£510 - a beer tent - the only 1 in the world GP 4831

[Duesey]

Here's a little story for you.
Above is the Daimler Double Six 50 Corsica.

Once apon a time my father as a young lad learnt of this car through an article in a 1961 Motor Sport magazine and in 1963 persuaded his father to take him to an auction where this car was being sold. My grandfather was not so keen on it and thought it would go for too much money so decided that the beer tent would be the best place to be. As it came up for sale my father rushed to fetch him and he managed to get the car for £510. The car a "white elephant" as some called it was then bought home and work was set about to get it running correctly.


Here it is outside my grandfathers house in the 60's.

The car then passed from father to son and I have many happy memories as a child being driven to the pub in it by my father. One of the moments that stick in my mind was when I was around 10 years old being made Carnival Queen in our small village and it was my fathers job to lead the procession and drive myself and the princess in the yearly carnival parade, so what did he do - he lead the whole procession the wrong way round through the village with me very excited perched in the car with everybody looking the wrong way!

The car collection grew and grew in the hands of my fathher and the Daimler only had the occasional outings as a new favourite would arrive every so often. The car was on the Cartier Stand one year where Mr Jeremy Clarkson remarked on the "hearing aid beige" colour.

After over 40 years in our family, what happened to GP 4831?
The car was something my father could never afford to restore and he knew it was time to let it go.
I don't mind admitting the day it went I cried.
There is a happy ending though and I now see it was the right thing to do.
The car was shipped to the fabulous Rob Myers in Canada and a restoration of enourmous proportions was undertaken.
The new owner - Mr Lee then went on to win the 2006 Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance with the car.

So that was our part in GP 4831.

Claire.







http://www.rmauctions.com/Restorations/Awards.cfm?...