24th Apr, 2014 15:10

Imperial War Museum Duxford

 
  Lot 65
 

1938 Rapier Ten Supercharged Tourer

Sold for £42,750

(including buyers premium)


Lot details
Registration No: EOG 981
Chassis No: S/C11487
Mot Expiry: Exempt

Introduced at the 1933 Olympia Motor Show, the Lagonda Rapier boasted a jewel-like 1.1-litre DOHC four-cylinder engine. Inspired by contemporary racing car practice, consultant Thomas 'Tim' Ashcroft conceived a normally aspirated design that produced a class-leading 50bhp @ 5,400rpm. Praised by the contemporary motoring press for its performance, refinement and agility, the model was supplied in bare chassis guise only. Prohibitively expensive to manufacture, the Rapier was dropped when the Staines firm went into administration during 1935. Convinced that the reborn Lagonda (LG Motors Ltd) had made a mistake, Tim Ashcroft, William Oates and Nevil Brockelbank secured the rights to the small capacity sportscar shortly thereafter. Operating as Rapier Cars Ltd of Hammersmith they contributed a further 46 cars to the total production tally of 470 before closing their doors in 1938.

Supercharged from new, chassis S/C 11487 was first registered in Birmingham (or so its `EOG 981' number plate would imply). Pleasingly retaining its original Ranalah coachwork, the Rapier spent several years in America before being repatriated during the early 1990s. Subject to past restoration work, the four-seater tourer was purchased by the vendor from marque specialist LMB Racing in 2008. Treated to a complete interior re-trim by Alex Tillet of Maidstone since then (which encompassed repairs to the seats and their runners plus a new dashboard), chassis S/C11487 has also had attention paid to its four-speed pre-selector transmission and Cozette supercharger as part of a thorough mechanical check over (although a replacement, the blower is of a type available in 1938). Starting readily upon inspection, `EOG 981' is considered by the vendor to be `very good' with regard to its engine, transmission, electrical equipment, bodywork and paintwork, while he rates the interior trim as `virtually unused'. Offered for sale due to a bad back, this delightful and very rare Post Vintage Thoroughbred is worthy of close inspection.
 

All successful bids must be paid in full by midday the day after the auction at the latest.

You can collect your new pride and joy from our venue until 1pm the day following the sale or our partners are on hand to help arrange safe transportation:

               

Auction: Imperial War Museum Duxford, 24th Apr, 2014

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