A vintage car built specially for the famous American aviator Amelia Earhart and still bearing her initials, lost an irreplaceable number plate on the road between Reefton and Greymouth, while passing through the West Coast yesterday.
Gold Coast couple Ross and Robyn Marshall have owned the 1935 American Packard Coupe for 11 years, inheriting the car's interesting history.
Mr Marshall said the coupe, presented to Earhart by the presidents of the Packard Motor Corporation at the time, was the same car she left at the airport in 1937 for her ill-fated circumnavigation of the world. She never returned.
Following her disappearance the car was kept by Earhart's husband, George Putnam, for two years in the hope his famous wife would be found.
"He subsequently sold the Packard to a local used car dealer. It was then passed on to a notorious Dallas gangster, who owned the car until it stopped running, some time during 1947-48."
Until the Australian couple bought it in 2007 it was part of a retired Dallas judge's vintage collection and was in "a million pieces".
"Unbeknown, I'd purchased an amazing piece of world history. It was an unfinished ground - up restoration attempt, commenced decades before," Mr Marshall said.
At the time he owned Marshall's Classic Cars, based in Tennessee, in the United States.
Restoration was immediately initiated, then moved to the New York area and the car was ultimately shipped to Australia.
It was not until later that documents and pictures provided by the judge confirmed the Packard had been specially built for Earhart.
Fittingly named Amelia, it is one of four others known worldwide, and is among a convoy of 48 America, Australian and New Zealand classic cars currently touring the country for the biennial Warbirds over Wanaka 2018.
Unfortunately, the Marshalls lost the rear number plate on the way to Greymouth.
The couple will be in New Zealand for another two weeks and have appealed for help in finding the missing number plate.
They can be contacted by e-mail at rwm1300@gmail.com
- by Janna Sherman of the Hokitika Guardian
