That Time George Harrison Told Someone How to Wash an E-Type

In researching our last article, “5 Things You Might Not Know About Jaguar” we came across a story that we thought, as Beatles fans, warrants its own blog post. 

It seems like when the real money started rolling in for The Beatles after the “British Invasion” in 1964, they all rushed out to buy expensive cars. 

John Lennon opted for his famous 1965 Phantom V Rolls Royce with the psychedelic paint job (the car is on display in Canada right now at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria!). Paul McCartney took delivery of a 1965 Aston Martin DB5, hot on the heels of its newly-found notoriety as James Bond’s gadget-laden ride of choice. And Ringo went exotic with a rare 1964 Facel Vega II Coupé.

George was probably the most dedicated car enthusiast of the Fab Four. He was a lifelong fan of Formula 1 racing, became friends with World Champions Jackie Stewart and Niki Lauda and even penned a single, “Faster”, which is dedicated to automobile racing.

George Harrison Told a Fan How to Wash an E-Type

For his first bet on a high-end car, Harrison chose a 1964 E-Type 3.8 fixed-head coupé, complete with a 45 rpm record player. 

In a hand-written reply to a fan’s letter, George gives seven steps of instructions on how to wash the car. 

With his famous Liverpudlian humour in evidence throughout the letter, Harrison’s final instruction is to:

“… proceed to 20 Forthlin RD. with about 6 buckets full of dirty muddy greasy water, where a shiny Ford Classic will be seen. Spread contents of the buckets evenly, so as to leave a nice film of muck over the car. You can now return home knowing you have done your deed for the day. Thank you!!!

What’s so funny about that? 20 Forthlin Rd. was Paul McCartney’s house, and Geroge’s reference to a Ford Classic is a sign that Paul hadn’t yet bought the DB5!

If your Jaguar needs a little more than a good washing, book an appointment here at Westminster Motors to keep it purring with dealer-equivalent Jaguar parts and service.

Have you heard about the new Goldfinger DB5s? Check out our post “What You Get if You Get a New Goldfinger-Spec Aston Martin DB5”.