Lot Ended
Description
A super example of this quirky and innovative saloon; few owners, the
last for 35 years; restored in the 1980s including rebuilt engine and gearbox;
lovely red leather interior
The only car
made in Bradford, the first Jowett made its debut in 1906 but the model that
really put them on the map was the 1947 Javelin, a compact family saloon so far
ahead of its UK-produced rivals that it had more in common with the best that
Europe had to offer.
Entirely designed by the late, great Gerald Palmer,
who subsequently became Chief Engineer for BMC, it was powered by an innovative
1.5-litre flat-four engine featuring an aluminium block and wet cylinder liners,
developing 50bhp and giving the car a top speed of 77mph and a 0-50mph time of
13.4 seconds. It had a four-speed column-change gearbox, feeding the power to
the rear wheels, with road manners that wouldn't feel out of place in a car 40
years' its junior.
The Javelin went through five variants labelled PA to
PE, each having standard and De Luxe options. Fast and economical, it achieved
considerable competition success, coming first in class at the 1949 Monte Carlo
Rally, winning the 2-litre touring car class at the Spa 24-hour race that same
year, and winning the 1953 International Tulip Rally outright.
First
registered in March 1949, this Javelin PA was supplied new via Jowett agent
Steels of Cirencester, according to factory records, and was originally Golden
Sand with Red leather trim. The buff logbook shows that it was first owned by a
Mr Ernest Harris of Guiting Power near Cheltenham, moving to London in 1955
where it was owned by a John White of Lee SE12.
By the late 1980s it was owned by well-known Jowett specialist, Bill
Locke of Northhants, who carried out a full restoration and was to keep the car
for the next 35 years. Although there are no bills to show exactly what was
done, there is a photo of the car stripped to a bare shell which endorses Bill’s
claim that it was an exceptionally rust-free example which retains all its
original body panels.
The engine was
rebuilt by Jowett specialist Jack Mitchell. Being an early car, it has the
desirable hydraulic tappet engine which was replaced by a solid tappet unit in
1950 due to supply problems. It is generally agreed that the hydraulic tappet
engine is quieter and more efficient than its successor. The gearbox was also
rebuilt.
The paintwork was done by a gentleman in
Crawley who has since died, and Bill recalls that it was trimmed by a company at
the end of the Piccadilly Line in London but he cannot remember the
name. When the restoration was completed in 1989, Bill succeeded in getting
the car registered on its original number, JAD 576, which is now
non-transferable.
An old MOT shows that the car passed the test in May
2011 with just a couple of minor advisories for uneven/binding brakes, the
mileage at this point being 38,124. The odometer currently shows just one mile
so the true mileage is unknown.
Our vendor, a serial Jowett owner and
restorer, acquired the car from Mr Locke about 18 months ago at which point it
had been in storage for a dozen years or so. He drained the fuel and soon got
the car running again, reporting that it now runs and drives well.
As
you can see in the photos, it looks most attractive with a beautifully retrimmed
red leather interior and what looks to be a stainless steel exhaust. It also
comes with some nice technical literature including an original handbook,
lubrication chart, workshop manual and two period sales
brochures.
Starting promptly and running well as we have moved it around
on site, with good oil pressure, this rare and quirky saloon is on offer here at
a modest guide price and would make an interesting addition to any
collection.
For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or
email [email protected]
* All charges are subject to VAT