1961 Daimler SP250

This 1961 Daimler SP250 was purchased in 1963 by the current owner’s brother in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and was acquired by the current owner in 1967. The car is finished in silver over a black leather and vinyl interior and is powered by an Edward Turner-designed 2.5-liter V8 paired with a four-speed manual transmission. It was stored from the early 1970s until the late 1990s, when a refurbishment was commissioned that included body and paint repairs, interior refinishing, and a mechanical overhaul. Equipment includes four-wheel disc brakes, dual-point ignition, a fiberglass body, aluminum-alloy cylinder heads with hemispherical combustion chambers, and twin SU carburetors. Previously listed on BaT in June 2019, this SP250 is now offered on behalf of the current owner in Ontario, Canada, with period literature, a Daimler parts catalog, a Daimler service manual, a removable hardtop, and Ontario registration listing the car as reassembled. The fiberglass body is finished in metallic silver and features a black folding soft top, a black top boot and tonneau cover, and chrome front bumper guards. A body-off refurbishment completed in 2002 reportedly included soda-blasting and gel-coating the fiberglass body, repairing cracks and thin areas in the fiberglass, replacing the metal body supports, and applying gel coat to the body. The chrome bumpers, grille surround, and assorted trim were re-plated at that time, according to the seller. A removable fiberglass hardtop was refinished along with the rest of the body, but was never reassembled. The hardtop and associated pieces will accompany the car. Paint imperfections are noted in the gallery below, and the seller has provided a walk-around video here. 15″ 60-spoke Dayton wire wheels are wrapped in 165/80 Nankang tires that were installed in September 2020. Additional service performed at that time included the replacement of the rear brake rotors and pads as well as the rear hub seals. Equipment includes four-wheel disc brakes, Armstrong lever-arm rear shocks, and rear leaf springs that were re-arched and reinforced with additional leaves during the early-2000s refurbishment. The interior features black leather upholstery on the seats and dashboard, black vinyl door panels and trim, and gray carpets with black piping. The seller notes wear and discoloration on the carpets as well as a tear on the driver’s seat bottom. The banjo-style steering wheel fronts a Smiths 7k-rpm tachometer and a Smiths 140-mph speedometer. The five-digit odometer shows 68k miles, approximately 50k of which were added by the current owner. The 2.5-liter V8 features hemispherical combustion chambers and was factory rated at 140 horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque. Equipment includes aluminum-alloy cylinder heads and twin SU carburetors. An oil and filter change was performed in 2020, and a video of the car with the engine idling can be viewed here. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission. Corrosion is noted on the rear suspension components. The seller has provided a start-up video above and a driving video below. An additional drive-by video can be viewed here.