugely successful Morris Eight, planned by Leonard Lord. That was followed by the 1948 Morris Minor, Britain’s first million seller. Lord fell out with William Morris, reappearing as boss of arch-rival Austin, but the two brands merged in 1952 to form the mighty British Motor Corporation. BMC eventually became British Leyland, whose shamefully under-engineered Marina was Morris’s last model of consequence. The end came in 1983. Marcos Marcos started in 1959 with a weird, part-wood coupé. Its 1964 1800 follow-up was handsome enough to see Marcos revived in 1981, following a 1971 demise. It finally died in 2007.

Panther For a tiny business, Bob Jankel’s Panther Westwinds made a big impact, starting with 1972’s Jaguar SS100-like J72. The Bugatti Royale-inspired De Ville and the six-wheeled Six scored major print space, too, as did the ludicrously ambitious Solo. But the car that actually sold was the 1982-1990 Lima/Kallista sports car. Reliant A bit of a bipolar car maker, it made three-wheeled grotesques at one end and the handsome, pioneering Scimitar GTE sports estate at the other, a model serially bought by Princess Anne. The later Scimitar SS1 was an ugly but able sports car. Reliant petered out in the late 1990s. Riley Riley was an admired sports model maker through the 1920s and 1930s, but its cars lost their individuality following a 1938 acquisition by Morris. All models were badge-engineered Austins by the mid-1960s.

It was killed in 1969 by BL but was almost revived by BMW in the late 1990s. Rover Rover switched from bicycles to cars in 1904 and did well before a wobble in the 1920s. It was re-energised by the Wilks brothers, acquiring a fine pre-war reputation for quality cars. That continued post-war with the P4, P5 and P6, an era coinciding with Land Rover’s birth. Bought by Leyland in 1966, it was flung into the 1968 BL pot and began a slow decline. It died with MG Rover in 2005. Highlights during the descent included the brilliant but appallingly made 1976 SD1 and the BMW-funded 75 — its best-ever car. It lives on as Land Rover and, in China, as Roewe. Singer It graduated from bicycles to cars in 1905, and a pre-war Le Mans sports car was its best model.

The ugly 1947 SM1500 saloon plunged it into the arms of Rootes, where it lived a badge-engineered afterlife until 1970. Standard Standard sold inexpensive, unremarkable cars from 1906 and is best remembered for its odd faux-American post-war Vanguards. Standard was dropped in 1963 after a Leyland takeover. Sunbeam The first British car to win a Grand Prix, in 1923. It was part of the Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq combine bought by Rootes in 1935, after which it went dormant until 1953. Sunbeams became lightly sporting Rootes models, including the pretty Alpine. The name was last used on the miserable (unless Lotus-engined) Chrysler Sunbeam in 1981. Talbot An early 20th century Anglo-French enterprise that ended up being paired with and owned by myriad marques. It went dormant in 1960 before its 1978-1979 revival by Peugeot on a motley assortment of one-time Chrysler UK and Simca models.

It was finally snuffed out in 1992, on a van. Triumph Despite sizeable success in the 1950s and 1960s with a range of exceptionally pretty sports cars and saloons, Triumph was run down by owner British Leyland, the oddball TR7 being the last car developed in-house. That was followed by the 1981 Honda-based travesty that was the Triumph Acclaim. TVR Founded in 1947, it survived for an amazingly long time, considering its precarious existence. TVR enjoyed a brilliantly creative period under Peter Wheeler from 1981 to 2004, but it was run down by new owner Nikolai Smolenski until production ended in 2007. A revival attempt is under way. Wolesely One of Britain’s earliest car companies, it was absorbed by Morris in 1927 and its cars became badge-engineered Morrises. It was killed in 1975 by BL, although its grand 1920s showroom survives as London’s Wolseley restaurant. There's a long list of other British car names that are gone and, in some cases, best forgotten.

Which names would you add to the list? Better than Stock: Custom Bodied 1951 Jowett Jupiter | Bring a Trailer January 7, 2014 — British / Cover Stories / Inspiration / Project | 64 Comments Better than Stock: Custom Bodied 1951 Jowett Jupiter This 1951 Jowett Jupiter Mk I (chassis No. 89) is said to be one of only two sport convertible bodied examples by coachbuilder Abbott of Farnham. Most of these mechanically interesting cars received frumpy, odd-looking bodies from the West Yorkshire factory, and this one makes us question why Jowett didn’t choose a prettier shape like this one for their standard model. It’s in need of a total restoration, but is said to be sound and complete. It runs and drives on a non-factory motor, but the matching numbers unit is included with the sale. Find it here on interesting-cars.com in Cornwall, England for 18,750 GBP (~$30,780 today). The car looks corrosion free and solid on top, but that’s because it’s bodied in aluminum.

We wish there were some photos of the underside, as we imagine that in this state there’s likely to be some rot hiding in the rust-prone tubular steel chassis. We could be wrong, however, and a quick call to the seller in order to clear this and any other questions up would be a good idea. It’s a very attractive shape, infinitely more so than the standard car, and we like how the model’s distinctive tri-grilles have been retained but in a more streamlined, less awkward design–it remains unmistakably a Jupiter. Glass, trim, and even all hub caps seem to be present, and the canvas top looks to be in surprisingly good shape. Inside things are pretty shoddy but not quite basketcase territory, though it will definitely be needing new upholstery, carpets, and the body colored dash will need respraying along with the rest of the car. A full complement of gauges reflects that these were not inexpensive cars, and hopefully they won’t need too much restoration work as this can be quite expensive. A banjo steering wheel looks nicely intact, but if leather wrapped as it seems to be will probably need to be reworked along with the seats.

It’s a very good looking driving environment, though, and will be even better with some TLC. The engine isn’t photographed, but these cars ran water-cooled, 1,486 CC flat fours of roughly 60 HP, though the “high performance” motor originally fitted to this car sounds as if it made more–we wish there were more details on it. Standard cars had a giant rearward-opening clamshell engine lid that incorporated the entire front end including headlights, grilles, and fenders, though this one appears to have a more conventional aperture. Gear changes for the 4-speed box are by a column change. We’ve only ever seen a few of Jupiters Stateside, and with their limited appeal outside of England we imagine that’s exactly where this one will remain. Wherever it ends up, we hope it gets the love and attention it deserves, and spends the next six decades or so on the road and not in a climate controlled garage collection or museum. Related Stories

Question: Which British car company manufactured the Javelin and Jupiter models?
Answer: JOWETT