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Daimler SP250 restoration

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Wow!
That's a nice looking one.
I too suggest conversion to rack & pinion. But it's your car. Do as you like.
I have seen too many steering boxes hit the road and half-way remove the lower cover. Therefore I've done conversions for customers. The rack gets in the way of the fan and usually requires conversion to electric fan, which is an advantage anyway.
The cooling system could also use an expansion tank.
A positive bonnet restraint is also an advantage. I've seen too many broken bonnets from hitting the windshield. I always liked leather straps, but have seen many with hood pins. A single one right in the middle.
 
Very nice looking frame! It seems a shame that we put in the effort to make all the parts look so good and then cover them up with a car! Ahh well....can't have our cakes and drive them too I suppose!! :laugh:
 
racingenglishcars said:
Wow!
That's a nice looking one.
I too suggest conversion to rack & pinion. But it's your car. Do as you like.
I have seen too many steering boxes hit the road and half-way remove the lower cover. Therefore I've done conversions for customers. The rack gets in the way of the fan and usually requires conversion to electric fan, which is an advantage anyway.
The cooling system could also use an expansion tank.
A positive bonnet restraint is also an advantage. I've seen too many broken bonnets from hitting the windshield. I always liked leather straps, but have seen many with hood pins. A single one right in the middle.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions!

I'll go with the expansion tank, especially seeing as it can easily hit over 100 F in the summer here.

I'd forgotten about the restraint - but I'd prefer to put it out of sight. I saw one that was attached to the lock mechanism under the front edge of the hood (bonnet).
 
Silverghost said:
Very nice looking frame! It seems a shame that we put in the effort to make all the parts look so good and then cover them up with a car! Ahh well....can't have our cakes and drive them too I suppose!! :laugh:
Click to expand...

I really like the look of the frame too. I'm so happy it didn't turn out to have any serious corrosion - that's the most important part.
 
I wanted to edit my original post and put some more pictures from that day in there, but it appears that after a certain amount of time has elapsed, you can't edit anymore.

A few more pictures. One shows some accident damage where the car was t-boned in a parking lot - in 1966.

2007_0509sp2500005.jpg


Another one from the shop.
2007_0509sp2500009.jpg


I'd prefer to be posting more progress pictures, but it's going as I can afford to pay for it!
 
James- while I have never had a hood releasing problem, they are not unknown. I like the short chain with a release hook system because it doesn't show or require holes in the f'glass. Going that route on the resto car, keeping fingers crossed on the driver. As long as the spring on the safety catch lever is strong it "should" keep the hood down.
 
Got some more pics! My first clue that some stuff had happened was my three-page long invoice:
2 mufflers, 2 tailpipes, exhaust hangers and clamps, rear caliper springs, front caliper seal kits, 1 set front brake pads, 4 rear caliper pistons, 4 front caliper pistons, 1 set rear brake pads, 1 brake pad hardware kit, 1 set silentbloc bushings, 1 set tierod ends, 2 rear bumpstops, 2 rear shocks, 2 engine mounts, 2 transmission mounts, 2 front exhaust pipes, 1 "H" pipe, 2 universal joints, 1 diff oil pinion seal, 2 rear axle outer oil seals, 1 diff cover gasket, 2 front suspension lower trunions, 2 front upper ball joints, 4 front coil spring rubber seats, 4 front inner control arm bushings, 4 trunion bushings, 8 trunion grease seals, 2 front shocks, 2 vertical post seals, 2 front oil seals, 1 brake master cylinder, 2 front brake flex hoses, 1 rear brake flex hose.

Also 1/2 roll 80 grit sandpaper, 2 quarts EP569 epoxy primer, 2 quarts gloss spray paint, 2 steel brake lines, 2 bags glass bead.

Labour from Feb 10/09 - Feb 20/09 cleaned hardware and installed chassis outer rails. Installed hardware brackets. Disassembled front and rear suspension. Cleaned, blasted and painted rear suspension parts. Reassembled rear leaf springs on chassis. Blasted inner front fenders, transmission brace, front coil springs and painted. Cleaned, painted and installed fuel lines. Fabricated and installed front steel brake lines. Installed transmission brace. Cleaned driveshaft and rear axle. Prepared and painted 25 suspension components.
 
FANTASTIC- Progress like that is great!! :banana: :banana: :cheers:

I got my invoice for Feb a week ago, 60.5 hours, 8 pages.

My many "updates" to the systems are taking up a lot of the time. I put some pics in the Members Pictures section here.

Be sure and PM me if there is something you're having trouble finding (other than $$
grin.gif
) or have any questions about what I've had done.
 
Will do, thanks for the help! And the congrats!

There's still a long way to go, but much has been done, and as you can see, it's being done the right way the first time :smile:
 
Yeh, one of the reasons it's taken so many $$ for mine is the "do it right" approach, along with the realization I won't be doing another one in the future. Had a long conversation with myself about upgrading to chrome wires, but decided the 1,100+ usd could be better spent. Hope to see more progress pics from you soon.
 
Better than doing it twice!

Hmmm, I love the look of the car with wire wheels. I think I might do that eventually. Where is a good supplier for them, just out of interest?

Although my car is Mountain Blue, a relatively rare colour, I'm going with silver. Silver with wire wheels looks really nice:
Daimle4.jpg
 
That IS sharp.....looks like it should be driven by a gent named Bond, James Bond..... :smile:
 
lol - and it's already got fins, in case it wants to go Lotus Esprit amphibious, heh
 
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