Europe - Area Representatives
To contact any of our Representatives, please see the representatives list in the latest issue of the E-type magazine.
See links below for Representatives in your area:
Austria, Vienna: Christian Mitterdorfer
I live in Vienna and I have been in love with Jaguars and classic cars since growing up. I have owned an XK8 Convertible, XJ-S and 420G in the past, but my lifetime dream came true just over two years ago when I finally came to own an E-type. My car is a red LHD 1965 S1 4.2 OTS, bought from a local classic car dealer who searched for exactly this car for me in USA. I was looking for a good driver in OK condition, which I got, the car was reasonably OK. But a planned bigger inspection and work-over ended in a full nut and bolt restoration. I am extremely happy with the result and the car and have used it a lot since, participating in classic car rallies and club tours here in Austria as well as on regular trips, at least in the ‘no-snow’ season. Some years ago I helped form a very active local Jaguar/Daimler group (not an official club) called JDOST (www.jdost.at). We have a monthly get-together, organise tours to nice sites around Austria, have booths at the two biggest Austrian classic car fairs, organise technical seminars and trips to UK events, provide help in attending classic car rallies in Austria, run safety training days on driving your classic Jaguar and have a good relationship with Jaguar Austria.
Benelux, Richard Butler, Huub Kleintjes
My name is Richard Butler and I am a semi-retired educationalist working in Luxembourg having been an international Headteacher for the past 17 years. Prior to this I spent 11 years in the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers in various countries around the world. My wife is originally from Heidelberg in Germany where we met and married in 1981 during my military career and we have been living just outside of Brussels for the past 14 years although we have been out of the UK since the late 1990`s working and living in some 9 countries including the Middle East, Russia and Western Europe. Our daughter Jenny lives and works in London as a journalist and our son Sam has recently left the Kings Royal Hussars and now works on armoured vehicles for the American military in Germany. I have always dreamt of owning a Morgan sports car and went on a long waiting list in the late 1970`s. However, I came off the list due to family circumstances and many years later I hired one to tour Islay where my wife and I quickly realised that this was not the car for us. The underpowered 1600 cc Ford engine barely go us back home after a week-long tour of this magnificent part of Scotland. Following this disappointment, I went back to my drawing board to establish a criteria for my `new ‘dream car. What I came up with seemed impossible as I wanted a reliable, stylish, performance sports car that was affordable (compared to other performance cars of the same era) with a proven heritage and brand, reasonable running costs and easily obtainable spare parts. My criteria is almost exactly what Philip Porter expertly conveys on the e-type website `Why Buy An E-Type` and following a 2 year hunt we bought our 1969 2+2 silver 4.2 litre in November 2014. Following a complete engine rebuild and gearbox overhaul we havehad nothing but great fun and enjoyment meeting many interesting like-minded classic car enthusiasts as we toured around the UK and Europe over the past couple of years. I am delighted to be sharing the BeNeLux representation of the E Type Club with Huub Kleintjes where he will continue to look after the northern part of the territory and I shall help out with organising some events in the southern region. I am 57 years young and share my life for already 39 years with my wife Mariska. We have three kids in their 20s who are all following their own path in life. I purchased my E-type in November 2014. It has been my dream for many years and my wife encouraged me not to wait for that moment we always have in mind and is far away. And I am very grateful for that!
Huub: I am 57 years young and share my life for already 39 years with my wife Mariska. We have three kids in their 20s who are all following their own path in life. I purchased my E-type in November 2014. It has been my dream for many years and my wife encouraged me not to wait for that moment we always have in mind and is far away. And I am very grateful for that! My E-type is a Series 1.5, 2+2, RHD, exported to the USA in the summer of 1968, where she spent most of her life in Texas. In 1994 she was imported into the Netherlands and spent 10 years in Zeeland and the rest in the East of our country. I am planning to drive her as much as I can without restoring her to “mint condition” [I don’t want to spend the money nor having her in a workshop for many years]. One of the previous owners did an engine overhaul in 2007 removing the horrible “engine bypass” that the US DOT required and adding three wonderful Webers! My plan as the new E-type Club representative is to get together a few times per year with other E-type owners to enjoy our “toys” and the landscapes that we meander through...
Denmark: Representative needed
Finland: Kari Kuosmanen
I’m 58 year old married male, born in Helsinki. First Jaguar I bought was and is XK140OTS SE -56. Purchasing year was 1987. I have had XJ6 and XJ12. Still have also Rover 75 (-52 and -04). I’m driven many regularity rallyes with my XK. Including 1000 lakes rally, Midnights suns rally, Bavaria Rally, Winter Challenge, MonteCarlo, Coppa del Fiori (sanRemo), Tour de Corse. I’m been several years board of Finnish Jaguar Drivers Club – editor in Chief “Jaguar News” and later Chairman (nineties). At the moment I’m responsible about Finnish Regularity Rallyes in our National Auto Sporting association (Autoliitto/AL-Sport).
France North: Representative needed
France South: Jean-Charles Bello
I am your Club Representative for Southern France. En quelques lignes , je vais vous dévoilez ma passion pour les JAGUAR .........durant mon séjour en stage hôtelier à Londres , je suis tombé amoureux de ces belles ladies ...... les JAGUAR ......... les XK et la fameuse Type E ...... Un rêve de toujours .......!!! cette époque ma marquée ...à jamais ! ...... aujourd;hui , mon rêve s’est accompli ...je suis le plus heureux de tous ..... Si vous êtes passionnés de Jaguar , rejoignez le club XK et E type , nous aurons l’occasion de faire des randonnées ensemble dans la région du sud de la France ..... Dans l’attente du plaisir de vous compter parmi nous ..
Germany: Representative needed
Greece, Alexandre Holis
Please email Alexandre Holis for advice on events and gatherings in Greece and other XK related queries for Greece. To contact Alexandre please see the representatives list in the latest issue of the E-Type magazine. Alexandre Holis has been the XK Club Representative to Greece since 2008 and more recently also E-type Representative, and has just acquired a magnificent Series I OTS. He has been cultivating his passion for classic cars for many years. Born in Athens in 1959, as a student of Electronic Engineering in Turin, Italy, he had several Innocenti Minis including a 1968 Mini-Cooper Mk2 and a 1975 Mini-Cooper 1300 that he still uses for mountain rallies. With his wife Aza, he has participated in many rallies, winning more than 100 prizes. After becoming a Manager in Information Technology he acquired a 1960 MGA 1600 roadster that is perfect for holidays in the Greek islands, and a 1964 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 ideal for romantic winter escapes. He completed a meticulous restoration of a gorgeous 1957 Jaguar XK 150 DHC that won first prize at the 10th PHILPA Concours d’ Elegance 2013, which featured 78 excellent selected cars and distinguished judges from abroad. Living 20 years in Italy, Alexandre was a member of the Technical Commission of ASI (that represents FIVA in Italy) for the evaluation of the originality of classic Minis and MGAs. He is a member and rally organiser for clubs in both Italy and Greece. He is always interested in any kind of events involving classic cars, from Concours d’Elegance such as Villa d’Este to Goodwood Revival and Le Mans Classic, technical seminars (CMC Bridgnorth and CKL Battle) and historic races such as Mille Miglia.
Ireland (Not INC N. Ireland), Walter Evans
“From about the age of 16 I had a keen interest in the English Triumph and BSA motorcycles, and loved to work on them. I bought my first Triumph 650 cc Tiger 110 for £18.00 pounds from an English man who lived about 20 miles away. I used to love ordering the spare parts, such as head gasket, rings etc. from England, and awaiting the postman to deliver them. Not being able to drive it (legally anyway) on the public road as I was too young, I reluctantly sold the 650 cc for £ 42.00 pounds, as “funds” were low. At 17, in 1973, I went to Cork city to start employment with the Dept. of Posts and Telegraphs as a line technician. Every morning, while walking to work, I used to pass a primrose coloured E Type coupe parked on an island on a street in Cork. Every time I passed that car I stopped and looked at it, and at its amazing shape. That shape stuck in my mind ever since. I went on to own a Triumph Spitfire Mark 3 and then an MGB GT. Being young and carefree, I crashed the Spitfire and later traded in the MGB GT. Later, after getting married and had three children, I had more “sensible” cars, until in 2007 I saw an advertisement in a local newspaper, “E Type for Sale”. Immediately, my mind went back to 1973, and I said to my patient wife, that we must go to see this car NOW! To cut a long story short, I bought the car and quite a lot of work had to be done to it, such as engine rebuild, body work etc. During the car rebuild process, I saw on the internet where the E Type Club were organising a tour (Italian Job Tour) in 2011 to Geneva to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the E Type. I had a wild notion that I would love to go on this Tour, so I had to break this plan very carefully to my better half. All went well, she agreed, and I was ecstatic! Our E Type was at Suffolk and Turley’s, Nuneaton, in early 2011 for upholstery work. When the Tour date came up, we flew to Birmingham, collected the car from Suffolk and Turleys, and drove to Dover to join the Tour. I was in heaven, although a little nervous, as I hadn’t driven the car any long distance since the rebuild. Again to shorten the story, we had a fantastic time on the Tour to Geneva, over the Alps etc. and back again. The car gave no trouble, apart from a cracked fan belt on the last day of the Tour, and we hope to participate on a similar tour again. I look forward to being the Irish rep for the E Type Club, and I thank the Club for the pleasure they have given us to date, as I now have the car of my dreams, with the help, support and possible escorted Tours, given and organised by the E Type Club. I look forward every month to receiving the E-type Club Magazine, and I reserve a quiet evening to sit and read it, as it always has some new tips etc.”
Norway, Bengt Reuterdahl
I have a Masters degree in Engineering from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden (in Norway the title is sivilingeniør). I have been working in the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate for some years and for the last 30 years in different positions in a Company called Skagerak Energi situated in Porsgrunn, Norway. Today I’m working as a technical manager in the same company. My Jaguar E-type (Series II , FHC ) was bought from California in 2012.
Portugal: Representative needed
Spain, Victor Calvo
Hello, my name is Victor Calvo from sunny Barcelona in Spain, I´m proud owner of V12 coupe Jag from 71. The car was birthday present from my family for my 65th birthday and as well for my retirement, car looks pretty nice but after a few miles drive It was necessary fix the rear brakes, pump, and later the engine, so I´ve decide full refurbishment of engine including replacement of cylinders, switches whatever could be changed, and well gearbox I´ve decided to go for The new one with 5th gear to enjoy our local motorways in more civilized way, so as you guy´s can imagine even I´m thinking to not getting retired to afford the nice bills that come to me every week, jaja. Cars and motors in general is hobby for me and my family, I own Mercedes 300 CE Cabriolet from 1993 and vespa 125 from 1953 as classic vehicles as well.
Sweden, Tjellvar Harbom
I am retired from my work at Ericsson (the telecom company) living north of Stockholm in Uppsala. I also have an MGB roadster that started my interest in old English sport cars. I visit a lot of classic car meetings during summer time, in winter I spend some time in the garage. I’m also interested in photography, particularly photos of cars and nature! My E-type is a FHC from 1963 imported from California that I’m doing a running renovation on. I am just now waiting for the 5-speed gearbox. I’m especially interested in the true originality of the E-type, nuts and bolts as it not influence the driving capabilities. The car is modified with Spax adjustable shocks front and rear, Volvo brake callipers in front for better braking capabilities. I have updated the front suspension and adjusted it for best handling, also the rear has been updated for better handling.
