JowettTalk

Thanks Jack for the latest emailed Jowetteer and National Rally Concours entry form.

I noticed a couple of things in the Concours rules that set me wondering, and which might just be chewed-over on the Forum:-

A:- iii Class H to include CD Bradfords, Special Bodied Jupiters, one-off factory built specials and special (non-factory fitted)
bodies to any Jowett Chassis.

B:- ROADWORTHINESS
Vehicles (Bristol Crawlers excepted) must be insured, display a current tax disc (or national equivalent).....

Regarding my first point. In the distant past, I bought a 1933 chassis and engine, and built a body from scratch which is a copy of the 1933 Flying Fox.

I took great care in measuring various original cars, using the data to reproduce an exact copy. Most of the other items on the car are pure original Jowett, but of course the coachwork isn't.
Previously I had thought that if I ever entered this Jowett in a JCC Ltd Concours event, of course I would have chosen the Pre-war section.

Now I'm in a quandary. Would I enter her in Class B, or should it be Class H?

I feel that this ruling might affect a number of vehicles, mainly Vintage, Pre-war and Bradford. It has always been accepted for the special-bodied Jupiters.

My second point is self-explanatory given the edict from the DVLA whereby tax discs will not be issued any longer, so can not be displayed.

Any comments?

Tony.

Yes, Tony. The same issue that has the rule makers and lawyers discussing ad nauseam. Some just have a brass plaque to build around. It happens in racing and rallying, as well as the concours and Bugatti circles.
There almost needs to be a percentage ruling, but do you do it on weight of original metal/rust?

I didn't realise the history of your car - it certainly looks factory, which hopefully you take as a compliment!

I'd ask the concours coordinator or rally organisers, and they will confirm what class to enter. I guess it depends if you have built a car to exact factory spec and you are happy to be judged against that, or if you consider your car a special, which is going to be judged on originality where possible but at some stage does become a comparison of very different cars so a level of concours d'elegance style judging has to happen to decide an overall winner.

I would also have thought this might be a query for the registrars, who are probably the best placed to discuss and advise both judges and entrants.

Finally good to know the emails got through ok, I used to get dozens of replies, now everyone seems to have got very used to email jowetteers and other paperwork from the club!

Jack.

Tony - If you built the body from scratch using measurements / reference from other cars then you have done nothing different than what thousands of other pre war / vintage car owners have done - in purchasing a chassis & running gear and having a frame & body built for the car - it is rare that ash / timber frames fitted to vehicles of this age survive in their original state along with the fact that alloy panels tend to degrade over time - especially if fastened to a weak frame. Therefore I would advise Class B for judging - secondly you would gain top marks from me if I was judging - because you have made a superb job of it

Tony, I totally agree with Chris on this one!

Tony I would argue that your 'flying fox' does not have a ''special'' body it being merely a ''new'' body to original spec. As an example a one off 'woody' shooting brake body fitted to a '33 Jowett chassis would be a ''special' body.

I would question the (purely academic) inclusion of the CD Bradford as a special as they were all fully 'factory' produced and production ready , just not proceeded with due to cessation of all production.

George (in barrack room lawyer mode