JowettTalk

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Reported here on JT
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One off & unique in the respect that it has a handbuilt body fitted to it (But this was the case for all Jupiter's) - However this is not an original factory body - its one mans recent interpretation of some factory drawings - I have viewed the car on more than one occasion and whilst undertaking a body built from scratch is no mean feat I found the work to be poorly executed - It might have been improved since I last viewed it but its market is always going be restricted by the practicality of no all weather equipment being fitted to it.

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I think the problem that most enthusiasts have with this car is that it has been heavily promoted by cunning wording as being a MK2 Jupiter as Jowetts intended. This premise was based on the body being copied from a few stylist's drawings, not even proper engineering drawings. The fact remains that there never was a real Mk2 Jupiter and for various reasons I would suggest that there was never going to be. I would be interested to know where the suggestions came from that the drawings in question are a completed style for such a thing. I'll bet they came from what was a whole folder of embryonic ideas.

As anybody who has done any car restoration will tell you you can put as much money into it as you like but the actual cash value will never balance the books as a justification. Furthermore you cannot build in provenance by restoring a car. Often quite the reverse. Although, I would agree it looks nicer in green than it did. Classic values are a strange thing and however nice, unless you have an impeccable and historically significant provenance, the attraction of a one off is much less than being able to say you have the best Healey 100 out of all the Healey 100 in the world.

My suggestion would be to follow the example of all of the other bare bodied Jupiter chassis and call it after the man or company that built the body.

Nick

I very much echo Nick's comments above - I have just carefully viewed the images again of the vehicle on the Car & Classic site - whilst work may have been undertaken in some areas the body is exactly the same as I last viewed it a few years ago - the aperture gappings are unmatched & out of alignment - the execution of the rear wheelarches is particularly poor and don't follow the radius of the wheel & tyre - the windscreen & frame (Taken from a Jaguar XK120) still appears to be a complete misfit - At your current pricing level you can purchase a good & well presented Austin Healey, Daimler Dart, and an exceptional MGC or Triumph TR & for less than half the price a concours MGB, Sunbeam Alpine, Triumph Stag along with many others - all will come with full all weather gear too - needless to state £40k + puts you in the territory of an exceptional / concours factory genuine Jupiter too

People should think carefully about buying a car model as an investment. Very few cars have consistently made good annual returns comparable with other risky investments or even gilt edge securities. Such cars will have an exceptional provenance. So you are then left with other reasons for buying the car...sentimental, status and ego, artistic and these are all personal reasons. So you might find someone who has a strong enough reason to make a profit for you or recoup some of the outlay.
Some would like to own something different or a one off. Many Jowett owners are like that.
Some may fall in love with the shape or colour. Many Jowett owners are like that.
Some may have a sentimental attachment to a model. Many Jowett owners are like that.
There are few Jowett owners whose buying reason was for status or ego, although that might develop later into pride of ownership.
There are relatively many Jowett specials or one offs and most are loved and cherished.
This car does have an interesting history which if presented truthfully has value.
But the owner must get pleasure from the ownership, whether that is by exhibiting or driving or sitting on the drive.

This car has now been entered into a forthcoming auction for this Saturday 22nd May 2021 - The previous £48k price tag has been dropped and it now carries a guide price of £25 - £30k - personally I still think it will struggle make this price range - but auctions can quite often produce unusual results - link below

https://www.silverstoneauctions.com/sa0 ... n=1&pp=100

Sold - £21,937

About right I think, must be a blow when so much has been spent on it excluding the work done on the original design and build.
I hope it has gone to an owner who will appreciate it and bring it along to club events as it is worth talking about.