1976 Daimler Sovereign Coupe

The vendor has owned this Daimler for nearly three years. “It has a good history file,” he says. “The body is in excellent condition, but the interior could do with a little attention. I have recently completed work on the brakes and gearbox, as well as giving the car its yearly service.”

The cost of rebuilding the automatic gearbox ran to £1900, with restorative works to the braking system coming in at £375.

Restored in mid-2003, the Daimler comes with invoices in its history file from this period for in the region of £14k. Work completed at the time included engine removal, strip and replacement, removal and fitting an air-conditioning system from a donor car and a full, bare-metal body repaint. The rear arches were also altered to accommodate new wheels and tyres.

Further invoices in the car’s history file show it to have been previously restored in the early 1990s, with comprehensive work carried out to the bodyshell including completely new floors, inner and outer sills, suspension mounts, rear valances, lower rear quarters, boot floor, rear wings and door skins. The engine also had a full rebuild at that point.

“I have another two classic cars, and I didn’t really know which one to sell,” explains the vendor. “However, I’ve decided to part ways with the Daimler.”

That decision means that this stylish Browns Lane coupe is ready for a new owner.

It’s a majestic looking old thing, the Daimler Sovereign Coupe. They went through a long period of Arthur Daley type banger associations, but have come through that, to remind us just how smart a visual package one offers.

This example’s body is still holding up well from its 2003 restoration. The paintwork is decent, albeit with blemishes here and there, such as the odd chip along panel edges, a bit of lacquer peel on the roof just above the offside C-pillar and what looks to be some minor corrosion on lower extremities like the bottom edge of the front lower valance. This can be seen in our Photographic Gallery below; time taken flicking through it will also reveal an underside that looks to be honest in terms of condition.

Panel gaps look straight, and doors close easily. Brightwork is generally good, although the chrome wheel trims could certainly do with a bit of TLC, or even full refurbishment.

The vendor is right about the interior as it’s a bit tired in places. The leather seats are generally in nice condition, but the rear of the driver’s seat has come loose, as have some of the door cards.

Solid metal is revealed under the carpets, again lending confidence in the condition of the floor pan. Up top, the cream headlining ensures that the cabin retains a light ambience, but again it’s coming loose at the nearside front corner. The centre column and wood both look okay, and there’s a nice sporty three-spoke leather-trimmed Moto Lita steering wheel.

Pop the boot and it’s clear that the rear boot seals have seen better days and could do with replacement. Lifting the carpet reveals a spare wheel, while whipping that out reveals solid metal with just a touch of surface rust evident. We’d get straight in there with a wire brush, followed by a bit of Hammerite application, to get on top of it.

If you’re quite relaxed about your cabin, then you can easily sit back and enjoy this one, or you can be a busy bee and get to work smartening it up – both dispositions will work.

The vendor says that the Daimler drives very nicely. The recently rebuilt automatic gearbox performs well, allowing the 4.2-litre, six-cylinder engine to deliver its wares smoothly. Brakes too, after their recent works, are sharp and the whole package is a pleasure.

The engine bay is no uber-concours show winner but, as you’d expect of a car that’s been driven and enjoyed, it presents in good condition. The exhaust manifold is in excellent nick and looks to be a relatively recent addition – we’d guess during its last restoration/refurbishment works in the early 2000s. There is room for under bonnet visual titivation, if that’s your thing, or you could simply continue to enjoy driving it as is.

The included V5c document in the car’s history file indicates that it’s had a grand total of 13 owners from new. It also confirms its date of first registration in the UK as being the 12th of December 1975.

You will also find several invoices from 2003 (for £1750, £2135, £4200, £1050 and £5235) for the restoration carried out on the vehicle. In addition to this are invoices from its previous restoration during the early 1990s.

A range of expired MOT test certificates are also present, as well as an air conditioning wiring diagram and a recent online vehicle check.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of the paperwork to support our claim that this car has been restored and then maintained to a good standard.

Despite recent increases, for us, the Daimler Sovereign Coupe remains a significantly undervalued model. Especially when you consider the combination of those alluring coupe looks and its smooth-six cylinder driving characteristics.

This example’s recent expenditure means it’s in nice usable condition, and can be driven, enjoyed and further improved at your leisure. In a sea of relatively mundane modern metal this lovely classic is one that will see you stand out aesthetically with aplomb.

It will dispatch Sunday strolls, high-speed cruising and ambles to classic car shows with ease; all the while popping a Seventies smile on your face.

It comes with that pleasing private registration plate, too.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ, Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.