1909 Daimler Restoration Progress

The Tampa Bay Automobile Museum is restoring an exceptionally rare 1909 Daimler TB22 Drophead. Fewer than a dozen examples of this early sleeve-valve automobile are believed to have been produced, and the museum’s car is the only known complete surviving example of its model.

It is also the oldest known complete surviving Daimler powered by a Knight sleeve-valve engine.

Restoring an automobile of this age requires far more than replacing worn parts. Components must be carefully examined, repaired, recreated and fitted by hand while preserving the car’s original engineering and character. From rebuilding its unusual engine to recreating its upholstery, each stage has brought this remarkable Daimler closer to returning to the road.

Evaluating the Daimler

When the Daimler entered the museum’s collection, it was largely complete and could still run. However, it was not operating properly, and the engine required extensive work.

The restoration team began by carefully evaluating the engine, chassis, body, interior and mechanical components. Because replacement parts for a car of this age are rarely available, many pieces had to be repaired or recreated using traditional techniques.

The project was then divided into several major stages, beginning with the car’s most unusual feature: its Knight sleeve-valve engine.

Rebuilding the Sleeve-Valve Engine

Unlike a conventional engine with valves that open and close at the top of each cylinder, the Daimler uses Charles Yale Knight’s sleeve-valve system. Sliding metal sleeves inside the cylinders control the intake and exhaust openings, allowing the engine to operate with less mechanical noise than many gasoline engines of the period.

Although the engine could run when the automobile was acquired, it was not running well and required a complete rebuild. It was carefully disassembled so the restoration team could inspect, clean and repair its internal components.

Museum mechanic Andy explained one of the engine’s particularly unusual features:

Once the rebuilding work was completed, the engine was prepared for installation on the restored chassis.

Restoring the Chassis

With the engine removed, the chassis could be cleaned, repaired and refinished.

The chassis was painted in a period-inspired pale green based on colors available during the early 20th century. Suspension components, wheels, steering parts and other mechanical systems were also inspected and restored before reassembly began.

Once the chassis returned to the museum, the rebuilt engine was mounted in place. This was a major turning point in the restoration, as the Daimler began to resemble an automobile again rather than a collection of separate components.

Repairing the Body

Attention then turned to the Daimler’s bodywork.

The body required repeated rounds of repair, priming and sanding to prepare its surfaces for paint. This careful process was especially important on a body more than a century old, where imperfections had to be corrected without losing the shape and craftsmanship of the original coachwork.

Body specialist Steve said he was “excited and looking forward to restoring this unique piece of automotive history.”

After the preparation work was completed, the body was painted to complement the chassis. The fenders, hood, running boards and passenger compartment were then gradually returned to the car.

Recreating the Interior

The Daimler’s passenger compartment required the same level of specialized craftsmanship as its mechanical components.

New upholstery was created in a complementary blue-green finish, including the deeply button-tufted rear seat and surrounding interior panels. The upholstery follows the formal, elegant character of the original automobile while matching the restored exterior.

The folding top, roof lining, supporting framework and interior trim were also repaired or recreated. Brass fittings and other hardware were restored and carefully reinstalled.

This stage dramatically changed the appearance of the car. With its seating, top and interior panels in place, the Daimler once again began to convey the comfort and refinement expected of a prestigious Edwardian automobile.

Reassembling the Daimler

As the major restoration work was completed, the body, chassis, engine and interior could finally be brought together.

The restored brass lamps, windshield components, exterior trim and hardware were installed alongside the painted body panels. Each piece had to be carefully aligned and adjusted to work with components made more than a century ago.

The transformation is now easy to see. What arrived as a complete but tired automobile requiring major mechanical and cosmetic work has regained much of its original elegance.

What Comes Next

Although the Daimler now appears nearly complete, several important steps remain.

The restoration team will continue fitting smaller components, completing interior and exterior details, adjusting the folding top and testing the mechanical systems. The engine, steering, brakes and other operating components must all be carefully checked before the automobile can return to the road.

The goal is not simply to make the Daimler look complete. It is to preserve its engineering, craftsmanship and historical integrity so future visitors can experience one of the earliest surviving examples of Knight sleeve-valve technology.

See the Restoration at the Museum

The 1909 Daimler TB22 represents an important chapter in the history of the Knight sleeve-valve engine.

Visitors to the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum can also see sleeve-valve automobiles produced by Stearns-Knight, Willys-Knight, Avions Voisin and Panhard, showing how the technology developed across several countries and decades.

Visit the museum to see the Daimler’s restoration progress in person and follow along as this exceptionally rare automobile moves closer to returning to the road.