Highlights

• One of the last ‘big bumper’ 2 ½ V8s
• Exceedingly desirable factory manual gearbox with overdrive
• Just three former keepers
• Runs and reportedly drives well
• Great potential as a rolling restoration project

The Appeal

The History and Paperwork

• Accompanied by a copy of the original service manual and spare parts catalogue
• Just three previous owners
• The vendor states that the Daimler Owners’ Club informed them via email that this car is once of just fifty ‘big bumper’ Daimler V8s with a factory manual gearbox with overdrive 
• We’re informed that there is a Certificate of Authenticity from Jaguar / Daimler Heritage Trust
• The vendor believes the 61,353 indicated miles to be correct
• One of the last ‘big bumper’ 2 ½ V8s, built on 15th March 1967
• Originally supplied by Alec Norman of Gamlingay on 7th April 1967
• In present ownership since 2011 and the previous owner acquired in in 2000
• Retains its original colour - Opalescent Golden Sand 
• The vendor tells us that a visual inspection by the saloon registrar of the Daimler Owners’ Club, described it as “structurally sound but in need of bodywork attention”
• A history file apparently contains many invoices, 21 old MOT certificates, old bills of sale and correspondence letters from its previous owners dating back to the late ‘70s
• Numerous photographs of previous work, including structural welding and cylinder head refurbishment
• Garaged and only used in dry weather in current ownership
• Comes complete with an owner's manual, spare parts catalogue, nearly complete Daimler tool kit and jack.
  
  

The Interior

• Tan leather upholstery in very good condition and exhibiting some attractive patination
• The vendor points out a small split in the rear bench seat, but otherwise it appears undamaged
• The woodwork on the dashboard and door cappings presents really nicely with just a couple of very small areas lifting on the nearside of the dashboard top and one of the rear door cappings
• All the switchgear looks great, as do the instruments
• The fitment of a new headlining, door cards, front seat belts and leather re-dressing was apparently carried out by Wilkinson & Son Coachbuilders in 2000 
• No carpet currently fitted in the front, however the vendor points out that the correct ’Tan Wool’ mats can by sourced, with some samples from a specialist supplied with the car

The Exterior 

• Opalescent Golden Sand paintwork
• In need of some bodywork restoration, with some corrosion evident in various places
• The vendor informs us that attention is required to the the door bottoms, front and rear valences, rear wheel spats, an area at the top of the front wings and the leading edge of the tailgate
• Corrosion-free wheel spat replacements are included in the sale
• So far as we could see, the floor pans appear in reasonably good order
• The paint continues to shine despite some bubbling and corrosion appearing in a few areas
• The chrome is in good order overall, the bumpers having fared well
• There’s some pitting to the chrome boot plinth
• Sits upon steel wheels, with hubcaps

The Mechanics 

• 2.5-litre V8 engine
• Four-speed manual gearbox with overdrive
• Both cylinder heads were refurbished in the 2020's  
• When the slave cylinder was replaced in 2019 it was noted the clutch was at the end of its adjustment.
• The vendor reports that it starts perfectly and runs well 
• Produces the typical Daimler V8 smoke upon start up
• The oil pressure is reportedly around 20-30 PSI
• More recent works include the electronic ignition being removed in favour of a factory setup, with parts supplied by the Distributor Doctor
• A new SU fuel pump was sourced from Burlen Fuel Systems 
• A replacement radiator fan cowling is also included in the sale as this was missing
• The vendor reports that the manual gearbox and overdrive makes for a particularly engaging driving experience and everything is said to work as it should
• All presents well under the bonnet
•  When the slave cylinder was replaced in 2019 it was noted the clutch was at the end of its adjustment.

Summary