August~September 2013

Contents Page From the Driver’s Seat – National President’s Report...... 2 Getting Up to Speed – National Secretary’s Report ...... 4 From the Patron’s Pen...... 5 Round the Bazaars – Daimlers on the Run ...... 6 National Rally 2014...... 8 Timelines...... 9 Photo Gallery...... 14–15 Articles of Interest: DB 18 Drop Head Coupe 1949...... 18 Hitting the Road – Daimler Events Diary...... 24 Members’ Market...... 27

August~September 2013   From the Driver’s Seat ... A Message from your National President

Hello members, On the way home from a very enjoyable afternoon visiting Paul Gleeson’s truck collection with club members I passed a Traffic Officer parked on the side of the road, lights flashing and talking to the motorist in a very professional way. It got me thinking about the history of motoring in New Zealand and how the culture has changed over the time that I have been driving. My daughter has just turned 16 and now has a learners Licence and as a condition is required to be supervised for a period of six months before she can apply for a Restricted Licence where you cannot drive between the hours 10pm and 5am and there are other conditions. To obtain a full licence you must be over the age of 18 and held a Restricted Licence for 18 months reducible to 12 months if you have passed an Advanced Driving Skills Course. I recall when I went for my Licence I had to answer a few questions from the Road Code and go for a drive with the local Traffic Officer. In the interests of road safety I personally support the new requirements as I do think the challenges on the road today are greater than what they were and all road users are now much safer. I’m not so supportive of the current vehicle Warrant of Fitness (WOF) requirements for the old car enthusiasts, the recent changes to the regulations is a good move but for the enthusiasts vehicle that has been well maintained or restored and only used on Sundays and other special occasions the six-monthly WOF inspection comes around very quickly and becomes just another added cost. Many of the vehicle inspectors are not experienced with the older cars. I have had to teach several Vehicle Inspectors how to drive my 1950 Consort fitted with the pre-selector gearbox. One young mechanic phoned me on one occasion to say that my gearbox had packed up as it would not go into gear and I had better come and tow my car home. Now as a procedure I wait while the car is being inspected and when they take it for the road test I sit in the passenger seat. Hopefully the authorities will review and extend the inspections to 12 months at some time in the near future. Sample of Motoring History Milestones 1898 Cars first imported into New Zealand. This is about when the first Daimler was built. 1924 Motor Vehicle Registration Act introduced – the start of vehicle registrations. 1925 Drivers Licences became compulsory – prior to this you did not need a drivers licence. 1929/1930 The first Traffic Lights installed in Wellington and Dunedin. 1937 Compulsory Warrant of Fitness were introduced, also the introduction of the 1st addition of the Road Code.

  in New Zealand Inc 1965 Seat Belts become compulsory in all new cars and light trucks. 1967 The Demerit point system introduced. 1969 The first Breathalyser introduced. Interestingly 2928 drivers were tested in the first year and only 214 were sober enough to drive (7%). How things have changed! Happy motoring, keep warm and dry. Dave Patten

ken stout motors ltd est 1977 Independent Jaguar® Specialists – Buy, sell, service

Ph/fax: +64 (0)9 444 9290 125 Diana Dr, Wairau Valley, A/hrs: +64 (0)21 543 884 Auckland, 0627 www.ksmjag.co.nz New Zealand

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August~September 2013   Getting up to Speed ... A Word from your National Secretary

A warm welcome to this month’s new members. • Cliff and Jill Gibbs of Auckland have a Daimler XJ6 Coupe. • Wayne and Joanne Clark of Havelock North have a Series 2 Daimler Double Six. • Catherine and Andrew McConnell of Wellington are seeking a good example of a late model Daimler V8. • Nigel and Sandra Grace of Kaukapakapa have a V8250. • Iain and Eva Gollan of Waipawa also have a Daimler V8. Many members will be saddened to hear of the passing of Bay of Plenty member Arthur Jones after a period of illness. All who have attended National Rallies over the last decade will fondly remember Arthur and Mary with their magnificent bright red XJ81 Daimler Double Six. We all extend our sincere condolences to Mary and family. We still require someone to fulfil the role of National Vice President. Not an onerous task, preferable from Auckland or Waikato BOP areas. If you would like to serve your club, please contact me. At our April AGM, a motion was put to the floor by the Founders Trophy recipient, David Watt. His motion was that the membership recognize the service given by our Past President, Ed Hayhoe. After discussion, it was moved by Mike Boyce and seconded by Valerie Penman that Ed be awarded Life Membership to our Club. This was unanimously applauded by all at the meeting. A presentation has been made to Ed, congratulations Ed, well deserved. At a recent Manawatu event, our retiring long-standing Auditor, Doug Brown was invited along with Barbara, to receive a well deserved plaque commemorating his service to our club. From all of us, thanks Doug. Doug is also the Past President and current editor of the Wellington Daimler Enthusiasts Club. My Double Six sprung a coolant leak from the back of the engine, looked like a leaky heater hose but turned out to be the frost plug in the back of the LH cylinder head! It is completely out of sight and about 2” from the bulkhead. The dilemma was 1, how to get it out and 2, how to get a new one in! The options were 1, to remove the cylinder head or 2, to remove the engine, 3, cut a hole in the bulkhead! There had to be another answer as neither option appealed. I consulted my engine rebuilder and he came up with a novel answer. He modified a couple of plugs which would slide into the head and expand to lock into position. Only problem now was to get the old one out. This involved many nights in the shed, some unpleasant language, skinned knuckles and frustration. From above, it was only visible in a mirror, how difficult it can be to work the digits in reverse! With various pullers and levers all I succeeded in doing was making a small leak into a big one! Next was to try from underneath. By removing the left exhaust pipe and dropping the gearbox as far as possible, I could now see the offender directly. With a flexible drive on the dye grinder with a small mill bit I was now able to nibble at it enough to lever it out. The replacement plug was trimmed to size to be a neat fit, some locktite to ensure a seal, tightened up and it all worked!!! Reassembled everything and yes, it’s watertight under pressure. Photos of kitset plug elsewhere…. Mike King

  in New Zealand Inc From the Patron’s Pen ...

Greetings to all members and a special welcome to those who have just joined our great club. Its been a busy few months in the Manawatu where we have escaped the bad weather and everyone has enjoyed our outings. The AGM here at my home was extra busy. Fortunately it was a fine day with a good attendance. Along with the usual business our Trophies were awarded after much deliberation from our Club Captain and then a new one was produced. Cali Zillwood and her daughter Lisa have donated a lovely Trophy “For Excellence” in honour of Keith who over the years in his quiet way was a great friend and mentor. Without hesitation Cali awarded this trophy to Mike King who she said Keith admired for his dedication to our Club and is always there to help out. This was well received from all present. As well as the AGM the Takaro Rotary Club had asked me to participate in their “Man Cave” fund-raising project. Remembering how Mike and Ray had enjoyed last year’s event I said yes. Well 9am dawned and they started to arrive. All in all over 230 signed my visitors’ book and with our members’ cars lined up to admire adding to what I had to offer. 15 “Man Caves” were open with 400 people attending with $10,000 being raised. The majority went to buy a van for the “Plant to Plate” ladies who visit schools teaching children to grow vegetables and how to cook their produce. The remainer went into other projects. If a somewhat busy day, it certainly was worth the effort. At the moment I’m packing to visit my son in Oregon leaving my home in the capable hands of Fay & Brian Wolfsbaur. Will be on the lookout for Daimlers. Pauline Goodliffe August~September 2013   Round the Bazaars ... Daimlers on the Run

Auckland Amblings Auckland Branch last few months of outings May We organised a cruise on Lake Karapiro (just out of Cambridge), since we were venturing into Waikato and BOP territory we invited our southern neighbours along. As the boat could hold 40 and we were in the high 20’s, we invited the Alvis Club along as well. It was good seeing 33 people sitting at Oasis Café in Cambridge for lunch, then after a walk around Cambridge it was time to head to the Karapiro Cruiser (50 foot catamaran), our guide Mike gave us a briefing on the rowing races that are held here and then cruised around the lake for an hour. Then it was time to find our way home, on re-entering Cambridge, I thought is that a Daimler Consort coming towards, yes it was (green and off white). Waikato’s members’ mission is to find it and make sure the owner is a member. Queens Birthday Weekend – Best of British display at Queens Wharf Rules for attendance be there from 9am to 5pm, bring a drip tray if your car leaks and no starting your cars while on display. Ok, I obeyed 1 of those rules, the drip tray. We were scheduled for the Sunday with the MG Club and Vauxhalls, inside were Minis, new Bentley and Aston Martin. After parking up, the 6 attendees wander over to North Wharf for brunch, and a wander around, back to The Cloud to venture inside to look around. At different times most of us got on the ferry to go to Devenport, to look at the bookstores, and enjoy the sunny day. Now the reason I broke the rules, first we left early (just before 5pm after the MG club left an hour earlier) and secondly a couple where looking at the V8, and when your Presidents say, go start up the car you can’t refuse. One of the organisers has a 100-year- old Empire push bike, that was a NZ version of a BSA push bike (we tried to get him to join, he said he wouldn’t be able to keep up with the cars). Mid Winter Lunch – Refreshment room 15 members attended this, the Refreshmentroom is based at the old Montana Vineyard on the Scenic Drive, and the menu revolves what is in season and grown in the garden. The entire ambiance of the restaurant conjures up a vision of a remote tea planters house in Assam. The white mist rolled up the dark green valleys and the weathered wood of the restaurant completed the picture. The food was considered very good by most, the chocolate desert being the favourite. ______

  in New Zealand Inc Hawkes Bay Highlights On Sunday our Hawke’s Bay Branch members met at a Thai restaurant in Hastings for our annual mid-winter outing. It was a large group for a small restaurant and the seating was arranged so that several people were “locked” in on a corner bench seat. One enterprising member who wasn’t able to attract the waitress’s eye, phoned the restaurant to order the beer! It worked and he was served very quickly. Another person climbed out under the table. The food was delicious and we all enjoyed an evening of fun. (There were no Daimlers in the carpark on this winter evening.) Ann Bowes ______Manawatu Meanderings Sunday 19th May the club went to the Studebaker Museum at Otaki. A group of 20 attended with 4 Rover Club members joining us. John Everiss and his son Brent own this amazing collection of 21 Studebakers. The oldest model – light six 1922, built in Indiana USA and the latest model – Avanti 1964, also built in Indiana USA. All the cars were in immaculate condition and carpet on the floor of the museum added to the high standard they have perfected. Brent is also in the process of making a miniature model of different features around New Zealand. We all had morning tea there and at 11.30 we went to The Wine Makers Daughter Café for lunch. Another enjoyable day catching up with everyone. On the 16th June we had our mid year lunch at The Wool Shed Café. We had a good turn out with 26 members attending. Good food and plenty of time to catch up with everyone. Great to have Joan and Graeme Kennedy from Hawera join us, also Lesley and Ian Denholm from Masterton. Pauline kindly invited us all to her place for a lovely afternoon tea. Although it was cold and wet it was a very enjoyable day. ______Otago Outings We had a very enjoyable Dinner and our Annual General Meeting at Robbies Restaurant on 5th April where we had thirteen members and friends attending This year it was decided to award our Restoration Trophy to Diane and Colin Henderson who unfortunately they could not attend because of ill health. We hope to present the Trophy to them at the next outing we have. Winston and I have just returned from Auckland where we attended the National Annual General Meeting and a Mini Rally. It was a very enjoyable weekend. Kaye Wingfield On Sunday May 9th twenty-two members and friends met at the Mosgiel Railway Station. The weather was good. Luckily we picked this Sunday as the next Sunday we had

August~September 2013   rain, then more rain. A week later there was snow. We did not get the snow in Dunedin but Clarks Junction Hotel where we travelled to would have had plenty of snow. Clarks Junction is en route to Middlemarch. At Clarks Junction we met up with Dianne and Colin Henderson who travelled from their farm at Duntroon. Everyone enjoyed a lovely Roast Dinner and a good chat with fellow members. Kevin Phillips our Club Captain had the pleasure of presenting our Restorers Trophy to Dianne and Colin Henderson for the work they are doing on their 1958 Daimler Century. Our thanks to Kevin Phillips for organising this run. Kaye Wingfield ______

National Rally 2014 Plans are well in hand for the next Rally to be held in Palmerston North. It is to be held on the 25th–27th April which will be a long weekend this year with ANZAC day being a Friday. We have pencilled in the Gateway Motel, it would be prudent to confirm your reservation with them as it is looking like a busy time. Their charges are: Studio 2 people $110.00, One bedroom 2 people $130.00, Two bedroom 2 people $160.00 plus $30.00 per extra person. Don’t delay, do it NOW!

  in New Zealand Inc Timelines ...

July – September 1973 This is when a new member Colin Campbell joined the Club. 40 years on and Colin is still our authority on Daimler cars. Many interesting articles include: V8 Service bulletin (July 1973, p17) New Carburettor Needles 2½-litre V8 Saloon. Date: September 1963 Commencing at engine No. 7A 2329, the C.1 carburettor needles fitted as standard are changed to T.Z., to improve petrol consumption. The T.Z. needles are interchangeable with the C.1 needles but they must of course, be fitted in pairs. MODIFIED EXHAUST BALANCE PIPE 2½-litre Saloon. Date: September 1963 Commencing at chassis No. 1A 2042, the exhaust balance pipe is now a separate item and is held in position by two clips to the front exhaust pipes. The separate balance pipe may only be fitted if the new front pipes are also used. CASTOR & CAMBER ANGLES 2½-litre V8 Saloon. Date: April 1965 The castor and camber angles of cars now in production are being set to the following figures which vary slightly from the settings and tolerances quoted in the handbook and service manual. CASTOR 0 degree plus or minus ½ degree CAMBER ½ degree plus or minus ½ degree positive Note 1: The castor angle for each front wheel must not vary by more than ½ degree. Note 2: The camber angle for each front wheel must not vary by more than ½ degree. Distributors and dealers should in future set the steering geometry to the above figures. WATER TEMPERATURE GAUGE 250-V8 Saloon Date: July 1968 Commencing at chassis No. 1K 1918, a water temperature gauge was introduced which has zonal dial markings, replacing the existing method of calibrating in degrees. The new gauge is marked “Normal” to indicate a safe temperature, whilst the “danger” area is illustrated by means of red colouring. In all other respects the new gauge remains identical with the old instrument, is fully interchangeable, and will be used for all spares replacement in the future. ______The Daimler Water Pump Assembly (September 1973, p7) Shown below, is an exploded view of the water pumps which were fitted to all models produced by the Daimler Company since 1946 including the Regency, ‘104’ and early models of the Majestic 3.8-litre (up to engine No. 90501). The Lanchester LD10 and Leda were similar and used the same kit.

August~September 2013   Note that when attempting to remove the vane wheel or impellor from the spindle that it is an interference fit and will be very tight, especially if it has not been removed for many years and has started to corrode to the spindle. An extractor is necessary and two tapped holes are drilled in the end of the vane wheel to which the extractor is attached. At the other end, the pulley hub is keyed on to the spindle and should not be as tight although a puller will still be necessary to facilitate removal. If the pump is leaking it will probably mean that the seal has perished and requires replacing and it is false economy to replace the seal without also renewing the bearings which will be showing signs of wear. The club can supply over haul kits for all pumps which include bearings, seal, gasket and circlip. Price is $8.95 posted.

______Identification of Post-War Daimlers and Lanchesters (September 1973, pp20–22) Commencing this issue, we will be devoting a page each month in which we will describe the main detail and external changes which occurred between the various models that have appeared on our roads since 1946. The Daimler 2½-litre, DB18 Saloon, 1946–1950 This was the first Daimler to be announced after the war and while similar to the model which was in production in 1939, it did incorporate many refinements which had been proved in a practical way on the military Scout Car. Mechanical Girling brakes were fitted all round and a re-designed cylinder head in case iron, with re-shaped combustion chambers resulted in an improved gas flow and gave a compression ratio of 7 to 1. There was also a re-designed induction system which increased petrol consumption and “The Motor” test report gave 22mpg as an overall figure. Mulliners produced the standard

0  in New Zealand Inc Six-light saloon bodies and the DB18 was the last production Daimler to have a sunshine roof and also the last model to retain the vertical fluted radiator grille and large separate headlamps. The DB18 Saloon ... Identification features: Vertical Radiator Grille Large Chromed Headlamps Flat Spring type Bumpers Absence of Quarter Vents

The DB18 Saloon ... owned by Warkworth member, John Leslie

The Daimler Consort, 2½-litre Saloon, 1949–1952 Announced in September 1949, the Consort is most easily distinguished from the DB18 by having built-in headlamps and a sloping radiator grille. Mechanically, it remained almost unchanged but hydraulic brakes were fitted to the front and mechanical at the rear. Also a crown wheel and pinion final drive was used in place of the worm drive on the earlier car. Other features included an adjustable steering column, new style rounded bumpers and an improved rear end. Top speed was 78mph. The Consort Saloon ... Identification features: Curved Radiator Grille Built-in Headlamps New type Curved Bumpers Front Quarter Vents

The Consort Saloon ... owned by Christchurch member, Eric Holton

August~September 2013  11 The Daimler Special Sports, 2½-litre, 1949–1952 Designed for effortless high speed cruising, rather than for sheer maximum speed, the Special Sports is a classic model which is still sought after and commands a high price today.

The Barker Special Sports ...

The last great coachbuilt car from Daimler. A classic in its own time.

______1983 The “Pre-Selector” Daimlers (August 1983, pp14–15) How many readers not experienced on R.T.-type buses know what a fluid flywheel is? Not too many, I’ll bet, so let me explain. Daimler – one of the oldest car manufacturing companies – introduced this method of transmission in the early ’thirties as a means of simplifying gear changing. In those days of the crash gearbox it probably was! In the ’seventies, it seems just about as simple as the Hampton Court Maze. The effect was roughly this. Before starting, what appeared to be the clutch pedal (but wasn’t) was fully depressed. It would then return to about the halfway position. After starting, the gear selector – usually situated to the right of the steering column – was moved from Position “N” to Position “1”. Apart from the click as this was achieved, precisely nothing occurred at this point – it was at the next stage that it all happened! The clutch (known hereafter as the “gear change pedal”) was depressed once again, and this time it took on a mind of its own, springing back violently. The radiator dipped below the horizon in anticipation, and the gearbox stopped grizzling. What had happened was that first speed had been engaged and the turbine on the flywheel was stalling. As the car moved off the selector was moved from Position 1 to Position 2 and, after this, the pedal was again depressed to engage second speed. This weird and wonderful series of events was known as “pre-selecting”. Anyone foolish enough to attempt to

  in New Zealand Inc use the gear change pedal as a clutch – just once – would be the recipient of such an unpleasant sensation that he or she would never try it again! Complicated these old Daimlers may have been, but there is no doubt that they were riddled in personality from bumper to bumper. What is more, if ever a motor car howled to be maintained by the do-it-yourself mechanic then these did. They were built as if service stations did not even exist, with everything either directly accessible or made so by lifting a trap door. On how many other cars can the engine oil and filter be changed without ever getting underneath? The same goes for the greasing of the propeller shaft. It was 1930 when Daimlers introduced the first model to be fitted with the fluid flywheel or turbine drive. Known as the 20/30 it was a full six-seater and could accommodate a rear passenger in top hat. This was followed by the “family” Daimler 15. During the ’thirties various interesting models were produced, including the revolutionary monobloc engine with non-detachable cylinder head. Lanchester – which had been taken over by Daimler in 1930 on the understanding that the name would continue for at least 25 years – also had their share of the models being produced at the time. In 1938 the first Daimler with independent front suspension, in the form of coil springs, came off the production lines. It was known as the DB17. The DB18 followed rapidly, and the engine of this vehicle continued in production throughout the war, mounted in the Daimler Scout Car. In 1948 the first post-war DB18s were produced, with slight engine mods. to suit their civil duties. Very luxurious for their time, these cars had automatic chassis lubrication, opening windscreens, and sliding roofs – but for some reason the hydraulic brakes fitted to the early ’thirties cars had been abandoned, and they were back to cables. In 1950, the DB18 took on a name – Consort. It was not without cost. The sliding roof disappeared, together with the opening windscreen. However, it gained a heater, and hydraulic brakes for the front wheels. In addition the headlights became part of the front wings, instead of being chrome things mounted on the radiator, and for some reason the radiator got slightly bent outwards in the reshuffle. During 1952, this Series ended and the start of a potential winner began. The Conquest – later to become known as the Century, with twin carburettors – looks at first sight rather like a hovercraft with wheels. But it was capable of speeds of 100mph and (unlike a hovercraft) it was directionally stable. In 1955, having run its course of 25 years, the name of Lanchester died – and, with it, a range of very fine cars. During 1958, with the Daimler company in somewhat of an upheaval, the Conquest-Century also died, a few months after abandoning the Wilson gearbox and going fully automatic. All these fine cars which, for so long, had graced the front doors of the best hotels in Europe are a rapidly disappearing breed, but a post-war model can sometimes be picked up for as little as £50. For anyone prepared to do some restoration work, it’s certainly a car worth keeping. Old Daimlers don’t require a lot of technical know-how to put them right. What they do need is a certain amount of love and care. Anybody working on one should remember that he is dealing with a very old lady, who requires rather delicate handling.

August~September 2013  13 Double Six Frost Plug as seen in a mirror at Double Six replacement frost plug components. back of LHS head

Double Six frost plug assembly. Doug and Barbara Brown with Doug's certificate of appreciation.

Doug Brown and President David Patten.

An eclectic range of vehicles on the Manawatu Daimler and Rover combined run to the Doug Brown's certificate of appreciation. Studebaker Collection.

  in New Zealand Inc John Palliser inspects the finer details of a Manawatu members at the Mid Year dinner. Studebaker.

Auckland Best of British. Auckland Karapiro.

Auckland Karapiro. Studybaker Avanti, high performance fibreglass car.

August~September 2013  15 There is, for instance, a lot of wood in the bodywork, with the consequential heavy use of wood screws. If overtightened, these will lose their thread, and with it their grip. Providing care is taken, there is almost no job that the average owner couldn’t handle. Slipping gears on the DB18 or Consort, for instance, can be cured in less than an hour – and it need not involve getting under the car. A plate in the top of the gearbox unbolts, revealing all the adjusters. Wooden floorboards were abandoned on the Conquest and Century saloons, though it was still possible to adjust the gearbox by removing the top cover. Built-in jacks were fitted to all models up to 1955, the DB18 series having wind-up screw types with a handle provided in the tool kit. On some pre-war cars Smiths hydraulic jacks were fitted. The older London taxis were also fitted with these, the only drawback being that due to the small size of the bases they would tend to sink into the road in hot weather! On models with the screw type it is very important that the threads be kept clean and oiled. Talking of oil, a very strange process is involved in filter changing on Consort models. After the large nut has been removed from the top of the housing, a small bolt in the distributor housing shaft has to be slackened to allow the distributor itself to be raised, giving the filter clearance to pass underneath. This little performance – which incidentally is very quick – does not upset the ignition timing. Quite clever, really. Another thing which is slightly unusual is the dynamo adjustment. The mounting bolts instead of being underneath, are mounted on top of the unit. It makes them easy to get at, but not only must the adjuster nut be slackened when tightening the fan belt but also the swing link just below it.

  in New Zealand Inc For several years prior to the Conquest, Daimler installed a system for lubricating the chassis automatically. Known as Luvax, this arrangement was very good until it went wrong – and then it was a real devil, because the first indication of a fault was usually a seized joint. Unfortunately, there was one other drawback – that of maintaining the oil level. Should the level fall to the empty line air would be drawn into the system, causing failure. The idea was that as the oil passed from the reservoir to the distribution pipes it was directed through a heat valve located next to the exhaust manifold. There were two methods of priming the system in the event of it becoming empty and air-locked. The first was to undo each union in turn from the reservoir, until oil was emitted, and then to re-tighten. The second was to make up a special top with a hole in it. After filling the reservoir, compressed air (applied either by foot or hand pump) was injected through the top, thus forcing the oil through the system. Obviously, the hole in the top of the special cap had to be airtight or the operation would be worse than useless, with oil spurting out through the leaks into the operator’s face. Should you ever be one of the lucky few who owns one of these thoroughbreds, be warned. It is not an old banger. If the sliding roof leaks, don’t just seal it up in a fit of pique. Investigate! It is probably due to the drains having become blocked. Clear them with a piece of wire. If the windscreen leaks, then renew the rubbers – don’t just “bodge” it with glue. The same goes for all the other windows and, for that matter, anything else. Does one detect just the tiniest pre-selected sniff out there in the street? Is it just possible that that rejected heap is about to enter its second childhood? I hope so ...! ______1993 New members John and Valerie Penman joined this month. ______2003 New members John and Gailene Marsden. Pauline Goodliffe is appointed as Manawatu Patron. ______

August~September 2013  17 Articles of Interest ...

DB 18 Drop Head Coupe 1949 by Andrew Roxburgh Sometime around 1968 back in the motherland in Sussex my father purchased a grey Daimler DB18 Drop Head Coupe from a neighbouring farmer, who had left it parked underneath a tree for quite some time. Nearly 20 years later I was told I could buy from him for what he paid for it – if I did it up; and eventually I found out that this was three pounds and ten shillings. Another bargain! – so I thought…

But a bit of history first. I have the modern English registration document and this lists the car as first registered in 1951, yet I know it is ’48–’49 car (chassis definitely end of ’48 so predictably completed ’49); but I also have the old registration book which says it is an imported vehicle. I remember being told it was thought to have come from Germany, which I had always thought as odd – selling cars to the Germans so close to the war, and then getting it back a couple of years later! This was explained to me by an ex air force man just recently. It was common practice for an officer to buy a car for his two-year stint in Germany directly after the war, and it was then therefore exported. If a car was bought for export you avoided Purchase Tax – as long as it was away for a minimum of two years, very suitable for the standard posting (as long as it wasn’t cut short, meaning you had to pay the tax on return!). This also explains the air filter variation I have. Most of the DB18’s have a smaller ‘tubular’ style filter, but mine has the bigger Consort oil bath type … the type also used on export models! It varies from the Consort type also in that the pipe from the rocker cover connects to the aluminium tube below the air filter, not the filter itself. Another piece of evidence I’ve found recently is the presence of an extra fan blade, for the hotter continental climates apparently.

  in New Zealand Inc Unfortunately, the ‘old’ registration book is apparently a duplicate so does not cover the earlier owners. I am currently trying to track down more details of Sprott and Sons solicitors (a company dating back to the mid 1700’s) who owned it in 1962, they at least should hold fairly good records. In the beginning My father had planned to restore it, but after the occasional run around the paddock, someone nudged a gatepost and reverse gear disappeared. And so it became mothballed in our old barn. When I was five we towed it to another shed. My brother and sister acted as navigators for me as of course I couldn’t see a bloody thing, hardly being able to see over the doors let alone the hood or the bonnet. But I got to enjoy my first Daimler “drive”, albeit backwards. As children we enjoyed many hours playing in it, but nothing more was done for at least another ten years. So some time in my teens I began to fiddle … During the years the engine had seized thoroughly, and I think we knocked the pistons out with a sledgehammer; things started to look expensive already. But … in those days you could buy factory reconditioned motors from the club that were originally destined for Dingo scout cars. With this cost (and time) saving I felt I had to forego keeping the original engine number.

(Note OSH approved axle stands). These engines were dry sump designed for desert work, and swapping the sump, oil pump and rocker cover were pretty straightforward operations. The club provided exchange engine mounts and with ancillaries bolted on it was ready to fit. Simple. So of course with every up there is a down, and this came with the gearbox. An exchange one was available for four hundred pounds, and muggings ended up paying eight hundred odd to have the original fixed! A lot of money bearing in mind that I was on farm workers’ wages, had an important beer habit to feed, and this was back in 1988. But

August~September 2013  19 seeing it was so valuable I did keep it at home in my bedroom for several years – not really impressing my mother as it gradually seeped oil into the carpet. Rust and other stories Last year I took some parts to a shot blaster in Christchurch and he insisted that the car had been kept near the sea. I explained that it came from the UK and things rusted there a lot more, but he still insisted it was the sea! Neither is it salt on the roads in winter (although this wouldn’t help) – our tractor would rust as just as much. But it is pretty damp a lot of the time and even shed stored vehicles don’t completely escape. So the number of hours chiselling off nuts or trying to save them would seemingly run into days. Gradually the car was prised from the chassis and most parts removed. I diligently labelled and bagged the small parts, not realising that some wouldn’t be touched for 25 years. Sellotape and little bits of paper don’t cope too well in the open air for that long, but amazingly several labels did survive and I was very glad of this. I don’t think you can overdo this, as much as you think you’ll remember, even if it’s “only for a few weeks”. I did take quite a few photos which I had completely forgotten about until I opened one of my ‘little bags’ last year and found them – what a bonus! I hung the chassis in the old barn and with wire brushes and rust converter paint it was attacked over several weeks. I think it was winter when I primed it with some very old ‘red lead’ paint, thinned with turps and initially sprayed through an Electrolux vacuum cleaner spray attachment. To warm things up enough I made a spray booth of tarps hung around the chassis and blasted it with a paraffin space heater …. I used gallons and gallons of paraffin that year. Many layers of black paint then were applied which seem to take several years to fully dry, but have done a good job protecting the chassis during the years it sat around in England before I moved it here. It wasn’t the prettiest finish, but was certainly functional. Fortunately the car does have a considerable amount of aluminium panels. We have the war to thank for this (!) as steel was in short supply and pretty expensive. I understand that car makers were encouraged (possibly a bit more than that) to export a certain percentage of their vehicles to be able to use larger quantities of steel in their manufacture.

0  in New Zealand Inc Meanwhile the body rested on an old trailer, having been gingerly lifted off the chassis with a selection of old ropes and a block and tackle hung in the roof a shed. The petrol tank was fortunate enough not to have rusted through and still contained a little oily sludge, although it did have internal rust above the ‘oil’ level. Of course you can buy cleaners/ rust removers etc., but where was the fun in that if you could just rattle a few marbles or stones around in it to knock off the rust. I built a stand for the tank so I could rotate it with some shingle inside, but this did prove rather time consuming obviously, so a ‘driver’ was needed. Back to the Fergie 35 … The tank stand consisted of two wooden stakes driven into the ground with a slot cut in the top so the frame holding each end of the tank could rotate, and I needed a cheap PTO shaft – bring in the 25mm alkathene pipe! Flexible and jams well on to the tractor PTO drive. This worked a treat at driving the tank round, but so fast that the stones just stuck to the outside of the tank, even at the lowest revs. Aha! Land-drive! I jacked the tractor up, selected bottom gear, low range and hey presto, hour after hour of rattle, rattle, rattle – and if it should fall off the jack and drive through the wall of my father’s shed a piece of baler twine was tied to the stop button and the tank stand! So of course 25 years later this unused tank was a little rusty again, enter the MKII environmentally friendly tank cleaner… Bodywork The car was relatively complete. However it had begun to suffer in its later years, meaning mainly the ash framework was rotting, particularly at the back end. Borer was also moving in. The worst area affected was at the base of the boot which had all but disappeared. The odd block of wood was nailed in to help hold things up, but the body was really only holding itself up. (The Great Storm of 1987 didn’t help, as the asbestos ‘Nissen hut’ which housed the car was blown down around it. Fortunately very little damage occurred, bar a few minor dents in the aluminium and headlamps).

August~September 2013  21 Not a lot of framing at the rear! Being rural England it wasn’t too much of a problem to take a few pieces of woodwork around to the local wheelwright to get them remade. He made a great job of many of the pieces I removed, including laminating a new hood bow, and all I had to do was fine tune them and fit them. This seemed to be the answer to my problems, but without the skill in those days or tools it soon became apparent that more professional expertise was needed. I managed to find someone who had done a few “Bergerac” Triumph Roadsters, a not dissimilar shape, who was willing to tackle it. He was based on The Fens in Norfolk, several hours from us, and so began another adventure. I needed a long car trailer and managed to find a strong tandem axle one belonging to a friend. It had fresh tyres on it although one pair was slightly smaller than the others – that’s ok, they’ll reach the road once the load is on it! So I set off with my new girlfriend in my father’s newish ute to deliver the car and stay with a friend who was living in the area at the time. All went reasonably well, albeit a little light on the back end, until we crested a brow on the motorway near Cambridge at which point the towed mass gave us a little nudge. This developed into a full scale weave despite all the usual techniques used to stop it, and eventually we jack-knifed across the traffic and were shoved into the shingle and central barrier. Ho hum, I wonder what my dad will say. After some time and being completely ignored by the caring British public, one person had the courtesy to stop and see if we were actually ok. A tyre had rolled off, my girlfriend was in tears, but despite the damage we were driveable, he towed us out and the Daimler was finally ‘safely’ delivered. Perhaps four matching tyres might be a better bet on the trailer next time! Our man ticked away on and off over a couple of months and seemingly did a good job. Unfortunately I only discovered a few months ago that for some reason he decreased the boot floor space by about an inch, so the spare wheel locker cover didn’t fit and neither will a spare wheel! This is now major work and maybe will have to wait another 20 years when I have more time – for now it will be driven. The dashboard proved to be a good job for English winter evenings. I stripped this down carefully, repainting and storing the various brackets fitted to it and I managed find a very retired cabinet maker who could re-veneer the rather peeled timber. I didn’t want the glossy lacquered look, which I think may not be correct either for this age vehicle, but also as I was hoping to keep a revived rather than renewed look. He did a great job using walnut, but not burr walnut, in keeping with the original look. I still have a bottle of his special concoction containing wax and witch hazel and this nourishes as well as polishes the wood.

  in New Zealand Inc I found some matching headlining in the village haberdashery and re- trimmed the glove box as per the original, although have now done this twice after the moths moved in during its 20-year storage. The gauges have survived well and retain an original patina with the speedo still working, but the clock is currently ‘at rest’. I had to have the temperature gauge/tube repaired, but the restorers couldn’t remove the nut from the bulb that holds it into the thermostat housing due to corrosion. They didn’t want to heat it for fear of melting the brass bulb, so initially I had to wind the whole unit (about 2m of tube plus delicate gauge) round and round to screw it in. And it still leaked. After some thought (i.e. 20 years) I decided to soak it in some acid which worked a treat loosening the nut and making it a hell of lot easier to fit! To be continued …. ______

COLD PREVENTION Beatrice, the church organist, was in her eighties and had never been married. She was admired for her sweetness and kindness to all. One afternoon the pastor came to call on her and she showed him into her quaint sitting room. She invited him to have a seat while she prepared tea. As he sat facing her old pump organ, the young minister noticed a cut-glass bowl sitting on top of it. The bowl was filled with water. In the water floated, of all things, a condom! When she returned with tea and scones, they began to chat. The pastor tried to stifle his curiosity about the bowl of water and its strange floater, but soon it got the better of him and he could no longer resist. “Miss Beatrice,” he said. “I wonder if you would tell me about this,” pointing to the bowl. “Oh, yes,” she replied, “isn’t it wonderful? I was walking through the park a few months ago and I found this little package on the ground. The directions said to place it on the organ, keep it wet and that it would prevent the spread of disease. Do you know I haven’t had a cold all winter!”

August~September 2013  23 Hitting the Road ... Daimler Events Diary

Auckland August 11th – 2pm Garage Raids - not one but two. Ian Hill, has offered to open up his garage to look at his collection of Daimlers (he has a 1931 Coupe Cabriolet, Conquest Roadster , Conquest Saloon. His 1972 Sovereign petrol/ LPG conversion is for sale, so may not be there). We will met at Ian’s house at 2pm After that, a short drive over to Blockhouse Bay, to find a Century, a 104 and a V8 (plus the restoration projects). Afternoon tea will be on as well. Meeting place is 24 Glenorchy Road, Glen Eden at 2pm Please reply to [email protected] or call Martin 096264868 if attending. September 1st 9:30 am – Waitakere Dam Tram $15 per adult and $5 per child See email October 4th–6th Brits at the Beach at Whangamata. www.britsatthebeach.co.nz November 16th–17th Waitomo Weekend Away. Expressions of interest to Bryan, [email protected] or phone 09 6305172 December 1st Christmas Lunch January 2014 Waikato Wander – Classic Museum, Zealong Tea Plantation, Sculpture Park, Woodland Gardens. We may only do 3 places depending on timings. February Car Shows March Auckland AGM April National AGM and National Rally – Manawatu ______

  in New Zealand Inc Waikato BOP August 25th THE SUNBEAM CAR CLUB WAIKATO BRANCH INVITES YOU TO THE BRITISH CARS BOP RUN FOR AUGUST WHEN: August Sunday 25th 10.30am WHERE: Looking Glass Garden, 558 Te Puke Quarry Road (Follow signs from SH2) Parking: Come down the drive to the house, or, up off the road. In what might be your last chance to see this nationally significant garden, Gail and Cedric Blaymires invite you to see it when the massed daffodil plantings are hopefully at their peak. Bring stout shoes to do the garden justice. Hopefully Cedric will have his garage open to display his collection of stationary engines. Bring your picnic lunch and a gold coin for entry. For more information contact: Ian Gerrard 07 549 2884 October 4th, 5th, 6th Brits at the Beach. This is a 3-day event, at Whangamata, with lots to do so have a look at their website for more information –www.britsatthebeach.co.nz . December 1st Tye Park Tauranga picnic day ______Hawkes Bay Sunday 18 August Keep free run sheet will be posted. Sunday 15 September Run to be advised Sunday 20 October DLOC Hawke’s Bay organized special run to Taihape Sunday 1 December End of year BBQ details to be decided. ______Manawatu August 18th Rover challenge. Ray and Lyn Watling have mapped this one for us again. Always good rivalry between our clubs! Meet at Memorial Park car park in Main Street at 1pm. September 22nd Brian has organised a run to include the local MG Car Club. We meet at Aukautere shopping centre at 12.30pm. October 20th A visit to the new Coach House in Feilding. This display is much bigger in their new premises so allow plenty of time. We meet at the Coach House in South Street at 1.00pm.

August~September 2013  25 November 10th Christmas meal. Venue changed, details to be advised. November 15th, 16th and 17th The inaugural “MAN SHOW” being held in Palmerston North. We have been invited to participate in this “Big Boys Toys” show to be held at Arena Manawatu. Details to follow. December 8th President’s BBQ. January 12th Picnic. Any ideas welcomed. 2014 April 25th, 26th, 27th NATIONAL RALLY MANAWATU. ______

PRIORITIES At dawn the telephone rings: “Hello, Señor Bob? This is Ernesto, the caretaker at your country house.” “Ah yes, Ernesto. What can I do for you? Is there a problem?” “Um, I am just calling to advise you, Señor Bob, that your parrot, he is dead”. “My parrot? Dead? The one that won the International competition?” “Si, Señor, that’s the one.” “Damn! That’s a pity! I spent a small fortune on that bird. What did he die from?” “From eating the rotten meat, Señor Bob.” “Rotten meat? Who the hell fed him rotten meat?” “Nobody, Señor. He ate the meat of the dead horse.” “Dead horse? What dead horse?” “The thoroughbred, Señor Bob.” “My prize thoroughbred is dead?” “Yes, Señor Bob, he died from all that work pulling the water cart.” “Are you insane? What water cart?” “The one we used to put out the fire, Señor.” “Good Lord! What fire are you talking about, man?” “The one at your house, Señor! A candle fell and the curtains caught on fire.” “What the hell? Are you saying that my mansion is destroyed because of a candle?!” “Yes, Señor Bob.” “But there’s electricity at the house! What was the candle for?” “For the funeral, Señor Bob.” “WHAT BLOODY FUNERAL??!!” “Your wife’s, Señor Bob. She showed up very late one night and I thought she was a thief, so I hit her with your new Ping G15 204g titanium head golf club with the TFC 149D graphite shaft.” SILENCE...... LONG SILENCE...... VERY LONG SILENCE...... “Ernesto, if you broke that driver, you’re in deep doodoo!!!”

  in New Zealand Inc Members’ Market ...

Members are welcome to use this space free of charge. Forward details to Mike King before 10th of the month of publication. Name Badges These are available from Waikato BOP Branch. Cost is $21 each, contact Paul Edginton, [email protected]. For Sale Daimler 2½-Litre V8 Sundry Parts Len Nicolson, who many of you will remember as our Past National Club Captain prior to moving from Waihi Beach to Perth W.A., recently contacted me and advised that he has a number of mechanical parts in storage which may be of interest to our members. Too many to list but all surplus after installing a Toyota 5-Speed Manual Gearbox, replacing the original Borg Warner 35. Items include a Reconditioned Borg Warner 35, Propeller Shafts, Rear Axle Assemblies and numerous smaller items such as the Air Intakes for Carburettors, an Air Cleaner Assembly, Spark Plug Tubes, Valve Springs and items collected over the years. The larger items are at present still in storage in Waihi but I have recently relocated some of the smaller items to Hawke’s Bay. If you are interested in any of the above, I suggest you contact me initially by email [email protected] where I will act as an agent for Len and we can discuss what you require, amount you are prepared to offer and subsequent arrangements to uplift. Daimler Sovereign XJ6 Series 1. This car is in generally good condition. Contact Ian Hill, phone 09 8181793. Daimler DB17 1938. This car is 95% restored, new leather, paint etc. requires fan, carb and wiring to complete. If you can help with any of these parts it would be much appreciated, price of the car in its present state around $25000.00. Contact Graham and Sharmain Hardwidge, [email protected], Phone 07 8966565 Daimler Consort 1951. New tyres, current WOF and Registration. Goes well and lots of spares. Last 2 owners were club members, (over 35 years). 4 owners since new, current owner over 20 years. Offers around $6500. Contact Derek Keatley, 0274 400985 Lower Hutt, email [email protected] Free to good home, Daimler V8 in a rather derelict state. Could be restored or a donor/ spares car. Situated in Pauanui (between Whitianga and Tairua). Call Jerry Gaston, 0274192629 for further details.

August~September 2013  27 Conquest Century engine, complete but condition unknown. Situated in Masterton. Contact John Clark, 06 3780380 or email [email protected] Set of 4 sixteen-inch Lattice type alloy wheels, warrantable tyres and wheel nuts. Suitable for XJ6/12 Series 1, 2 or 3. Good condition but need painting. $400. Daimler Double Six Series 2 1974. Fair condition for age. Will have new warrant & rego when sold. Open to offers around $4000. Phone Mike 06 3571237. Wanted 1936 Daimler Is there anyone in the central north island that could give me some help to set up a pre- selector gearbox in my 1936 Daimler. We stripped the box and overhauled it, have it working but need some help with the final setup. I have attached a few shots of the car as it is today and prior to restoration. Any assistance would be appreciated. Regards, Neville Nicholson, [email protected], 027-494-6228.

  in New Zealand Inc