Daimler DS420 Various technical illustrations

 

  logo (1.7kB)

This web page shows various technical illustrations. Many of these are separate handouts that were added to the Owner's Manual, but we start with a brochure from the Park Sheet Metal Company:

 
 
ParkSheetMetal-p1   ParkSheetMetal-p5
 
ParkSheetMetal-p2 ParkSheetMetal-p3 ParkSheetMetal-p4
   This beautiful 1987 brochure from the Park Sheet Metal Company of Coventry shows, among other models, DS420 body shells in production.

The pages can be enlarged by clicking.

The brochure has publication no. 2M/4.87

  ParkSheetMetal-p6   

According to the book Daimler and Lanchester by Brian Long, Park Sheet Metal assembled the bodies of the DS420 before they were transported to the VandenPlas works in London/Kingsbury. VandenPlas did the final assembly to make them ready for sale (until all production was moved to Jaguar in Coventry in 1979). Body parts were supplied to PSM by Motor Panels of Coventry and by Pressed Steel Fisher. Also. PSM had built the very first (three) prototypes of the car in 1967/68. This brochure dates from 1987, which is 20 years later (and 8 years after the VandenPlas works closed); but it states that PSM is still involved in producing the DS420 body shells.

 
 
Autocar Cutaway (32kB)    The Autocar magazine was famous for its "cutaway" drawings of cars. This one first appeared in an article of June 13, 1968 (see it on the page with magazine articles of this web site). It was republished e.g. in the Autocar of Oct. 17, 1968, together with a large number of other "cutaways".

Click the illustration to enlarge it.

 
 

The web-page with production figures shows how the limousines and hearses changed to a 6-digit serial number format halfway through 1979. This was part of the international Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) format adopted by manufacturers world wide. The table below picks out the codes most common for DS420 limos, but you may have to enlarge the chart to find the explanation of other code letters.

1-3Manufacturer Ident.: SAD=Daimler, SAJ=Jaguar
In April 1987, Jaguar started using SAJ, even on Daimler Limousines.
4Vehicle Marque: D=Daimler
5Model Range: W=Limousine
6Class: A=Baseline spec, V,Y=USA spec.
7Body: T=4 dr.Limo, W=4 dr.hearse
8Engine variant: L=4.2
9Transmission/Steering: 3=Auto/RHS, 4=Auto/LHS
10Model: A=Limo
11pre '87: C=Browns Lane Plant;
after '87 Emission control info, or in Canada, USA & Korea: Year of built code
12-17Serial no.: from 200001=limo, from 400001=hearse
  VIN number chart

This chart has publication no. JMM 2499 3.

The RTC9887CD Parts Catalogue from 1985 states in its introduction that the VIN-prefix for hearse-chassis is DWAZL3AC; according to the chart shown here it would have been DWAWL3AC.

Click here for a tabular overview of all DS420 numbers.

 
 
 
lubr p1. (13kB)    This lubrication chart/poster was added to many early Owner's Manuals. It measures 54×45 cm. The one shown here has publication no. E.1017/4, and is copyrighted in 1972. It has the note: Printed by Haynes Clark & Co., Ltd., 176 Gooch Street, Birmingham, B5 7HE.

If you click on the picture, you get a large version (61kB), but even there the texts may not be easily readable. Therefore you can view the three columns separately here:

An earlier edition of this lubrication chart, publication no. E.1017/3 (slightly larger than the above one: 56×49 cm.) has the same drawing, and the same text in the Recommended Lubricants column. The text in the leftmost column Routine Maintenance is different.
 
 
 

Around 1973 the Borg Warner 8 automatic gearbox was succeeded by the BW12. The Owner's Manual 1038/1 from 1974 covers this BW12. The Operating Details leaflet shown here was additional to the edition before that.
Publication no. of the B&W leaflet: E.1037/1, the white/red leaflet has no publication number.

BW12 p1a. (15kB)
BW12 p1. (17kB) BW12 p2. (16kB)
BW12 p3. (11kB) BW12 p4. (4kB)
 
 
 

At about the same time, the carburettors changed from SU-HD8 to SU-H.S.8. This leaflet was added to the Owner's Manual before its printing was adapted to the new carburettor. It applies to cars with engine numbers from 7M2503 (which was late Spring 1973).
No publication number.

HS8 p1. (5kB) HS8 p2. (3kB)
 
 
 
This leaflet, publ. no. AKM 3969, is also about the carburettors:
carb p1. (4kB)
 
 

This publication (no publ.no. listed) came with a 1978 limousine sold in London:

Airco p1. (6kB) Airco p2. (6kB) Airco p3. (5.5kB)
Airco p4. (7kB) Airco p5. (4.8kB) Airco p6. (6kB)
 
 

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