Lagonda Rapier

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Established in 1906, Lagonda are best known for their range of large sports and touring cars, but in the early 1930s they decided to revisit the light car market.

In 1932 they approached engineer Tim Ashcroft with a brief to produce ‘Britain’s finest 1100cc engine’ while Charles King was appointed to look after the chassis design. The engine he came up with was a real gem and featured twin overhead camshafts and a massive fully-balanced crankshaft running on three main bearings of 2-inch diameter – the same as those in Lagonda’s 4.5-litre engine.

Four beautifully engineered hemispherical combustion chambers with a 7.5:1 compression ratio and fed by twin SU carbs completed the package, delivering 50bhp and driving through an ENV pre-selector gearbox. Georgano describes it as “an unburstable engine with a potential of 6,000rpm” making it the highest-revving road car engine of its day.

King’s chassis had an 8ft 4in wheelbase and was bolted together to avoid residual stresses caused by welding. Immensely stiff and strong, it was worthy of at least a 3-litre car and was also one of the first to be fitted with Girling brakes, whose 25ft stopping distance at 30mph was a remarkable figure for the time.

Making its showroom debut in early 1934, the Rapier light sporting car received a rapturous welcome from press and public alike. Praised for its excellent handling, braking and performance, a waiting list was quick to form.

Unfortunately, Lagonda's demanding production requirements and over-complex model range proved unsustainable and in April 1935 the receivers were called in. By August a buyer had been found, but they chose to concentrate on the new 4.5-litre LG45 and V12 models.

The manufacturing rights for the Rapier were sold to Tim Ashcroft who set up Rapier Cars Ltd in the old Lagonda Service Workshop in Hammersmith, where a further 46 Rapiers were completed by the experienced staff before production ceased for good in March 1938.

Our vendor couldn’t resist purchasing EYX 2 in 2016 from a lady who had acquired it in 2009. It has been fitted with an Abbot four-seater body (sometime in the 1990s perhaps?) which has been professionally produced, painted and trimmed to a very high standard. The vendor has now decided to part with it as, in his own words, he is “an elderly chap now in his eighties who is going to give up driving for health and safety reasons”.

The vendor has undertaken many small tidying jobs during his ownership, such as freeing off the seat runners and changing the headlight glasses to the correct type. He has also fitted an expensive set of Blockley Triple-Stud tyres which have transformed both the looks and the handling.

Shortly after purchase the engine went slightly off song and upon investigation, it was found that number one piston had ‘picked up’. The vehicle was taken to DC Rogers Auto Repairs who stripped the engine and glaze-busted and honed the bores. They then fitted a new set of Omega pistons (63.5mm) supplied by the Rapier Register, along with all associated gaskets. The Rapier has done little work since so still requires properly running in.

The dynamo has also been removed and repaired by ABC Auto-Electrical Services and the carburettors adjusted by Vintage & Classic in Hereford. The more observant will have noticed the impressive four-into-one exhaust manifold and electric cooling fan. The documents folder includes five old MOTs, a number of Rapier Register Magazines and a copy instruction book and ‘Rapier Notes’. There is also a Rapier Register badge yet to be fitted.

In really lovely order, it started instantly when we visited to take the photographs and the brakes felt particularly sharp. The icing on the already richly-decorated cake is the attractive (transferable) number EYX 2 - that and a fresh MOT which is due by the time of sale.

AMENDMENT; Please note that this car is strictly speaking a 'Rapier' and not a Lagonda Rapier as it was one of the 46 built by Tim Ashworth's Rapier Cars Ltd at the old Lagonda Service Department in 1938.