Equipo Doretti
Some recent news of a MkII Doretti Sabre, (Chassis No. DVL2) has come from a son of an early owner who bought the car in 1956. It seems that the car, which carried the UK registration number
64 GRE, was shipped to Vancouver, BC via Montreal in 1965 when the owner's brother considered emigrating to Canada. After being used for six months touring in Canada and the USA the car was sold in Vancouver, where it spent most of its life up to 1976. When Peter Lord, the present owner of DVL2, purchased the car in 1976 it was a complete wreck. The hood was missing, the steering wheel broken, as was the windshield and the one remaining side window. All the gauges were smashed, both doors caved in, the headlights, side lights and carpets missing and the engine seized. But despite all these problems Peter could envision a beautiful car one day and eventually the car was restored.
Information is also needed about the following vehicles: 717 CRE KSK 500 TKA 323 DHU 486 PXW 475 LNV 389 MMW 335 RUP 216
Enthusiastic owners of JNL 667, Chassis No.1149, Paul and Yvette Webb have recently acquired Chassis No 1220, RLL 277 from Alan Sherwin. The car which has been off the road for many years was a Doretti that was rebuilt by Peter Jackson, in fact one of a number of cars that Peter has restored over the years.
Trevor Davies, owner of RLL 276, is one of the organizers of the Black Country Vehicle Rally and I have already received a request for Doretti owners to attend the Black Country Vehicle Rally 2005 for cars, commercial vehicles, motor cycles and bicycles made in the area. The date of the event is Sunday 31st July 2005 and the location will be the Black Country Living Museum, Dudley. Contact Peter Lockley for more details and an entry form.
Another invitation from Roy Dowding of the Gordon-Keeble Owners' Club has again invited Swallow Doretti owners to join them at the British Sports Car Day on Sunday 21st August 2005 at Rougham Airfield, West Suffolk. The club annually organizes the above event and it is open to all British-made sports and high performance vehicles of all ages. More information about both of the above events can be found on the Swallow Doretti website.
Bernd Amling of Eibelstadt, Germany is well on the way with his restoration of No.1053 which he bought early in 2003. Pictures of the car sent to me by Bernd, show it already painted and most of the trim fitted. The car is a LHD model that was imported into Germany from the California around 1993. Does a 1968 California license plate CFV 688 ring any bells in the USA?
No.1042, another LHD vehicle which was originally exported to the United States, has been sold by Eddy de Heus of the Netherlands to Dieter Kraemer of Heidelberg, Germany.
Also in Germany, No 1175, initially registered in the UK as LBD 200, and previously owned by Roland Wolf of is now owned by Jorg Sobotta. The RHD model, was originally fitted with wire wheels, an overdrive, and a aluminum hardtop.
Don't take life seriously because you can't come out of it alive - Warren Miller.
If you have any comments or suggestions about the Swallow Doretti Page, or news and/or information that you want to pass on to me or other Doretti owners then please contact me by postal mail, e-mail or telephone.
... Ken Yankey
© 2005 Ken Yankey, all rights reserved