Ave age of A jowetter?

[PAUL BEAUMONT]

I'm also pleased that you will be at the Rally. I remember your Dad and the car from my early days in Severnside. I am really pleased that a young person has taken up the challenge of restoring a car. It was to encourage such as you that I established Jowett Juniors. Although you never were one you are a great example to those who are. I would like a little article from you about yourself and the car etc and I will include it in my Jowetteer page Pleeeeeeeeease!!!!

[AlanBartlett]

I would like a little article from you about yourself and the car etc and I will include it in my Jowetteer page Pleeeeeeeeease!!!!

Yeah sure? What would you like me to include ? I'm not sure what to write or anything so just guide me on what you would like

[Alastair Gregg]

The club has to be 1st alive, to live...if it is not it will die.
No work no gain...

Keith we are in total agreement on the above at the very least.

This is the Natter section, what can we do to raise the Profile of Jowetts world wide? What are the thoughts in the different countries? Speak up please this involves us all!

[Keith Andrews]

Well there are basic steps if one wishes to 'market' something

1/ look at the issue from the total piont of veiw of the prosective member

2/ Stop talking/procrastinating, and get off butts...active club and activly market

3/understand who the customer base is...
a. nostaga
b. want to get into classics on a budget
(others may wish to add more)

4/communcate with the market base
a. Displays
b. Publicity in local rags etc as to JCC runs going thru towns, displays etc
c. talk to those who look at the cars, and about avaliblity of parts, issue info on web sites, club activities, support, contacts, local members
(others may wish to add more)

5/ Follow up
a. when cars come avalible
b.invite to runs and meetings
6/ How? not the most keen, the right person/personality needs to do follow ups.

7/ Openness:
Here Im going to stick my neck out...publications, manuals, ppl NEED to KNOW and SEE these and support are openly avalible, and EASILY avalible....not hidden away for a select few. They need to see WHAT IS avalible...case in point..the gallery...ppl find the joining is intimidating, memberships can sit idle for weeks at a time, (unless one is from Aussie or NZ) and persific info is often hard to find.

8/Spare parts etc are avalible to members only, as is the current stituation.

9/Do not get disheartened if the hit rate is only 1 in 2 or 30....or only 3 or 4 a yr...that is a very good hit rate considering the 'market' and 'product'

[AlanBartlett]

I agree with all you have just stated there Keith, we are the biggest car club arnt we? but certainly not heard of, the number of times I've spoken to people about it they are totally clueless as to what a Jowett is

[Alastair Gregg]

I suspect we are not the biggest car club (around 600) Alan, but we are without doubt the oldest one make club on the planet.

At the NEC last year we put on the best stand with the exception of Lancia who were celebrating 100 years and I suspect had factory funding.

We have the best cars in the world, with a racing pedigree the modern tin boxes in Sainsburys car park can only dream of.

We at one time held the world record for the engine produced for the longest uninterupted time.

When we have the National rallies over 100 vehicles turn up year after year. At the centenery it was nearer 150 Vehicles.

We were the first cars across Africa from East to West

There is lots to celebrate.

I seem to remember the NZ club giving a Javelin away for restoration to a young man with a view to getting interest in the Marque. How did that go was it a success, is he with you.

Can we put on an event to fire up the enthusiasm of the general public, say 10 cars in 10 cities putting on a high quality display (Stateside, NZ and Oz too, as they are able) and give those who want it a ride, make a DVD of the Jowett films we have on archive to give out to the Press and the public. Appoint a Vice President who is in the public eye (with a positive image, more difficult than you might think). If we have access to Museams ask them if we can use their car parks. If we were to do Bradford and I think we have to, ask Morrisons for the use of their car park.

What about a Lands End to John o Groats relay.

Most of the young people nowerdays say "What" when you say "it's a Jowett". This needs to change.

Ideas please.

[ian Howell]

How did we get started with Jowetts?

Well, in my case, the Bradford that I bought for a fiver (all I could afford) and rebuilt when I was at college in Liverpool in 1963, led to me buying a Javelin when I left the Merchant Navy. At about the same time (1966) I bought the wreck of a Long Four that I am 'repairing' now.

Thinking about it, and allowing that it was not reasonable to expect me to own ANY car when I was at sea, I have ALWAYS owned a Jowett since I learnt to drive, now 44 years.

Any advances?

[AlanBartlett]

In my case my great grandfather who I never met bought the pre war 1934 long 7 saloon in 1935 I think? He ran it for several years then it was passed onto my dad in the 1960s when my dad, Peter Bartlett was in his teenage years, then he ran it from then onwards until about 8years ago 1997ish (well that was the last tax date and was taken off the road with a fault with the engine) Its never been fully restored since 1935 During my childhood my dad used it as a normal car which at the time I thought it was just another classic car. Then a year ago my dad died and I was left with the decision to either sell or keep it, I decided to keep it, keep on the family tradition if it can be called that. So thats how I got into the scattered mess of 2 engines in my garage sat right now, this is all new to me but luckaly one is complete give or take a few parts so I'm currently putting the faulted engine back together to try and piece together what was wrong with it. And try and repair it

[Keith Andrews]

Annual activies..Calander
http://www.jowettnz.sytes.net/brchNth.html

then in between this are unoffical events, where a group of members head out to a car show or event, or look ar a car for sale, a private collection goes up for auction, or a wreck/parts come up, where we head out with trailers, pick up parts and add to the club parts collection...often involving trips of 100s of miles.
Then there are garage nights where members get together, fix, prepare members cars for long trips, car shows etc
And Club projects, that invove regular workshop evenings on a resto project.
Runs are not enough to build club 'camaraderie' it is the behind the scenes Stuff that builds the internal club member support, from there good run turnouts happen, and the public profile of the club is built.

To illustrate, a true story...
A while back I 'won' an auction on NZ Trademe (like ebay) for a pile of bardford parts in a paddock a few 100 miles north.
I penceled in a date to pick up with a couple of members to collect on a Sunday But a luck would have it a heap of work rolled in involving a week or so of 16/20 hr days hard out..an no sign of ending.
Came the Wed, and heading home, thinking, "im not going to get there, organise this, will have to postpone
I get home a have a email from Alan Stanley.
"meet 7am at Ken's, use his 4x4 and transporter trailer.
Breakfast stop on way up
Estimate time of arival there 10:30 to 11am
X members has x equipment
you organise tie down strops. and gas money for Ken
OK"
yep simple and blunt he organised everything...
So a email to the farmer confirming time.
And email to Alan.."thankyou, see u at Ken's"
Work longer days on a the Frid and Sat to make up time for a window on Sun.
Get to Ken's a 1/2 doz members, hitch up the transporter, and off for a good day out.
It is core people like Alan who make a club, go the extra 10 miles, on behalf of members and the club. People who just DO, not talk about it.