1977 Daimler Sovereign Vanden Plas. LHD! 4-SPEED! 1-Of-A-Kind. See VIDEO.

1977 Other Makes Daimler Sovereign Vanden Plas LHD! 4-Speed! 1-Of-A-Kind. VIDEO. Description

1977 Daimler Sovereign Vanden Plas. Left-Hand-Drive. 4-Speed. One-Of-A-Kind! Listed on behalf of the owner. Located in PORTLAND, OREGON. Sold new on December 23, 1977 by Hern Group of Exeter, Devon, England. Originally equipped as a right-hand-drive automatic. The first owner drove it for two years. Acquired by the second owner who drove it sparingly until 2005 when it was acquired by the third owner with just 21,033 miles on the odometer. (Verified by MOT records.) The third owner was an electronics expert who divided his time between the UK and Las Vegas. Planning to emigrate to the US, he spent countless hours and £5000 to convert his beloved Sovereign to Left-Hand-Drive. Using a donor car from Switzerland for the left-hand components and a correct 4-speed overdrive manual transmission from a Jaguar XJ6C, the conversion was complete. The car was exported to the US in the fall of 2008, however the owner decided to part with it in 2009. It was acquired by the current owner, Paul Duchene (Executive Editor of Sports Car Market magazine) in 2009 with just 33,997 miles on the odometer. Wanting a unique, top-flight Daimler, in 2010 Duchene commissioned Ray Nierlich (formerly "Doctor Jaguar" in Newport Beach, California) to perform a complete restoration of the mechanical components of the car. It was a four-year, painstaking process including rebuilding the engine, clutch, driveline, brakes, wheel bearings and seals, front and rear suspension (including a 3.31:1 limited-slip differential), new shocks and steering rack, radiator, plus a manual V-12 choke. A new, correct vinyl top was sourced in the UK and installed. A correct Phillips AM/FM Shortwave/Longwave radio was also fitted and the air conditioning system was upgraded. The rebuild, completed in 2014, cost in excess of $15,000. Today, the car looks, runs and drives beautifully, delivering 21 mpg at 75-80 mph and outhandling many modern cars. On a whim, the car was taken to the Sacaramento, California British Field Meet in 2015, where it took second in class behind a freshly-restored, over-the-top Mark 2. It now shows just over 40,000 actual miles, which is documented by the extensive file of papers and original manuals that accompany the car. The paint is a Charcoal Metallic in very good condition, having been re-painted while in the UK. The interior is original and lovely, as would be expected in a 40,000 mile car. It includes the complete, original tool kit. Overall, this is a one-of-a-kind Daimler that is ready to show or go anywhere. The only reason for selling is to make space in the garage for another acquisition. A low reserve has been placed on this car (little more than the cost of the rebuild) and it certainly could not be replicated today for the price. Please bid accordingly. WE WILL HAPPILY SELL TO BIDDERS, WORLDWIDE. Thanks for looking and GOOD LUCK! If the video link below is inactive, please go to: https://youtu.be/Dw2A-MAGpbE