The 'E' Type Forum

Inspired by Philippe I thought I'd hunt for pictures of Donald Campbell's E Type.

I could only find these two. I did read that a video of Donald in 1967 shows the car as GLM 37 C...was that a different car? The one in these pictures appears to be a 3.8, and a 'C' registration would indicate a 1965 hence 4.2 car.

Does anybody have further information / pictures?


Visit David Ambridge's Donald Campbell site for more information: http://tinyurl.com/2wpuwt6

Hi Mark,
i have tried as well to research the history of Donalds car,but its not easily found.this is all i have but maybe we can piece the jigsaw between us all on the forum

To: steve
Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 8:52 AM
Subject: Re: Donald Campbell


Dear Steve

Many thanks for taking the trouble to write to me re the Donald Campbell cars. As I understand it the E type was purchased new from H R Owen London in 1965 by Donald Campbell after he sold the XK150. I have a couple of references to the E type.
The first is in T & CC magazine of January 1987 p16. It was registered initially as GLM 37C and DC 7 was transferred to it. There is a photograph of the car (not good enough to copy) on the drive of Donald Campbell's house in Surrey, together with Bluebird and a proposed rocket car. There is an excellent photo of this scene available from the Beaulieu Reference Library, negative C2003/P/1991.
The other reference I have is from the "Jaguar Driver" magazine of November 1996 p28 of the same scene, but again not good enough to scan I'm afraid.
The E type was of course at Coniston on the day Donald was killed. It was sold by his widow about a week after, complete with the DC 7 number. The new owner lived in Surrey and he still owned it in 1996.
The DC7 number was sold on., with the E type reverting to its first number.

I did speak to Julia Simpson at the JDHT and she said there was no E Type registered to Donald only an xk150--i have since wondered if it was registered in his wifes name Tonia Bern Campbell ? or Tonia Bern? Also the DC 7 number is now back with the XK150


Finally Bluebird is currently being rebuilt to full running order with a planned rerun on coniston and if we think E Type restoration is difficult take a look at what these guys have achieved--its truely remarkable
http://www.bluebirdproject.com/Bluebird ... /frame.htm

cheers Steve

Hi Steve
That is a fascinating website, and what a staggering project.

I saw Donald?s E Type in the 60s, along with a Bluebird boat and a Bluebird car, but I can?t remember where or when as I was just a lad. It was this car that re-enforced my desire for an E type, as it seemed to inherit some of the Bluebird qualities parked side by side. I was convinced that the E type also had the small crossed flags on the nose, but that was probably just my youthful imagination building the E Type up as the road-going Bluebird!

A quick check on DVLA shows no record of GLM 37C on a Jaguar. If the owner still had the car in 96, I can?t imagine that it?s been scrapped, so hopefully it?s just had a private plate put on.

DC7 is registered to a blue 1998 Aston Martin currently.

And so the trail goes cold, but someone somewhere must know the whereabouts of the car. Wouldn?t it be grand to see the ?Bluebird E type? along with the other famous E types, at the 2011 celebrations?

Mark,

yes your right about the DC7 reg,the xk150 was registered YUG 101 in 2004. http://www.artfact.com/auction-lot/x-19 ... pgcxuig0uq
It would be good to see DC,s e type in 2011 and would attract alot of interest, its quite spooky thats when the Coniston Bluebird event will likely happen--which i would also like to see.
As for finding the car like you say someone knows--lets hope they read these posts,

cheers Steve

I think that the car in the photo is an early 3.8. Look at the shape of the gas filler lid. It changed in mid '62 to have a pronounced taper, wider at the rear.

It also has a roof antenna which was an earlier period accessory. Perhaps he had more than one E Type.

This is just a guess--the 2 images may be from the film "Across the Lake"with Anthony Hopkins as DC and not 1967

Steve

I remember seeing the BBC's "Across The Lake" and it did indeed feature a blue E-Type. If anyone wants a copy the guy who posted a clip on YouTube is willing to provide:
http://www.freewebs.com/thousandways/ot ... ilable.htm - or email steve@burdon.org

A quick view of the DVD would soon tell whether the car pictured is the real one.

I read a post on another site which stated Campbell was "known for changing his cars as others changed their shirts"

The same poster said Campbell had an XK150 in 1958, registered DC7 but shortly afterwards changed it for an E Type which he also registered as DC7. "Shortly afterwards" wouldn't seem to imply seven years for anyone who changes cars regularly.

He had an new Aston Martin reg no. DC7 too, but I can't identify the year. A fixed head coupe but maybe a special body.

Possibly just a coincidence but in the book "Donald Campbell The man behind the mask" is a photo of the nose of a 4.2 S1 registered EDU 923C. The photo is of Tonia Bern-Campbell and others laying a wreath by the side of the lake. DVLA records state this car was registered 7th Feb '65 and is currently taxed. No car with this reg appears on xkedata.

We have been contacted by David Ambridge who owns the copyright of the above pictures and he has confirmed the car was a mock up used for the film 'Across the Water' starring Anthony Hopkins.

The hard-to-find DVD of 'Across the Lake' is available from this site: http://classictimevideo.com/product_inf ... cts_id=602
It includes some great sequences (including the opening credits) of Hopkins driving the E-type around the Lake Coniston area.

In the January 2011 edition of CLASSIC CARS (E-type 50th) there is a photo of Donald Campbell handing over the keys of an E-type to his wife Tonia. All that can be glimpsed of the number plate is ...M 3... This is presumably GLM 37C. This seems to reinforce the possibility that this car was registered in her name.

Nick

A small clip to view of the fateful day with the e-type included, poor resolution.

http://www.wpafilmlibrary.com/detail/fa ... bee89.html


Steve

An original image at Coniston 1967




Steve

The blue E Type " DC 7 " seems to be a 3.8 litre, because it has the Jaguar badge in the tail gate as 3.8 litres does, later 4.2 has the 4.2 badge at the bottom in addition to the Jaguar badge.

Regards
Mario

Mario

The blue one was a prop used in the BBC film. It seems DC never owned an E-Type with the DC 7 plate. The GLM 37C car is the one he gave to his wife.

Taken at Campbell's Surrey home in 1966. His blue E-Type alongside a mock up of a jet powered car:

May 2, 1966 - London, England, U.K. - Singer TONIA BERN recieves an E-type Jaguar from her husband Donald Campbell to celebrate her returning to show business. PICTURED: Tonia showing off her brand new sportscar. (Credit Image: ? KEYSTONE Pictures USA)

From BBC film 'Days that shook the World - The Fastest Man on Water':


Wonder if the car is the real one - seems to have the correct AMCO nose guard and bullet wing mirrors along with the reg no and colour?