In the workshop at present

[Grumpy Northener]

Have been looking to move a bare metal bodyshell 60 miles back to the workshop and enquired with several vehicle transport companies about covered vehicle transport but the quotes were galactic (£500 +) - then enquired about a covered vehicle trailer but would also have to hire a tow vehicle - so lots of messing about collecting a tow vehicle from one hirer and the trailer form another but at half of the above price - then at the suggestion of one of my fellow Jowett members resolved the issue with this idea - Transit Luton box van with a tail lift - cost was £70 for the hire + £30 in fuel

[vulgalour]

How is the centre panel normally trimmed? I'm guessing that it's a treated canvas stretched over the frame, I just can't figure out how you then resolve the seam between it and the steel side sections.

[Grumpy Northener]

Net result of the transport logistics in the previous post is that of this evening this is in the workshop - anyone remember it ? - Yes it's the early Jowett Javelin that has already seen a massive input from me - now virtually untouched for the last 3 years since we relocated to the country - it's time to get cracking with it - it needs to be in in paint before the end of March so here goes

[Grumpy Northener]

How is the centre panel normally trimmed? I'm guessing that it's a treated canvas stretched over the frame, I just can't figure out how you then resolve the seam between it and the steel side sections

So there is a felt interlayer over the top of the wooden laths and the steel sections which in turn is covered by a outer waterproof hooding fabric this gets stretched across and tacked in where the steel sections terminate with the vertical sides of the van - the join on the sides / rear & above the doors is covered by a alloy 'J' section roof gutter trim - then across the front of the roof panel with a half moon shaped alloy trim

[suffolkpete]

I take it the Javelin is going to be the centrepiece on the Jowett stand at the NEC this year? Must pop over and have a look between bouts of Matra fettling.

[Grumpy Northener]

I take it the Javelin is going to be the centrepiece on the Jowett stand at the NEC this year

Pete - It's certainly one of the cars on our stand along with a couple of others (all top secret ) but it will as always be a very busy & entertaining display - have you got your hall & stand numbers for the Matra stand yet ?

[suffolkpete]

Stand 7-640. We're not allowed in to start setting up until 7 pm on the Thursday, which is a bit of a bummer.

[Grumpy Northener]

So got stuck in today - the shell has minor surface rust from being stood in storage (even though there was a dehumidifier running 24/7) - so spent much of the day with the DA sander with P80's discs & a rotary wire brush on the angle grinder in the difficult to access areas - just concentrated on the offside - still plenty to do on the inside / underside etc - but wanted to get the panels up to speed - straightened these up as required with a panel hammer & dolly prior to skimming with filler - I appreciate that most of the panels will have to be largely skimmed - it is the only way to get the minor deflection out of them - but it is only a skim - all body seams and larger areas of deflection have been lead loaded prior to applying the filler - the chassis tilter certainly makes an easy job of getting to the roof & underside

[vulgalour]

Thank you for the information on the roof construction. Nice to see the Javelin back in the workshop, I enjoyed reading your updates on that one.

[Grumpy Northener]

Stand 7-640. We're not allowed in to start setting up until 7 pm on the Thursday

Ok - We are on Stand 11-610 - don't know yet what time we can access the hall - sincerely hope that it's not 7pm has we have a 5 car stand with loads of setting up to do