E Type 888330
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 11:46 pm
It was 03.51am and I had just bought an E Type
On my blackberry......in Majorca on holiday...on ebay...and sober
It had only taken me around 30 years, but with all that time to think abut it I had broken the basic rule of don't buy before you see it
I had no idea what it was really like, the seller was apparently more of an Alfa dealer selling the car on behalf of another classic car dealer, I didn't really know if it was for real and within 24 hours I had to wire a whole lump of money
Since I was a teenager I had always wanted one....can't even remember why this started if I am truly honest...but I have always loved the first generation of the XKE as they were also called and one day I knew I would have to have one, and although one made the day I was born would be the perfect find, something close or with a connection to me would fit the bill just nicely
This one was close......and it was black....not for everyone...but those who know me know I like my cars black
So I went back to sleep, with these images ......
Oh.......and it was in Florida..................what could possibly go wrong
To those of you who have imported cars this is probably a breeze....but not for me......... I had no idea truly how to organise shipping or insurance
In the few days prior to my winning bid, Costas (the seller) had been a pleasure to deal with.......as I toyed (whilst sitting by the pool, the odd beer nearby) with the idea of whether to make a bid I figured I needed to cut to the chase and ring him. It had 5 days to go in the auction when I spotted it....re - listed due to not making its reserve....so I called the number and tried to find out more
First off.....she was originally cream....(later in the 60's referred to as Old English white)...but it was matching numbers, described as largely complete and with just 2 previous owners, she was last used in the 1980's and laid up in storage ever since.....however according to the Title had been black longer than she was originally OEW.......good enough provenance for me
Costas could organise transport to Miami for onward shipment and seemed to know what do do as he imported/exported Alfas between Europe and the US, he also sent me copies of the VIN plate and the current clear title which all matched
There wasn't much history sadly, but he told me of another classic car dealer in Texas who had bought the car in 2008 from the last owner but who had no success in selling it, and had passed it to him so see if he had better luck
They at least yielded some further images which verified some of the condition, and importantly gave me another lead to follow up to talk to about the car. When I called they remembered it well, and even confirmed they had some old paperwork and bills for work done in the past, which they sent once I could prove the car was mine (really decent folks and a very kind gesture)
.....sadly the only history I have managed to establish since as I have drawn a blank when writing to the 2 prior owners
Built on March 6th of 1963, she was delivered to New York, as all E Types were back in the early 1960's and dispatched to her first owner, a Doctor based in Miami, on the 18th of March 1963, where she remained until 1976 when she was sold to the second owner on the 22nd of January that year
I have further paperwork confirming the second owner passing the car to the first dealer in 2008, so I am only the third owner, which is pretty cool...but if you want co-incidences or reasons for why this car had to be mine, this wasn't the last word ....as I found out later
It had never been restored, and as I later discovered had had just one accident, but otherwise was a straight, tired but honest old car
those iconic seats....the dash looked wrong as timber was never an option, but underneath (the vinyl) was promised the famous alloy panels
Perfect...sure it would have been lovely to source an original car with an interior and patina I could keep....but this just felt right.....and 30 years is a long time to window shop
This was July 19 of 2010
My winning bid was USD $12,599.00, which even then was a good price, now with 5 years having passed its even better
It took until October the 21st for the car to arrive at home, complications as she wasn't a driver and a delay as Costas sorted some missing interior parts for me, which got lost .....and then found......in the US post....all of which at times added stress....having paid the best part of £10K for something that only existed in pictures and telephone conversations was an odd feeling as month one rolled in to two and then into three
But all that ebbed once I knew the car had landed and aevapourated instantly as I got the call from Melvin who collected it for me and said he would be with me 2 hours later
For a 47 year old girl isn't she a thing of beauty...
DDK folks have been patiently asking how the restoration has been going over the years, so now that over 5 years have passed this is the (gentle) story of my XKE, not everyones preference in vintage cars, but certainly mine, and a perfect stable mate for her younger German companion
thanks for reading, hope you enjoy the journey
Jonathan
On my blackberry......in Majorca on holiday...on ebay...and sober
It had only taken me around 30 years, but with all that time to think abut it I had broken the basic rule of don't buy before you see it
I had no idea what it was really like, the seller was apparently more of an Alfa dealer selling the car on behalf of another classic car dealer, I didn't really know if it was for real and within 24 hours I had to wire a whole lump of money
Since I was a teenager I had always wanted one....can't even remember why this started if I am truly honest...but I have always loved the first generation of the XKE as they were also called and one day I knew I would have to have one, and although one made the day I was born would be the perfect find, something close or with a connection to me would fit the bill just nicely
This one was close......and it was black....not for everyone...but those who know me know I like my cars black
So I went back to sleep, with these images ......
Oh.......and it was in Florida..................what could possibly go wrong
To those of you who have imported cars this is probably a breeze....but not for me......... I had no idea truly how to organise shipping or insurance
In the few days prior to my winning bid, Costas (the seller) had been a pleasure to deal with.......as I toyed (whilst sitting by the pool, the odd beer nearby) with the idea of whether to make a bid I figured I needed to cut to the chase and ring him. It had 5 days to go in the auction when I spotted it....re - listed due to not making its reserve....so I called the number and tried to find out more
First off.....she was originally cream....(later in the 60's referred to as Old English white)...but it was matching numbers, described as largely complete and with just 2 previous owners, she was last used in the 1980's and laid up in storage ever since.....however according to the Title had been black longer than she was originally OEW.......good enough provenance for me
Costas could organise transport to Miami for onward shipment and seemed to know what do do as he imported/exported Alfas between Europe and the US, he also sent me copies of the VIN plate and the current clear title which all matched
There wasn't much history sadly, but he told me of another classic car dealer in Texas who had bought the car in 2008 from the last owner but who had no success in selling it, and had passed it to him so see if he had better luck
They at least yielded some further images which verified some of the condition, and importantly gave me another lead to follow up to talk to about the car. When I called they remembered it well, and even confirmed they had some old paperwork and bills for work done in the past, which they sent once I could prove the car was mine (really decent folks and a very kind gesture)
.....sadly the only history I have managed to establish since as I have drawn a blank when writing to the 2 prior owners
Built on March 6th of 1963, she was delivered to New York, as all E Types were back in the early 1960's and dispatched to her first owner, a Doctor based in Miami, on the 18th of March 1963, where she remained until 1976 when she was sold to the second owner on the 22nd of January that year
I have further paperwork confirming the second owner passing the car to the first dealer in 2008, so I am only the third owner, which is pretty cool...but if you want co-incidences or reasons for why this car had to be mine, this wasn't the last word ....as I found out later
It had never been restored, and as I later discovered had had just one accident, but otherwise was a straight, tired but honest old car
those iconic seats....the dash looked wrong as timber was never an option, but underneath (the vinyl) was promised the famous alloy panels
Perfect...sure it would have been lovely to source an original car with an interior and patina I could keep....but this just felt right.....and 30 years is a long time to window shop
This was July 19 of 2010
My winning bid was USD $12,599.00, which even then was a good price, now with 5 years having passed its even better
It took until October the 21st for the car to arrive at home, complications as she wasn't a driver and a delay as Costas sorted some missing interior parts for me, which got lost .....and then found......in the US post....all of which at times added stress....having paid the best part of £10K for something that only existed in pictures and telephone conversations was an odd feeling as month one rolled in to two and then into three
But all that ebbed once I knew the car had landed and aevapourated instantly as I got the call from Melvin who collected it for me and said he would be with me 2 hours later
For a 47 year old girl isn't she a thing of beauty...
DDK folks have been patiently asking how the restoration has been going over the years, so now that over 5 years have passed this is the (gentle) story of my XKE, not everyones preference in vintage cars, but certainly mine, and a perfect stable mate for her younger German companion
thanks for reading, hope you enjoy the journey
Jonathan
(hehe!)
