1974 Southern Roadcraft Daytona Spyder Evocation

We are therefore delighted to offer for sale a 1990 Southern Roadcraft Daytona. Painted in the famous ‘Rosso Red’ and matched with a ‘Corsa’ cream interior, could there be a better combination?

Under the bonnet sits a powerful and sonorous 3.9-litre Rover V8 engine with RPI performance enhancement upgrades. This is mated to a slick 5-speed Rover SD1 manual gearbox.

Boasting many period Ferrari fittings and badges, this is definitely a car for the connoisseur.

The car has been in the same hands for some eight years, the owner now deciding that it is time for someone else to have some fun. He tells us that the car has been 100% reliable, cheap to maintain, always starts first time and is guaranteed to turn many heads during every outing.

There is a wealth of supporting documentation going right back to the car’s build date, which includes every MoT certificate. We like this, showing as it does careful and considered ownership.

Stored in a heated garage when not in use and having travelled less than 19,000 miles since it was built in 1990, it is now time for a new buyer to continue the car’s story. It could be you!

One of the clear advantages of fibreglass is that you don’t have to worry about rust! So, behold the gleaming Rosso paintwork, a vision of loveliness. We can find little to criticise and we do try hard.

Being picky, we do note that there is some slight fibreglass crazing near the centre of the bonnet.

The car has clearly been loved, well polished and stored correctly when not in use.

The chromework sparkles, the pop-up headlights do their thing, and the folding manual hood looks to be in fine fettle. There is a fitted cover for when the hood is stowed away.

The starfish style alloy wheels are in good order and all the tyres boast plenty of tread apart from the offside front which will need replacing soon.

The highlight of the interior is undoubtedly the leather seats. Finished in cream leather with red piping, they look the part and are super comfy too. We note that the driver’s seat has some wear to the offside bolster, not unusual. There is also some creasing and cracks in the leather. Some cleaning and hide food are certainly in order here. We also have spotted a small area of damaged leather atop the driver’s seat, alongside the headrest.

The wood rimmed steering wheel is a lovely touch and is a delight to hold.

The aluminium topped gear lever falls readily to hand, ideal for snicking through that 5-speed box.

Instrumentation is comprehensive and sits amidst a burgundy dashboard. Carpets match nicely and other than needing a quick clean, look to be in fine condition.

The boot boasts the same burgundy carpeting and provides plenty of luggage space for those weekends away.

We are told the heater currently doesn’t work, the seller choosing to only use the car in the summer and in fine weather.

We are not a huge fan of the fitted stereo and as we are told it ceases to play any music, it is clearly time for something more in keeping to be fitted.

The Rover V8 is a tried and test engine and in 3.9-litre guise it is not short of power. It is a relatively straightforward engine to work on, so not beyond the powers of the competent home mechanic.

We would be tempted to have the Ferrari badged cam cover repainted as this is the first thing that catches the eye when you lift the bonnet.

It is all a little dusty, so some time detailing the engine bay may be a good idea. What a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon…

Spend a little time looking at the photographs we have provided of the car’s underside and we think you will be impressed. Most noticeable is the stainless-steel exhaust with quad tail pipes.

There are signs of underseal in all the right places and looking at the overall condition would seem to confirm the seller’s assertion that the car has not been driven in the winter or indeed in the wet.

How we love to see a full set of MoT certificates. Rarely do they all remain with a vehicle. They confirm the mileage covered since the 1990 build date.

The car has covered barely 500 miles in the last three years, but there is the reassurance of a fresh MoT test carried out a few weeks ago. It passed with no advisories as it has done for the past five years plus.

Back in 2013, the Daytona was treated to a major overhaul at County Classics in Gloucestershire. The invoice for £1,684.80 is shown in our picture section and includes work to the exhaust, cooling system and bodywork. There are also pictures of the work being carried out in the company’s shiny workshop.

Since this work was carried out, the car has covered less than 3,000 miles.

We are also informed that the car was serviced in October 2020 just before it was put to bed for its winter slumbers. Only 75 or so miles have been driven since.

We are also pleased to see that we have the original Southern Roadcraft build manual and comprehensive wiring diagram, should they ever be needed.

Once again, we feel compelled to mention that the seller reports complete reliability during his eight-year ownership.

Tried and tested components, careful ownership, and comprehensive maintenance being the key here.

An original Daytona Spyder is a rare beast and now unaffordable for all but the very wealthiest. We would also suggest that detailed evocations of the same car are similarly rare, yet without the inflated price tag.

All the fun, modest running costs and all but indistinguishable from the real thing, we predict a scramble to become this car’s new owner.

We estimate that the car will sell for between £25,000 and £35,000. Think of all the fun that is to be had this summer. Get bidding, opportunities like this don’t come along every day.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.