Jowett Bradford CD

Firstly, thanks to Alan, who kindly sent over the Jowett car photos shown on this page, and the information that goes with them.

Return to Page 2 of motoring related photos.

Jowett CD prototype

I wasn't able to identify the car shown in the photograph above, so Alan provided me with the background details ...

"The numberplate gives it away, JKU - Bradford, it was one of the stillborn 1953 prototype Jowett Bradford model CD's, the only saloon finished in Jade Green metallic with bodywork by Brigg's of Dagenham, two doors with sliding side windows, and the front has a shade of MK1 Consul about it I think.

It was different in many ways to the Consul by having a separate chassis, and twin opposed engine, in the traditional Jowett manner.

Also to be made as a pick up truck, van and estate car, the exact number of prototypes is not known, said to vary between fourteen and eighteen, ten of these being 'the pilot run off the tools' which were either vans or estate cars.

I owned the only survivor in this country CD10 [an estate car] which was used after Jowett's demise by Blackburn Aircraft as a works hack.

The saloon, pick up and a few of the other vans/estates were used around the works at Jowett Engineering [Howden Clough] when the works ceased in 1954, but apart from the pick up were just dumped when that company ceased in 1963.

The pick up was to be restored by a well known Jowett collector of the time [George Mitchell], he had a field full of various Jowetts in Scotland that he had collected from around the country, including some rare special bodied Jupiters, and my CD.

He took the chassis off the pick up to be shotblasted and painted. Promptly forgot about it, the company went bust and his chassis was scrapped. The remains were dumped in the field, and in my next email I will attach some photos of what is left.

Several were sent to New Zealand where at least four have survived [all estates] CD 2, 11,17 and 18. CD 17 having the only known complete surviving new type twin engine developed for the range.

The two photos (below) show one of the vans [fate unknown], and CD 2, the first estate car which completed many thousands of miles testing across Europe in 1952.This one went to New Zealand also, but because the body was so rotten, has been rebodied into a 'sports' car. It also had one of the Jupiter R4 engines installed."

Jowett CD estate car

Thanks again for the very interesting info, and the great press/publicity photos!

Also see: free ads for Jowett parts (Bradford, Javelin, Jupiter)

Some other Jowett links:
Jowett Jupiter site
Jowett Car Club

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Old Classic Car (C) R. Jones 2023. Content not to be reproduced elsewhere.

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