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Any
stories will always be welcome from members, this
page is is to introduce various stories, about
anything to do with the JBA. Whether about the
build, anything funny or trips and excursions with
the Falcon.
My first encounter with a JBA was at The
Wheels Exhibition at the SECC in Glasgow in
August 1992.
The car was a Tourer and was owned by it's
builder Dave Greenlaw a JBAOC member, who at
that time lived in Newlands, Glasgow and
then moved to Inverness. The car was sold
and went to Germany in the early part of
2001.
I was so taken with the lines of the car
that I could not keep away from the stand.
It reminded me of the old MG TD of the
1950's, although my favourite is the MG TC.
The style of the JBA sports and tourer
actually dates back to the 1930's.
That week following my visit to the show I
couldn't get that JBA out of my mind, as I
was on holiday and taking my two grand kids
to Blackpool I paid a visit to the JBA
factory at Standish near Wigan.
Below is
the Demonstrator Cortina based Sports that
I fell in love with.
My mind was made up then I just had to have
one, the car simply takes me back to my
youth. I even bought a Cortina donor car that was an MOT failure.
Then when my son Kenny arrived back from
holiday we took a trip down to Standish
again to show him the cars, but they were
away to some show. Fortunately Jack Vincent
turned up and gave Kenny a run in his car.
Kenny's impression was "far more exciting
than a Capri" and he was Capri daft.
However he wanted the Sierra model and we
decided on that.
This is Jack's car at one of the JBA open
days. I am trying out my Lion Rampant mascot
on Jack's radiator cap.
I read everything I could about the
JBA and started buying Kitcar
magazines and joined the Scottish Kit
Car Club where I met Dave Tennant with
his lovely Falcon Plus Two.
I still had to build a garage before
I could start.
I also joined the JBA
Owners Club and became good friends with
Mike Cushley from Glasgow. He was building a
Tourer at the time. A fabulous car the
bonnet shut lines
were impeccable,
as was the whole car. His car was on the
road four months ahead of mine and made its
debut at the Scottish Kit Car Show in
Edinburgh in April 1995.
I remember it well I was a passenger in his
car and it was a cold day. After the show I
insisted on travelling home with the hood
down. Mike was frozen but I thoroughly
enjoyed it.
His car was on the JBA Factory stand a year
later, I think it was and he sold it. He
nearly broke my heart.
Our kit was purchased in May 1993 and
completed at the end of June 1995, a joint
venture between myself and my son Kenny. The
donor car was a 1983 Ford Sierra 2.0 litre,
which we purchased from a garage near
Aberdeen, although it has a Glasgow
registration.
My first run was a flight with the rest of
the birds to the car show at Biggar in
Scotland with the JBA Owners club. My wife
Bunny really loves out in the Falcon and we
have been on some beautiful runs in
Scotland.
One such run was organized by Murray
Stewart on behalf of the owners club and
took us through some breathtaking scenery.
We were joined on this run by Derek
Bintcliffe, with his new car on one of his
many visits to Scotland, It was on this run
that I was able to take the photographs of
his car that you see on this site.
Our car has represented the JBAOC on a
couple of occasions.
Here I am with the Sports and Eric Thirkell
with his Tourer on their stand at the
Scottish KitCar Show at Edinburgh.
Sadly this show has not been held since
1997. It is a shame really, because it was a
great place to renew old acquaintances and
make new ones.
However my proudest moment with the JBA was
when Kenny said he wanted it as his wedding
car. For him and his best man No.2 son Pete.
The JBA stole the show, nobody looked at the
Rolls Royce's. Sorry BMW!
Kenny and Sharon posed for this photo but
she would have been able to get her train
inside the Falcon. Who needs a Beauford,
eat your heart out David Young.
I would never sell the JBA for a start,
Janet and Kenny wouldn't let me. I would
like to build another kit car.
The Beauford like the black one in their
brochure, but Mrs.Moneypenny says no and
Dave Ashley keeps pulling me away from David
Young's Beauford stand.
I would also like to build the New JBA
Sports with all the modern equipment like
the new sports cars electric windows etc. As
I am no longer the rugged wee man that I
used to be. Robbie Gibson.
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