Pagoda SL Group
Off Topic => Other cars => Topic started by: al_lieffring on May 22, 2012, 16:42:32
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On my last trip to Kansas City my Mom gave me a folder of old photos of Dad's cars. Of all the cars Dad had, this one has to be my favorite. It's a 1953 Daimler (English) with a coachbuilt aluminum body by Hooper. It was built for European auto shows and then used by Lady Norah Docker the wife of the director of the Daimler Works.
Dad imported it from England to The US in 1966 and we kept for a few years. I would love to find out where the car is today.
I mean talk about a cool looking car, I think it makes James Bond's DB5 look like a Morris Minor.
Lord and Lady Docker lived lives of extravagant splendor in post war England, It was said that the Lady would load this car onto her yacht, sail off to Monaco and then turn in the hotel bills and gambling losses to the Daimler Works as "business expenses." These overt excesses led to Lord Docker's dismissal from the company.
The car had lots of cool features;
It was built on the Saloon chassis with a 4litre engine, RHD of course.
A pre-select transmission. the lever would be set to the gear desired and then would actuate when the clutch pedal was depressed and released.
a panel in the headliner opened to a glazed panel, what is now known as a moon roof, and was encircled with dozens of tiny light bulbs that lit up an night.
The interior was done in black leather with red red piping and red crocodile trim. And a matching set of red crocodile luggage was fitted to the compartment behind the two front seats.
The glove box was fitted with silver brush and grooming accessories.
the windows were not electric, but opened almost effortlessly by sliding a lever that didn't move much more than 2 or three inches.
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beautiful...would be amazing to see the pictures of the interior!
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I would love to find out where the car is today.
Think I found it for you. http://photos.thecreeper.net/Car-Stuff/Blackhawk-Automotive-Museum/14116312_j2GG68/1040519303_mCUuh#!i=1040519303&k=mCUuh
It might be at the Blackhawk Automotive Museum. http://www.blackhawkmuseum.org/ That would be in California.
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Michael
I think that car is a big brother to the Silver Flash, There may have been 4 or 5 prototype show cars in this series. Another was a 4 door saloon with zebra hide seats, and another was a smaller more sporty cabriolet.
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The museum car has the grille of a Daimler Saloon. The grille on the Silver Flash was more stylized, compact and set in the middle of the front cowling. Not upright like a faux radiator cover. Because this car had the gold fluer-de-lis pattern on the side panels it got the nickname The Golden Flash
In the same box of photos was a dozen or so 120x120 negatives of this car, I took them in today to get printed. If they turn out Ill upload them onto this thread.
edit:
I have done some web surfing on Lady Norah's cars and think the one in the Blackhawk Museum is the one that was named Blue Clover.
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I found a pic taken at the Earl's Court auto show. 1953ish
Lady Norah surrounded in red alligator. and the silver make up set.