Jowett Javelin
Encyclopedia
The Jowett Javelin is an award-winning British
car
that was produced from 1947 to 1953 by Jowett Cars Ltd
of Idle
, near Bradford
. The model went through five variants labelled PA to PE, each having a standard and "de luxe" option. The car was designed by Gerald Palmer during World War II
and was intended to be a major leap forward following the relatively staid designs of pre-war Jowetts. Just over 23,000 units were produced.
liners. It developed 50 bhp at 4100 rpm (52.5 bhp in the case of the PE) giving the car a maximum speed of 77 mi/h and a 0-50 mi/h time of 13.4 seconds. Two Zenith
carburettors were fitted and PA and PB versions had hydraulic tappets. The radiator was behind the engine. A four-speed gearbox with column change was used. Early cars had gearboxes made by the Henry Meadows
company, whilst the remainder of the cars had gearboxes made by Jowett themselves. The decision to make the gearboxes in house proved to be a costly mistake for Jowett.
faired into the wings and, for the time, a steeply sloped, curved windscreen. The body was of pressed steel, incorporating a box-section chassis and was made for Jowett by Briggs Motor Bodies in their Doncaster
factory. The suspension used torsion-bars on all wheels (independent at the front) and internal gear-and-pinion steering. PA and PB models had mixed Girling hydraulic brakes at the front and mechanical braking at the rear. Later versions were fully hydraulic.
magazine in 1953 had a top speed of 82.4 mph (132.6 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 20.9 seconds. A fuel consumption of 29.1 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £1207 including taxes.
whilst another won the 2-litre touring-car class at the Spa
24-hour race that same year. In the 1952 International RAC Rally
a Javelin again won its class and also took the "Best Closed Car" award, while the 1953 International Tulip Rally was won outright by a privately entered Javelin.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
car
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
that was produced from 1947 to 1953 by Jowett Cars Ltd
Jowett
Jowett was a manufacturer of light cars and light commercial vehicles in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England from 1906 to 1954.-Early history:Jowett was founded in 1901 by brothers Benjamin and William Jowett with Arthur V Lamb. They started in the cycle business and went on to make V-twin engines...
of Idle
Idle, West Yorkshire
The village of Idle and its outskirts make up a mainly residential suburban area in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, in England. The area is loosely bordered by the areas of Eccleshill, Wrose, Thackley and Greengates, in the north east of the city....
, near Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
. The model went through five variants labelled PA to PE, each having a standard and "de luxe" option. The car was designed by Gerald Palmer during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was intended to be a major leap forward following the relatively staid designs of pre-war Jowetts. Just over 23,000 units were produced.
Powertrain
The flat four overhead valve engine of 1486 cc with a compression ratio of 7.2:1 was water-cooled and had an aluminium block and wet cylinderCylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
liners. It developed 50 bhp at 4100 rpm (52.5 bhp in the case of the PE) giving the car a maximum speed of 77 mi/h and a 0-50 mi/h time of 13.4 seconds. Two Zenith
Zenith Carburetters
Zenith Carburetters was a British company making carburettors. In 1955 they joined with their major pre-war rival Solex Carburettors and over time the Zenith brand name fell into disuse...
carburettors were fitted and PA and PB versions had hydraulic tappets. The radiator was behind the engine. A four-speed gearbox with column change was used. Early cars had gearboxes made by the Henry Meadows
Henry Meadows
Henry Meadows of Wolverhampton, England were major suppliers of engines and transmissions, to the smaller companies in the British motor industry...
company, whilst the remainder of the cars had gearboxes made by Jowett themselves. The decision to make the gearboxes in house proved to be a costly mistake for Jowett.
Design features
Design features included aerodynamic styling with the headlightsAutomotive lighting
The lighting system of a motor vehicle consists of lighting and signalling devices mounted or integrated to the front, sides, rear, and in some cases the top of the motor vehicle...
faired into the wings and, for the time, a steeply sloped, curved windscreen. The body was of pressed steel, incorporating a box-section chassis and was made for Jowett by Briggs Motor Bodies in their Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
factory. The suspension used torsion-bars on all wheels (independent at the front) and internal gear-and-pinion steering. PA and PB models had mixed Girling hydraulic brakes at the front and mechanical braking at the rear. Later versions were fully hydraulic.
Dimensions
The car had a wheelbase of 102 inches (2,590.8 mm) and a track of 51 inches (1,295.4 mm). Overall the car was 14 feet (4.3 m) long, 5 feet (1.5 m) wide and weighed about 1 (Imperial) ton (depending on model and year). The car was expensive costing GBP819 at launch.Performance
A de-luxe saloon version tested by The MotorThe Motor (magazine)
The Motor was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903....
magazine in 1953 had a top speed of 82.4 mph (132.6 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 20.9 seconds. A fuel consumption of 29.1 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £1207 including taxes.
Sporting achievements
An early example won in its class at the 1949 Monte Carlo RallyMonte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
whilst another won the 2-litre touring-car class at the Spa
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race. It is also home to the all Volkswagen club event, 25 Hours of Spa, run by the Uniroyal Fun Cup. It is one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its...
24-hour race that same year. In the 1952 International RAC Rally
Rally GB
Wales Rally GB is the largest and most high profile motor rally in the United Kingdom. It is a round of the FIA World Rally Championship and was formerly a round of the MSA British Rally Championship and is based in and around the city of Cardiff in Wales...
a Javelin again won its class and also took the "Best Closed Car" award, while the 1953 International Tulip Rally was won outright by a privately entered Javelin.
Popular culture
- A Javelin features in How to Irritate PeopleHow to Irritate PeopleHow to Irritate People is a 1968 television broadcast written by John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Marty Feldman and Tim Brooke-Taylor. Cleese, Chapman, and Brooke-Taylor also feature in it, along with future Monty Python collaborators Michael Palin and Connie Booth.In various sketches, Cleese...
sketch "Car Salesman". - In the film Vera DrakeVera DrakeVera Drake is a 2004 British drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh, telling the story of a working-class woman in London in 1950 who performs illegal abortions...
, Vera's car is a Javelin. - In episode 104, "Fallen Angel", of the television series BallykissangelBallykissangelBallykissangel is a BBC television drama set in Ireland, produced in-house by BBC Northern Ireland. The original story revolved around a young English Roman Catholic priest as he became part of a rural community. It ran for six series, which were first broadcast on BBC One in the UK from 1996 to 2001...
, Father Clifford inherits a Jowett Javelin. The car was used throughout the rest of Series One and all of Series Two, until it went off a cliff in episode 301 "As Happy As A Turkey On Boxing Day". - The song "Jowett Javelin" appears on the Harvey AndrewsHarvey AndrewsHarvey John Andrews is an English singer, songwriter, and poet.-Career:From 1964, Andrews supported his nascent career as a singer/songwriter by working as a schoolteacher, before becoming a full-time professional musician in 1966.Harvey Andrews has produced 17 successful albums singing his own...
album "Snaps" and describes a ride in the automobile.
