2023-04-28 10:53:57 | pauls writes:

Car offered at:

www.carandclassic.com/auctions/1969-daimler-420-gN9qP8

Seller's description:

1969 Daimler DS420

Colour White

Odometer 2,414 Miles

Engine size 4235

Seller Type Private

Town Nine Ashes

Location Essex

Country United Kingdom

Presentable, solid late model Daimler 420 with scope to drive and improve

Good mechanicals and has just been serviced

Useful factory power steering and auto box make it very useable

Characterful blue leather and wood veneer interior in good condition

MOT and tax exempt

First registered on 14th October 1968

MOT expired 31st August 2018

Has covered less than 1,000 miles since last MOT and under 1,500 miles since 2012

MOT history supports current mileage which appears to be 102,414

VIN records confirm this is a factory supplied 1968 Daimler Sovereign with automatic gearbox

One of only 5,475 Daimler 420 Sovereigns built over two years and the 1,900th from the end of production 

History file has unfortunately been lost

The Interior 

Dark blue leather interior in good condition with patina of age

Good carpets and door trims

Complete and good chrome fittings and switchgear

Wood veneer to dashboard in good aged condition

Headlining in excellent, unmarked condition

Front seatbelts fitted

Original radio 

The 420 could trace its architecture back to the Mk1 of 1955 but Jaguar cleverly evolved the interior to suit changing tastes. The Sovereign’s dashboard is a blend of classic Mk2 features – like the central key and push start – with later XJ stylings, like the padded top.

The interior of this late model Sovereign is in remarkable timewarp condition, perhaps reflecting what appears to be a low overall mileage. It is trimmed in dark blue leather, the condition of which is generally very good, just the big, spongey front seats showing creases typical of age. The rear bench seat is in very good condition. 

The carpets throughout are also in good condition. 

Elsewhere the black vinyl door cards and the chrome fittings are good and complete. Only the nearside rear passenger door armrest shows any sign of wear – the piping on the side wall is beginning to pull away. 

The stretch of dark wood veneer across the dashboard is undamaged and looks good from a distance. Up close there are signs of the veneer beginning to crack across its length, but it is not unsightly and might respond to a careful restorer’s attentions. 

The blue vinyl trim around the speaker in the passenger front footwell has some marks on it, which look they may clean off. 

The headlining is good, there is a period radio fitted and the dials are complete and the Seller states that they all work. 

The boot area is less presentable, the vinyl mats being in poor condition. 

The Exterior

Resprayed bodywork possibly in Old English White, appears to be factory correct judging from boot area

Underside in solid condition but with scope to improve

Bodywork is generally presentable but with localised deterioration in various places

Chromework appears to be original and has some pitting on most items

Original Daimler painted steel wheels with chrome embellishers

This car has clearly been resprayed at some point in its life. It is an older repainted that remains presentable but is beginning to deteriorate in various places. It is not unsightly so the car could be used and enjoyed whilst running restoration work is undertaken.

Based on photographs of the boot area, which appears not to have been repainted, the car appears to have originally been white so the respray is factory correct, although the precise shade may vary. 

Moving around the car, the nearside front arch has small bubbles of corrosion on it and the same on the base of the rear arch. Both nearside doors and the B pillar also display signs of deterioration, particularly on the base but also elsewhere on the panel. 

The nearside rear arch has corrosion and paint cracks around the fuel filler flap and there is micro blistering across the panel. The remainder of the car does not appear to suffer from micro blistering but as white is a difficult colour to assess in photographs the buyer may wish to check this with the Seller. 

The paint has cracked on the nearside rear wing top where it meets the rear panel.

The offside is in similar condition with deterioration and some localised paint flaking to both arches, including where they meet the sill, and to both doors, although not as significant as the nearside. On the driver’s door there is poor paint under the chrome, perhaps indicating that the car was resprayed with the chrome in place.

On the front of the car there are smudges of rust stains around the ventilation panel on the scuttle. The rest of the front of the car appears good, including the base of the screen and the vulnerable leading edges of the wings.

The underside of the car reflects a similar condition to the bodywork. The boot floor looks solid and the paintwork here appears to be original. The last MOT was in 2017, expiring in August 2018. As this means there is little information about the structure the buyer may wish to factor this into the sale. 

The original painted steel Daimler wheels with their pretty chrome embellishers are in good condition and a rare sight compared to the wires of most 60s Jaguar saloons. They sit on budget tyres.

The chrome and badging around the car appear to be original and complete and presentable. Most units show light pitting, including the front and rear bumpers. It is not unsightly but contrasts to the generally fresh paintwork. The only damage is to the rear bumper which has a shallow dent in the centre. 

The Mechanics

4.2litre version of Jaguar’s durable XK engine

Twin carburettors

Upgraded 3spd Model 8 Borg Warner automatic gearbox with column shifer

Independent S-Type rear suspension – the same as on the E Type

Classic Jaguar twin fuel tanks 

The specification of this 420 Sovereign would have likely been very appealing to buyers back in 1968 and its attractions remain for modern classic drivers. The 4.2litre version of the long-lived XK engine is durable and with plentiful parts supply, the 3spd Borg Warner automatic gearbox is an improvement on earlier versions and the power steering is particularly welcome on this heavy car.

Unfortunately the history file for this car has been lost so it is not possible to interrogate the servicing and maintenance records or verify the mileage. The MOT history is only available for 2012 to 2018. It indicates very little use whilst appearing to verify the current mileage. The car appears to have done just under 103,000 miles but this cannot be proven.

A further appeal might be the classic Jaguar twin fuel tanks: popularised by the XJ, this system was introduced on the 420. As well as enabling drivers to balance the load over the rear wheels, there is also the added advantage of being able to refuel using multiple pumps in the petrol station.