Daimler SP250 Dart (1959 – 1964) Review

Daimler SP250 Dart (1959 – 1964) At A Glance

Charismatic (challenging) styling, great V8, excellent handling, and a brilliant exhaust note

Glass fibre body can be difficult to make perfect, and hides many corrosion problems underneath

Daimler SP250 Dart (1959 – 1964) Buying Guide

Bodywork

• The bodyshell is glassfibre so check for crazing of the gelcoat.
• Chassis is steel and can rust.
• The tubular crossmember at the front often rust.
• Front suspension turrets can rot out if water gets in the through the steering column openings.
• Make sure the welds for the lower wishbone mounting brackets haven’t cracked.
• Post-1961 cars have extra bracing for the B-posts and stiffening beams underneath the door apertures.
• Crossmember behind the back axle can rust.
• Rear spring hangers corrode and are hard to get to when repairing.

Engine and gearbox

• These are tough units, but they need to be well-serviced.
• Maintaining the antifreeze mix is crucial – the engine block is cast iron while the cylider head is alloy.
• Make sure you check for emulsion on the underside of the oil filler cap to see if the oil and water have mixed.
• Does it sound tappety? The valve clearance might need adjusting or the valve guides might be worn.
• Lumpy running could be caused by sticky exhaust valves, which get clogged up with carbon deposits.
• SP250 engines do use oil – early ones sometimes use as much as a pint every 300-400 miles.
• Some warn the gearbox struggles to cope with the V8’s torque, so check for damage.
• Lots of clicking means the gear has broken; continuous whirring means the teeth have worn.

Steering and suspension

• Check for for leaking dampers and sagging leaf springs at the rear.
• At the front, check for worn trunnions and vertical links.
• Jack up the front wheels and use a crowbar to check for play between the wheel and the vertical link.
• There are Girling disc brakes at the front and rear (but no servo).
• It’s a simple system, but check for scored, worn or warped discs, as well as sticking pistons.
• Handbrake mechanisms can partially seize and the cable needs to be greased otherwise it sticks.

Electrics and trim

• Instrumentation, switchgear and components (eg light units) are all available.
• A retrim will set you back £3500-£4000 so make sure the seats and carpets are in good condition.
• If the hood is worn, a replacement costs more than £400.