It's Gone!

[malcolm]

So, our beloved E Type Dibby is gone - sold.
After 11 good years, my wife and I thought our European tours would be carried out in a little more security than is afforded by 55 year old mechanics and electronics. Also, I see the UK going the way of Europe - within the Caen ring road for example you need a conformity sticker, which can't be issued to an E Type and there is no historic vehicle let off. Just keep out.
I see a time when use might be very restricted, such as travel to recognised shows only, or exclusion from cities and large towns.
Maybe I'm wrong, but if not, it will get more difficult to sell an E Type for a reasonable price so I thought I'd do it now rather than later.
I also felt that should health matters deteriorate, I didn't want to leave my wife with an E Type in the Garage!
So my fun now will be restricted to the F Type (which I do enjoy)
We did both feel odd the morning after he left - a bit like losing a pet!
Good luck to all you dedicated owners
Regards
Malcolm
P.S, I'll still look in on here (if I'm allowed!) as I'm still interested in matters E

[mgcjag]

Hi Malcom...thats a suprise.....enjoy your new ventures
.all the best....Steve

[malcolm]

Thanks Steve. Yes, a surprise to me as well! But I have been diagnosed with an unfortunate thing which made me think.

[Fuel.inj]

You still have your memories of the E type. Best wishes for the future Malcolm.

[DWW]

It’s always sad to hear when an e type departs but memories stay for ever (hopefully). Enjoy the rest of the time with your f type.

[RICHOT]

Yes, it’s always a wrench to part with one of one’s beloved classic cars.

I’m also getting on a bit (80 in 2 months time!) and over the last few years, have been slowly reducing my car collection and have now decided to let my old XK120 go after 24 years of ownership - it’s rather a heavy car to drive cf the others.

But, our beloved E Type which we have enjoyed for over 30years, will go with me to my grave and my sons will fight over it when the time comes!

[rfs1957]

Tough and brave decision.

Worth knowing, however, that France is on the cusp of definitively abandoning the ZFE legislation (Zones de Faibles Emissions) to which you refer, and even before that Montpellier had recently kicked it down the road for another 2 years, coincidentally when the next Municipal elections fall ; the word on the street was that the current incumbent did not want to face an irate electorate with such a policy in place.

Because civil society here could not cope with such a restriction, and would react accordingly.

On top of this, anyway, old cars (over 30 years) get a carte-grise de collection (log-book) which makes them exempt, all over France, from all and any emissions legislation.

So I would be really, really, surprised if anyone had fallen foul of a ZFE with an E-Type.

Remember, too, that our period number plates are incomprehensible to ANPR systems in Europe - added to which, in nearly 45 years of driving over here, I have never, ever used a GB or UK identifier on my UK registered cars or bikes, and NOBODY has ever shown the slightest interest.

The ZFU system depends entirely on ANPR over here.

Sadly, the police now have a million and one other preoccupations so paranoia of this type, in France at least, is probably twenty years out of date.

[malcolm]

That's interesting Rory. We have a group trip with 15 cars planned for next year, and have been told not to go inside the Caen ring road without an emission sticker. In applying, we have also been told we can't have a sticker for an E Type. Perhaps we should just ignore it! Not my main reason for selling anyway, and I'll enjoy France next year in the F Type- maybe not as much!

[Polse7317]

I agrée with Rory, here in La Rochelle thé Mayor wanted a ZFE zone but happily, thé lobbying of thé old car federation, worked and we can drive évery where in France at This day.
Hope it will be for a long Time