1932 Double Six with special Martin Walter coachwork takes home Best of Show.
This magnificent 1932 Double Six with special Martin Walter coachwork has a wheelbase just 1in shorter than a Bugatti Royale, and its rakish roofline is just 5ft tall at its highest point. This magnificent restoration was the joint work of British and American specialists for owner Charles Bronson. Thought long-lost, this Double Six was discovered derelict on the Isle of Wight by Coys of Kensington in the ‘80’s.
Pebble isn’t the first win
In 1932 it collected premier awards in the over 1500 pounds class at Eastbourne. Rumor has it the car was built for the film star Anna Neagle and that Alfred Hitchcock had input into its styling.
Not until the early ‘80s was the car heard about again when it arrived at Crailville Coachworks, Southall. “The car was a real barn find but complete”, recalled Dave Brimson.
Discovering the jewel
Charles Bronson discovered the unfinished Martin Walter saloon in 1996 while looking for another Daimler Double Six built for King Hussein of Jordan. Crailville finished the bodywork before the project was shipped to California where Goyette Design completed the challenging task. An early Daimler Double Six 30hp was found in Canada which provided missing spares including the car’s distinctive wire wheels. The seats came out of a Rolls Phantom I. The black woodwork with German silver inlay was restored by a leading piano specialist in America.
Bronson is one of the few to drive a Double Six:
“The bonnet, about twice the length of a SSK, just goes on and on. The sleeve-valve V12 is very fast-revving and, with its Wilson pre-selector, the performance is very refined. Daimler’s build quality was second to none, but the Pebble victory came as a surprise.”
Going to Europe
Europeans may get a chance to see this rare beauty at the Essen Motor Show in November.