5 Daimler SP250s found and up for sale
Discussion
They just keep coming out of the woodwork......and of course so do the same references to its looks. (I am an owner, albeit only of one SP250....)
https://jalopnik.com/a-washington-man-found-an-ult...
https://jalopnik.com/a-washington-man-found-an-ult...
Had four of 'em and they were fine at the time but I got to the point when the last two were too old to be day-to-day cars and not old enough to be Old Cars. I expect even the tired -looking cars in that piece will sell for more each than I sold those last two (tidy and working) for, but that's nearly 40 years ago, so who cares?
I bet the fuel-injected motor produces no more power than the UK one with 4 twin-choke Weber carbs. did - John McClay's ex-Connel car, referred to here
I bet the fuel-injected motor produces no more power than the UK one with 4 twin-choke Weber carbs. did - John McClay's ex-Connel car, referred to here
Allan L said:
I bet the fuel-injected motor produces no more power than the UK one with 4 twin-choke Weber carbs. did - John McClay's ex-Connel car, referred to here
Wow......Hilborn system on a Daimler hemi......... 
I bet that's a one-off.....maybe even made by Stu himself.
Virtually unusable on the street though, Hilborn mechanical was a pure drag strip or circuit use only application.
I remember seeing a Daimler Dart many years ago at a local vintage rally; this was around 2001/2. Was rather surprised that all that came up on the dvla site is that it's been untaxed and off road since 2008. So, there could be another SP250 out there waiting to be discovered. Or maybe it's gone overseas.
I think calling it one of the most uggliest cars ever is abit harsh. There surely must be far uglier cars than a Dart.
I think calling it one of the most uggliest cars ever is abit harsh. There surely must be far uglier cars than a Dart.
I remember my dad selling an Elan Plus 2 130 S (blue with silver roof) in the 1908's and some bloke turned up with a Daimler Dart like these wanting to do a p/x, complete with taped up roof/window and horrible cracked paintwork
There was no way a deal was going to be done but we took it for a quick drive round the block to see what it was like and what an archaic pile of junk it was - and this was in the 1980's let alone now!
Having seen and been in one close up it really has to be one of the ugliest attempts ever made at a sports car - just vile looking things and drives like an old horse and cart.
There was no way a deal was going to be done but we took it for a quick drive round the block to see what it was like and what an archaic pile of junk it was - and this was in the 1980's let alone now!
Having seen and been in one close up it really has to be one of the ugliest attempts ever made at a sports car - just vile looking things and drives like an old horse and cart.
Daimler's mini-hemi is (was) a lovely designed, sweet running engine. A number of people modified and supercharged the engine for both race and street applications with good success (Russ Carpenter?). It was underpowered as stock for Daimler saloon but probably just about right for SP250. It is a large and heavy engine for its relatively tiny capacity and similar in weight/dimensions (if not 'beauty') to Chevy's 350 cu in small block. - Even with ally heads it's heavier than the Rover/Buick V8 and Ford's 289/302 V8. All of these ironically are still lighter than an XK engine. I seem to remember back in the day 'Stateside' or in Canada some were using these engines modified with substantial main bearing girdles (to stop the bottom end flying apart), revving in excess of 10K and very competitive in one of the capacity limited midget racing series.
I never thought they were so bad, both in looks as well as driving. Well I suppose ex Top Gear presenter Quentin Willson hasn't been deterred from owning one. And despite their apparent uggliness they still fetch big money. Here's some examples:
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/list/5/dart+sp250/
I bet 20 years ago you could pick up a Dart in pretty decent nick for a few grand, now they're fetching 40k.
The Dart I mentioned seeing years ago is reg no. 212 FUB, a 1963 model and was red. DVLA comes up with untaxed and no MOT. Anyone know if it's still around?.
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/list/5/dart+sp250/
I bet 20 years ago you could pick up a Dart in pretty decent nick for a few grand, now they're fetching 40k.
The Dart I mentioned seeing years ago is reg no. 212 FUB, a 1963 model and was red. DVLA comes up with untaxed and no MOT. Anyone know if it's still around?.
Edited by Jukebag on Friday 9th February 11:43
Edited by Jukebag on Friday 9th February 11:49
roscobbc said:
Daimler's mini-hemi is (was) a lovely designed, sweet running engine. A number of people modified and supercharged the engine for both race and street applications with good success (Russ Carpenter?). It was underpowered as stock for Daimler saloon but probably just about right for SP250..
Goes pretty well in our saloon.. will be even better once Russ has finished with ours.. 
I wonder how many of the people commenting on the Dart have actually driven a good one. A friend of mine has a Dart and it is an absolutely cracking car, fast, reliable, sounds wonderful and is very nicely put together, decent sized boot, 30mpg. The other thing I rather like is it feels like a sporting gentleman's carriage with a tremendous sense of occasion. He had an Elan +2 130 and I was deeply underwhelmed by it, the Super 95 Elite was rather better but didn't have the character of the Dart. I'm more of a Porsche chap myself but the Dart just has that ability to get under your skin, try one you might surprise yourself.
81Carrera said:
I wonder how many of the people commenting on the Dart have actually driven a good one. A friend of mine has a Dart and it is an absolutely cracking car, fast, reliable, sounds wonderful and is very nicely put together, decent sized boot, 30mpg. The other thing I rather like is it feels like a sporting gentleman's carriage with a tremendous sense of occasion. He had an Elan +2 130 and I was deeply underwhelmed by it, the Super 95 Elite was rather better but didn't have the character of the Dart. I'm more of a Porsche chap myself but the Dart just has that ability to get under your skin, try one you might surprise yourself.
Most people who know anything at all about these cars (whether they have driven one or not), are aware that they have a reputation for being a cracking little car to drive. At the same time, they will also agree that design-wise, it's ground feeding fish-like front end seriously limits its popularity.
Let's be totally honest here, putting it politely: It's a quirky design at best!
I don't think there is any question that it is a quirky design, but I actually think the Dart has aged quite well. I think they tend to look better in darker colours and metallics with full width bumpers. They've certainly had some interesting owners and devotees including racing drivers Win Percy, Lord Cross & Peter Lindner. Motoring presenter Quentin Wilson has had one for years. I always thought the SP250 which acted as course car at the Goodwood Revival looked just the part and a rather handsome car.
Getting back to the thread, I should think that any of the 5 cars found will require very considerable expenditure to get them into lovely condition. A proper Dart restoration will not be a cheap exercise.
Getting back to the thread, I should think that any of the 5 cars found will require very considerable expenditure to get them into lovely condition. A proper Dart restoration will not be a cheap exercise.
Edited by 81Carrera on Saturday 17th February 15:07
Just remember that they are not Darts. Daimler didn't know that the nae was already registered by Dodge. They are all SP250s, and I often think I'd like one. I have driven the Daimler Mk 2 and loved the engine, but it was a manual and I don't think an auto could pull the skin off a rice pudding.
As I wrote near the top of this thread I had four of 'em. That was over the years 1966-79 when they were just second-hand cars which, as 81Carrera wrote, went well at a reasonable fuel consumption and had good luggage space. I did several quite lengthy European tours in mine plus one to and in Morocco - 'twas good fun when we were heading North out of the (edge of the) Sahara and met some heavily over-equipped Land Rovers heading South with "Timbuktu or Bust" or similar signs up! Their crews didn't know we'd only been 40-50 miles off the end of the paved road.
In those days spares were plentiful and cheap so using them for both commuting and light competition was affordable.
As for looks I'll point out (as I did at the time) that they looked o.k. from where you sat, so what was the problem?!
ETA lowdrag is of course right about the name and the Daimler model number was and should be used. A nitpicker would point out that the LHD version was the SP251 to its factory, but not many called it that in the outside world.
In those days spares were plentiful and cheap so using them for both commuting and light competition was affordable.
As for looks I'll point out (as I did at the time) that they looked o.k. from where you sat, so what was the problem?!
ETA lowdrag is of course right about the name and the Daimler model number was and should be used. A nitpicker would point out that the LHD version was the SP251 to its factory, but not many called it that in the outside world.
Edited by Allan L on Saturday 17th February 16:23
I think Allanl makes an interesting point about the SP250, they were, particularly in B & C specification a very well sorted car. I'm not sure that many British sportscars from the fifties & sixties would have got you to Morocco and back without special preparation. I can remember going to stay with my friend in central London in the early 90s and his Dart being totally happy in traffic without any mods. Then a run up to the first Coys Festival in '93 via the A413, super roads for a Dart, a Police motorcyclist tailed us for some way and kindly let us off for travelling at an average speed of 78mph out in the countryside, the little Dart was just ticking along with lovely warm weather, accompanied by that sweet v8 soundtrack. As I said, I'm more a Porsche enthusiast but it's interesting to note that the power to weight ratio is not that different to a 911 E.
While the SP enjoyed some degree of success in production sports car racing they are not really a circuit car, some have tried and I quite liked the one that was in the Fordwater Trophy driven by Andy Shepherd a few years ago. Adrian Boyd had some success in historic rallies and Henry Pearman had a go in the Pirelli Classic Marathon after his win in an E Type. Great period sportscar in real road situations, though.
While the SP enjoyed some degree of success in production sports car racing they are not really a circuit car, some have tried and I quite liked the one that was in the Fordwater Trophy driven by Andy Shepherd a few years ago. Adrian Boyd had some success in historic rallies and Henry Pearman had a go in the Pirelli Classic Marathon after his win in an E Type. Great period sportscar in real road situations, though.
lowdrag said:
Just remember that they are not Darts. Daimler didn't know that the nae was already registered by Dodge. They are all SP250s, and I often think I'd like oneg.
Not all, the first ones were Darts, Dodge didn't get litigious till 1960ish Great cars, wish I hadn't sold mine(even though It'd still be unfinished)
lowdrag said:
I have driven the Daimler Mk 2 and loved the engine, but it was a manual and I don't think an auto could pull the skin off a rice pudding.
Some reviews have it as quicker than a 2.4 Mk2 Jag (probably not hard that, though!) but just short of the 3.4. It's not a rocket-ship, no, but they're pretty peppy and can keep up with modern traffic well enough. Ours does sound like it's going faster though.. Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff