Two days, two Daimlers, two awards and a pint of petrol – “Thank you DMG.”

Last year I attended two Car Shows in one weekend, each within half a mile of our home, on Vancouver Island.

The first was the North American “International Jaguar “Concours d’Elegance,”  attracting cars from all over the U.S.A and Canada, with entries coming by road, ferry, truck and at least one by air, all assembling at Windsor Park, a cricket ground upon which I had played for thirty summers, and the weather, at around 25 C, and a slight breeze off the sea, was perfect.

I have had an SP for about 35 years, and a RHD V-8 saloon which I bought in New Zealand about ten years ago, and each is usually used for shopping, taking the grandchildren to school, as a static ‘toy’ for them to play in, or for me to drive to work, so I avoided the judged “Concours Class,” and entered the saloon into the prosaically labelled “Enthusiasts Class;” one chosen by over half of the field.

As the Show unfolded, my 1964 saloon, the only Daimler there, alongside 151 Jaguars, attracted a lot of attention and, even if I had wanted to use a cloth and polish, like most of my neighbours, it would have been difficult since I spent most of the day explaining, or showing spectators and other owners alike, what was under my car’s bonnet, and why the Daimler had even been accepted as an entrant! 

As the Show drew to a close, all that was left was the Awards Ceremony, but as I prepared to leave, I was summoned to the stage, announced as the winner of the “Directors’ Choice” ribbon! I was amazed. It was the first show the Daimler had ever been to, and almost every car around me shone as brightly as the day it had left the factory.

The next day, Oak Bay, in Victoria, closed its streets for its Annual Collectors’ Car Extravaganza. With enrollment limited to 320 cars, the Show completely transformed the usually staid village with live music, fancy costumes, and an estimated crowd of 15,000, not including dogs or children, all catered for by food trucks and ice cream vendors. Overall, the contrast to the rather “proper” Jaguar Show of the previous day was amazing. Anyway, this time I took along my 1961 SP250, a car which I have rallied, and which is no stranger to car shows, either here or the Pacific Northwest of the continent.

Almost every aspect of motoring, from the early 1900’s to the modern era was at the “Extravaganza,”  with many exhibits being rare and/or unusual; most were cossetted, and some also well-used, but all had a common element; namely that every owner was happy to share his/her vehicle with everyone on a completely non-competitive and relaxed basis, even if there were one or two cloths and spray bottles being used!

The SP actually garnered a lot of interest, with people wanting photo ops, asking questions, or uttering the ever-popular statement, at least over here, “I didn’t know that Mercedes made cars like this.” And guess what? It received the ribbon for the “Best British Car in the Show,” which I was pleased to accept on behalf of all Daimlers, everywhere. 

As I climbed into the cockpit and turned the key, ready to drive the 300-yards home, the V-8 immediately sprang to life and, with it’s steady burble, it conjured up someone I met in England many years ago, a gentleman with vision, who had contributed greatly to our weekend, a Mr. David Manners so, as I pulled into our driveway I whispered a well deserved “Thank you” to him.

~ Dennis Brammer