• Consort
• ‘Twenty-Sevens
•  ‘Straight-Eights’
• Regency 3 litre, Regency MkII / Sportsman / One-0-Four / Empress / Lady’s Model 3½ litre
• Conquest & Conquest Century
• 4½ -Litre saloons & limousines
• Majestic 3.8
• Majestic Major 4½ V8 & Majestic Limousine
• Dart / SP250
• 2½ – Litre / V8 / V8 250
• Sovereign
• Vanden Plas  DS420 Limousine
• Daimler Double-Six

Of this selection, a number of the earlier, larger engine models were produced as rolling chassis, as well as standard saloons, so that custom coachwork could be fitted, and so continue Daimler’s role as a provider of vehicles to Kings, Queens and dignitaries around the world. These coach built cars included a significant number of overly elaborate, opulent and ornate creations for Sir Bernard and Lady Docker through the 1950’s.

Towards the end of the 1950’s, Jaguar took over the Daimler Company, and the cars from that period became an amalgam of the two companies for the next few years.

The lovely hemi head Daimler V8 engines designed by Edward Turner of the BSA Group, and a Director of the Daimler Company, continued to be fitted in its larger form into the Daimler Majestic chassis through until 1968. The smaller V8 was used in the Daimler SP250 from 1959 to 1964, and in the Jaguar MkII saloon body from 1962 to 1969. The turbine-smoothness and performance of this motor was commented on by most motoring writers of the day.

After 1969, Daimlers truly became a badge-engineered Jaguar, with the Sovereigns and the DS420 Limousines. Not that it was all bad. Jaguar continued to imbue the Daimler models with that little bit of extra class and refinement, and in recent times have had to bow to the Daimler clientele request that Daimler models be produced, not once, but twice, after attempts to drop the model from their range.

One of the more sought after recent Daimlers is the 1996 Daimler Century (1896 to 1996) and I am sure that in the future the 2005 Daimler 4.0 V8 will also become a collectors piece for those that want that little bit extra in a luxury saloon! ]]> https://dloc.org.nz/2016/04/09/daimler-pre-1950-background/ Sat, 09 Apr 2016 03:33:02 +0000 https://dloc.org.nz/?p=623 Pre 1950 Daimler’s:

The Daimler Motor Company Limited was established in 1896 based around the license that Frederick Richard Simms had negotiated that included all the Daimler Engine patents for the United Kingdom and Colonies (except Canada) in 1890.

In 1896, the first Daimler link with royalty was established when the then-Prince of Wales (and later King Edward VII) was taken for a ride in (or should that be on?) an 1896, Cannstatt-built Daimler that Simms had for demonstration. That link continues until this day, albeit no longer as the sole supplier to the royal family.

The Daimler Company set about putting motor cars on the technological map through motor shows, publications and exploits, including in October 1897 a run by Henry Sturmey from John o’Groat’s to Land’s End in a 4 HP, solid tyred, chain driven Daimler with a body designed by Sturmey and built by Mulliners.

By 1902, the King was ordering a 24 HP model, such was the progress in development. The infrastructure of the car industry was also developing, although not always at the same pace as availability. Distribution of tyres, petrol & oil and necessary spare parts was in its infancy, and necessity was as always the mother of invention (and of course development!) Tales of motoring escapades of the early 20^th century abound, especially in the Colonies.

By 1910 Daimler was in negotiation for an amalgamation with the Birmingham Small Arms Company Ltd. In 1911 the company announced three 6 cylinder models, including a 57 HP model. Only one model that year, the 12 HP was offered as a complete car, all the others were offered as rolling chassis.

It was also about this time that the name “Knight” became associated with Daimlers. An American engineer, Charles Y. Knight had demonstrated a sliding or sleeve valve system for use in internal combustion engines. Daimler invited him to demonstrate his design, and decided it had merit. Development of a Daimler engine fitted with sleeve valves was carried out, largely under the direction of one Dr Frederick Lanchester. Trials proved satisfactory, so Daimler started production of a sleeve valved range of engines.

A childhood memory is one of standing behind a large 1930 Daimler at car show in Feilding and being as astounded as a small boy could be at the silence and smoothness of this massive car with the engine running and driving off.

Another of Daimler’s famous developments was that of a 7,136 cc V12 engine back in 1926 – the first Daimler Double-Six. Not the first, but it certainly made its mark in the day, especially when placed in a low-slung “Corsica” sports body. This motor was developed by Laurence H. Pomeroy, then company Chief Engineer. This was also a sleeve valve engine!

The coachbuilders certainly produced some spectacular vehicles on Daimler Chassis, but then the owner-driver was not ignored either, with standard models available through most of the company’s history.

The two World Wars saw Daimler provide massive assistance to the British war effort. For a brief introductory coverage, see Daimlers at War.

The models of the mid to late 1930’s became the basis of the post WWII cars that were produced (See Post 1950 Models).

Charles Y. Wright was a young American agriculturist, who in 1901, became interested in Motor Cars. He considered the chief weakness of the petrol engine to be the noise it made. In those days, engine designers paid more attention to their engines doing things rather than the manner in which they did them. Provided the cam struck the bottom of the valve tappet and opened it was good enough, if it made a noise doing so, so be it, as long as it worked. Knight was not impressed with this theory. He could not see how a cam striking a valve tappet at any speed could ever be made to be a silent operation.

After studying all technical works dealing with the internal combustion engine, he came into contact with a mechanic named L.B. Kilbourne. They carried out experimental work with a plan to open and close ports at the top of the cylinder using an additional inverted piston which reciprocated 1 ½ inches, and sliding cut-offs in either side of the cylinder to time the closing of the exhaust and opening of the inlet. The complexity of this principle produced more noise than the poppet valve engine, then an idea came to him. Why not a cylinder within a cylinder? Instead of moving the heavy walls of a water jacket, why not employ cast iron liners the full length of the cylinder. These would be moved up and down over the inverted piston, using a wide ring on the bottom of the later to cover the ports at the time of compression and explosion? Experimental work started in August 1903, the first model operating successfully through the use of only one sleeve, but the gear necessary to give the proper motion was too complicated to be quiet. This gave way later to two sleeves operated by an eccentric shaft.

In the summer of 1904 Knight and Kilbourne produced a four cylinder engine with a bore of 3 ½ inches and stroke of 4 inches. This was fitted to a Panhard type car and driven for many thousands of miles without trouble.

A mutual friend brought the Knight sleeve valve engine to the attention of Daimler, and a car was shipped to England for evaluation. The Company was very impressed with the design but it was obvious that at the moment, its construction was far from perfect. Eventually, after much experimental work, the Company acquired an option on the exclusive rights of manufacture in the United Kingdom, together with the rights to export world-wide. The old type of Poppet valve engine was finally abandoned in favour of the Daimler Knight Sleeve valve engine.

No sooner was its valve system made known than it was assailed from all quarters. Hardly anyone had a good word to say for it. How were the upper sections of the sleeves going to be lubricated? What was going to happen if it was accidentally run without oil or overheated owing to lack of water? The exhaust ports were going to burn and great damage caused. Lectures were held on the ‘Silent Knight’ engines, one of the most interesting of which was given by Knight himself during October of 1908 to members of the R.A.C. Although all this controversy certainly drew attention to the Knight engine, it could scarcely be regarded as an advertisement.

It was decided, therefore, that a test should be carried out, which in point of severity would far surpass anything to which an internal combustion engine had ever before been submitted! It consisted of running two Knight engines continuously for 132 hours under close observation of the R.A.C. They were then to be removed and installed into two Daimler cars complete with five seater bodies, which were to be driven under their own power from Coventry to Brooklands for a further test of 2000 miles. They were then to return to Coventry where the engines would be removed and once again put on the test bench for another five hours brake horsepower test. Then they were to be dismantled so that their condition could be seen after the gruelling they had had, and a full report given to R.A.C. engineers.

The two engines selected were a 38 and a 22 h.p. having a bore and stroke of 124 x 130 and 96 x 130 respectively. They were bolted down to the test bench close together in one of the large engine testing shops at the Daimler Works. This section of the shop was railed off and was under the sole charge and observation of the R.A.C. officials from the start of the test to the finish. The observers kept watch day and night just as on board a ship, and periodically tested the revolution counters and spring balances to ensure that the engines were always running under full load.

Both engines were started up at 6:00am on Monday 22nd March 1909, and each completed the 132 hours on the following Saturday evening. To appreciate more clearly the severity of the test, if the larger engine had been driving a car during the whole time, with the standard gear ratios, a distance of 8252 miles would have been covered at a mean speed of 43.45 m.p.h. The smaller engine would have covered 8830miles at 48.4 m.p.h. The disparity in speed and distance between these results is attributable to the higher rate of revolutions of the smaller engine.

DETAILS OF THE 38 H.P.ENGINE.

First Bench Test.

The speed of the engine was 1200 rpm, giving a limit of 50 h.p. below which it was at no time to fall. The duration of the test was 5 days 14 hours and 56 minutes or 134 ½ hours. There were no stops incurring penalties. There were 5 stops totalling 1 hour and 56 minutes without penalty under rule 6 (2). The load was eased for 19 minutes for brake adjustments but the engine was not stopped. Average horsepower recorded was 54.3 Petrol consumed was 614.75 gallons, equal to .679 pints per horse-power hour.

Running Test.

On completing the first test, the engine was removed from the bench and fitted, under observation, to the chassis without any vital parts being disturbed. A standard 4-seater body was fitted and the car proceeded from Coventry to Weybridge – 112 miles. The average weight of the car and passengers was 4085 lbs or 1 ton 13 cwt 3qts and 25 lbs! The runs on Brooklands track amounted to 1930.5 miles at an average speed of 42.4.mph. The average weight of car and passengers was 3805 lbs. A distance of 5 miles was traversed in running to and from the car headquarters and the track, and with the return to Coventry made a total of 2159.5 miles. The petrol consumption on the track was 20.57 mpg and on the road 19.48 mpg. The ton-miles per gallon were 34.94 on the track and 35.97 on the road!

Final Bench Test.

On arrival at Coventry, the engine was replaced on the test bench and run for 5 hours 15 minutes during which there were no stoppages of any description; the load was eased for 15 minutes for brake adjustments. Average horsepower recorded 57.25. Petrol consumed 22.5 gallons .599 pints per h.p. hour. The Judges append the following remarks to their certificate: ‘The engine was completely dismantled, and no perceptible wear was noticeable on any of the fitted surfaces. The cylinders and pistons were found to be notably clean. The only visible wear in any part, was caused by two joint pins rubbing against adjacent parts. The ports of the valves showed no burning or wear.’

DETAILS OF THE 22 H.P. ENGINE.

First Bench Test

The speed of the engine was 1400 rpm giving a limit of 35.3 h.p. The duration of the test was 5 days 12 hours 58 minutes or 132 hours and 58 minutes. There were no stoppages incurring penalty. There were 2 stops of 17 minutes which did not incur penalty. The load was eased for 41 minutes for brake adjustments but the engine was not stopped. Average h.p. was 38.83 Petrol consumed was 476.5 gallons or .739 per h.p. hour.

Running Test.

The conditions were the same as for the 38 h.p. car test but with the following results. Average weight of car and passengers on the road, 3612.5 lbs or 1 ton 12 cwt 28 ½ lbs and on the track 3332.5 lbs. Distance covered on Brooklands track 1914.1 miles. Average speed 41.88mph. Petrol consumption on the track was 22.44 mpg and on the road 19.48 mpg. The ton-miles per gallon were 33.37 on the track and 31.19 on the road. Total mileage was 2243.1

Final Bench Test.

Duration, 5 hours and 2 minutes. There were no stoppages of any description, the load was eased for 1 minute. Average horsepower recorded 38.96. Petrol consumed, 18.25 gallons .749 pints per h.p. hour. The Judges append the following remarks to their certificate: ‘The engine was completely dismantled, and no perceptible wear was noticeable on any of the fitted surfaces. The cylinders and pistons were found to be notably clean. The ports of the valves showed no signs of burning or wear.’

And so began and ended a test which even today would tax the capabilities of many petrol driven engines.

(Remember, this was 1909 and the book was written in 1946!)

In addition to vehicles, Daimler also produced aircraft, aero engines and other parts plus large shells, and numerous other components of war.

At the end of the war, Britain worked hard to return to normality as quickly as possible, and this included the auto industry, with the first post-war Motor Show scheduled for early 1919.

The next conflict, WWII again saw the Daimler company step up to the wicket. After a couple of decades of development, factory improvements, etc., the company was again bunkered down to production for the war effort, and the associated trials and tribulations suffered by so many companies as a result.

New factories were developed in haste, and the company settled into production of aero engines, gun turrets, gun parts, and a host of other essential supplies for the war machine. One of the most recognisable still today is the Daimler Scout Cars, small maneuverable, agile armoured cars. These were developed very quickly after war was announced and saw active duty in all fields of conflict. I recall my father who, was involved in the desert war, explaining that the epicyclic gear box impressed many, including the enemy, with its ability to withstand the rigors of the desert.

Coventry was severely bombed during the conflict, and the Daimler factories were well targeted, as manufacturers. Daimler got back on track very quickly after the war by using prewar model designs to kick off post-war production, and at the same time getting into development of new models and production areas