Rapier Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 As you can see from today's photograph, both rear mudguards (wings) are back in their correct shape and the Kangaroo is a shinning example, complete with a new coat of chrome plating. The two (small) wing nuts on the "Number-plate" board are to secure it by the two hooks that hold it onto the tubular rear cross member and prevent it from "swinging" on the main spare wheel carrier. This is actually not supported by the petrol tank but by another "bracket" attached to the chassis. Turn indicator lights are mounted high on the "body" at either side of the petrol tank. The "quick release" fuel tank cap it conveniently placed in the centre of the top of the tank easily reached from either side of the car. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demco32 Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 On 3/30/2024 at 4:19 AM, Rapier said: This next one should be self explanatory, 1000 miles in just four days! This event was only run this once, the Rapier was the only "Pre-war" car competing against a whole rash of "Modern's". As the photographs show through a variety of weather and over a variety of roads. We would do it all again but we cannot find any other potenial starters. like the race in Italy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 (edited) More or less, it was a "Touring" event covering a 1000 miles of back roads, some gravel, in four days. We were the only "pre-war" car entered, competing with Austin-Healy, Triumph TRs, and MG "A" & "B's". An interesting four day's drive. This one was a professional photographer's photograph. It gives you some idea of the conditions. Edited April 20 by Rapier (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 The Mille was held in September 1997 and it is still strong in my memory, the remarkable thing is that despite being a regular competitor in events many that only varied from the Mille in that they were run over two or three days instead of the Mille's four days, road conditions and average speeds were much the same, the Lagonda Rapier looks and drives in exactly the same way. Having had the minor damage to the two rear mudguards (wings) repaired and the car having been given a polish in addition to its usual wash and rub down, looks as good if not better than it did seven years ago. It's Michelin low pressure (20psi) tyres are wearing well and should see another 6 to 12 months use. Quite possibly more. At almost 87, the driver is more likely to "wear out" long before the Lagonda! Bernie Jacobson 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted April 28 Share Posted April 28 Further to the above, it is driving in the Lagonda Rapier that keeps me "young" and fit & healthy enough to enjoy this sort of activity. Out in the open air with, as always, the hood safely stowed away. Today being a Sunday we had another great day out in the Lagonda Rapier. Today again per courtesy of our friends in the VSCC. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 Another chilly Saturday morning here "down-under, I have not yet opened the garage door, Surprisingly the car is still as clean and dust free as it was when we started the VSCC Autumn Leaves run out through the Yarra Valley last weekend, all it needs is for the (actual) Autumn Leaves to be brushed off the front carpet. These would have been carried into the car on our feet. Mainly leaves from the Grape-vines at the lunch stop at a "winery". We shared a bottle of one of their very good "reds". Just a glass and a half, not sufficient to effect my driving. Bj. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 5 Share Posted May 5 (edited) One thing that I am very bad at is, I assume that everyone looking at this knows about LAGONDA RAPIERS. For those who don't, our Rapier started out with a standard 1100cc four cylinder engine, It went through a period of Beatrice Shilling's ownership just at the end of WW2. She rebuilt the car as a two seater racing car. It then went through an unknown number of owners as a "Sports car" with cycle type mudguards (wings). When I bought it it had been reduced to basically "a pile of bits". I went through a process of "lightening" the chassis, boring out the engine to 1500cc, fitting "big" valves, increasing the compression ratio, removing the clutch and lightening the flywheel. It is now fitted with 17 inch wheels with "Low pressure (20psi)" tyres and a "lightweight" version of the Eagle two-seater body. Rapiers have excellent brakes, stopping in 30ft from 30mph. To the casual observer it is just another "Rapier" two seater. It drives extremely well and has a 85-90 mph top speed. We have owned it for quite a long time and have driven it over 100,000 miles, including several visits to the UK and Europe. Despite my advancing age (I am two years younger than the Rapier) I have no thoughts of selling it. Bj. Edited May 5 by Rapier (see edit history) 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 7 Share Posted May 7 (edited) I am really disappointed that no one ever bothers to reply or comment on my "posts" on this forum. Am I completely wasting my time? The Lagonda Rapier is sufficiently rare and "different" that I would have thought to attract some (actual) comment. For a start that it is a fully driveable "road" car that does not have a clutch yet has a completely operational "Manual change" gearbox would have arroused some of your interest. That it has a highly sophisticated "twin overhead cam" engine is not sufficient to even arouse even one person's interest. I could go on but, WHY DO/SHOULD I BOTHER? Bj. Edited May 7 by Rapier (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 (edited) I seem to go through this every four of five years! Now who can tell me the origin of the very un-English name Lagonda? I know already, I am just checking to see how many of you take any notice of what I tell you. You had better get it right or I may have to give you a short sharp jab in the ribs with my Rapier! B.j. Edited May 11 by Rapier (see edit history) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 I believe it is an Indian word meaning Bucks horn. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 Certainly it is an American (Red) Indian word. What its meaning is I am not sure. Wilbur Gunn was an (white) American who went back to the UK to study at Oxford University. He needed transport from his lodgings to Oxford, He started by building a motorcycle and later a four wheel vehicle. People asked hf he would build a similar vehicle (car) for them. Thus started his car production. For this vehicle he chose to name it after the creek that formed one boundry to his parents property, the "Lagonda Creek". Thus the first "Lagonda" was created. None were actually built in America! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demco32 Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 (edited) 5 hours ago, Rapier said: I seem to go through this every four of five years! Now who can tell me the origin of the very un-English name Lagonda? I know already, I am just checking to see how many of you take any notice of what I tell you. You had better get it right or I may have to give you a short sharp jab in the ribs with my Rapier! B.j. the founder was an American who started 1906 the company in the UK. Lagonda Creek, a small river near his hometown of Springfield, Ohio, USA.is where the name comes from I think. Edited May 11 by demco32 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 Thank you Demco32. His name was Wilbur Gunn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 (edited) Now all those years later the name LAGONDA, the cars wearing it and the enthusiasts who own, maintain and drive them have outlived them all Edited May 15 by Rapier (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 20 Share Posted May 20 Just one of my problems is that I have owned and been restoring various model Lagondas from the 1930s that I forget that there are some people looking in here that have never seen a Lagonda of any model made in the 1930s. All I can say is "hang in there" one will appear on this thread eventually. Personally I am "spoiled" as at one time or another during my 87 years I have owned at least one example of every engine size Lagonda made during the 1930s. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 (edited) Despite having owned a number of notable Lagondas I am still convinced that my present car, the 1934 Rapier that I have owned now for a very long time and that tells me that I have driven it over 100,000 miles is the best car that I have ever owned. I have no intention of ever selling it and will leave it up to my family to decide what to do with it after I have departed (died). Meanwhile I will continue to enjoy owning it ..... Bernie j. Edited May 24 by Rapier (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 Haul a++, Bernie. Good for another 100,000? Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 Thank you Ben We can only hope Bernie j. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 28 Share Posted May 28 Every time I go out into the garage or get in it to drive I cannot help but think what a good car it is and how nice it is to drive ir even just to look at. That and how lucky I am to have owned it all these years. BJ. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted May 29 Share Posted May 29 Crazy view. Where is that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 29 Share Posted May 29 Another photograph taken in France while on the "Chanteloup" Rally in 2009 this one shows the matching green vinyl driving light covers. I have somehow lost one of these and I am now waiting for the delivery of a piece of the green vinyl cloth to make a replacement. Below is a photo of one of the originals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 29 Share Posted May 29 (edited) That view was taken "somewhere " in the French Alps on one of our visits to France in the Lagonda Rapier. At the time I was more concerned about the cyclist seen on the right hand side of the car. Bj Edited June 10 by Rapier (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted May 29 Share Posted May 29 In the next photograph of the car parked in the street, you can see the words "Equipe Australie" on the bonnet side. This was removed when the car arrived home after another of its "European tours". In some ways I regret removing this but at the time I considered it "un-necessary". Bj. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 To bring you up to date we are currently planing our next trip overseas (from Australia). This is mainly to the UK (England) for the 90th Anniversary of the Vintage Sports Car Club but we cannot go that far without a quick visit (one day) to France or Paris to be exact. To narrow this further, for Lunch! You do not have to be mad, but it helps! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted June 8 Share Posted June 8 Four weeks today we take off on our little holiday. As mentioned earlier we will be away for about six weeks which should give us enough time to see most of our UK based friends. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Tate Posted June 8 Share Posted June 8 Safe travels Bernie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 I think that the cost will be prohibitive but I have asked our shipping agent how much it would cost to send the Rapier Air-freight from Australia to the UK. The way the world is I doubt that four weeks would be enough time to send it by Sea. All that it would require is an Oil-change and a Chassis grease before it went. Just a couple of hours. It could come home sea freight. It has made this journey several times in the past. The only UK requirement is Comprehensive Insurance for the time that we are away. Bj. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 Good luck, Bernie. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted June 10 Share Posted June 10 (edited) I had forgotten that I had sold the Rapier some/many years ago. The person who had bought it refused to come and collect it. In the end I delivered it to him. When we arrived he asked me to park it in a square that he had marked out with chalk on his garage floor. When I went to look at it, two or three years later, It was still in the same place except that all four tyres had gone flat and it had some rolls of old carpet stacked up over the front seats, etc. I bought it back for approximately the same price I was paid for it, plus a couple of years "interest". I took it home and started what was virtually a full rebuild/restoration. I will NEVER sell it again! Bernie J. Edited June 10 by Rapier (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted June 10 Share Posted June 10 Above, KG fits neatly into my one car, garage/workshop. People looking at the above photo would be amazed at the number of restorations that I have done in this small space. Bj. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted June 12 Share Posted June 12 (edited) Now for something different and may this be a warning to anyone reading this who owns/drives a car with wire spoked wheels. Those are the wheels that you see on Pre-war and 1940s & 50s sports cars. The spare wheel had not been not holding (air) pressure for some time, and I had concluded that it must have a puncture in the "inner tube". Accordingly I took the wheel to the local "tyre service". The first placeI took it to told me that they could not help me as my 1930's wheel would not "go on their "machine". OK, I took it to another tyre service a little further from home, only to be told the same sad story. Ok, Over the past sixty or seventy years I had repaired punctured inner tubes myself on a number of occasions. Taking the wheel home I got down the pair of tyre-levers down from where they had been hanging for an unknown number of years. Some minutes later I had the tyre off the rim and the tube out. Now I could inflate the tube and within seconds discovered a small hole that permitted the escape of air. I marked the spot and then took the tube to the same (expert) tyre service. Oops! I was told that they no longer had either the expertise or the equipment to repair inner tubes, they only delt with "Tubeless tyres". This excuse was again repeated and the other local "tyre service". Ok now I needed a "patch" to repair the puncture in the inner tube. Again I visited both local "Tyre Services". Finally I found a comprehensive tyre repair "kit" a the local "Parts & Accessories" shop. It actually contains far more types and or styles of tyre repair solutions than I needed but it was the only one they had in stock. I could have it at the discounted price of $20. They had had it in stock for some time and would probably not replace it! Fellow enthusiasts please take note. All I need do now is to stick a patch over the "puncture" and replace the tube and tyre back on the wheel and put them back on the "spare wheel holder" on the rear of the car. That and carefully put the "puncture repair kit" in the tool compartment at the rear of the Rapier. No thanks to either of my "local tyre service" establishments. Edited June 12 by Rapier (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 (edited) Now 24 hours later I have just been out in the garage to check the air pressure in the "spare" tyre. The good news is that it has not lost any air since yesterday, this means that despite my advancing age (87) I have not lost the ability to successfully repair a punctured tyre. (tire)............... I should add that this was done the old fashioned way, removing the tyre from the wheel rim by means of a pair of manually operated "Tyre Levers". Back on the rim it may interest some of you, these are genuine French Michelin (low pressure)tyres designed to run at a maximum of 20 psi. Any more than this and the car becomes "difficult". They are branded on the side wall "Super Comfort"........ With the tyres inflated to the recomended pressure the Rapier handles extremely well. The "tread" pattern is typically "Michelin". Similar to their modern (radial) road tyres. Bj. Edited June 14 by Rapier (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 (edited) Looking at the above it must be nearly time for me to get out my tin of green paint and "touch up" the paint on the spare wheel, perhaps even all five wheels. Thinking some more about this perhaps I should wait until I get that "sixth" wheel rebuilt. I have a matching "Michelin" tyre to go on it but need to buy another inner tube! Bj. Edited June 14 by Rapier (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod P Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 Might be easier to grab another tube when your Overseas if you see one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted June 14 Share Posted June 14 Thank you Rod, I will check locally (before we go) and if I have a problem I can see what is available in the UK. Unfortunately this trip we only plan a one day visit to Paris (for lunch?). The rest of the time we will be in the UK for the VSCC 90th year celebrations. Bj. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted Friday at 11:52 AM Share Posted Friday at 11:52 AM This year is of course the 90th year of the Lagonda Rapier. Not that it matters I am just two years younger. As long as I can keep as fit as KG, I will be doing well. Bj. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrData Posted Friday at 09:35 PM Share Posted Friday at 09:35 PM Bernie, Should the need arise admin, I might suggest you take the tube to your local bicycle mechanic either for repair or for a patch kit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted Saturday at 12:27 AM Share Posted Saturday at 12:27 AM The job has been done without my leaving home, over a long period of time I have acquired both the tools and expertise to do most jobs that confront the average enthusiast. I take a certain amount of pride in my ability to do this, I would not know where to find a suitable Bicycle Shop in my local area so I tend to just do the job myself. I seem to keep on saying this but that is the way it is. I was lucky to find a "repair kit" in my local "Autobarn". It seems to have been on their shelves for quite some time and they were so keen to sell it they reduced the price without my asking. It appeared to be doubtful that they would be replacing it with another similar product. Having used just one of the patches out of it, it will now go into the Rapiers "tool-kit". Hopefully I will not get to use it again. Bernie J. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted Saturday at 01:11 AM Share Posted Saturday at 01:11 AM There is already a "hand pump" in the rear of the Rapier, should I keep both or move one or the other out onto a shelf in the garage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapier Posted Saturday at 11:50 PM Share Posted Saturday at 11:50 PM (edited) Having just been out in the garage there is not really a suitable space to put the hand pump so they may as well stay where they are, on second thoughts perhaps I should put the 12 volt electric pump into the Peugeot, I use it (the Peugeot) at least once per week and it has a bare minimum of tools in its "kit". Being a four door sedan it has plenty of space to put things. I just have to be able to remember where it is! Bj. Oops! Having just looked in the Peugeot, while the luggage space is very generous anything put into the "boot" would be just rolling around! The Lagonda's sixth "spare" wheel, rim and centre, have been in there waiting to be taken to a (wire spoke)wheel "rebuilder" for some months, so this is not a good space to put anything requiring some action! I really must do something with the wheel (rim & centre). The Peugeot seems to only go out once per week to take me to play Petanque on a Monday morning! For those who do not know "Petanque" is the (originally) French version of the game of "Bowls" played with metal balls much the same size as a Tennis ball. This is thrown under-arm, the aim is for it to stop as near as possible to the "cosh". (A smaller ball usually coloured red.) Knocking the oppositions ball(s) away is part of the skill required. Bj. Edited Saturday at 11:53 PM by Rapier (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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