LAGONDA RAPIER.

[DrData]

Bernie,

 

Always enjoy pictures of your travels with the Lagonda through Europe. Your and your wife are indomitable. I am really impressed that you coaxed the Rapier up the Col du Tourmalet. That is quite the climb!  I am also impressed that you made it down safely. My only experience the even remotely approaches that one was the time I moved to the West Coast of the US driving an old U-Haul truck, filled with furniture and books, with questionable drum brakes, and towing a Datsun 280ZX Crossing the Rockies and the Sierras with that rig was adventure enough.  To make it even more hair-raising, the trailered 280ZX belongs to my wife and I did not want to have to call her and tell her what possibly could have happened to her "baby."

 

Hope you are well and safe from the COVID.

 

Cheers!

[oldcar]

I can only think of about 5 times that KG has been on a trailer but certainly not recently. Meanwhile I still do not know if this past few days has cured my itchy feet or made them worse. Only time (and old age) will tell. Meanwhile a very good old friend has told me that he is almost certain he knows where that Lagonda 3 Litre is, and has been ever since I sold it!   It seems as though it has not turned a wheel since!

I plan to go and look for it as soon as we are allowed to move  outside our front gate.

'Til  then....

Just as a thought, My very first Lagonda was a 3 Litre.

 

Bernie j.

 

Edited May 6, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

If there is one good thing to come out of the current (world-wide) lock down or lock-in as the case may be. It is giving me time to straighten up some of the hundreds of photographs I have falling out of a pile of decrepit albums. Now  for the benefit of any of the doubters out there, I have found what is possibly is the only photograph I have of the Lagonda V12 Saloon that I had for a short time. This was one of the short chassis "Sports" saloons. It is now back in a privately owned collection of a dozen or so V12 Lags in New South Wales, Australia. At the very least this does give some credence to my claim of having owned at least one of every engine sized Lagonda made in the 1930s.

 

Bj.

 

Edited May 3, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

To  clarify the bit about Lagonda Engine "size", during the 1930s Lagonda built a range of cars with various engine sizes.

i.e. 1100cc, 2 Litre (4 cylinder) 2 Litre (6 Cylinder) 3 Litre (6 Cylinder), 3.5 Litre (6 Cylinder), 4.5 Litre (6 cylinder) and 4.5 Litre (V12). 

While not an original "Factory" engine size you could now add 1500cc (4 cylinder) as there  are several Rapiers around the world that have had their engines increased to this size.  All were "overhead valve" with the V12 having a single over head cam for each bank and the Rapier being twin cam.

Over the years a number of Rapier owners have increased the engine size  from 1100cc to 1250cc and finally 1500cc.

All Lagonda models were produced in relatively small numbers. i.e. Just over 100 V12s and less than 400 Rapiers. All Rapiers were sold in Chassis form only and were fitted with a variety of "Coach Built" bodies made to the customers individual requirements. It has been said that no two Rapiers are exactly the same!

 

Bj.

Edited May 3, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

With Rapiers, viewed from the front they are all similar  But viewed from the rear they are all quite different.

The first photo is front view of one of just two Australian Built "Supreme" two door saloons. The second phopograph shows the same car from the rear parked next to my "Eagle" two seater.

 

Bernie j. 

608

Edited May 3, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

Going back through some of these old photographs reminds me just how long we have owned KG and of all the places it has taken us and the things that we have done together. Just yesterday with not very much else to do I started to give it another of its big clean ups, not that it is really dirty or shabby, mainly stone chips and a small "ding" on the right hand rear mudguard. Since going over the worst of this scrape with a mild cutting compound it has all but disappeared. The only thing that could need  another coat of paint is the undersides of the mudguards but that may need to wait for another day or two.

For those people who actually do drive their cars, when did you last check the condition of the paint under your mudguards. fenders, wings or what ever other term you use? I have just checked and I do have a container of the correct "Deep  Brunswick Green" on the  shelf. I did think about painting the wheels again but this would be a much larger project as the tyres would need to be taken off and they would need to be sand blasted first.

The main problen with all this is that if I make it too good I may be reluctant to take it out on the road again.

I will need to take the wheels off to paint under the mudguards and I could probably "freshen up" the wheel rims at the same time.

It is  mainly the rims that are starting to look as though they could use a "freshen-up". I could always add a small amount of black to the green to take away some of the "Newness". First they need to come off the car for a really thorough wash. I probably need togive the brake drums a ferst coat of paint too but then where do you stop.?

Bj.

 

IF I am going that far I may as well buy four or five "spray cans" of the paint and give the wheels a coat of fresh paint myself.  Only time will tell, I may end up doing nothing.

 

 

Bj.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

6 hours ago, oldcar said:

  Only time will tell, I may end up doing nothing.

 

 

Bj.

 

  Hey, I resemble that remark.  LOL

 

  Ben

[oldcar]

Thank you Ben, 

Right now I am waiting on my friendly sand-blast/paint man to come back to me with comparitive quotes for painting the five wheels with either enamel or two-pak. 

To repaint the wheels (properly) will involve jacking the car up and putting a stand in each corner, then removing all the tyres (tires) and delivering the wheels to his factory. Once he has done his bit I will then have the job of refitting the tyres without damaging the new paint.  With the tyres refitted the wheels will need to go and be balanced again. Before puting them back on the car I will need to repaint the brake drums to match the new colour on the wheels. 
In writing this I am slowly becoming aware of the amount of work and probable expense involved. Perhaps the wheels just need a good wash?

 

Bernie j.

685.

 

 

Edited May 6, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

I have decided that for the present I will not be doing anything about the Lagonda's wheels, If I do anything I will probably just give then a thorough wash and perhaps freshen them up with a coat out paint out of a "spray;can".  As it is the car is probably looking as good as it has for some time now. I do need to discover why the generator stopped charging while we were away in Tasmania.  While not urgent this is something that I will have to do some time soon. I have recently bought a "Volt meter" which will assist in doing this.

 

Bj.

Edited May 6, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

Perhaps after all this time I should explain myself. This more so in relationship to this Forum. I am extremely grateful to all the members of the AACA. During my time with American made cars it was probably more "correct" that I would make use of the AACA "Forum".  While this may be so, I do feel that as so many of the "members" have made me welcome, that there can be no harm if I continue. 
I must confess that I do, perhaps selfishly, tend to use these pages as a restoration diary and as record of my adventures with "our" Lagonda Rapier in particular. 

This in itself may be viewed as selfish if only because of the very small number of these cars that were produced. Having said that, it could be said that without my participation many of you would have never heard of any Lagonda cars let alone the Rapier. I should perhaps consider myself indeed fortunate that throughout my adult life, there have been only a limited amount of time that I have not owned a Lagonda of one model or another.  As with almost all my "Vintage" cars these have virtually all been purchased as "Restoration Projects". There is just one valid reason for this. It all comes back to the one thing. That is the only way I have ever been in a position to own them!

 

Bernie j.

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[Frank Tate]

I will speak for myself here Bernie and say that I am extremely grateful that you do use the forum and I get to see your cars and learn from you.  So, I too am selfishly using the forum.  😉

 

Keep on keeping on!

Frank

[oldcar]

Ahhh Frank

I am pleased to see you using a good old Australian Domestic Paint Manufacturer's advertising "catch phrase". "Keep on keeping on" was used to promote the lasting quality of their household range of paints and enamels.   In Australia this doggerel has been around for as long as I can remember. i.e. A very long time!

Thank you,
Bernie j. 

At least I can appreciate your meaning!

 

784

Edited May 10, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

Meanwhile with the Covid "Lock-in" there can be no excuse for leaving all those unfinished jobs until "later". For me it is frustrating as I cannot go out and start checking on the exact where abouts and condition of the Long Forgotten Lagonda 3 Litre "Special". You have not heard the end of this yet but we may have to wait a few weeks more. 

 

Bj.

799.

Edited May 11, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

 

 

 

Meanwhile with the Covid "Lock-in" there can be no excuse for leaving all those unfinished jobs until "later".

For me it is frustrating that I cannot go out and start checking on the exact where abouts of the Long Forgotten Lagonda 3 Litre "Special". You have not heard the end of this yet but we may have to wait a few weeks more. 

Bernie j.

Edited May 16, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

While we here in Australia continue with our "Covid 19 Lock in", one of my very good friends who lives in the same area has told me that he knows the street and house where the 3 Litre was last seen, albeit some years ago, there has been no other sighting of the car so it is highly probable that it is still there, hopefully tucked up safely in a garage. Once we are free to move around I will go and investigate if in fact it is there and if I can see it and perhaps talk about buying it back.

 

Bj.

 

887.

Edited May 16, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[DrData]

Bernie,

 

Good to see you re still posting through COVID-19.  In the Bay Area of California where I live, we are ever so slowly coming out of hibernation, good news since the engine rebuild on my TD is finally complete.  Imagine, not being able to find three 10 mm bolts in BSF threads here in small town Northern California   While it is nice to see some businesses opening up, I do find it interesting that people under 40, for the most part, refuse to wear face coverings in public; I guess they think the pandemic has passed, like our rainy season..  Yet, that age group has the most diagnosed cases in our county.

 

Our postal service finally got them here, only two days late, and the final assembly was done.  Now driving a bit seating the rings, which seem to be doing really well, at working out some kinks. I'll probably take it in for some adjustments this week. Normally they are things I would do myself but I will defer to the mechanics who did the rebuild.

 

In reading your posts, I suspect you are working yourself up to dragging the 3-liter Special back to your carport if you can.  I hope so, since your posts on your projects are always interesting.

 

Cheers,

 

 

[oldcar]

Hello Dr Date,

That 3 Litre was to be my original intention but in this life you can never be sure of things,

Completely out of the blue I have changed horses and I am buying (back) the 1929 Renault Monosix. I had started to rebuild it then had one of my fits and sold it. 

It is at much the same stage as that 3 Litre but it was not so many years ago. Hopefully the four new tyres I put on it will still do for a "Cosmetic Restoration". You will have to move over to the French car section of this forum to follow it. I should have it home by the weekend. If you have never seen one of these enchanting French cars you have a lot to learn !!!!  Just for a start there are TWO radiators, one on each side at the rear of the engine behind that bank of Louvres.

This photograph was taken some years ago having sold it, it was about to depart from our home. I doubt that anything has changed.

In terms of Rarity this one falls into the same category as "Rocking horse poo".

 

Bj.

 

 

 

Bj

[oldcar]

Meanwhile the Lagonda Rapier still takes pride of place, I still need to investigate the lack of volts coming from the generator. I have bought a little Volt-meter but it is only telling me something I already know. With the Co-vid 19 shutdown it takes the pressure off having to "look at it". Using an external battery charger means that the car is OK for short day trips. Especially if there is no night driving requiring head lamps on.

Mean while you can keep an eye on my proceedings with the Renault..... AACA Forum/French Cars/Renault Monosix.

 

Bj.

Edited May 21, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

Meanwhile being a very good little car, "KG" waits patiently while the dreaded French Renault occupies most of my time. I still have not even looked at the lack of Volts coming out of the generator something I really must do.

 

Bj.

[oldcar]

 

With our "Co-vid 19 Lock down", the poor little Lagonda Rapier is still suffering while that dreaded French Renault is hogging all my attention. I have now found where I had hidden my stock of carbon brushes, so I have no excuse for not attending the KG's Generator. I still have to finish my current job on the Renaults rear brakes and have a "Big tidy up" But I promise that the very nextjob will be to "attend to" the Rapier's generator (dynamo).

 

Bj.

 

1147

 

Edited August 2, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

I have now sorted out (found where I had put them) the generator brushes and put the Rapier's battery on to charge.

Depending on tomorrow's weather I should start by taking the generator out and checking it out on my bench.

  more on this after I have looked at it tomorrow, I need to start by setting the ignition to firing Number 1.  

The Distributor is driven from the rear of the generator. 

I have also cleared some of the junk off my bench so there can be no excuses.

 

Bj.

Edited August 3, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

Hello DrData

I am glad that you asked about the Rapier. It has been sitting quietly in our carport for weeks & weeks, only last night I put the battery on to be charged. I fully intended to be working on the generator today but while we have not had any rain it is freezing cold. We are told that there is snow on the nearby hills but I am not going outside to look. So the generator will wait.

When Tim Ashcroft stood at his drawing board to design the Rapier engine, all those years ago. (Early 1930s) He had several things that he took into consideration. One of the first things was "There will be no belts and pulleys on my engine." Every thing is positively driven! The generator is gear driven at crankshaft speed  by the "Half time" gear. The TWO camshafts are chain driven from the front of the same gear. A single chain goes to a triple sprocket at the front of the cylinder head, from there there are two chains, one to each camshaft. The distributor is driven from the rear of the generator. The Rev-counter is driven from the back of the exhaust side camshaft. Everything is very neat and compact. I may be a little strange but I always derive a great deal of pleasure working on the Rapiers engine. I have taken the front part off both air filters so you can see how neatly the generator is tucked into the space under the two carburettors. The steering box is mounted on the chassis alongside the engine. As "KG" is fitted with 1 1/2 inch carbs they do take up a little more space than the standard 1 1/8th SUs. Looking down in the first photograph you can just see part of the aluminium sump. This holds approximately Two Imperial Gallons. In a standard Rapier engine the oil pump is submerged in the sump driven by a shaft in turn gear driven by a shaft from the centre of the inlet camshaft. Again "KG" is different, The oil pump is mounted  on the front of the cylinder head driven directly from the front of the "Triple Sprocket", This is a high volume, high pressure pump similar to the that fitted to the "Mini Cooper S". Directing your attention to the second photograph, you can see just how snugly the distributor fitts in between the two carbs. This a Bosch distributor that is one of the most compact available.

"KG" has an incredible history starting its competition career immediately after WW2 in the late 1940s when Its them owner  Beatrice Shilling built its first two seater sports/racing body. From there it had a series of owners until its last UK based owner brought it to Australia when he migrated there in 1956/8. Shortly after arriving in Australia he sold the car to me, Bernie Jacobson. At that stage It was partially dismantled and incomplete, At that time I already had on order form the Rapier Register one of a batch of "Eagle two seater" sports bodies that a group of members had commissioned. My original thoughts was to continue racing the car as a stripped sports/racing car. It did not take very long for me to realise that the car was simply too good to be "just another Rapier "Special".  I then ordered the four (swept) mudguards and sorted out a pair of headlamps, etc, to make the car suitable to register for driving on the road. From there the rest is history, with my wife Helen we have driven KG over100,000 miles, mechanically it has undergone an almost continuous series of development . Engine capacity has grown from 1104cc to 1232cc and now is 1,500cc. It is capable while still in full road trim of just under 100mph yet can be driven easily through modern day road traffic. KG has taken Helen and I over a formidable array of European Alpine peaks and through virtually every country in Europe and around much of Eastern Australia.

I am sorry but NO, "KG" is not for sale.

The photographs trace "KG's" path over the years, there is one photograph of our daughter Anna, the only other person to have driven the car competitively on a regular basis. Anna had the use of the Rapier for one years competition in VSCC and Historic Racing events. In that year she managed to win the VSCC of Aust's "PVT Cup" for the best overall performance in Club Competion over the year. She is seen at the start of a Rob Roy Hillclimb, Victoria, Australia.

The other(black and white) photo shows Beatrice Shilling driving the car as it was in the early 1950s.

Finally on the Col de I'isean the highest road pass in France.

The one other photograph shows the car stripped of lamps and mudguards at a VSCC (UK) Silverstone meeting, just before it came to Australia, a much younger Helen and friend looking at it.

 

 

"

 

[oldcar]

The above was first posted under French cars as a reply to a question by Dr Data.

It just ran away a little bit. Hopefully no one is too upset by this.

Bj.

[oldcar]

Another"lovely" winters day in Melbourne, Australia,with temperatures in the "single digits". No rain this morning, but some weak sunshine. Just right to be working in an open "carport" on a concrete floor. I have this morning taken the generator off the Rapier's engine,  removed the worn carbon brushes and replaced them with a pair from my stock of only slightly second hand ones.

Connecting it up to my battery charger, It "motored" quite satisfactorily indicating to me that I could replace it back onto the Rapiers engine and provided there were no other hidden problems all should be good! Now I have to go out into the cold and refit it. Perhaps tomorrow.  The last two photographs taken just a minute ago show 1. The Rapier standing in the open carport & 2. The view from where I am standing next to the car with the rain just commencing to fall. Those observant people among you may have noticed nah I have removed the air filter from the front carburettor in order to gain just a fraction more room to work in. 
The photograph of the generator on my 'bench, clearly shows the location of the distributor drive and the robust drive gear.

Bj.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

That wintery scene  is slightly better this afternoon so I must go out and attempt to finish the job that I started during the week. I hope to have the Rapier able to be started again very soon.

 

Bj.

Edited August 8, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

So OK! I now have the Rapier starting "on the Button" and ticking over very nicely. Putting a test lamp on the generator terminals it is definitely producing about the correct amount of current but the voltage Regulator/Cut-out is/are not working as it/they should.The last person to do,  I know not what, was the "helpful garage" in France who would not let me enter their workshop. I will now need to "Back 0ff" the adjustments on the "regulator" and endeavour to discover what is preventing it from working. from "Step 1."  Oh what fun! I do have a nice little collection of "Electricty for the (home) mechanic" type books so I have my bed side reading mapped out for the next three or four nights. 

 

Spark-spark!

 

Bj.

[oldcar]

Hello again

I have now put the voltage regulator points back to where they should be and everything is now working correctly with the generator working and the regulator cutting in just as it should. Once I had put my mind into gear it is quite straight forward. I backed the adjustment right off and then carefully closed the points to what looked like about the correct gap and "Hey-Presto" It is charging at about 10 to 12 amps and then gradually cutting back. Mr Lucas would be pleased!

 

Bernie j.

 

.

 

What is Missing?  Nothing! The combined Oil Pressure and Radiator Temperature gauge is to the right directly in front of the driver, just where it should be!  AND I have just had time to go over the car with a duster and polishing cloth, so everything is now back to normal.

Itis just a pity that we are all "locked down" so that "Brisk test drive" will have to wait.

Edited August 10, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

As mentioned above the oil pressure and water temperature were combined in the one, twin gauge. Unlike some manufacturers Lagonda struck a balance betwen keeping the driver informed and having a cluttered and often confusing array of instruments scattered across their dashboards. By keeping these two most important gauges together and slightly away from all the other gauges meant that the driver could quickly identify and read the information provided in a glance!

The turn indicator switch (white) is easily identified and reached by the  drivers right hand. It has the telltale (warning,) light in the centre of the switch. The rotating (larger) switch controls the dashboard illumination.

 

Edited August 11, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

This "Drivier's eye view"shows how everything is in its logical place and only the combined ignition (key) and main light switch is slightly hidden by the rim of the steering wheel. The gear change lever is within easy reach of the left hand and the "fly-off" hand brake lever on the right. Very much a "driver's car'  and a delight to drive. The "button" on the end of the hand brake lever is pressed down to "set" the brakes, this is released by simply lifting the lever slightly.

When using the hand brake to hold the car, as in parking or traffic, etc, the lever is lifted and then simply let go to drive on.

The "starter press button" is right in the centre of the dash board and within easy reach by the drivers left hand.

The two 'tell-tale" lights at the top of the dash are for headlamp high beam and the extra pair of "driving lights".

The gear selection lever moves through a "fore & aft" arc, reverse has a small "lock out tab" is furthest forward, then as the lever moved progressively back, Neutral, 1, 2, 3, and Top gear right back towards the driver.. Each gear is "Pre-selected" and then "engaged" by pressing the "change pedal" (clutch) down and then releasing.  Gearchanges are positive and as fast as the driver can press in the (change) pedal and release it.......

The Horn button is in the centre of the steering wheel. The Lucas "Altette" horn is mounted at the front of the car on the bar between the headlamps.

 

Bj.

 

 

Bernie j.

Edited August 11, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

Really feel guilty, boring you all with totally irrealivent nonsense. 

Perhaps I should just go away and leave you all to your nice uncomplicated Chevs and Fords!

 

Brrum, brrummmmmmmmmm.

 

Bj.

[DrData]

Bernie,

 

Thanks for the shots of the Lagonda dash and interior.  Aside from the faces, the instruments are virtually the same as the ones in my 1950 TD, most of the switches look the same, as well.  It is interesting that you have the combination water and oil gauge... the TD did not get that until around 1952 or so.  Mine came only with the oil gauge.  However, I also have a matching water gauge that was apparently a dealer installed extra. I have seen the same gauge installed in the same location on other early TDs.

[oldcar]

Hello Dr Data

What you are saying just confirms again something that I have known for quite a long time. That MG were 20 years behind the Rapier, in fact in some things they will never catch up. All Rapiers were made in the later half of1934 or in the first half of 35!   TD MGs did not exist until some time in the 1950s.

Rapiers are all Twin overhead cam, something that MG did not get around to until they made a very small number of "Twin Cam" MG A's. This was not until the late 1950s or early 60s. It just goes to show just how advanced the Rapier was! All LAGONDA Rapiers were made between July 1934 and July 1935. These were all hand built in minuscule numbers, a total of LESS than 400 cars. ALL the Lagonda Rapiers had individual hand built bodies. It can be said absolutely truthly that there are no TWO Lagonda Rapiers exactly the same. There are some minor but none the less important differences from one car to the next. It could never be said that these were Boring or mundane cars. That was true in 1934/5 and it remains true to today.

Just to confuse you a little more. What you are looking at below is not four cars but actually just two!

In actual fact, during my ownership of Number 34,  It was usually driven to the race track, had the lights and mudguards (fenders) removed so that it was raced as an "open wheeler" then the lights and mudguards replaced so that it could be legally driven home again!

The car in the last two photographs is my car "KG". It was totally rebuilt after I bought it in 1976.  This is tha car I still own and drive in VSCC Events.

It has done over 100,000 miles during my ownership.

 

Bernie j.

 

Edited August 26, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

Below are todays two photographs taken only minutes ago. They show KG parked in the same carport it was standing outside almost 50 years ago. Virtual nothing has changed apart from the total milage shown on the speedo. Oh yes! the tonneau coverhas been replaced, changed from a Grey "Salt & Pepper" to a plain black fabric.

 

Bj

Edited August 26, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[DrData]

Bernie,

 

I totally agree about the Lagonda having much more advanced engineering than the MG.  Two things to keep in mind: first, MG was something of a "down market" sports car and was built using a lot of standard Morris and Wolsely components (though I do see some switches on your Lagonda which reappear on my TD); and, second. MG was using single and dual OHC engines until Leonard Lord was hired to "rationalize" the Morris automotive empire in the 1930s.  Thus, the T-series, starting with the TA, used a slightly tuned version of a standard Morris engine, as well as standard Morris/Wolsely driveline components and suspension pieces.  The TD was the first MG to have rack and pinion steering and disc brakes didn't make into MGs until late in the MGA or maybe not until the MGB

[oldcar]

Personally I have never considered myself an MG Enthusiast even though I did have a (AH Sprite based) MG Midget as my daily driver at one time. It was good economical top down driving. At one time I lent it to some visitors from England for about a month. They hated it and thought I could have arranged something better as a loan  car for them. But that was a long time ago.

No one has ever offered to lend us a car on any of our overseas visits. But then we do take the Lagonda Rapier with us so this does not come up very often.

 

Bernie J.

[oldcar]

 

Currently we are watching the Tour de France Cycle race on TV.  It is interesting that they use so many of the roads we have driven on in the Lagonda, the problem is that it is giving us itchy feet although certainly right now is not the time to think about travel anywhere.

This photograph was taken during the 1999 Randonnee de la Vallee du Sancy.

Edited September 6, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

With the Dreaded Renault now sold I can start my search for the Rapier's older and larger brother, the late 20's Lagonda 3 Litre Special I sold quite a long time ago.

I believe that it has not been seen or heard of since or that it has not turned a wheel or progressed since the day I sold it. What motivates these people?

I understand that it is still holed up in the same garage that it was parked in all those years ago not far from the home of a good friend and fellow VSCC (Life) Member.

Right now we are in the middle of a Co-vid 19 Lock down but as soon as the associated restrictions on travel (Outside a 5 Km circle centred on my front door) I can start in earnest, checking this out.  The 3 Litre engine is Lagonda's own design and build, a six cylinder with pushrod overhead valves. This has a "Cross flow" cylinder head, with two largeSU carburettors on the left hand side and a six branch exhaust on the right. From memory there is still some work required on the chasis and running gear. the rear axle, originally from a Mk VI Jaguar has splined hubs that would original worn 18 in wire spoke wheels. This is  again from memory and looking at one of just three photographs I have of it, this needs to be shortened buy about six inches. The front axle came, I think, from a late 1920s Vauxhall 14/40. This too has splined hubs and mechanical brakes with the matching 18 inck wire spoke wheels fitted. All this means that there will be plenty to keep me occupied for some time to come. The original Lagonda 3 Litrechassis was 10'9" wheel-base while the (1928 Austin 12) chassis was 9'4" making it approximately 1'5" shorter and correspondingly lighter. Potentially a very exciting car. I look forward to getting it back and finishing it even though this will entail quite a lot of work, it should be interesting. . . . .  Most of the difference in length will come from the area behind the driver's seat. The second photograph is of the 3 Litre I owneed a very long time ago. It was in fact the very first Lagonda I ever owned. It was a very successful car in VSCC Competition. 

Edited September 27, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

Further to the above, I have just three photographs of the Lagonda 3 Litre Special taken towards the end of my earlier ownership. 

     

Edited September 27, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

 

Just for the next few minutes my attention has been diverted. On the way back home from our almost daily walk my attention was drawn to this child's (20 inch wheel) bicycle with the front wheel  removed and missing the tyre and tube, It had been thrown onto a pile of rubbish to await the town council's garbage collection. As we were very near to home I picked it up and wheeled it home on the rear wheel. Helen very kindly carried the front wheel minus tyre & tube home for me.

I have just sent off an email to the local Bike shop to ask the availability and price of the necessary replacement tire & inner tube(s). 

I will probably replace the rear tube at the same time.

Christmas is comming and I am sure that it will make someone's young boy very happy. It really is one of the "top dogs" of childrens bicycles. It has Front and rear suspension, Six speed gears, Front and rear hand brakes and is almost unmarked apart from one missing tyre.

I have just sent off an email to our local Bicycle shop asking the availability and price of a replacement tyre and inner tube(s).

 

Bernie j. 

 

    

Edited September 28, 2020 by oldcar (see edit history)

[DrData]

Way to go Bernie!  I bet if you told them why you want the parts and the charity you intend to use, they might even send the parts gratis or at cost.