1444 ET Where are you now? S1 E-Type roadster

[pacoryan]

For a few years now I've been mulling over looking up this car, it was my dad's 1961 E-type roadster that he raced on occasion and toured Europe in. When he migrated to Spain in 1969/70 he was unable to import it do to legislation at the time, and it languished in the UK in a variety of places, slowly deteriorating - he isn't very clear on what happened next.

He had a variety of interesting competition cars, XK120 (alloy)/140/150, Healey 100S, Lister Jag, Deep-Sanderson, AC Ace, Mini Coopers but the E-Type seems to have been the defining car.

According to the DVLA it is still registered, (interestingly it shows as first being registered in 1983) currently SORN and red in colour. I believe this was it's original colour, my dad had it sprayed metallic green/blue, an Aston shade (peacock blue?).

Anyway if any one comes across it or knows the owner I can probably put together a few period photos from his albums and I think he might still have the buff log-book. If it ever happened to appear in the South of England, and the owner is up for it, I'd love to stage a reunion. My dad had a stroke last summer and while he's doing ok it rather brought timelines in to focus.

Just footling around on Google and it seems the Lister he had may have been a subsequently well-known car, RB25 was the registration, oddly enough it isn't road registered!

[TooMany2cvs]

pacoryan said:

According to the DVLA it is still registered, (interestingly it shows as first being registered in 1983) currently SORN

but current MOT, and whilst it was first reg in '83, it does show as '61 year of manufacture.

So it probably either fell off the record due to being off the road, before records got moved to DVLA in the mid '70s, then got resuscitated and returned to the road in '83 - and that was the first Swansea knew of it. Maybe even exported then re-imported.

[pacoryan]

TooMany2cvs said:

So it probably either fell off the record due to being off the road, before records got moved to DVLA in the mid '70s, then got resuscitated and returned to the road in '83 - and that was the first Swansea knew of it.

I reckon this is probably on the money, he remembers it was deteriorating when left in the UK, and storing it probably began to cost more than it was worth, which wasn't much by the mid 70's. Glad someone saved it!!

[neutral 3]

If original, ET is a Rotherham issue number plate. If you can get a copy of its orig registration from the Sheffield Archives, that will give you the chassis number. Then go onto XKE Data and see if its on there.

[pacoryan]

Good point, I tried the reg on XKE data but chassis number is probably the way to go. I'll ask him for the old log-book when I go there next and get the number. I'll try and get a few pics to scan on while I'm there.

[lowdrag]

1983 was the year that registrations were computerised and that is possibly the reason. My own car had the wrong year on the V5 many moons back but with a Jaguar Heritage certificate they changed it to 1961 again. The car is not known to the JDC by the way, but may be known to the JEC. As far as XKEdata is concerned, many of the cars do not show their registration number, so a chassis number is essential to track the car.

[pacoryan]

Thanks lowdrag, I'm hoping to head up to his place this week so will try and get a chassis no. and any fun period pics.

[droopsnoot]

This afternoon I was reminded why I thought this registration was familiar. Unfortunately it's because someone local runs around in a modern wearing 4444 ET. Sorry if my thread resurrection raised any hopes of useful information.

[Cdillon]

For a few years now I've been mulling over looking up this car, it was my dad's 1961 E-type roadster that he raced on occasion and toured Europe in. When he migrated to Spain in 1969/70 he was unable to import it do to legislation at the time, and it languished in the UK in a variety of places, slowly deteriorating - he isn't very clear on what happened next.

i came across this post while researching the very car you are looking for. If it is the same car you are searching for it belongs to my father, who has owned this vehicle for 21 years. I have registered to only make contact with you, but would prefer not to discuss further in an open forum.
We are very interested in the early history of the car especially the racing aspect as when we purchased the car it had lots of race components fitted.
Am not sure the best way but if you can provide alternative contact details we would be interested in following this up.

[pacoryan]

Cdillon said:

For a few years now I've been mulling over looking up this car, it was my dad's 1961 E-type roadster that he raced on occasion and toured Europe in. When he migrated to Spain in 1969/70 he was unable to import it do to legislation at the time, and it languished in the UK in a variety of places, slowly deteriorating - he isn't very clear on what happened next.

i came across this post while researching the very car you are looking for. If it is the same car you are searching for it belongs to my father, who has owned this vehicle for 21 years. I have registered to only make contact with you, but would prefer not to discuss further in an open forum.
We are very interested in the early history of the car especially the racing aspect as when we purchased the car it had lots of race components fitted.
Am not sure the best way but if you can provide alternative contact details we would be interested in following this up.

Hi, thanks for posting, I tried to PM you behind the scenes but either you haven't allowed emails or possibly the facility is not available until your post count is higher. Feel free to contact me via email, using my forum name @me.com and hopefully we can move it forwards.
Thanks,
Patrick

[Cdillon]

Patrick

Have sent you an email, please check your spam box just incase.
My father is keen to establish contact to establish the early history of the car.

Thanks

Conrad