Forgotten British Oddball: 1964 Daimler SP250 Project

Some project cars show up so often that people barely notice them anymore. A Daimler SP250 is definitely not one of those cars. This 1964 example listed on Facebook Marketplace out of Cicero, New York stands out simply because most enthusiasts will probably go years without seeing one in person. The seller is asking $18,000 for what they describe as a rare final-year SP250 project that has been sitting in storage for quite a while and will need a full restoration. Thanks for the tip, T.J.!

The SP250 occupies a strange and interesting place in British sports car history. Built by Daimler and powered by a V8 often nicknamed the “British Hemi,” these fiberglass-bodied roadsters were unlike almost anything else coming out of Britain during the late 1950s and early 1960s. This particular car is a 1964 model, which the seller notes was the final year for the SP250.

According to the listing, the car is equipped with its V8 engine featuring side-draft carburetors along with a four-speed manual transmission. The seller says the engine does run, though it is currently out of the car because restoration work had already begun at some point. The ad doesn’t suggest the project is close to completion, instead describing it honestly as something that still needs major work.

The seller specifically mentions the car will require a complete interior restoration. They also state that the fiberglass body and frame are in good shape, though no additional details are provided beyond that. As always with long-stored projects, interested buyers would probably want to inspect everything closely themselves.

A few extra parts are included as part of the deal too. The listing says the car comes with additional brightwork pieces and a factory hardtop, which could be meaningful considering how uncommon these cars have become. The seller also notes that it is a wire-wheel car and says parts availability for the SP250 is still reasonably good.

One thing that gives the ad a little personality is how attached the owner seems to be to the project. They openly admit they hate seeing the car sit unfinished and mention that if it doesn’t sell soon, they may simply continue the restoration themselves. That kind of emotional back-and-forth tends to happen with unusual projects people have owned for a long time.

The SP250 has always lived somewhat outside the mainstream collector market. It’s not an E-Type Jaguar or Austin-Healey 3000, but that’s part of the appeal for some enthusiasts. The styling, fiberglass construction, and V8 drivetrain give it a character all its own, and rarity alone usually guarantees conversation anywhere one appears.

This one clearly isn’t being sold as a turn-key classic. It’s a restoration project, and the seller makes that very clear throughout the listing. But for someone looking for a less-common British sports car with an interesting drivetrain and some unusual history behind it, projects like this don’t appear every day.