Daimler Regency

Displayed to the press on 26 September and the following week at the Paris Motor Show, it was first shown to the British public at the October 1951 Motor Show.[4] The DF300 model designation was used for right-hand drive and DF301 for left-hand drive. The chassis included a number of new developments from the Daimler Consort which was still in production. The engine was moved well forward, the ground clearance increased by one inch and the chassis side members lowered. It was fitted with a new 3-litre 6 cylinder engine derived from the 4 cylinder 2-litre engine in the production Lanchester Fourteen. Twin SU carburettors were fitted to give 90 bhp at 4,100 rpm.[5]

The shape of the standard Barker saloon body closely resembled the much smaller Lanchester Fourteen, except that the headlights were fitted into the mudguards in the same position as the Daimler Consort. It was joined in 1952 by an Empress II saloon, limousine and convertible, all with razor-edge styling by Hooper.

Only a small number of Regency Barker Special Sports were made, perhaps three. They were externally distinguished by having front-hinged doors, not the "suicide doors" of the smaller-engined version. The usual Daimler Fluid Flywheel coupled the engine and its Wilson pre-selector 4-speed gearbox.

All new car sales collapsed in 1952 while the nation waited for the removal of a "temporarily" increased purchase tax, finally eased in April 1953. Including Empress models, an estimated 49 3-litre cars were produced[6] before production stopped.[7]

A Hooper Empress Mark II was first exhibited at Earls Court in 1952 (chassis 82002). Hooper produced 33 examples, plus one on a standard 3-litre chassis (80002). Power was boosted to 100 bhp at 4,400 rpm by using an aluminium cylinder head and a higher 7.5 to 1 compression ratio.[9]

Note that Lady Docker's October 1953 Earls Court Motor Show car Silver Flash was listed in Hooper records as a 3-litre chassis, but with chassis number 85001. This was a Lanchester Fourteen chassis modified to fit a Daimler 6-cylinder engine.[10]

Chassis numbers

Source:[6]

Model	Number	Notes
DF302	82000-82027	Right-hand drive Hooper Empress Mark II, except for 82001 a coupe and 82008 a fixed-head coupe.[6] All Empress Mark IIs were six-light 4-door saloons, except for two four-light 2-door examples on chassis numbers 82006 and 82007.[11]
DF303	82400-82404	Left-hand drive Hooper Empress Mark II. Four cars only as 82402 was not built.[6]

It is thought that about half of all 3-litre Empress Mk II models survive.[6] Both 2-door examples survived into the 21st century.[11]

Regency Empress by Hooper 1953

The revised Regency DF304 labelled Mark II was announced in October 1954. Left-hand-drive cars used the DF305 designation. The new more flowing body was slightly longer with a much longer boot and mudguards and was lower-set. It could now be purchased with a 3½-litre or 4½-litre engine. Again there was a Hooper version, the Empress IIa and III but now also the Sportsman four-light saloon with coachwork by Mulliners (Birmingham).[12] The (at first only) 4½-litre Sportsman with three-piece wrap-around rear window and extra interior luxury features was announced a few days later[13]

Introductory pricing including tax: 3½-litre / 4½-litre engine

Regency Mark II saloon: £2,324 / £2,778 with the new Tubeless Tyres fitted as standard equipment

Regency Sportsman saloon: £2,650 / £3,104[14]

The revised chassis was again made of box section steel and was cruciform braced. The side members rose over the rear axle and were not underslung like the Consort. The suspension was independent at the front using coil springs but retained traditional leaf springs and live axle at the rear. Automatic chassis lubrication continued to be fitted, operating "thermostatically every time the engine warm(ed) up", and the propeller-shaft centre bearing was "prepacked with grease" so did not require lubrication.[15] However, the propeller shaft itself was not served by the system and four grease points required "attention every 1,000 miles".[15] Marles worm and double roller steering was used.[1] Brakes were Girling hydro-mechanical – hydraulic at front, mechanical to the rear – as was standard Daimler practice at that time on the Consort, Conquest and Lanchester Fourteen.

Commercial

A spacious interior married with "an abundance of polished hardwood, not only for the facia but also for the door cappings, a floor .... covered with thick pile carpet" and the car's driving qualities will have attracted admiration, but purchase tax on cars was high and in 1954 the UK manufacturer-recommended retail price, including tax, for the standard bodied 3½-litre Daimler Regency was £2,324.[19] That price included a heater, but customers requiring a radio to be fitted would need to find another £48.[19] In the same year Jaguar's recommended UK retail price for the similarly sized (and very effectively promoted) Mark VII was £1,680.[20] (Jaguar buyers also received the heater included in the price, though they were obliged to find an extra £50 for a radio.) The price differential is probably enough to explain why relatively few Daimler Regency models found buyers but it should be pointed out that the Daimler was a much more substantial and durable product assembled with much greater care than Jaguars of that same day and aimed at quite different customers.

Regency Mk II 3½-litre

Announced in October 1955[23] the 3½-litre engine was given a new cylinder head and compression ratio of 7.6:1 generating almost 30% more power (137 bhp (102 kW; 139 PS) @ 4,400 rpm) to push the same 2-tonne Mk II to 104 m.p.h.[27] With upgraded brakes and interior, branded with a fluted boss bearing a large D in the centre of its back bumper, it was advertised as the 100 m.p.h. Daimler One-O-Four, when there were no open-road speed limits. The One-O-Four name refers to a prototype reaching the speed of 104 m.p.h. during testing. During 1956 a Borg-Warner fully automatic gearbox became available.[23] A One-O-Four Lady's Model was produced, finding only 49 customers. The special accessories in the Lady's Model inspired by Lady Docker became optional extras the following year. The One-O-Four was eventually replaced by the Daimler Majestic. When it first arrived in July 1958,[28] the Majestic replaced the automatic One-O-Four. If customers wanted the pre-selector gearbox, they could still choose a One-O-Four. No more than 559 One-O-Fours of all models were produced before production ended in 1958. The car did not appear at the 1958 Earl's Court motor show.[29]

One-O-Four Upgrades

Numerous upgrades to the Regency Mark II were incorporated into the Daimler One-O-Four. The following is a summary of the major changes. In addition, many minor changes were introduced.[30]

Part or assembly	Notes
Engine	Aluminium alloy cylinder head. Compression ratio increased from 6.5 to 7.6. Quick-lift camshaft. Diaphragm type SU carburettors. Power raised from 107 bhp (80 kW; 108 PS)@4,000 rpm to 137 bhp (102 kW; 139 PS)@4,400 rpm.
Gearbox	A fully automatic Borg-Warner gearbox option became available in the autumn (fall) of 1956.[31]
Brakes	Fully hydraulic brakes with vacuum assist replaced hydro-mechanical brakes.
Hand brake	On floor between door and driver's seat.
Steering box	The Regency's Marles steering box was replaced by a Burman unit.[30]
Rear axle	Ratio raised from 4.3 to 3.92 or optionally 3.64.
Hub caps	Flatter hub caps fitted replacing the Consort style ones on the Regency.
Body	Pressed steel A and B door pillars replaced the Regency's cast pillars.
Windows	Electric window option available.[30]
Trafficators	The Regency Mark II's turn signals controlled by a flasher unit were replaced with Trafficators in the body B pillar, except for DF311 USA imports.[30]

One-O-Four 3½-litre

Sportsman 3½-litre

Sportsman 3½-litre

Empress 3½-litre

Empress 3½-litre

Empress Mk II

Citations

Sources

• Douglas-Scott-Montagu, Edward John Barrington & Burgess-Wise, David (1995). Daimler Century: The full history of Britain's oldest car maker. Sparkford, Nr Yeovil, Somerset, UK: Patrick Stephens. ISBN 1-85260-494-8.
• Smith, Brian E. (1972). The Daimler Tradition. Isleworth, UK: Transport Bookman. ISBN 0851840043.

• Special Sports fixed head coupé by Barker DF302
• Regency DF304 Mark II
• Empress II saloon by Hooper
• Sportsman saloon by Barker, 4½-litre
• Silver Flash for Lady Docker