JESS G. POURRET RIP | Page 2 | FerrariChat

JESS G. POURRET RIP

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by 375+, Nov 17, 2018.

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  1. 166MM alum

    166MM alum Rookie

    Jul 24, 2018
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    Darrell Westfaul
    In the early stages of my research on 0046M, back around 1989-90, Jess wrote several LONG, handwritten letters (in purple ink) to me over a couple of years as we played postal tag between France and Thailand. He was a man very generous with his knowledge.
     
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  2. Ed Niles

    Ed Niles Formula 3
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    Speaking of blasting around, I had the pleasure of riding with Jess part of the way across France. Whenever he would come up on a car to be passed, he would downshift, even on an open road with no other cars in sight. Just for the hell of it. Just because he could. What a ride!
     
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  3. Ed Niles

    Ed Niles Formula 3
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  4. etienne

    etienne F1 Veteran

    Jan 21, 2006
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    i've met him 2 or 3 time in France. A true gentleman always open to discuss and share his knowledge with passion..
    RIP Monsieur Pourret.
     
  5. Franck Morand

    Franck Morand Rookie

    Dec 4, 2018
    4
    CHIANG MAI
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    Franck Morand
    About Jess Pourret.

    I wish to advise you that my late friend Jess Pourret’s funeral and cremation took place tonight on Sunday 2nd December at Wa Pa Phaeng, before his ashes were sent to France.

    Jess was a man of all facets.
    He was the unquestionable most knowledgeable historian on the Ferrari 250 GTO, which model he had owned for 20 years as his road car, (cf his book on the 250 GTO), and also on all 250 classic models, street versions as well as Racing versions.

    I have always thoroughly enjoyed his company, and the numerous stories he had to tell about La Ferrari. We also had many friends in common in France. Moreover, he always serviced his Ferrari’s in my home town of Clermont-Ferrand at a friend’s garage. I was thus able to see them whenever I returned to France.

    But Jess was a person of various fascinating facets, as he was also a world authority in the Yao Hill Tribes throughout South East Asia.

    Finally, his last passion was for organic green tea, which he devoted most of his time.

    He will deeply regretted by anyone involved in these three fields.

    At one stage, he had brought his Yellow Ferrari Daytona to Chiang Mai for a few years, and it was a sight to see him racing through the mountain roads of Northern Thailand.

    However, Jess was a person of very low profile, and his daily driver was the cheapest car you could find in Thailand. A Daihatsu Mira. (Although modified).

    Years ago, he had helped create the Ferrari Owner’s club Thailand.

    People would still come to visit him all the way to Northern Thailand to asset the authenticity a some classic models.

    As we say in French, he was a living library on the subject.

    He will be regretted but remembered for his great knowledge in all those diverse fields.



    Thank you and let him Rest In Peace !

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  6. turbo-joe

    turbo-joe F1 Veteran

    Apr 6, 2008
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    southwest germany and thailand
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    romano schwabel
    thank you franck for all this info.
     
  7. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    Likewise much appreciated, very interesting to read. I knew he must live somewhere between Avenue Victor Hugo and Trocadero because decades ago I ran into him often there too, apart of Levallois and Le Mans. He had a small vintage microcar I saw him in once a Messerschmitt or some such device.

    A life well lived...
     
  8. Ed Niles

    Ed Niles Formula 3
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    Sep 7, 2004
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    We should merge these two threads. I'd love to hear more stories about Jess. Lord knows I have plenty, but this is about Jess, not me. I deeply regret letting our friendship languish in recent years. Anyone?
     
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  9. Franck Morand

    Franck Morand Rookie

    Dec 4, 2018
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    The little car you are referring to wax his Fiat 500 Abarth.
     
  10. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    I guess it is so long ago that my memory got warped:)!
     
  11. Franck Morand

    Franck Morand Rookie

    Dec 4, 2018
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  12. tifoso2728

    tifoso2728 F1 Veteran
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  13. Ed Niles

    Ed Niles Formula 3
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    Sep 7, 2004
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    I think Jess had a number of tiny cars for Paris traffic. Phoebe and her girl friend Missy were once in Paris and Jess drove them around in a Triumph Spitfire, with Missy perched behind the seats. He got the Vignale after selling the GTO, which as we all know he had forever.
     
  14. Franck Morand

    Franck Morand Rookie

    Dec 4, 2018
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    I never knew that. But I know he also had a TR4 at one stage.
     
  15. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    #40 Nembo1777, Dec 12, 2018
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2018
    Yes but a Spitfire is a finned Cadillac compared to what I saw him in, it was tiny...and I think open roofed.
    I just sent a message to Dominique Bardini (Le Mans class winner in a Daytona) who used to store some of his cars in Paris at his underground dealership garage near where Retromobile takes place. He would remember.
     
  16. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    So...Bardini just answered me:

    jess pourret avait une fiat 500 ( bordeaux)
    amicalement

    JP had a dark red Fiat 500.

    That is not the car I saw him driving through the huge Trocadero roundabout 30ish years ago in high summer, it was pastel colored...the mystery remains!
     
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  17. Ed Niles

    Ed Niles Formula 3
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    Not important, but I was relying on my wife's description of the Triumph. Sure, it could have been a TR4.
     
  18. Pierre Coquet

    Pierre Coquet Rookie

    Mar 3, 2005
    49
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    Pierre Coquet
    Indeed, it was a TR4
     
  19. Nembo1777

    Nembo1777 F1 World Champ
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    #44 Nembo1777, Dec 15, 2018
    Last edited: Dec 15, 2018
    Yes agreed it is not so important but nice to try to figure out:)

    One story he told me once and which I asked him to confirm many years later is that he saw, at the factory in period, a twin of the 512S yellow show car, the very flat one with the whole roof opening to allow passengers ingress and egress. It was painted blue and it was a fully running car, he saw it drive away...he was adamant about that. He seemed to think it had been done for a wealthy and very well connected Roman.
    If anybody knows anything about this, I have always been intrigued: of course it is well known that the yellow one was never a runner...and it is supposed to be unique, not to have a twin...and before anyone suggests it, NO he would not have confused this with the Modulo (that Jim G. now owns) during the period shoot where it was pushed down a hill.

    Here is a nice page about the yellow 512 S Berlinetta Speciale:

    https://cardesignnews.com/media/imported/206671/206671.html
     
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  20. AF01

    AF01 Rookie

    Dec 9, 2019
    5
    Europe
    Good day,
    I realize that I come a bit too late to the thread but I only learned a few years ago about the remarkable person of Mr. Pourret.
    Along his Ferrari work, he was also one of the founding members of the Bugatti Club France.
    He wrote a very interesting article about the Bugatti Atlantic in the 1970s, published in Pur Sang, the bulletin of American Bugatti Club.
    The article has some very rare and intriguing information that casts a new light on the history of Bugatti Atlantic
    I would like to get in touch therefore with some people who were close to Mr. Pourret or some family members.
    I will appreciate any help.
     
  21. Robbie 57

    Robbie 57 Rookie

    Mar 3, 2021
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    Robbie 57
    Does anyone know what happened to the collection of cars Mr Pourret owned in Thailand and France?
    Was the yellow Daytona sold ?
     
  22. Pierre Coquet

    Pierre Coquet Rookie

    Mar 3, 2005
    49
    F - 21340 Baubigny
    Full Name:
    Pierre Coquet
    Jess sold his yellow Daytona in France early 2014.
    The car was then restored to it's original condition (marrone metallizato, beige leather)
     
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  23. Robbie 57

    Robbie 57 Rookie

    Mar 3, 2021
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    Robbie 57
    Interesting , and the other cars? also his beautiful Teak home in Thailand, everything he owned was immaculate. Interesting to know the outcome of his estate, I’ve heard he was a very generous gentleman, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it all wasn’t bequeathed to the needy.
     
  24. Pierre Coquet

    Pierre Coquet Rookie

    Mar 3, 2005
    49
    F - 21340 Baubigny
    Full Name:
    Pierre Coquet
    Sorry but in French, Jess's obituary I wrote for the Club Ferrari France 2018 yearbook
     

    Attached Files:

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  25. Robbie 57

    Robbie 57 Rookie

    Mar 3, 2021
    6
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    Robbie 57
    Thanks Kindly,
    I will translate your mail. Wonderful how some people do great things. I believe he gave assistance to the mountain people whom he wrote a book on. I’m very curious about the last stable of cars he owned and the beneficiaries of his estate, and wondered if the mountain people were further assisted. Thanks for the post. Regards Rob
     
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