Forum Replies Created
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The seller is proposing to sell the car complete or without engine/gearbox.
I think it is over-priced and am trying to get some idea of market price for a good restored 3.0 litre saloon.
The car is now up to 970 pounds, so someone is desperate for a chassis or body with a damaged car to repair it seems ??
A very nice job, up to your usual high standard of course, and I especially like the attention to detail with the Smiths name plate. Any chance for a close up of this please ?
Also a better view showing the dual possibilty left or right hand steering wheel column placement. That would be a great one for the book and clearly shows the car was made for both LHD and RHD markets.
Tony hi,
The DB cars are no longer viewed as donor cars, simply because practically everything for the 2.6 or 3.0 litre engines has now been remanufacured. This means there is a good source of parts for cars.
Engines being fragile, the 2.6 litre engines can take a lot of abuse. But don’t forgot that many of these cars are now 60 years ago, I hope I am in such good condition after that time…
Spares – just watch eBay as all these old hulks and broken cars appear, and get stripped for parts or sold as is. Spares are available here, you just need to work hard at it when you are looking….
The 2.6 litre saloons are very dated in appearance and it appears are still at the bottom of the tree in terms of value, say 15k, not really appreciated which is a great shame.
Compare that against a good 3.0 litre 4 door mk 2 or the rare 3.0 litre 2 door, 45k was achieved at NP Bonhams, and more will follow. These are beautiful saloons in the luxury class.
Simon
Engine sold for 1885 pounds
Gear-Box sold for 885 pounds
Peter
I think there are several factors at work:
1.
It is partly an age thing, many of these cars have been stored for 20-30 years or more, by owners who have finally realized they will never get round to restoring the car or using the parts. The owners are getting on in years and find eBay the perfect place to sell cars or parts.2.
The 2.6 litre dhc car, was yet another ex. lagonda Owners Club car, left to rot outside, along with the 3.0 litre hulk sold in March. There are many, many more cars like this which will appear. I personally know of a couple more rotting away in barns, where the owners don’t want to sell. The 2.6 litre dhc at least has found a good good home, the new owner has four 2.6 dhc’s already.3.
The next scenerio, an owner buying a car for 4k in 2011 and then deciding the car was worth far more as parts. This is a sad situation. problem is that a very, very good 2.6 litre saloon would only be worth 15k tops. Restoration costs are high, rot in floor pan and wood frame often severe, early 2.6 litre engines in a poor state, nearly always with cracks in the block etc etc
4.
I think many classic car collectors have also finally realized that the post-war 1950’s Lagonda’s have been very cheap for a long time. The exception of course is the 3.0 Lagonda dhc which is today in demand, and prices have risen a lot. We may see prices rise more, which should stop any more cars being broken up, I hope.
SimonThe car sold for 2300 pounds to a Lagonda club member who has an engine for it and various other parts to complete it.
Would be nice to see this car back on the road again.
Guy has already been using the Pirelli tyres, and is very happy with them.
Anyone have experience with the Avon Turbo-speed tyres ?
Christian hi
Have you amde any progress with suitable tyres for the car or are you planning to lower the suspension and put in a Ferguson 4 wheel drive unit and make it into a 4 x 4 ?
Seriously ,please let me know what you come up with here, I know that soon enough I will be in the market for a set of 5 tyres as well.
If we can find three people, might be able to get a slightly better deal with the tyres?
Simon
Fabulous record keeping if I may so.
RSW certainly must have spiced this car up a fair bit indeed and lost a lot of weight from the complete car to make it this competitive. Do you have any better pictures of the car in its hey-day, you would be willingly to post on the forum ?
RSW was a very good AM man, and I remember him back from his early Brixton days. A charming man, who clearly loved the cars and his work.
Good to see at least 3 years of racing history for this car. Am I correct that it currently resides in Europe today and in fine fettle ?
Is this the only Rapide known to have been raced or are there others I have not discovered ?
Peter hi
I have seen another just the same as yours.
Tjeerd hi,
Thank you for your kind comments, but I would suggest that you also look at Christian’s many, many excellent contributions on the Rapide.
The forum is only as good as the contributions being made, so I would encourage you to buy a Lagonda and restore it, and post on this excellent site.
?180 the pair, I will take mine off with silk gloves and very great care indeed…
I have noticed that Kevin kay has some nice looking items, problem is that you are not going to know if they are really correct until they arrive. Coming from the USA as well, return postage sent insured and trackable, means you can easily loose out….
Christian hi
I have already turned up two small small brass bushes on my lathe, and turned down the steel shaft in the same two places.
Also, reduced the length of the piano hinge at each end by 1.5 mm, so the fit overall is also slightly looser.
It was beautiflly made, but all the tolerances as you correctly say were much too close. A drop of moisture is all it needs and given our climate in the UK ..
I was planning to spray the hinge and tabs with automotive silver-gray paint, prior to reassembly.
Is the Eastwood paint so much better, if so, I will buy some of that as well ?
If anyone is looking for replacement badges, these are ?90 each from HWM Aston.
Also available from Kevin Kay in California at ?68 each: