Lot Ended
Description
In the current ownership for 14 years and in regular use as a wedding
car; engine and gearbox fully rebuilt in 2023 and only 500 miles since; chrome
wire wheels; Coombs wheel spats; a well-maintained Daimler ready for new
adventures
First registered
in London in February 1968, this Daimler V8 comes with a good file of invoices
back to the early 1990s to show regular upkeep over the years, along with
records of most of the previous six owners. Our vendor acquired the car in 2012
from a Mr P Day of Devon who had owned it for the previous 15
years.
Owner of a wedding hire business, our
vendor promptly had the car repainted from grey to white, treated it to a
thorough mechanical check-over with all new brakes etc, and it served reliably
as bridal transport over the next dozen years or more, always being kept in
tip-top running order by the mechanic employed to look after the cars in the
fleet. Reliability is paramount in the wedding car world where you simply cannot
risk failing to get your bride to the church on time on the biggest day of her
life…
Old MOTs show that the Daimler has covered
some 10,000 miles in the current ownership, with various bills for new parts
fitted. Laid up during COVID, the car was recommissioned in 2022 with new brake
pads all round, refurbished calipers etc, before being put back to
work.
Shortly afterwards the engine began to smoke slightly, so in
March 2023 it was treated to a full engine rebuild by MJA Automotive Engineering
of Bromsgrove with new pistons, bearings, oil pump, water pump etc, which cost
£2,828 in labour and at least as much in parts. The cylinder heads were also
rebuilt at a further cost of £525 in labour plus parts.
The automatic gearbox and torque converter were also reconditioned at
the same time by renowned Borg Warner specialists Morgans of Caerphilly at a
cost of £750.
Shortly after this the wedding car
business was wound up and the Daimler has mainly been kept in storage, with just
the odd trip to local shows. It has still only covered some 500 miles
since the engine was rebuilt so it will need at least another 500
miles of careful running-in before the performance is exploited to the
full.
As you can see in the photos, this handsome
old Daimler is in decent shape for a 58-year-old and looks particularly sporting
thanks to the big chrome wire wheels and Coombs rear wheel spats.
Fighting fit mechanically, it has been starting
easily and running beautifully as we have moved it around on site, with healthy
50psi oil pressure and that wonderful V8 burble from the twin
exhausts.
Consigned
by James Dennison – 07970 309907
– james.dennison@brightwells.com