Daimler Series 1 Van den Plas V12.

[alec2824]

I have been viewing an L registered Series 1 Daimler VDP V12. It must be a rare beast and must be worth saving. It has been garage stored for some 30 years and will need re-commisioning. The engine turns over, the oil and transmission fluid are clean and clear but there is no water in the system. There is a faint smell of fuel in the tanks but I would not like to start it on that! The interior is quite respectable with good wood but the headlining has drooped and the very dark brown leather needs some attention. The exterior vinyl roof is excellent but the paint is showing some light rusting at the wheel arches. There are a couple of dents in the off-side front wing and offside rear door - no broken paint. Sadly there is a slit in the boot lid where the now deceased previous owner used it as a rest to cut something with what appears to be an angle grinder. The tyres are shot -no surprise there. So, am I correct in thinking that it is worth saving? And what is it worth? And potential? Alec Gurney.

[J44EAG]

You need to do a refurbishment cost analysis spread sheet on any big project and a car of this nature will gobble cash by the wheelbarrow load. As with any restoration, costs involved will invariably exceed the value of even a sound A+ condition car.

I met a chap at a car show in Chichester on Sunday. He turned up with a similar V12 car to the one you are looking at. The car bodily was in remarkable condition and the interior was good even to the headlining having been recently replaced. I would have loved to have been the owner of that car but would have cried off slightly in favour of a six banger due to the very high fueling costs of the V12. The lucky new owner paid just £4000 for that car with a years MOT, good tyres and an intact exhaust. I`ll guess and say that restoring a stored and unused car to decent condition would cost at least three times what the fellow paid for his lovely car.

Cheap is not necessarily the best way to go unless the car has some extreme significant build or ownership history and will realise a decent figure as and when it gets sold on.

Just my humble opinion.

Mike K

[mike020150]

Mike K has to be right when it comes to the economics of restoring practically any of the series XJs. Top priced examples of genuine concours cars only sell at what a professional restoration costs these days. On the other hand, if you can weld and spray etc, such a project can become viable. They are wonderful cars to drive and in good condition there's not an enormous difference in fuel consumption between the 6s and the 12s but the V12s are significantly brisker. Inevitably, the rarer versions (VDP and coupes) in first class condition will be the first to rise in value as total numbers decrease but as yet, buying one already in good condition makes most sense. Mike.

[alec2824]

Thanks for the feedback. I know about restoration costs and time involved(five years to do a Daimler V8 2 1/2 litre) But it was worth it, even if not financially. However, for this vehicle there appears to be about 350 made?

[XJ_Driver]

An interesting car, if perhaps less viable as a project. Dark brown seats, but what colour is it Alec?

[alec2824]

I don't know the official colour - I would call it gold!

[XJ_Driver]

Silver Sand perhaps? Or Caramel..? Can't believe that anyone would do such a thing to the bootlid - sacrilege!

[alec2824]

I believe the now deceased previous owner developed Alzheimer's and did a number of odd things in his latter years!

[stuarthardy]

I believe that only 342 Series 1 Daimler Van Den Plas were built, so it's a model worth saving.

You need the interior to be in fairly good shape because it was unique to the model.

I remember one that had been painted metal flake pink in the late seventies or early eighties. Nice!

Regards

[XJ_Driver]

Certainly a rare car! I used to get to drive one of these, quite regularly - over 30 years ago - when I was just a kid. Loved it then - wish I had bought it when I had the chance...