1937 Daimler running restoration

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DaveB
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri May 24, 2013 7:43 pm
Location: Cambridgeshire

1937 Daimler running restoration

#1 Post by DaveB » Fri May 24, 2013 9:09 pm

Hi everyone, allow me to introduce you to "Daphne", my 1937 Daimler 15 Mulliner Sports saloon. I've owned her for threee years and I am the 5th owner in 76 years according to the reasonably comprehensive history file. Having worked on her for around 18 months, she is now a reliable running retoration.

The bodywork is incredible: a testament to the thickness and quality of the steel that they used before the war. The engine is a bit tired (although a rebuild was performed about 10 years ago); the chassis is brilliant (massive "girders"); the steering is now sorted; the brakes are now sorted; the leather interior is tired and in need of nourishment; new carpets fitted; needs a new headlining. Main challenge is the electrics! The dyanmo feeds the rather rare Lucas RJF20 box which is a combined junction box, cut out and regulator. The wiring is 76 years old and a challenge to keep the contacts clean as corrosion has set in over the years. Replacing the wiring will be the next major project.

Daphne has an interesting overall specification. The drive chain is impressive: 2166cc straight 6 feeding a fluid flywheel (Daimler patent) and a Wilson preselctor gearbox. The SU carb, being the pre-war type, operates mechanically differently to the more modern SU units and is fed by a mechanical fuel pump. The brakes are Girling mechanical units; pretty efficient considering that the car weighs 2 tons! The front windscreen is hinged at the top, so on a hot day one can wind it almost horizontal and get teeth covered in flying insects. There is a fully working sun roof and I've also restored the rear window roller blind. The inclusion of a boot is rather unusual for a car of that era. There is a fan belt included in the toolkit: the owner's manual says something like "the cooling system is adequate for temperate climates, however the driver should fit the fan belt to assist cooling if driving in the tropics or sub-tropics"!

The Daimler 15, originally introduced in about 1933, was the first car made by Daimler that was not designed to be driven by a chauffeur. Up until then, Daimler had made large luxury cars used by royalty and the wealthy. The 15 was targetted at "the gentlemen driver" and was a very succesful line. Each year there were several variants of the car, usually a six light as well as a four light sports saloon. The idea was that you ordered the rolling chassis that also included the bulkhead, wings and radiator. The buyer was then put in touch with various body manufacturers such as Tickford, Mulliner, Barker etc. where you selected the body of your choice. The body and rolling chassis were "mated" and then delivered to a dealer for pre collection testing.

Here are some pictures

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Best wishes, Dave B
1937 Daimler 15 Mulliner Sports & 1969 Daimler V8 250

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TerryG
Posts: 6754
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 1:54 pm
Location: East Midlands

Re: 1937 Daimler running restoration

#2 Post by TerryG » Fri May 24, 2013 10:01 pm

Welcome to the forum. Daphne is absolutely beautiful, I will admit to being a bit jealous!
Understeer: when you hit the wall with the front of the car.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.

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arceye
Posts: 1904
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2011 1:56 pm
Location: Cleveleys, Lancashire

Re: 1937 Daimler running restoration

#3 Post by arceye » Fri May 24, 2013 10:05 pm

:shock: Absolutely gorgeous :)

Can I just tell you how very jealous I am, that is really sweet.

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JPB
Posts: 10319
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:24 pm

Re: 1937 Daimler running restoration

#4 Post by JPB » Fri May 24, 2013 10:51 pm

Now there's a proper old motor! Lovely. 8-) 8-)
J
"Home is where you park it", so the saying goes. That may yet come true.. :oops:

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Luxobarge
Posts: 1898
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:12 pm
Location: Horne, Surreyshire

Re: 1937 Daimler running restoration

#5 Post by Luxobarge » Sat May 25, 2013 8:53 am

Fantastic - more please! :D :D :D
Some people are like Slinkies - they serve no useful purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them downstairs.

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Paul240480
Posts: 466
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 4:28 pm
Location: Nivillac
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Re: 1937 Daimler running restoration

#6 Post by Paul240480 » Sat May 25, 2013 11:23 am

^^^ Wot he said! Daphne the Daimler :lol: love it!

rich.
Posts: 6804
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:18 pm

Re: 1937 Daimler running restoration

#7 Post by rich. » Sun May 26, 2013 8:37 am

very pretty....

johnnythreeknees
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat May 14, 2011 10:43 am

Re: 1937 Daimler running restoration

#8 Post by johnnythreeknees » Sun May 26, 2013 7:11 pm

What a beautiful car.Best of luck and enjoyment. jtk

mach1rob
Posts: 1787
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:22 pm

Re: 1937 Daimler running restoration

#9 Post by mach1rob » Mon May 27, 2013 9:55 pm

As much as I'm not a great fan of pre war stuff, I really rather like that :D

DaveB
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri May 24, 2013 7:43 pm
Location: Cambridgeshire

Re: 1937 Daimler running restoration

#10 Post by DaveB » Tue Jul 09, 2013 12:14 pm

I've just finished repairing & rebuilding the door cards. 76 years of the British climate meant that the bottom 10 inches or so of all of the door cards was rotten through, riddled with woodworm plus the carpet had also rotted. So I removed all of the door cards (tricky!), cut away the rotted and wormy stuff, made up new sections to fit, treated the sections, found matching carpet which was edge-stitched for me by the same people that did the floor carpet, fixed the carpet to the new sections, mounted edge clips to aid future removal and re-mounted the door cards.

Though I say so myself the results are pretty pleasing!

Image

Now to find some better window weatherstrip.

Best wishes, Dave B
1937 Daimler 15 Mulliner Sports & 1969 Daimler V8 250

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