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Pre-Jaguar post-war Daimlers

Barrie
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Location: Sydenham Hill SE London

Re: Pre-Jaguar post-war Daimlers

Post by Barrie »

Moving on a few years I heard through the grapevine that John had completed the restoration and was selling. We had a chat and agreed a price and I went to see it. It only took a few moments of the drive to make me realise that I was too tall for it. Whereas my Barker SS had a roomy cut-out in the rear hinged door to accommodate the flow of the front wing to the body, the Hooper narrowed too much for my large feet and long legs. John sold elsewhere quite quickly I’m pleased to say. He is to be congratulated on such a fantastic restoration and saving this almost unique car. It was the only car I’ve seen which had two cocktail cabinets!
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204a.JPG
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If you use the newly discovered 'click to enlarge' facility in the dashboard picture you will see what a tremendous amount of work and attention to detail has been gone into. Usually restos overlook the repainting of the steering wheel but this one looks perfect.
How interesting for me (and you dear reader, I hope) that I was able to see the car at such critical stages of its existence.

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marchesmark
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Re: Pre-Jaguar post-war Daimlers

Post by marchesmark »

Barrie, I'm certainly a fan, both of the cars and the thread. I must also echo what was said previously - there is a book in here,and there is always room for another book in my view! I have a plan to do something on the EL24 when time allows (ie when I retire again) but that won't be for 3 or 4 years yet. A book on post-war Daimler coachwork 1945-1960 would be a seller, I think (well, guaranteed 1 copy at least...).

Mark

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John-B
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Re: Pre-Jaguar post-war Daimlers

Post by John-B »

Barrie wrote: Fri Nov 22, 2019 6:03 pm
John-B wrote: Fri Nov 22, 2019 11:46 am In this forum, with most photos you can get a sliding gallery effect by clicking to enlarge a photo and then use the left or right arrows to see the next one.
Well, as I live and breathe - I never knew that - either enlarging or the slide show! Clever!
It's called the "Lightbox", you can just click the left or right side of a photo instead of clicking an arrow to move to the next one. However, as you may have discovered, it doesn't enable the right and left arrows with all of them. I think some photos are too small in KB or not wide enough, so the movement of the slideshow to the next photo stops. You have to get all the photos roughly the same size in KB and width for all the photos in the entire topic to be seen in one slide show.

Barrie
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Joined: Mon Feb 29, 2016 11:50 pm
Location: Sydenham Hill SE London

Re: Pre-Jaguar post-war Daimlers

Post by Barrie »

Thanks to all who have in emails, pms, and on the Forum offered words of encouragement - it's nice to know someone else is looking!
A few coupes. I don't know why more weren't successful with some being one-offs.
1.jpeg
DB18 with 2 door body by Hooper - very elegant and well-proportioned to my eye.
Coupes (12).JPG
Conquest Century successor to the DB18 but perhaps not so well proportioned due to the shorter body. Still a sensational looking car though.
1952.jpeg
1953d.jpeg
Based on the 3 litre Regency this drophead coupe was the spiritual successor to the Special Sports but no one took then forward. I only know of one and it's now in America. A shame really as an SS with more torque and power (100bhp rather than 85) would have improved the car significantly. Does anyone know why it wasn't put into production?

Barrie
Posts: 292
Joined: Mon Feb 29, 2016 11:50 pm
Location: Sydenham Hill SE London

Re: Pre-Jaguar post-war Daimlers

Post by Barrie »

More coupes.
3.jpg
The Dockers were smoking something extra strong when this was designed! I think it's magnificent and believe it was over 20' Long. 1952 DE36 straight 8, 5.4 litre engine now in the Blackhawk collection in USA.
1953.jpg
The Silver Flash based on the 3 litre chassis in 1953. Wonderful red crocodile skin dashboard and also now in USA.
1953a.jpg
1953b.jpg
1953 3 Litre coupe. I tried to buy this in the 1990's and went to a lot of trouble and effort but a difficult dealer got the better of my otherwise placid temperament. Another story there I'm sure.

Barrie
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Joined: Mon Feb 29, 2016 11:50 pm
Location: Sydenham Hill SE London

Re: Pre-Jaguar post-war Daimlers

Post by Barrie »

More coupes.
1955a.jpg
Another one-off but I don't know why as it's sensational! The Ghia-Aigle (Swiss) 3.5 litre. It's always been a puzzle to me why there weren't more continental coachbuilders using the Daimler chassis. There were some lovely 1950s bodies on Lancias and Alfas but not Daimler, maybe it was too soon after the War and therefore prejudices were more understandable.
Coupes (1).jpeg
Beutler 3.5 litre DHC. Another Swiss contribution.
1955.JPG
What can I say? The DK400 Zebra car. They really should have gone to the Italians.
A sensational over-the-top interior which I shall try and post later.
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This is slightly of piste for the subject but I just had to post it. One man's interpretation of how the Empress line might have progressed. Its a DS420 which has had a 'middle-ectomy'. Really good effort.

Barrie
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Location: Sydenham Hill SE London

Re: Pre-Jaguar post-war Daimlers

Post by Barrie »

Yet more coupes:
Daimler_Conquest_2943.jpg
The only hardtop version of the New Conquest Century Coupe.
Coupes (14).jpg
Coupes (2).jpeg
1959.jpg

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marchesmark
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Re: Pre-Jaguar post-war Daimlers

Post by marchesmark »

Thank you Barrie, some great shots in that collection. Shows how coachbuilders could get it spectacularly right, and wrong. Some of the coupes are a bit dumpy, but I am a confirmed limousine fan. Got to love a Docker Daimler though, Stardust is my favourite.

Barrie
Posts: 292
Joined: Mon Feb 29, 2016 11:50 pm
Location: Sydenham Hill SE London

Re: Pre-Jaguar post-war Daimlers

Post by Barrie »

Thank you Mark. Limousines will follow I'm sure.
In the previous post I somehow omitted most of the script and have not been able to edit it.
This is what I meant to say:
2
This Daimler Hooper ‘Continental’ was restored as a labour of love by Duncan Saunders. I’m not quite sure if it was a 3.5 or a 104 chassis. Perhaps someone out there knows?
Very desirable as it is unique but not one of Hoopers best efforts.
3
An unusual picture of one of the two 2 door 3 litre Empresses on the street and now, I think, in Australia. The streets of the more fashionable areas of London used to be littered with Bentley’s and Astons, Majestic Majors etc etc but now they are too valuable/delicate to leave out. A shame really as it made the motoring landscape more interesting.
4
I don’t quite know what to say about this. It would be nice if it had survived as a one-off but I’m not surprised there was no demand for it. How did Hooper go from the 2 door Empress to this? Does anyone have pictures of the interior?

Vortex O'Plinth
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Re: Pre-Jaguar post-war Daimlers

Post by Vortex O'Plinth »

Barrie wrote: Thu Nov 28, 2019 12:42 pm 4 I don’t quite know what to say about this. It would be nice if it had survived as a one-off but I’m not surprised there was no demand for it. How did Hooper go from the 2 door Empress to this? Does anyone have pictures of the interior?
Only picture I could find certainly links the car to its SP250 origins - the dash seems to be a straight copy....
Capture.JPG
As an aside, this shot shows that Royalty still favoured Daimler in the 1950's...
Capture1.JPG
Nick

"Don't bother with the Air & Space Museum - there's nothing to see.......".

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