Packard Automobiles 1920 -1958

[oldcar]

As a past Packard owner AND restorer I would like to offer Packard enthusiasts the chance to buy an almost mint copy of "Brooklands Books" fascinating Portfolio of "International articles drawn from leading motoring journals covering Packard models between 1920 & 1958."

Interested potential buyers can contact me, Bernie Jacobson by email twooldlags@gmail.com.au.

n.b. I have just the one copy.   

 

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

[oldcar]

Oh yes, about that white "two seater".   It is definitely not a MG. Riley or Singer! It is in fact a relatively rare 1934 Lagonda Rapier. One of just under 400 built  between July 1934 and June 1935. It is/was one of my basket case rescues being restored after I bought it in 1976-7.  It has a highly developed 1500cc Four cylinder, twin overhead cam engine with a pair of 1.5" SU carbs and a (four speed) ENV75 Preselector transmission. It has Girling mechanican brakes operating in large brake drums. The Lagonda Rapier was among the relatively small number of marques that managed to stop smoothly from 30 mph to a standstill in under 30 ft. The "large" brake drums are "drilled" both for "lightness" and ventilation.

[oldcar]

I should add that the drilled brake-drums are not standard but just part of the weight-saving that my car had suffered during its earlier life as a racing car in England.

 

[Kean Thompson]

Love the Lagonda. Is that its current condition?

[oldcar]

Hello Kean, It's current condition? I try to keep it in top road worthy condition. Apart from checking the oil level in the motor and filling the petrol tank I would probbaly check the water level in the radiator. I know that the tire pressure's will all be ok because I checked them just a few days ago and I rarely if ever have to add any air. Apart from our current lock-down and the conditions of its limited use "registration" (road tax) there is nothing that would stop me setting off on a 100 mile drive. That we have already driven it more than 100,000 miles during our ownership must say something.

OK it is not in what people living in the USA would say was "Show Standard" simply because there are one or two cracks in the aluminium panels. To me all that this shows is that the car is it's age, 86 years old, and loved and cared for. My own age is 84 and I consider we are well matched.  I still do all my own maintenance work on the car and probably understand how and why it works much better than most people looking at this. Having owned it since 1978 I should know a little bit about how it works and how to drive it.  It is a very different car to the ones that most people reading this are used to.

Briefly it has a highly developed 1500 cc Twin overhead cam engine. Twin SU i.5in carbs. This coupled to a ENV75 Preselector Gearbox. The Girling mechanical brakes are quite remarkable for a 1930's car. Everything works exactly as it should. The motor is capable of being (and is) run up to 6,000 rpm on a regular basis.