Famous E-Type owners

[Jaguar_Man]

Being as iconic and beautiful as the E-Type was in its day - and still is of course, it no doubt attracted famous people who wanted to own one. When they mention famous E-Type owners of the past they always seem to include the likes of Frank Sinatra, Roy Orbison, George Best and Tony Curtis, but strangely though George Harrison is never mentioned as being an E-Type owner, even though I do believe he owned one (a FHC series 1). How did they forget him?

Other owners included John Barry, Johnny Holliday, Princess Grace, Charlton Heston and John Leyton. I didn't know Peter Sellers was an E-Type owner until I watched 'The Life and Death of Peters Sellers'. In the film, there's a scene where Sellers (played by Geoffrey Rush) drives a blue series 1 FHC to the hospital with Britt Eckland. Does anyone know if Sellers had an E-Type in real or is this just another bit of fiction by the filmmakers? I can't seem to find any info about it.

[PeterCrespin]

Sellers was a major car nut. I would be surprised if he didn't have several Es. There has been plenty of mention of George Harrison here and more than one photo.

I once had Rex Harrison's S3 OTS.

C'est Johnny Hallyday by the way (or 'alliday iff you speek wiz a French akson) but he should have taken a holiday about forty years ago. Still, good luck to him.

Pete

[Heuer]

There are threads on all of those names (and more) in the Forum if you do a search. As far we know Peter Sellers did not own an E-Type but he did buy (some say hired!) one for his then wife Britt Ekland. These were taken on their arrival at Heathrow:

As far George Harrison goes there is a very famous series of photos of him and his E-Type:



John Leyton posted on the Forum asking for information about his old car and sent me a picture from his personal collection:


For any other celebrity try searching using the 'AND' operator - name AND surname e.g. roy AND orbison. Alternatively start looking through this thread where you will find innumerable pictures of stars and their cars, including Jayne Mansfield, Keith Richards and many others:
http://etypeuk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1408

[Jaguar_Man]

Thanks for that. I do believe I have seen those George Harrison photos of his E, as well the Leyton photo. Forgot about the Brit Ekland photo, which I have seen somewhere before. Maybe in the Sellers film is was actually owned by Ekland, but looking at the above photo (assuming she had only one) it looks like an OTS, so they clearly got the wrong model, which was a FHC in the film. TV programmes about the E never mention George Harrison (the ones I've seen anyway), we us E-Type fanatics know he did. I wonder what happened to Charlton Heston's E; tall guy to get into one of them.

[mystery type]

Two years ago Heuer said

There are several threads in the 'General' part of the Forum regarding famous owners. Maybe I should pull them all together

we are still waiting

until then, some more celebrity owners here..

http://etypeuk.com/forum/viewtopic.php? ... ght=#20566

[Ghazilian]

In reply to your request on Peter Sellers owning an E Type. In 1967 Peter bought a present for Britt in the form of the most icon E Type of all time!
1. It was an E Type, the most famous 60's sports car. Registration no NYK 1E
2. It was bought by Peter sellers for Britt Ekland, the most famous 60's couple.
3. It was the very last series 1 off the production line.
4. It was finished in stunning bright red with black upholstery and had unusually fitted sports wing mirrors and American style front grill surround,

I know all this because in 1968 I bought the car from Britt Ekland, it had only done 3000 miles and was like new. I was only 18 years old! Can you imagine how amazing that felt. I owned the car for about 18 months and I still have the original steering wheel as I had changed it for a leather bound one. I stupidly sold the Jag to buy a four seater, a Mark 2 Lotus Cortina.
In 2001/2 the car was refurbished to conncors standard and at the same time unfortunately the colour was changed to BRG by lynx engineering.
It went on to win the Louis Vuitton Classic in its class.
I hope this info is of help.

[aries-project]

Spot on Ghazilian!
I bought the car in a very sorry state in about 1986, floors gone and holes in the rear wings etc ! It still had the leather wheel!
I paid ?5300 for it !

I spent about 10 years restoring it to concours condition in its original special order Fiesta Red not the usual Carmen Red.
I'm not sure it was the last series one, the chassis no was 1E1656 some expert might know!

I lost interest in it because at the time I was racing a 1963 roadster and after a race car it was a huge let down as a driving experience.
I sold the car in about 2000 ish to Henry Pearman of Eagle E types who like me had started playing with Group C prototypes. He did tell me that his client had changed the colour, odd decision if I'm being polite!

Finally when, I bought the car I had the old green log book which had Mrs Britt Sellars on it but unsigned, at some point I met her and got her to sign it and she was happy to tell me she hated it, probably something to do with her ex husband !

[Ghazilian]

Thanks so much for that info,
That car holds many dear memories for me, I think I am correct about it being the last series 1.

[garyb9]

Hi in 1974 I purchased a gold 1961 e-type roadster for myself from a fellow dealer for ?600 the car failed an mot mainly due to corrosion along floor and sills so I traded it back for a perfect 69 mustang fastback and a few months later a 1965 e-type for restoration for around ?330 unfortunately had to sell both cars due to house purchase wish I had them now.the roadsters last registered owner was Peter sellers and reg no 75 PF hope info is of help to you.

[andrewh]

I am friendly with Richard Williams, RS Williams of Aston Martin fame. Richard was an apprentice/trainee engineer with Aston in the 60s and was "lifted" out of there by Peter Sellers to establish his own workshop for his selection of exotics, mainly Astons, but Fezzas and of course E type. he will remember that car I am sure since he will have carried out work on it. I will ask him next time I see him.

As an aside, he still hosts a Sellers get together once a year with all those that are still alive who worked for him and his wives. Must be a fun do!