Lot Ended
Description
Current owner 19 years; always in regular use; interesting history;
fabulous Edward Turner 4.5 V8 engine; one of only 1,180 made and few
surviving
A proper Q-car,
the Daimler Majestic Major was launched at the 1959 London Motor Show and was a
much more powerful supplement to the Majestic which had gone on sale the
previous year with a 3.8-litre straight-six engine. Despite its staid looks, the
Majestic Major was an advanced car for its time with coil-sprung independent
front suspension, a well-located ‘live’ rear axle, servo-assisted Dunlop disc
brakes all round and power steering.
Its
trump card was under the bonnet which housed Edward Turner’s fabulous 4.5-litre
hemi-head V8, conservatively rated at 220bhp with some 300lb/ft of torque. Mated
to Borg-Warner three-speed automatic transmission, this transformed the Majestic
into a high-performance executive rocket, sprinting to 60mph in just 9.5
seconds, cruising comfortably at 100mph with another 25mph on hand if required.
To Jaguar’s embarrassment it was actually faster
than their own MkX with its XK engine, and they were quick to stifle production
of Turner’s magnificent V8 when they took over Daimler in
1960.
An even bigger nine-seater limousine
version was made available from 1961 and remained in production until the
Majestic Major was phased out in 1968, by which time 864 limousines had been
made and 1,180 saloons which makes this a very rare car indeed.
Affectionatley known as 'Dorothy', this Majestic
Major saloon was first registered in London in January 1966 and comes with
a vast history file from new which will take the new owner many happy hours to
digest. She was originally owned by The Hon Mrs EV Rhys of Ringwood, wife
of Richard Rhys, 9th Baron Dynevor, who owned the Llandeilo Estate in
Carmarthenshire.
She was to keep Dorothy
for the next 30 years during which time she covered c.60k miles and was
regularly maintained by Dawson Engineering of Burley, Hants. In 1995 she
was acquired by a surgeon, Mr A Evans of Cardiff, who sent her to
Jaguar/Daimler specialists RG Bate Engineering of Birkenhead for a major
overhaul which included a rebuilt engine and much work to the brakes, steering
and suspension at 62,700 miles.
From 1997 –
2002 Dorothy was owned by well-known Daimler enthusiast and car collector
Mr E Warrender who lavished much money on the car including a full repaint;
brightwork rechromed as required; gearbox rebuilt; cylinder heads rebuilt;
interior woodwork refurbished; new front and rear windscreen rubbers
fitted.
Our vendor acquired Dorothy in 2006
and has used her regularly, adding some 17,000 miles to the odometer and
keeping a detailed log of every journey made in the car and all work carried out
during his 19-year ownership. She seems to have averaged around 20mpg
although she did return 28mpg on one 164-mile run which earned an
exclamation mark in the diary!
Apart from regular
servicing and waxoil treatment, expenditure of note in the current ownership
includes: repairs to the front wings/valance; new carpets; new seat belts front
and rear; new door seals; hub caps and bumpers rechromed; Kenlowe fan;
electronic ignition; high-level brake light; extra sockets for satnav/phone
charging; four new tyres in 2019 at 96,121 miles.
Documentation includes many invoices from new; at least 20 old MOTs;
many old photos; maintenance manual; handbook; detailed usage log; period sales
brochures and road tests plus much useful technical literature relating to the
model.
This majestic Daimler has now covered
97,683 miles and we are told that she drives well and has always been very
reliable. Driven to the sale from Hereford, she has been starting promptly and
running beautifully as we have moved her around on site, with effortless
power steering. As you can see in the photos, Dorothy looks most attractive for
a lady her age with a sumptuous wood and leather interior including
lambswool rugs to keep the rear passengers' feet
warm.
Only the second Majestic Major we
have sold in 20 years of hosting these auctions, Dorothy is a rare
survivor these days as many have been broken up by specials builders keen to get
their hands on the magnificent V8 engine. It could be a long time before
you see another for sale so bid vigorously now and it could be you who takes her
home...
Consigned by James Dennison – 07970
309907 – [email protected]