Jowett - Post War

Post War

When production restarted after the Second World War, the twin-cylinder engine was dropped from the range of new cars, but continued in 1005 cc form to the end of production in the commercials, now comprising a light lorry, the Bradford van, two versions of an estate car called the Utility, and chassis front-ends and kits for outside coachbuilders, many abroad. The new cars were a complete change from what had gone before with the streamlined Jowett Javelin designed by a team led by Gerald Palmer. This had such advanced features as a flat four push-rod engine, independent front suspension with torsion bars front and rear and unitary body construction. The car was good for 80 mph (130 km/h) and had excellent handling. In 1950 the Javelin was joined by the Jowett Jupiter sports with a chassis designed by Eberan von Eberhorst who had worked for Auto Union. Javelins were designed for production levels never before attempted by Jowett with Javelin and Bradford body production out-sourced to Briggs Motor Bodies who built a new plant at Doncaster. Briggs supplied the bodies fully trimmed and ready to be applied to the mechanicals. The Jupiters were always built in-house at Idle. The new mechanicals had teething troubles but Javelin bodies were still being mass-produced to the original schedule leading to them being stockpiled. Export sales collapsed by 75% in 1952 followed by sluggish domestic sales while the nation waited for the removal of a "temporarily" increased purchase tax, finally eased in April 1953 with disastrous long-term consequences for Jowett.

Poor business strategy and direction, over-confidence, was the financially sound company's downfall and even after the engine and gearbox problems were solved the Idle plant was never able to build, or, during 1952, the distribution network to sell, the expected volume. Collapse of the arrangements for the supply of bodies led to suspension of Javelin production in 1953 together with the by now outdated Bradford though tooling had been completed for new models. Jupiters remained in demand and were built up to the end of 1954. The company did not go broke, but sold their factory to International Harvester who made tractors at the site until the early 1980s. The factory was demolished in 1983.

Jowett switched to manufacturing aircraft parts for the Blackburn & General Aircraft Company in a former woollen mill at Howden Clough, Birstall, near Batley. Jowett, just the "shell" of the company, was later taken over by Blackburn in 1956, although spares for the postwar cars were kept available until 1963, when the remainder of the Jowett company was closed due to the rationalisation of the aircraft industry.