My Cars

I bought my first sports car, a used Daimler SP-250, when I was in college. It ran well but had been wrecked, poorly repaired with a non-standard body, and otherwise abused by previous owners. I drove it until multiple problems sidelined it

Me at 21. College guy in his first SP-250, #101232.

Compare post-wreck non-standard bodywork to tailfins on #100127 below.

#101232 became a parts car for my second SP-250, #100127, which was my daily driver for two decades. My Daimlers were fast, pretty much reliable, but very flawed...

The doors could, and did, fly open. The steering column was a spear pointed right at my heart. And the brakes once failed completely when a single brake line cracked.

Beautiful scenery, so-so car.

That's me with my second Daimler at Montana De Oro State Park near San Luis Obispo.

Look closely, you'll see the bungee cord holding the door closed. This fix "kind of" worked.

Video! See an SP-250 at speed at Santa Barbara in May, 1962.

I moved to the L.A. area in 1995. Driving my manual shift Daimler in traffic was bad, but when a truck pulled up next to me, its exhaust pipe 18" from my face, I knew I had to make a change.

Link to Christian Demler's beautiful SP250!

Link to Paul Richards' memories of the SP250

I sold my Daimler and all my spares to a restorer in Australia and bought a 1984 Porsche 928S. This ultimate luxury cruiser was, contrary to reputation, dead reliable and a joy to own and drive in all ways.

My 928 on the Big Sur coast, Spring, 1997. Note "Ziegelrotmetallik" paint.

I could scare myself pissless in corners without getting near its limits, and cruise easily at 125 mph on cop-free desert highways.

I sold the car in August, 1999, and I still (even in 2012!) wish I hadn't.

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