1931 Lagonda 2 Litre Supercharged Tourer

Lot details
Registration No: PL 8771
Chassis No: OH9932
Mot Expiry: Exempt

First registered by Surrey County Council on 8th June 1931, `PL 8771' - Car Number OH9932 - left Lagonda's Staines Works as a 2 Litre Low Chassis model fitted with desirable T2 Tourer coachwork. The earlier of two accompanying buff logbooks shows that the four-seater belonged to James Gordon Procter Esq. of St John's Wood, London by 20th March 1940. A Lieutenant in the 23rd Hussars (Royal Armoured Corps) who was awarded The Military Cross for `gallant and distinguished services in North-West Europe' on 2nd August 1945, Procter sold the Lagonda to Joseph W.H. Pritchard Esq. of Mawgan Porth, Cornwall some two years later. The car's second surviving buff logbook which was issued to Bruce Fortescue Balcombe Esq. of Broadstairs by Kent County Council on 8th February 1961 lists a different engine number to its predecessor (1816 as opposed to 1681).

A plausible explanation for the discrepancy has been supplied by The Lagonda Club's Honourable Registrar, Arnold Davey Esq.: `The car (`PL 8771') seems to have been subjected to a number of engine changes. The muddle dates back to 1957 when the car was owned by Bruce Balcombe who also owned at the same time another 2 Litre, Car Number OH10067, registered as `PJ 2716'. This one was supercharged and had the unpopular T3 body. To confound the issue, the engine number on the ID plate of OH9932 was 1681, while the engine number on the ID plate of OH10067 was 1816 . . . What I think happened was that Balcombe swapped engines, putting the blown one into OH9932. I am lead to believe this by notes from a subsequent owner of OH10067 who said that it had engine 1681 which was stamped OHL2 1138, which is correct for a 1931 Low Chassis unblown engine. By inference OH9932 had the blown engine out of OH10067. This was in 1960. Balcombe disposed of OH10067 very quickly, perhaps due to the rather gormless T3 body, but kept OH9932 until 1962 or 1963'.

Kent County Council stamps suggest that Balcombe last taxed `PL 8771' for road use on 12th July 1963. Shortly thereafter, it was bought by Captain Ivan Forshaw of Aston Service Dorset who served as The Lagonda Club's Spares Registrar and Technical Advisor for many years. Just beginning to be restored by Richard Forshaw (Capt. Forshaw's son) at the time of his untimely death in 1997, the blown 2 Litre entered the current ownership a year later. Entrusted to marque specialist David Ayre for refurbishment, OH9932 had its Tourer body removed before being stripped back to a bare chassis. F.M. Harding Esq. of Thatcham was responsible for repairing the ash frame, while H&H Coachworks of Goring-on-Thames rejuvenated the fabric-covered aluminium panelling. Although the engine was found to have benefited from a reground crankshaft, new clutch, re-white metalled main / big-end bearings, reprofiled camshafts, fresh piston rings, new timing chains / timing gear bushes and reconditioned oil / water pumps etc, it was further enhanced via an unleaded fuel conversion.

David Ayre also paid attention to the car's four-speed manual gearbox, back axle, fuel tank, carburettor, supercharger bronze / couplings, steering box, exhaust manifold, engine mounts, oil / fuel pipes, drum brakes, leaf springs, shock absorbers and instruments. As well as being re-trimmed in Green leather by Gary L. Wright, the Lagonda was re-wired and treated to new 21-inch wire wheels shod with fresh tyres. Understood to have covered some 3,000 miles since work was completed, `PL 8771' has been dry stored for the last four years due to the vendor's ill heath. Currently being recommissioned, it is anticipated that this handsome Post Vintage Thoroughbred will be offered for sale with a fresh MOT certificate as well as the aforementioned buff logbooks, Aston Service Dorset correspondence and numerous David Ayre restoration invoices.