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Lagonda Rapier at Le Mans 1934


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#1 Ralf Pickel

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Posted 28 February 2012 - 10:32

I am looking for photos of the Lord de Clifford Le Mans Rapier in 1934.
If anybody would have a link or a scan of a photo I would be very thankul.
There are (probably) two replicas around, but I have nothing showing the original one at that race.

Thank you in advance for anything.

Ralf

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#2 arttidesco

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Posted 28 February 2012 - 11:16

Best in period photo I could find on the net linked here.

Hope that's a useful start Ralf :wave:

#3 Ralf Pickel

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Posted 28 February 2012 - 11:32

Thank you Ralph - a good start indeed.
I have a few books about Lagonda, but none does show that car.
And couldn´t find one myself...
Side view would be good, too... :)

#4 Jager

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Posted 28 February 2012 - 13:39

Here's another link to the same picture above - but this one doesn't have the watermark :

http://www.lemans-hi.../lm_1934_40.jpg

....and here's a side view (a week before the race) :

http://www.lemans-hi...lm_934_040_.jpg

....and finally a scale model of the car :

http://www.lemans-hi..._lagonda_40.jpg




#5 Ralf Pickel

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Posted 28 February 2012 - 14:06

Perfect - just what I was looking for .

Thank you very much for those links !

Ralf

#6 Jagjon

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Posted 04 March 2012 - 17:52

Here's another link to the same picture above - but this one doesn't have the watermark :

http://www.lemans-hi.../lm_1934_40.jpg

....and here's a side view (a week before the race) :

http://www.lemans-hi...lm_934_040_.jpg

....and finally a scale model of the car :

http://www.lemans-hi..._lagonda_40.jpg

It was interesting to see this topic. Here's some history.
In 1963 when I bought my first car, an MGPB, my father & I went to a garage in Abergele (North Wales) to buy some petrol to start the MG.
On the forecourt at the garage was a Lagonda Rapier reg no BMG2 with the legend "de Clifford Special" top & bottom around the radiator badge. I was told it was for sale at £25 but as this was double the price of my MG I stuck with that, although I was tempted by the stark racey looks of the Rapier. I knew a little of the Lord de Clifford story and wondered if it might be either the car which was rallied or the one that was raced. But I had to forget it at the time, later a friend told me a salesman Bob Henderson, at the garage had bought it. I decided to keep in touch with the then owner and some 12 years later I managed to buy the remains after it had been turned into a hot rod & even ran at Santa Pod at some time with a V8 fitted. By coincidence over the years I'd learnt that the car had been sold at Queensferry Motor Auction in the 1950's for about £20 & used by the sons of a Mr Ash a school teacher who lived at Holywell, eventually he advertised it in Motor Sport in about 1957. I eventually sold it to Kevin Roskruge in Colwyn Bay & I believe it is back in Eire with Peter Walby the son of the man who raced it prewar. I know some more older parts of it's history but space here precludes telling it all. So replicas there maybe but the original main parts of the car always existed.

#7 Ralf Pickel

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Posted 07 March 2012 - 11:58

I can only answer your post today - was away for a few days. Thank you for telling the story - very interesting.

#8 Jagjon

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Posted 07 March 2012 - 22:26

I can only answer your post today - was away for a few days. Thank you for telling the story - very interesting.

About a year ago there was a Rapier made into a replica of the Le Mans car for sale in USA, also I believe I saw another one or that one for sale in UK recently.
If you have connections within the Rapier Register or the Lagonda Club you should be able to contact Dr Pete Walby in Ireland who had photos of the car when his father owned it pre War. I forget exactly but I think he raced it pre war maybe in the TT.
Also Kevin Roskruge is well known in The Lagonda Club & took the Le mans car as he bought from me to the anniversary meet at some location close to London.
It was a place pictured in one of the Lagonda books & when the de Clifford was "new" it was at this place & is in the picture but not very clearly visible.
The car had some differences chassis specification to a standard car apart from the engine capacity and some components such as the exhaust manifolding.
Even during the 1960's I'd heard someone had supposedly "found" & produced the "car", even though I knew it was still a few miles from where I lived.
Sadly, but it was just how things were then, the registration number BMG2 was sold & transferred to some modern car before I was able to buy it all.
This may explain why someone assumed it no longer existed, but it did and always did & as far as I know it still does and is the original chassis with different specification to a normal Rapier.etc. I also know the person who witnessed this car when it lived in Liverpool in the 1950's so most of it's history.
I am happy it is back with the son of the pre-War owner.

Edited by Jagjon, 07 March 2012 - 22:33.


#9 Ralf Pickel

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Posted 08 March 2012 - 09:22

Did not know that the current owner is the son of a pre war owner of that Rapier, thank you for telling this.
I have Mr. Walby´s address from my VSCC members list, so might contact him.
A friend is looking into buying one of the replicas which is for sale at the moment, which is the reason why I was looking for informations of the original car.
Thank you for steering me in another interesting direction.