1969 Daimler V8 250

With only three owners from new and first registered on the 1st of August 1968, this is one of the rare narrow-bumper V8-250 models from late in the timeline.

Originally bought at the point when all it needed was a light refresh to bring it back to rude good health, the man commissioned to carry out the work passed away after only having removed the brake calipers, alternator and waterpump – all of which have since gone missing. The car then sat for a few years, slowly deteriorating…

The vendor tells us that it needs the front jacking points welding and new front and rear valances fitting but his tame mechanic has said that the rest of the underside and chassis is all good. The car also started when he bought it.

A great project for the Jaguar/Daimler enthusiast looking to use their experiences and skills to add value to a much sought-after model, it’s being offered with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid!

Look, we know that it doesn’t look great, but the fact is that the closer you look, the better it gets. Sure, it needs new front and rear valences, plus the jacking points welding up, but the rest is better than it looks at first glance.

And we know the photos are limited in scope but the vendor is happy to take more, or even show you the car in person so you can gauge for yourself whether the work required falls within your comfort zone.

The red leather seats look to be in decent shape with only mildew and dirt to deal with, so authenticity buffs might get away with just deep-cleaning and feeding them.

The dashboard is in a surprisingly good condition and looks to be original and complete. All the switches and dials look like they are there too, as is the twin-spindle radio. The steering wheel looks to be in good shape, although the wooden veneer does look like it’ll need some refurbishment.

Lifting the carpets – which will almost certainly need replacing – shows floors that look to be largely solid, albeit with some surface corrosion that will need addressing.

Who knows what the mechanical components are like? All we can say with any certainty is that the engine started when the restoration first commenced.

Oh, and don’t forget that the brake calipers, alternator and waterpump, all of which were removed because they needed attention, are missing. The vendor is still searching for them and will throw them in if he finds them, but we think it’s probably safest to assume they are gone for good.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that that was all that was needed attention at the time – but then that was six years ago…

Other than the V5 registration document, the Daimler doesn’t have any paperwork so potential bidders will need to set their budget based on its current condition rather than being able to rely on an extensive paper trail to guide them.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please contact the owner and ask if they can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like them to concentrate on. 

This is your chance to give a grand old Dame a happy ending; bought when it needed only moderate fettling, the intervening six years have left it in need of more TLC than the vendor was anticipating.

Nonetheless, this would make a great project for anyone who is handy with a welder and a set of spanners. With just 63,000 miles under its belt, the car has got years of life left in it; it just needs someone with the skill and vision to be able to see past the rust and mildew.

While it is being offered with no reserve, so will sell no matter what, we’d be surprised if it didn’t end up fetching somewhere between £2,000 and £5,000, at which price it offers enormous value given the £20,000+ we’re seeing excellent examples fetching.

The vendor is a lovely chap and the car can be seen near Doncaster; 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’.

This vehicle is not with us at The Market’s HQ near Abingdon, which means we have had to rely on the owner’s description of it, in conjunction with the photographs you see here, to compile the listing.

With this in mind, we would encourage potential bidders to contact the owner themselves and arrange to view the car in person, or to arrange a dedicated video call in which they can view the car virtually and ask questions.