First E Type Jaguar in NZ, when and who?

russ6, Jun 29, 3:28am
Anyone know that original owner or anything else! Thanks

esprit, Jun 29, 3:42am
I wonder if Sybill Lupp was the first. I know she had one very early on.

Why do you ask! (I've got a '64 3.8L Roadster in the garage)

russ6, Jun 29, 3:47am
Very nice. Was there an E type here in NZ about 1961/62!

rsr72, Jun 29, 3:56am
Shorter's Jaguar dealership in Auck had the very first- a metallic dk blue convertible.
The family could still own it.

esprit, Jun 29, 4:03am
Well there ya go :)

Sybill's was a '62 so I'm guessing there were a few around before hers.

russ6, Jun 29, 4:29am
Back in the old days of 'overseas funds only' car buying. I wonder if Shorters actually sold/imported the E type or actually owned the car back then!

rsr72, Jun 29, 4:43am
Their customers generally had the funds. The car was their demonstrator but at the time could have been owned by the the family rather than the business, but really that's only of academic relevance as import 'shortcuts' were endemic and necessary throughout business in those days.

russ6, Jun 29, 6:52am
I wonder if the Jaguar club might know about the first E type in NZ!

rayzor14, Jun 29, 9:57am
The first, as correctly outlined by rsr72 was sold by Shorters. It was sold with circa 8000 miles on it to a Taupo fellow who still owned the car as late as the early '90s. He is now deceased although I have no idea if the Jaguar had been sold prior to that time or disposed of as part of the estate along with a number of other particularly interesting European examples of motoring history.
I do have pictures somewhere which would have the registration number visible - they might help in tracing the car today.

russ6, Jun 30, 12:58am
There was talk of the very first E type in NZ, being demoed around Pukekohe by the owner who was promptly offered a blank cheque by some wealthy spectator after the demo/promo laps,"just fill in the amount you want for the car" or so the story goes. a handsome profit was quickly made by the short term first owner apparently.

russ6, Jun 30, 5:53am
some older fellow might recall the occasion.

lookoutas, Aug 15, 8:10am
Fellow or felless!