Mentioned before my motoring interest started as a kid as I poured over the Which motoring sections at home in the 60s/early 70s. Recently Ive been buying a few on Ebay to read again. I'm not that keen on Which these days but these old ones are real reference material for 60s/70s classics.
Just received an issue I'd half remembered but not seen anywhere for 40yrs.
A test in 1970 of 6 cars around £1600. Unusually they tested a new Rover 2000TC, Sunbeam Rapier H120 & Audi 100LS against a used 1958 Bentley S1, 1964 Aston Martin DB5 & 1967 Daimler V8-250.
Fascinating selection any one of which would make an interesting classic today.
|
... 1967 Daimler V8-250...
Seem to recall the V8 engine was not well-liked.
|
|
Which had a cracked piston in their V8 under 30k mls and I remember being offered an otherwise mint Daimler V8 with head gasket problems for £500 around 1978. Seem to remember it wasn't as simple as fitting new gaskets.... perhaps skimming the V caused other issues?
|
... perhaps skimming the V caused other issues?...
Might have been an engine in which the combustion chamber was in the crown of the piston.
Just guessing.
|
Think about what happens - in a geometric sense - when you skim the heads of a v engine.
|
Through the mists of time, I recall the Mark 1 V8 250 did have reliability issues: solved on the Mark2 (forgive me if I am wrong).
Father of a friend owned a Daimler 250 and son drove it with me as a passenger. 80k ish miles on clock. Still very smooth..but no real go as 140 paper bhp in a near 2 tonne car was never going to do much...
An uncle owned one from new and when parking in his garage, he hit accelerator rather than brake and demolished end wall...(40 years before Toyota accelerator problems...)
|
Yes NC I was wondering if it suffered the same as the V8 Rover with the inlet manifold not fitting unless that too was altered... seem to remember that from the distant past??
Which found it slow too... slower in most respects than the 112hp Rover 2000TC.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Wed 9 Feb 11 at 13:53
|
|
The Daimler Dart has always been on my wish-list.
|
...if it suffered the same as the V8 Rover with the inlet manifold not fitting unless that too was altered...
Surprised it would make that much difference.
When I was doing it, a light skim did little more than clean the head face.
If the head was bent like a banana it was replaced.
|
>Seem to recall the V8 engine was not well-liked<
Not in my memory - it was regarded as Edward Turner's little masterpiece, and a much better piece of kit than a 2.4 Jaguar XK in the same body. The 4.5 litre was even better - and should have gone into the Mk 10 and E-type.
As ever, I only speak from personal owner experience, not what I read somebody said who's father's friend's uncle's grandad had one.
My 1964 V8 2.5 litre (only called the 250 after 1967) was smooth, quiet, reliable and even when elderly well capable of 100mph+ in comfort. Mine wasn't even rusty. And I wish I still had it. It had, of course, had a doting former owner.
Last edited by: Mike Hannon on Wed 9 Feb 11 at 14:59
|
The Daimler V8 I was offered in the late 70s for £500 was just like this one (same colour) and in as good condition.
farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/4957214540_d98d02f009_z.jpg
Small car dealer had it as a trade sale due to the head/gasket issue. I was running a Rover P6 V8 auto at the time worth about £750 and offered a swap for the Daimler but the guy refused. He just said come back when you have the £500 cash. It sold the next day and I was gutted.
|
>> Surprised it would make that much difference.
It really is surprising how quickly it becomes a problem - especially if the inlet manifold gasket is in one piece.
|
Old Which test. DB5, Bentley S1, Daimler V8 vs New - Iffy
