Classic Cars in Rhodesia

Make	Daimler	History
Year	1926	Delivered new in Johannesburg to Joseph Griffen who fitted Solex carburettors. Later passed onto his daughter, the car remaining in the family till1952 when it was sold in Salisbury. Owned by Somerset Holdings in 1952, Robert Eaton 1952-1955, S&S Cars 1955-58  Acquired by Peter Bartlett of Bulawayo in 1958, with a broken piston and four broken sleeves and restored by Peter. Basketware seats upholstered in leather
Model	25/85
Chassis No.	S225-24790
Engine No.	47190
Coachbuilder
Body Style	Saloon, body no S2.6.25
Colours	Black
Registration Numbers	TJ-25766/SAF, S-31450/SRH, 10-712-*/RHO	References	2nd Rhodesia International Rally, Automobilist Vol. 3/1; David MacKenzie

Make	Daimler	History
Year	1937	Remains owned by B. Bichard, possibly ex Ralph Abdullah
Model	15HP
Chassis No.	39948
Engine No.	74951
Coachbuilder
Body Style	Was possibly a two seater
Colours
Registration Numbers		References

Make	Daimler	History
Year	1939	Ex Zambia, the car was found in Hatfield Harare by Dan Van der Byl. Sold from his estate to Dennis Green, then to Ralph Abdulla. Being restored in 2015 by Shaheen Abdulla. Believed to be one of four in the world (around 8 built?)
Model	L18T / DB18?
Chassis No.	47368
Engine No.	27513
Coachbuilder	Salmon & Sons
Body Style	Drophead coupe
Colours	Blue
Registration Numbers	K-1314/NRH	References	Photos: Shaheen Abdulla

Make	Daimler	History
Year	1946	Belonged to John Smith in Rhodesia before being acquired in stripped down condition by Johannes Klompenhouwer of Salisbury, who also owned the 104 Ladies model on this page. When stripped further the chassis had the mark of the Royal Equerry; The Daimler & Lanchester Club said that this, together with the coachwork being by Mulliners and having a sunroof meant it was one of the car used for the Royal Tour of Southern Africa in 1947. Sold to a collector in the Ladysmith area of Natal.
Model	DB18
Chassis No.
Engine No.
Coachbuilder	Mulliners of Birmingham
Body Style	Saloon
Colours	Grey
Registration Numbers	356-325-J/RHO	References	Johannes Klompenhouwer

Make	Daimler	History
Year	1955	Owned by Rob Ecob's father in Bulawayo, possibly painted Light Grey. Later acquired by Keith Stewart of Bulawayo.
Model	Conquest
Chassis No.
Engine No.
Coachbuilder
Body Style	Convertible
Colours
Registration Numbers	214-246-A/RHO	References	Keith Stewart

Make	Daimler	History
Year	1958	One of two 1958 Ladies Models delivered new to Wests Motors Bulawayo. This one is one of five fitted with a Borg Warner Autobox instead of the usual Wilson Pre-select box. Acquired in Lusaka, Zambia in 1975 by Johannes Klompenhouwer of Salisbury, from a dealer in Cairo Road. Resprayed and reupholstered in Salisbury. Engine overheated on a trip to Ladysmith, South Africa and trucked back to Salisbury. Later sold ont but not known to whom. Noted in Arkie Kassim's yard in the 2000s. Rescued by Tony Jordan along with two Studebakers (a Hawk and a Daytona). Later sold on.
Model	104 Ladies Model
Chassis No.	96895
Engine No.	87767
Coachbuilder
Body Style
Colours	Silver and Blue
Registration Numbers	EV-8800/ZAM, 274-801-D/RHO	References	Shown on page 816 of Volume 2 of "Daimler Days"; First two photos Viv Rudman, other photos Johannes Klompenhouwer.

Make	Daimler	History
Year		Owned in the 1970s by Bertie Tozer, possibly taken to Cape Town in 1977 when Bertie moved there. Bertie also owned a Daimler Conquest as well as a 4.25-litre Derby Bentley
Model	Majestic
Chassis No.
Engine No.
Coachbuilder
Body Style
Colours
Registration Numbers		References	Debbie Vaughan

Make	Daimler	History
Year	1962	B spec car, ordered on 30 October 1962 by Sagers Motors (Pty) Ltd of Bulawayo and Salisbury. It is unknown as to which branch the car was delivered to. This car was the second SP250 imported by Sagers, the other being chassis 104050. Fitted with laminated screen, adjustable steering column, wire wheels, heater and demister, cigar lighter, hard and soft top. Fitted at some stage with engine 89935 ex chassis 101491 a UK SP250. Believed to have been owned at some stage by G.J. Christie of Salisbury. In the mid 1990s this car was in running order. It was then sent to a garage to be serviced. The Manager dismantled the car hoping to sell off the parts, as he had done with various Jaguar MKII parts off customers cars, but the parts languished at the garage until acquired by a Mr. J.K. Sinns. Acquired by Alistair Fawcett in 2011, who is currently rebuilding the car.
Model	SP250 Dart
Chassis No.	104108
Engine No.	97247 now 89935
Coachbuilder
Body Style	Sports, body no. 737-2258 (2259?)
Colours	Ivory with red interior and black soft top, later sprayed British racing green
Registration Numbers	165-D/SRH?	References	Alistair Fawcett

Make	Daimler	History
Year	1963	Registered in the UK on 4th April 1963. Later noted in Zimbabwe with Norman Mendel. This may be one of the cars destroyed by Mr. Mendel in Zimbabwe, possibly around 2006. It appears that there were three SP250s in Zimbabwe in the 1980s/1990s all eventually owned by Mr Norman Mendel. One was a light electric blue car, the others possibly green.  It appears that at least two of the Mendel cars were destroyed by Mr. Mendel before he left Zimbabwe. He certainly took at least one car car to South Africa and then New Zealand, later taking it back to South Africa?
Model	SP250 Dart
Chassis No.	104197
Engine No.	97412
Coachbuilder
Body Style
Colours
Registration Numbers	786 JOB	References	SP250 Club of New Zealand

Make	Daimler	History
Year		Owned by a Mr. Barnard in Northern Rhodesia, who was a press room foreman in Nkana. Often used for fishing trips.
Model
Chassis No.
Engine No.
Coachbuilder
Body Style
Colours	Two tone blue
Registration Numbers	NK-7649	References	Bob Summers

Make	Daimler	History
Year		Bulawayo Mayoral car, still in use in 2011. Another photograph of the Daimler
Model	DS420
Chassis No.
Engine No.
Coachbuilder
Body Style
Colours	Black
Registration Numbers		References	Dino Androuliakos, Peter Watt

Copyright © Wayne M. Kennerley 2021

A number of photographs used on this website are from unknown sources, if you feel an image used may be one of your own please contact the webmaster below.

Webpage by WMK Designs - Contact Webmaster