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In view of “hidden” location, I’d suspect it’s an anti-theft device.
LaurenceHi Peter,
Thanks for this, & I hope someone finds their V12 or LG6 has a similar mounting to mine, & can take photos. Unfortunately I have no photos myself, never anticipated it going missing! All I could show is that the wheelcase has a much larger hole (4-5 inches diameter, with a large rubber grommet, as opposed to the earlier cars, where the hole is little more than an inch diameter, with the rod of the mounting covered by a piece of rubber tubing where it passes through the wheelcase.
Alastair, thanks for input, but what was fitted to the earlier cars isn’t in question, unfortunately I don’t know when Lagonda introduced this revised mounting.
Of course, if someone has a mounting of the type I need going spare, please let me know!
LaurenceIs it possible the spring length either side of the central bolt is unequal, & the spring has inadvertently been fitted the wrong way round?
LaurenceUnfortunately this assembly was removed from my engine by the previous owner, however it sounds very much as if the boss with holes is an eccentric mounting, with the “locking bolt” being a pinch bolt.
Assuming there is a gap in the “pinch” area, I’d run some freeing oil in there & let it soak in, with more applications if necessary over a few days. Try again & if no joy, use a hot air gun to expand the aluminium….as that expands more than steel, it should loosen its grip. Doubtless electrolytic corrosion between the steel & aluminium…it can stick them together pretty firmly!Laurence
Hi,
Mine is a dhc, but I don’t recall problems with water getting in, even though the windscreen rubber was the original & well past it. Furthermore I would imagine sealing the whole thing properly would be difficult & time consuming…it’s not as if the frame is screwed firmly to the body.
Being a dhc the doors are obviously completely different: but there have never been any door seals, on my car anyway!
LaurenceNot very helpful in the description side of things, are they. Suspect it must be a DB Lagonda, with the Feltham address. But surely the Lagonda Club compliment slip would indicate this is an early Club copy, as opposed to an original. From what I’ve seen of DB handbooks, the binding doesn’t appear to be “original” either.
Hi Peter,
Will take photos when I next use camera, which should be pretty soon. I have these on my late 1940 drophead, & the spares came with the car, from a 1938 saloon sadly converted into a LM rep by the previous owner. So I’d be fairly confident in saying they were a standard factory fitment.Laurence
Hi Peter,
When I first viewed my V12, I noticed one of these & assumed it was some sort of fibreglass repair matting! Of course, as David says. If you’ve run your car for a long time & have had no wing damage, then I wouldn’t worry.
I have the remains of a spare set, so can photo them if you wish, so that you can see what they should look like.
They are actually made of aluminium, so are quite fragile after so many years…doubtless why yours have disappeared. The interesting thing is that these are actually NOT Lagonda products. Complete
ones have a pair of brass discs riveted in the centre of the mesh, revealing that they were made by AC in Thames Ditton…in fact I used to live in a house overlooking what had been the factory. sadly AC are remembered more for the Cobra than for the lovely cars they made in the thirties. Strange also that Lagonda should actually obtain these from a relatively local (rival?) motor manufacturer, when they made so much of the cars in-house!
LaurenceHi Christian,
For many years my parents ran one of the very first Rover 2000s. That had Dunlop brakes, & I wonder if the Lagonda ones are the same/similar? We had no end of trouble with the cylinders rusting, & despite the central guide pin, the pistons would still tend to tip, allowing the pads to wear unevenly. New cylinders rusted in no time, then one day, a new one supplied was nickel plated. Had no problems at all, ever, with that one. Perhaps new ones now are all plated, if not, might be worth considering. The plating wasn’t that thick, the outer soon rusted, but where it mattered, the cylinder walls, they were always good as new.
LaurenceHi Guy,
I think manufacturers would state, as a matter of course, that wheels designed for tubed tyres were not suitable for tubeless tyres. Of course, the wheels probably pre-dated tubeless tyres, so quite naturally would not have been finished to the tolerances more ideal for tubeless tyres.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use tubeless tyres. Presumably you’ve checked the rims with particular attention to the tyre seating/sealing areas….any imperfections here, whilst not a concern for a tubed tyre, could result in leakage if a tubeless type is fitted.
The simple answer is, if they hold air, then you have nothing to worry about, and indeed, the seal is likely to improve as natural slight movement of the tyre in use will encourage the rubber to swell into any imperfections.
If you intend spirited driving, I’d wait for things to settle. There are various proprietary anti-leak compounds you could use, which would give peace of mind, but I suspect would leave an unpleasant gooey mess on your rims.
Don’t be tempted to fit tubes in tubeless tyres…did that with one of my father’s Rover 2000 tyres, & had repeated punctures as the rough surface of the inside of the tyre abraded the tube.Usual disclaimers, I’m not a tyre expert,
Regards
Laurence
The ribbed aluminium plates look exceedingly like V12 water jacket plates to me!
“M45” on the starter believe it or not, is coincidence, but that doesn’t mean it might not be correct for the car. “M” is the Lucas type designation for a starter, & “45” reflects the diameter, 4.5 inches. My LG6 (similar Meadows engine) currently has a non-original M35G starter, but I bought an M45G at an autojumble to replace it, as I don’t think the M35G is man enough. If both starters fit the mounting holes for the starter on your engine, I’d guess one is original & another bought as a spare.Laurence
David, I bought one of these, new old stock, at an autojumble, admittedly quite a few years ago, but that might be your best chance of finding one. It’s also possible some of the people who sell vintage electrical items might have some, even if not listed in their catalogues.
LaurenceHow very refreshing to find someone who bought a car they loved when nearly new, & has not been swayed by fashion or so-called improvements to get on the treadmill of buying a replacement every few years.
I prefer older cars than this, and, just a personal view, thought the Rapide a bit awkward styling-wise. But, having seen one since in the flesh, actually found it really attractive…a car that doesn’t photo well? Perhaps it’s just me!
Returning to the original theme; I cannot comprehend at all, how someone owning a V12 in say 1948 could remotely consider buying a new 2.6 to replace it. Perhaps running costs & pool petrol, rationing etc had something to do with it.Hi Mark,
Many years ago my brother worked for the Public Record Office, and was instrumental in finding the missing papers of Lagonda Ltd, thus helping Arnold Davey complete the History. It follows that documentation must still exist, so might be worth following up with PRO, & perhaps also Companies House.All the best
Laurence
I remember reading a road test of a V12 saloon written in the late 1950s, which stated that the performance was still ahead of nearly everything else on the roads at that time. Interestingly, the writer considered the styling “modern” even then.
Absolutely agree about the styling. When my V12 was last on the road, late 70s/early 80s, I went to a Club AGM, & it started raining. Rushed to put the roof up (it’s a dhc), & the guy who came to help knew exactly how to erect it & fasten the catches. When I expressed surprise, he replied that he should know…he designed it. yes..it was Frank Feeley. Hero!