The Lagonda LG45 DHC: fast, large and visually impressive

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

As you might have noticed, this stunning 1936 Lagonda LG45 DH has come up for sale in our Marketplace. It is one of just 26 DHC’s made. All 26 Drop Head Coupes still remain in some form today, and this car has been fully documented by the Lagonda Club – UK. The 4.5 Liter Meadows Engine [4453cc OHV inline 6 cylinders], won Lemans in 1935, averaging 77.8 mph over 24 hours. We were curious to know more about the car and asked the seller for his story.

''After the purchase of my 1936 Lagonda LG45 DHC last year, I decided that the ivory body with dark brown wings just wasn’t doing this gorgeous car justice. I set out to buy the factory build sheet, where I discovered the car was originally painted Dominion Blue. The build sheet also verified that this was a matching numbers car and the coachwork was unchanged from the day it came out of the Lagonda Factory in Staines, England. This was the first Lagonda built under the technical direction of W.O. Bentley after he left the Rolls-Royce Motors in 1935. Lagonda’s were promoted as Walter Bentley’s ‘finest work’. Wearing its original coachwork designed by Frank Feeley.

I then began the process of stripping the car down and dismantling the various body panels in preparation for paint. I also had all the upholstery re-dyed to a more appealing burgundy brown. While the car was apart I removed and replaced the windscreen and the gasket and put on all new tires. Chrome work then followed, radiator shroud, bumpers, petrol filler caps, etc.

Once the car returned home from the paint shop in February, assembly commenced. However, knowing that the Lagonda was making its debut at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in early March, I had to move quickly. So day and night, seven days a week for a month I carefully assembled and highly detailed the car as I went along. The day before the truck arrived to take the Lagonda to Florida for the big show, the car was finally done.

The European Prewar Luxury Class is without a doubt the hardest class to win any trophy. Knowing I was up against Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, Bugatti and the like; I figured my chances were zero. But as good fortune would have it, that didn’t seem to matter to the five judges – the Lagonda tied for second place with the Bugatti. Unfortunately, I must sell the Lagonda in order to purchase another prewar motorcar. It never ends does it? Does it?''

See this 1936 Lagonda LG45 DHC for sale in the PreWarCar.com Marketplace.

Words and photographs by Tom Griffith.

Plaats een reactie, stel een vraag, geef uw mening, deel aanvullende informatie of start een discussie door de onderstaande velden in te vullen