Daimler Regency (DF300) 1951-1953

The Daimler Regency DF300 series was a luxury car made in Coventry by The Daimler Company Limited between 1951 and 1956. Only 52 examples of the first Regency were made because demand for new cars collapsed just weeks after its introduction. Almost two years later a lengthened more powerful Regency Mark II DF304 was announced but, in turn, it attracted few customers and it was replaced by the very much faster up-rated One-O-Four DF310 announced in October 1955.

[B]Regency DF300[/B]

Displayed to 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. The chassis was from the 2½-litre Eighteen Consort. It was fitted with a new 3-litre engine design derived from the Lanchester Fourteen.

The shape of the standard Barker saloon body closely resembled the much smaller Lanchester Fourteen. It was joined in 1952 by an Empress II saloon and 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. Only 51 Regencys were made before production stopped.

Marque historians believe only three DF300s survived into the 21st century: a prototype finished as a pickup and used as a factory runaround (57001), a Hooper Empress (80002) and a standard saloon (80005).

[B]Silver Flash[/B]

Lady Docker's October 1953 Earls Court Motor Show car, Silver Flash, was a metallic-silver two-seater two-door fixed-head coupé on the 3-litre Regency DF300 chassis. Alloy panelled with a large 'Sundym' glass panel in the roof the black leather seats were piped in red. The usual vanity drawer with silver accessories slid out from below the dashboard. Dashboard and door cappings were red crocodile leather as were the two fitted suitcases behind the seats. A pair of fins decorated the long tail. The car was first finished in green. The green clashed with the interior trim so, 48 hours before the show was to open Lady Docker telephoned the designer, Osmond Rivers, to tell him to respray the car in metallic silver. The name Silver Flash was inspired by the famous BSA Golden Flash motorcycle. Silver Flash won no prize in the coachwork competition run at the Show. The new Conquest roadster took second place in the coachwork competition.

[SIZE="1"]Source: wikiedia.org[/SIZE]