1957 Daimler Conquest Century New Drophead Coupe
Only 56 examples left the Coventry works equipped with the side-facing third-seat arrangement that defined the New Drophead Coupe variant, making this among the rarest configurations from a manufacturer long associated with British Crown service.
Daimler’s Wilson preselector gearbox, operated via a small lever on the steering column and engaged by depressing the clutch pedal, represented one of the most distinctive transmission systems ever fitted to a production automobile.
The Century designation arrived in 1954 when Daimler fitted a high-compression aluminum cylinder head with twin carburetors and enlarged valves to the 2,433 cc inline six-cylinder engine, raising output to 100 brake horsepower.
This powerplant, derived from the Lanchester six-cylinder engine family, drove through a fluid flywheel to the preselector transmission.
Independent front suspension utilized torsion bars, while the live rear axle rode on semi-elliptical leaf springs. The 104-inch wheelbase cruciform chassis followed traditional Daimler practice.
Four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes provided stopping power for a car that was period-quoted as capable of 100 mph.
Production of the New Drophead Coupe variant began in 1956 as a replacement for both the roadster and saloon configurations, continuing through 1957.
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