DB18 Ritz body

[Reighton]

I am a new registered guy on the Forum.

I am retiring and want to buy a Ritz DB18. Usual reason as it was our childhood car and complements the nostalgia and the 30`s Art Deco retirement home I am building on the Yorkshire Coast.

My Dads Car was GUM 605 ..... finished in Battleship Grey and registered as new at Heckmondwike in 1939. Tragically it was written off (with minimal damage) in the late 1960`s.

I wrote my first novel 3 years ago and featured in the narrative, Dads car and a photo. Also in the mid 1990`s there was a feature of my Dads car and our family with a photo in your club magazine. I would love to be able to find a copy of that monthly magazine for our `wall` (dad is dead now). But more importantly I want to buy a DB18 Ritz to treasure.

I was amazed to find out when i was researching for my book in 2016 I discovered there was a similar car in your membership and I am sure I was told it was Reg as GUM 604. That tells me it must have been registered at Heckmondwike in the same tranche as my Dads car. What a coincidence.... and that it was a members car too. I am also aware there was anther Ritz Body DB18 located in Horsforth West Yorkshire. Amazing is that Dad lived within a mile of that car and I was able to contact the owner to treat Dad to a ride in it as a celebration surprise. So my quest is two fold... 1. To obtain a copy of the Club Magazine which has Dads article in it and 2. To buy a DB18 Ritz.

Desperate help needed to complete my retirement and in tribute to Dad to preserve his memory for my descendants.

07479463570
Thank you in anticipation

Michael Johnson

[clevitt]

Michael, I found the article in the August 1995 Driving Member. If you can send me your address, I will post it to you free of charge, If you don’t want to put your address within this forum post, you can use the “.send an email” facility.
Chris

[Reighton]

Hi Chris.

Great hunting and many thanks for your kind offer. My address is....
5 Crabb Tree drive
NORTHAMPTON
NN3 5DR.

As I am new to the Club....what do you think are the chances of the registrar..... and car owners of the DB18...... seeing my search for trying to purchase a DB18. Is there a channel for me to contact the registrar directly or DB18 secretary etc etc....?

Regarding the date...That prompts my memory as I took my Dad down to `The Mall` to march in the 50th anniversary celebration of VJ day where he had served for 4 years attached to the Indian Army. I hired a Daimler Limo for the occasion. I purposefully left the magazine in the rear pouch and suggested he might like to have a scan knowing the article was in the centre pages. His shock and delight was amazing as he exclaimed to my mother (equally shocked and pleased) that our family car photo and narrative were published. Such wonderful memories.

Many thanks


Michael.

[clevitt]

Hi Michael,
Whilst searching for your article, I came across a 1939 reprint of a review of this model by the “Motor” magazine. It was contributed by a Swedish member, who owned a Ritz at that time. The member knew of 3 other cars and that 30 had been manufactured. I will include a photocopy of the article with the August 95 magazine.
The DB18 Registrar is a regular forum user and may be able to update you of the current situation for this model.
Chris

[Marcel Renshaw]

The Daimler Ritz is very rare as previously stated the last one I saw advertised was a couple of years ago on eBay. It needed full restoration.
I would be tempted to contact the editor and ask him to put something in the Driving Member.
There are a few in the club. Probably some in other clubs or no club at all and potentially a barn find or two.
The DB18 with strong chassis and mechanicals has survived reasonably well.
Graham Emmet will be able to tell you how many club members admit to owning one.

[Salmons]

Hello Michael,
I own a Ritz, chassis 47008, I now know of only ten Survivors, four of which I do not know the chassis number.
Two more are only known from old photographs so may not survive.

My car will be for sale in the May Issue of the Driving Member. If you would like details my emails address is mynard.revarg@tiscali.co.ukm

Dennis

[John-B]

Is there a channel for me to contact the registrar directly or DB18 secretary etc etc....?
Michael.

The DB18 joint registrars ares Graham Emmett (username grahamemmett) and Marcel Renshaw
The DB18 special sports registrar and magazine editor is Kevin Bennett email editor @ dloc.co.uk (no spaces)