jack Jacobs' Le Mans 50/2000 Pictures

Jack Jacobs's Le Mans 50/2000 tour pictures

The photos on this page were taken on the Year 2000 Le Mans celebration tour to Le Mans by Jack Jacobs and his wife Hilde. Please be patient whilst these pictures download...

50 years from the Jowett Jupiter's announcement and amazing class win at Le Mans in 1950 was celebrated in sunshine and open-topped motoring.

	The contingent from Holland and Belgium arrive at Arras. The beige car was owned from 1970 to 2012 by Bas & Gerda de Bruyn and has been running well for most of this time. Thanks to owning this unusual British car, Gerda decided to learn English and now speaks it almost perfectly.
	The 1951 Le Mans race car arrives at Arras behind our recovery vehicle. Restoration was only commenced at the end of February, and the car very very nearly made it under its own power. Authentic in almost every detail, it caused a stir wherever it was seen. the ACO were happy to give it pride of place in their club-house during the race
	Arras, Grand' Place, as dusk falls. By now, almost all of the 25 Jupiters have arrived for the Thursday night stop in this fascinating French Flemish town steeped in history. The notorious Robespierre was born here, for example.
	Californian Jim Miller brought one of his many Jupiters to Arras, done out as you can see. Jim learned to drive in a Jupiter whilst still under age - and became a life-long fan of the car and just had to be at its 50th!
	Fellow American Scott Renner, who accompanied Jim, and did at least his share of the mechanical preparation, has been a Jupiter fan even longer, for his father bought a Jupiter (now with Scott) before Scott was born! Scott has restored a Javelin and a Jupiter, has worked on his father's Jupiter, and works for Jupiter customers in California

On the way from Arras to Le Mans, a number of Jupiters stopped off at Monet's garden, at Giverny. No-one regretted the detour.

	Dutch and Belgian Jupiters stop for replenishment. Most jupiters have now been converted to use standard lead-free petrol, others use LRP.
	On arrival at the Novotel/Bonne Etoile headquartres at Chartres for the four days associated with the Le Mans race. The sun beat down on us from a cloudless sky for all four days - handy if you need to get out and get under...
	...as happened here! The green Jupiter was put on the road this year after 35 years of storage. It needed a front hub seal replacing. This wasn't the only time black got under the fingernails of a Jupiter owner...
	Arriving at the Novotel Le Mans Est for the Friday noon buffet. Blue skies and heat.
	Some of the 40 - yes 40 - Jupiters at the Novotel Le Mans Est for the noon buffet.
	A blaze of red Footman-James tee-shirts celebrating 50 years of the Jowett Jupiter. Early arrivals tuck in to the scrumptious food. Later on we had to ask for more - and then again more - food to be produced!
	Settling down to the celebration banquet on the Friday evening. Fifty years ago the third Jupiter in existence was ready to take on the world at Le Mans.
	For those who decided not to attend the race on the Saturday, a tour around Chartres was arranged. A most excellent visit was the tour of Chartres cathedral with an English speaking guide. A most interesting tour and one to be recommended to anyone.
	Here, the group is leaning how Monsieur Picol, a talented stained glass artist with a workshop almost in the shadow of the great cathedral, plies his trade. M Picol (right). Mme Nankivell (centre)
	Chartres, Saturday evening for non-race-goers. A water festival in the river Eure. hundreds of swimmers slowly processed from bridge to bridge, each carrying a flame in a random motion. They moved on the water like Brownian motion. Music, as shown here, in various styles was played on the bridges under which the swimmers drifted. Those who wandered into the cathedral were thrilled by an amazing piece of music composed for a choir of hunting horns and the organ. The unique French spiral hunting horns were played by huntsmen in full hunting regalia! Great sound, man...
	The Sunday coach tour took the non race-goers to a couple of ch�teaux. Here the group enjoy the splendour of the Ch�teau de Maintenon. In the background an aqueduct intended to take water to the Palace of Versailles, but never finished. Again, the sun beat down on us...
	Inside the ch�teau, we admired an amazing collection of the most ornate bridal headdresses you will see anywhere. Tim Wise (blue shirt) ably translated Madame's description of the exhibits.
	In the evening, the group stumbled on a local classic car rally in the neighbourhood of our Chartres base. None of the participants had even heard of a Jupiter, let alone seen one! One of them had a well -equipped workshop which enabled a broken gear lever to be welded. Heroically, Dennis Sparrow re-fitted it, working until midnight correcting other things he didn't like on this Jupiter.
	On the Monday, the race safely over, most of us set off for Caen via the highly scenic Suisse Normande. This took us along beautiful valleys and over wild hilly terrain. In this picture, Jim Miller takes petrol after the lunch stop at Pont d'Ouilly.
	At Caen, where the group spent two nights, there was time for maintenance in the car park beneath our hotels. Here the distributor of the van der Vaart Jupiter is removed for essential work.
	Special bodied Jupiter built for the 1951 RAC International rally. Some of us are still young and beautiful...
	Red Jupiter, tee-shirts and matching tool box of Bill Lock. Left to right Dave Thom, Bill Lock, Bas de Bruyn, Chris van der Vaart.
	En route from Caen to F�camp via the Pont de Normandie, nearly 3 kilometres of spectacular suspension bridge over the Seine near Le Havre. Weather cloudy and some rain for the first time.
	Palais de B�n�dictine, F�camp, where the long-lost secrets of the B�n�dictine liqueur were rediscovered 100 years ago. All the world's genuine B�n�dictine is still made here.
	Tasting the B�n�dictine liqueur after the tour of the distillery. Twenty seven herbs and spices go into the production of B�n�dictine in a process that takes a year.
	On the road again - next (and final) night stop - Amiens at the Hotel-Gril Campanile
	Copious refreshments at the Campanile, Amiens Glisy. The proprietors made us very welcome and indeed joined in the fun.
	Settling in for the final night of the tour. Left to right: Margaret Perry, Huntley Perry, Simon Wood (red shirt), Gerda de Bruyn (standing), Jack Jacobs.