With flowing lines, a charming front end and tail fins taking inspiration from large 1950s American cars, the Daimler Dart SP250 is a gorgeous sports car. Furthermore, with a V8 up front and the top down, it has to be one of the greatest driving experiences around.
That’s certainly what the owner of this 1963 model thinks, saying he is sure to miss his beautifully maintained red example when it is finally sold. A lot of money and many hours have gone in to making this model such a great example from stripping and cleaning the chassis to rebuilding the engine.
A file full of photos and invoices make this an exemplary model while the additional hard top makes it useable in any conditions.
Even though 1963 Daimler Dart SP250 has covered over 145,000 miles and has been used as a “day to day car”, the seating upholstery is in very good condition apart from the driver’s seat which is showing signs of wear and tear as is the dashboard leather.
From behind the classy wood steering wheel, you may spot a unique addition to this particular Daimler sports car, the extra control panel fitted as an aftermarket modification. This tweak adds a more modern stereo system and speaker set which hides under the standard dashboard.
The red Wilton carpets that line the cabin floor were fitted in 2016 in a clearly very respectful way keeping many signs of the car’s originality. Plenty of easy living options are fitted to this car such as rack & pinion and power steering, overdrive, and cruise control. Electronic ignition, an electric radiator fan, an anti-theft device and a tracker have also been fitted.
Open the boot, lift the carpet-less floor and you’ll see a full size spare wheel.
Akin to the interior, the car’s body and chassis has had a lot of work done to it since the current owner bought it. In 2016, the chassis was stripped, cleaned and several repairs were made to the bodywork after a small shunt to the rear. Details concerning the many jobs undertaken are all documented in picture form and in various invoices kept in a file.
As a result, the car today looks brilliant from the outside. Its bright red paint shines beautifully in sunlight perfectly accentuating the lines of the gorgeous Daimler Dart SP250 styling. Matching the high standard of the body work and paint are the chrome details. From the badges to the bonnet hinges and even the chrome strips, all are looking in great shape. The owner does however point out some minor corrosion on the rear bumper.
The car originally came as a soft top. A black contrasting hard top roof now comes with the car, perfect for the changeable British weather.
As the many pages of invoices and images show, the engine was removed from the car in 2014 and rebuilt giving it a new lease of life. Air filters have been replaced for more modern alternatives while plenty of original parts can be found in a box included in the sale.
The owner claims the car drives extremely well and sounds excellent to this day and is helped by several optional extras fitted by the current and previous owners, namely the overdrive, rack and pinion steering, cruise and cruise control making it a very useable car.
A quick lift of the bonnet and it’s clear this car has been well cared for even after the many hours and lots of money gone into its preservation. The engine bay is a very clean place proudly displaying the 2.5-litre V8.
A delightful little British sports car from the golden age of its kind, this Daimler Dart SP250 is in excellent shape both visually and mechanically completed with a great amount of patina inside.
Red paint contrasted by a black roof is a lovely specification while the car’s overall design has aged brilliantly. Creature comforts such as cruise control and power steering mean this car would be just as adept munching miles on the motorway as it would be putting smiles on its occupants’ faces on a twisty mountainous road.
The vendor says he will miss the car a lot once it’s gone, but he is ageing faster than the car!
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All items in this listing are sold on an “As Is - Where Is” basis. Photos and listing descriptions should be used as a guide only. Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information in this listing and Car & Classic performs a level of due diligence prior to the auction, we do not warrant the accuracy of the listings. The seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. Inspection is highly recommended prior to bidding. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion.
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1963 Daimler Dart SP250
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