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Colour of 1955 #1 Le Mans Lagonda


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#1 Jager

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Posted 25 January 2020 - 14:02

Can anyone point me in the direction of a reference to the colour of the #1 Lagonda from Le Mans in 1955 ? I have collected multiple images of the car, but they are all black and white.

 

https://www.autohebd...0607-124924.jpg

 

https://assets.cataw...2361f3e76f8.jpg

 

Several references suggest the car was green, but at least one model maker has represented the car in blue ?

 

http://lemans.sqwib....=1955&numero=01

 

If it was green, was it a traditional British Racing Green, or similar to the metallic green as the sister Aston Martin DB3S ? Any help is greatly appreciated.



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#2 john winfield

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Posted 25 January 2020 - 14:25

I might be wrong but, at 1m 25 in this unissued British Pathé footage, is this the Lagonda disappearing down the pit straight?  I haven't watched any more yet so there may be more sightings.

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=fUcHl-5Ke_k

 

 

The footage is out of sequence and, from about 5.25, there's a fascinating sequence as the cars are readied before the start. Excellent view as well of the start itself. I think the cars are lined up in number order aren't they? It looks like Lagonda, Ferraris, Jaguars to me and, if so, that's the Lagonda being wheeled into place, then making a slowish start from 'pole' behind Castellotti, who races off in the Ferrari.


Edited by john winfield, 25 January 2020 - 14:46.


#3 68targa

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Posted 25 January 2020 - 15:29

There is a colour photo of the #1 Lagonda shown in the start line up in Vol 1 of Christian Moity's 3 vol history of the race. This shows the car as being green. It appears to be in the Aston Martin metallic green and not  a Lotus BRG shade.



#4 68targa

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Posted 25 January 2020 - 15:36

I might be wrong but, at 1m 25 in this unissued British Pathé footage, is this the Lagonda disappearing down the pit straight?  I haven't watched any more yet so there may be more sightings.

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=fUcHl-5Ke_k

 

 

The footage is out of sequence and, from about 5.25, there's a fascinating sequence as the cars are readied before the start. Excellent view as well of the start itself. I think the cars are lined up in number order aren't they? It looks like Lagonda, Ferraris, Jaguars to me and, if so, that's the Lagonda being wheeled into place, then making a slowish start from 'pole' behind Castellotti, who races off in the Ferrari.

The start sequence does indeed show the #1 Lagonda as first car in the line up.

Nice colour footage of the start



#5 RCH

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Posted 25 January 2020 - 16:59

If Tony Smith's recollections of colour for our Historic Sports Racers model range are to be trusted when the Lagonda first appeared at Silverstone (?) in 1954 it was a dark green. Later appearances Le Mans '54 and the "ugly" car Le Mans '55 were the lighter metallic green which later works Astons were painted.



#6 Jager

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Posted 26 January 2020 - 01:12

Thanks very much everyone. I was so focused on pictures I forgot to look for videos.

 

Strange that the sequence is completely jumbled, but fascinating stuff all the same.



#7 Eric Dunsdon

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Posted 28 January 2020 - 08:25

The car was dark green when I saw Reg Parnell drive it at Silverstone in May 1954.



#8 bradbury west

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Posted 29 January 2020 - 00:53

When I was planning to have my Elite resprayed some three decades ago in Aston Zagato green, I contacted Roger Stowers, their now sadly late archivist. He had all the info at his fingertips, and was delightfully helpful, so I imagine his replacement should be able to help you in similar fashion.
Best of luck
Roger Lund

#9 ensign14

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Posted 29 January 2020 - 08:31


Several references suggest the car was green, but at least one model maker has represented the car in blue ?

 

http://lemans.sqwib....=1955&numero=01

 

Looks like the regular AM colour to me, albeit in a weird lighting.
 



#10 Eric Dunsdon

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Posted 29 January 2020 - 17:08

This topic is proving similar to one about the colour of Johnny Claes Connaught a while back which I attempted to settle by pointing out that I had seen the car in action at Silverstone in 1953 and that it was yellow. The debate still went on with theories about camera speeds, angles of sunlight etc. The same thing seems to be occurring with the dark green Lagonda topic which suggests that eye witness accounts don't count for much :confused:.



#11 BRG

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Posted 29 January 2020 - 18:45

....eye witness accounts don't count for much :confused:.

Yes Eric, but I was convinced, as an eye witness, that the Colin Crabbe Antique Autos March 701 of Ronnie Peterson at the Monaco GP in 1970 was largely brown.  I was conclusively shot down over this.

 

Memory isn't always what it used to be....



#12 bradbury west

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Posted 29 January 2020 - 23:04

National colours were very much in vogue in those days, so I imagine dark green would be the case as Eric points out. Moreover, I imagine the excellent racer from the very North of Scotland who brings his restored and beautifully engineered V12 down to the Revival would have taken the trouble to get the hue correct, and his car is a rich dark green.
Roger Lund

#13 Eric Dunsdon

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Posted 30 January 2020 - 12:33

My family sometimes refer to me a 'Mr Grumpy'. Its all part of growing ever older I'm afraid. The only part of me that isn't affected is my memory. 1954 is still quite recent to me. Don't ask about last week, though I think I may have gone to the Cinema to see the film 1917.


Edited by Eric Dunsdon, 30 January 2020 - 12:44.


#14 RCH

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Posted 30 January 2020 - 16:55

As I said before and Mr Dunsdon agrees Reg Parnell's Lagonda at Silverstone in 1954 was dark green and all subsequent Lagonda appearances were in the lighter metallic green that Astons used. I believe the Aston colour scheme changed at the same time but wiser and older gentlemen may prove me wrong. I would put up some photos of Tony Smith's models if I could ever work out how to get photos onto this forum. :confused:



#15 Tim Murray

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Posted 30 January 2020 - 18:36

Rod, your photos have to be on a website, either your own if you have one or one of the image-hosting sites such as Postimage. There's a useful guide on how to use Postimage on the forum title page:

https://forums.autos...ain-april-2018/

If you'd rather avoid all the hassle I'm happy to post them on your behalf - PM me to arrange this.

#16 RCH

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Posted 31 January 2020 - 12:08

https://i.ibb.co/N9qQW3z/Lag1.jpg    

 

1954 Le Mans Lagonda, cannot currently find 1955 but the same colour.


Edited by RCH, 31 January 2020 - 12:10.


#17 RCH

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Posted 31 January 2020 - 12:13

https://ibb.co/st74yqG
https://ibb.co/KrWtb41

1954 Lagonda Silverstone Reg Parnell