THE elegant Jowett Jupiter sports car was the star of the illustrated talk on classic cars given by Kyrle Club secretary David Kennedy, to members of Kyrle Probus Club, recently.

David told members that he drove his first vehicle when he was in school - a Royal Enfield motor cycle which some pals and he found rusting under a hedge. They managed to get it going and rode it round a field. The noise attracted a farmer and he came rushing over, so they told him they would like to buy it.

They paid £4.50 for it and David took on the role of maintaining it. This was the grounding for his interest in all things mechanical, he said.

The first car he bought was an Austin 10 for which he paid £29.10. Just after he bought it, a lorry stopped suddenly right infront of him; the brakes on the car failed and he had to drive up onto the pavement, which did the car no good at all.

The next car he bought was a Jowett Jupiter, which, David said, was a joy to own and drive and in which he competed in many field trials. A neighbour had a soloon version of the Jupiter, the Jowett Javelin, which one day went ‘Bang!’ and had to be towed back to his neighbour’s garage. David took a look at it and bought it for £5, working hard to make it driveable again.

Later David decided to sell his cars before he and his wife Jenny went off to live in South Africa. There he saw an advert in the local paper for a Jowett Jupiter. In fact, in addition to the Jupiter, the person selling it had five Javelins and a garage full of spare parts.

David took on the Jupiter and has it still to this day. He said he and Jenny, had competed in rallies both in South Africa and back in this country with it and also driven it in hill climbs.

At the start of the last meeting, the Kyrle Club, welcomed a new member, Michael Blackney. He was presented with his club tie and lapel badge, by president Keith Glover. The club meets on the first and third Thursdays in each month and anyone interested in learning more about the club, can contact secretary, David Kennedy on 01989 767815 or visit the club’s website at: www.kyrleprobusross.org.uk

David and his wife Jenny pictured with the Jupiter after a Jowett Club Rally in which they came second in the Concours.

David’s Jowett Jupiter pictured with Table Mountain in the background when they were in South Africa.