While I tend to consider myself mostly an admirer of beautiful things, I have a massive soft spot for the ugly ducklings out there. Witness my absolute love of the A-6 Intruder, an aircraft most consider to be the ugliest plane in the Navy’s historic arsenal. Similarly, I’m a massive fan of oddball vehicles and one of those cars, the Daimler SP 250, is today’s Good Find Friday feature.

The Daimler SP250, with its quirky charm and British flair, stands as one of the more unconventional entries into the sports car market of the late 1950s. Originally introduced by Daimler as the Dart (a name retired for obvious reasons), the SP250 was designed to bring some pizzazz to a lineup better known for sedate luxury than for sporty thrills. Targeted specifically at the American market, the car made its debut in 1959 at the New York Auto Show.

Under the hood, Daimler tucked in a lively 2.5-liter Hemi V8—a surprising and compact powerhouse that churned out around 140 horsepower. This engine gave the lightweight SP250 some real bite, making it capable of reaching speeds near 130 mph. With a fiberglass body draped over a steel chassis, the SP250’s aesthetics stirred debate: the bulbous, fish-like face and awkward tail fins made it instantly recognizable, if not unanimously appealing.

While the SP250 showed promise as a thrilling roadster, its initial reception was far from smooth. Early models suffered from structural issues, with the chassis prone to flexing under spirited driving. Stories of the doors popping open on aggressive cornering are among the most promulgated, but Jaguar’s acquisition of Daimler in 1960 led to crucial upgrades. The “B-spec” revision added an extra chassis brace, taming the SP250’s wobbly nature and earning it more respect among enthusiasts.

Despite its improved handling, the SP250 never truly reached the mass market due to a lack of dealer support and a limited production run of around 2,654 units. Today, however, the SP250 stands as a fascinating chapter in British automotive history—a quirky classic beloved by those who appreciate its eccentric styling and spirited V8 heart.

Today’s feature car is a B-spec model of the Daimler SP250 built in 1962. Following many years of storage, the car was acquired by the seller in 2023 and brought back into roadworthy status. A left-hand drive model, it’s currently being sold at no reserve by a Colorado dealer on Bring a Trailer.

The Daimler SP250’s front end has been likened to the face of a catfish, and it is undeniably similar in appearance to the bottom-feeding aquatic feline. Like the fish, it’s an acquired taste but it’s certainly an eye-catching car that will easily draw a crowd. This car’s fiberglass body is said to have been repainted in the past and various scratches are visible in closeup photographs of the paint. The overall finish features extensive “orange peel” and if the paint is thick enough, a cut and polish could do wonders.

Light pitting is visible on the chrome bumpers front and rear, as well as the trim pieces surrounding the head and tail lights, which appear uncracked. A brown soft-top is shown in the raised position in all photographs and appears to be in good condition with clear rear windows. A hard top was available for these cars and would add a lot more weather-proofing, in addition to really amplifying the Batmobile-like styling of the car.

Moving to the interior, the materials look worn but not horribly so. I can’t say whether the materials are original, but the appearance is similar to the original leather seating, down to the carpeted seat backs. Contrast piping on the front seats lightens up the cabin and while Daimler would build the car to whatever spec you wanted (it was a luxury brand after all), no evidence is presented to show this as original.

A worn steering wheel with lever to control the directional indicators blocks the view to the gauges, which appear to be factory-correct Smiths units. The covered dashboard features a rear view mirror, toggle switches, a set of helpful gauges and the ignition switch. Hidden underneath are controls for the heater and an aftermarket stereo.

The car features a 4-speed manual transmission with a dry plate clutch and a rear axle ratio of 3.58. Most cars didn’t have an overdrive and there’s no mention of one optioned for this car. 

Painted knock-off wire wheels were standard on the Daimler SP250, and this car’s wheels each show cosmetic wear. The passenger front tire is partially flat, which could suggest the rim or tire has damage. The date code on one tire appears to be 2016, so it’s about time for replacement due to age anyway. Braking is provided by discs on all four corners, a very progressive move for the time.

The engine on the Daimler SP250 is a high point of the car, being a 2.5-liter hemi-head V-8 rated conservatively at 140hp that could propel the car to 130mph. This is a very impressive figure for a sports car in the early 1960s, even more so when you consider its economical at an average of 30 miles per gallon. Overspray abounds on the interior engine bay surfaces, with the chassis number and build plate covered with white paint.

The chassis of this car is barely shown in the photographs. Allegedly a copy of the Triumph TR2, X-shaped central bracing ties outer longitudinal box sections together. The suspension is independent in front while the rear is typically British “cart springs” damped by lever shock absorbers. Prone to rust in certain areas, it’d be nice to see closeups of the chassis on a lift. What is visible does appear to be pretty solid, though.

The car is sold with a clear title, a box of vintage spares, and a rather nice write-up from the shop that did the refurbishment work to get the car back on the road.

This car was previously offered on Bring a Trailer in March of this year, but that listing had a reserve and ended in a no-sale with a final bid of $31,250. This auction expires tomorrow, November 9th.

The market for the Daimler SP250 doesn’t appear to have had ANY bump from the pandemic buying spree. Prices have slowly been declining since the market peak back in 2015-2016. In the last year, values have slackened by about 12%.

Listing this one at no reserve is a bold move, especially considering the time of year and the declining values. It’s entirely possible the lack of a reserve will result in some spirited bidding for this oddball, but it’s equally likely that the car will end up being a potential bargain relative to the market average of around $37,000.

I’m out of the running, as my height would make me look like a mismatched action figure in a toy car, but if you’re of average stature this could be a great buy if you like these as much as I do.

What do you think? Is this a good catch or would you throw it back?

UPDATE: This Daimler SP250 sold on Bring a Trailer for $32,000, or $33,600 including buyer’s premium. I wouldn’t call that a bargain, but a solid price given the car’s condition. Well done, seller!

Wolf and Mare provides car finding, appraisal and auction services for sellers and buyers of collector European cars. We also provide importation services. Give us a call or drop us a line!