out of the basement

After all the shots of rust and the sill structure etc I thought it might be nice to include some pictures of the actual car! These are scans of pictures taken years ago so I don't know how good that quality will be but they look OK.
I had hankered after a Daimler Double Six Vanden Plas for years as I see it as the ultimate XJ model. I scoured small ads looking for examples but not actually expecting to find one I could afford then saw this one advertised for sale in Edinburgh for £250 (I live near Glasqow so it wasn't too far away really). I thought the price must be a mis-print and it would actually be £2500 or, if not, that it might just be a shell and engine for sale. Anyway I was pleasantly surprised to find a low mileage completely intact and original example being sold by a very honest and helpful gentleman.
I viewed the car and arranged for it to be moved a week later. I was lucky to find a firm who were moving several cars to Glasgow and agreed to stick mine on the back of the transporter and drop it off at my small lock up en route. They only took £80 for it which was quite good. It sat there for another 5 years or so until I moved it to a bigger garage with electricity etc which I'd started renting out. That was another £60 I think. I fixed the RHS sill structure there then found another place to work nearer my flat so moved everything again. £50 it was this time I think.
The guy I bought it from had it in his basement underneath his home since the mid eighties when it came off the road with some fuel supply problems which were not resolved. It had had cover sills put on at some point but overall was well preserved as the basement was wind and watertight.
The only dissapointment really was the colour scheme. I did my homework and knew this model came in 6 colours with 3 interior colour choices. I wanted Coral or Morello Cherry paint with Chamois interior. I got Caramel with Tuscan interior. I really like it now though.


outside vendor's home. he & his son were kind enough to drag it out the basement and up his steep driveway ready for the transporter arriving early in the morning. love this shot. rear bumper and quarter valances were removed, probably to investigate fuel supply problem.



side shot shows typical sill repairs with black bitumen paint applied to halt the rust attack.



first time it had been out basement since 1986 I believe. this was a cold December morning in 2000.




getting moving at last. this is about 10 or 11 I think. sun is coming out and bringing out beautiful tone of paint.




the transporter guys took one of the Escorts off to accomodate the Daimler and towed their car behind from Edinburgh to Glaagow via East Kilbride. tinted 'Sundym' windows really show in this shot for some reason