Hi Craig, yes that’s what I thought. However, as per my earlier message - three friends who all own it say they can’t find it anywhere in the text.
-Ed
Didn’t the citation in the E-type club magazine include a photo of the book page?
Was there an OTS at the Geneva unveiling?
Nope…it was a FHC.
I believe that there was an OTS at Geneva (as well as a FHC). The prototype convertible 77RW was driven by Norman Dewis overnight to Geneva from Coventry as a result of the reception the other cars were getting.
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I stand corrected: I thought it was the FHC that was rushed there.
Learn sumfin new, every day!
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And to shorten the queue for demo rides. But Paul’s right in the sense the quoted ‘unveiling’ was just the FHC.
Unfortunately, I forget at least twice that every day too…
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Izzit Friday, yet??
Truly an amazing bit of history!
I’ve always understood that Ferrari made the statement at the initial unveiling (if he made it at all). Seems like some OTS guys are trying to muscle in on the distinction, which was clearly meant for the FHC. Surely Ferrari recognized the OTS as an exercise in gilding the lily.
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Does anyone have a copy of ‘E-Type Magazine’ from May 2017 that they could scan and share here?
If there is indeed a scan of the original book (in Italian) stating these words, then I would be very interested indeed to see it.
-Ed
I do love sarcasm.
(yes, the FHC is prettier).
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…and, the result of an American line worker…
" Surely Ferrari recognized the OTS as an exercise in gilding the lily."
I’m sure you jest but don’t think one could say the OTS is a result of gilding the lily. The OTS was the original product and the FHC was an afterthought. Lyons accidentally discovered Bob Blake (ex-Cunningham bodywork wizard) had taken it upon himself to assemble an FHC roof and rear body shape on an OTS shell.
According to the story, Lyons walked into the prototype shop where Blake was working on the FHC shape, seeing it for the first time and asked, “Did you do that Blake?” Then, after a pause he said, “I like it. We’ll build it.”
I’m glad he did. I always preferred the look, the usefulness and the added rigidity of the Coupe myself.
As a young guy, I stood beside the production line at the Pressed Steel factory in Theale Berks, watching the roof and rear hatch sections coming together. I think that was the only part made there at the time. Wish I’d had a camera available then.
Interesting that it was the FHC, not the OTS that Jaguar decided to introduce to the world first.
IIRC, too, it was in wire form… and it STILL looked good!
Ive always been in the FHC camp.
Lest we change history:
The car was first displayed to the press on 15 March 1961 to an unbelievable level of excitement, giving birth to a true automotive icon - but it almost wasn’t to be. Such was the demand for road tests from the British media that the E-Type scheduled for Geneva was still on UK shores on the evening of 14 March 1961.
So, in fittingly dramatic style, Jaguar executive Bob Berry drove the car flat-out from the factory in Coventry all the way to the Parc des Eaux-Vives in Geneva - arriving just 20 minutes before the car was to be revealed to the world. Of course, 20 minutes later, pandemonium ensued.
Dick,
The question was about an OTS at Geneva. As I understand it (but am open to correction, as I know that with the internet it’s easy for myth to become fact), Bob Berry drove a FHC (9600 HP) to the show arriving just before the start of the show, whereas Norman Dewis drove the OTS (77 RW) 24hrs or so later.
-David
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That is the version Ive always heard was the case.