Lot details
Registration No: FPJ 553
Chassis No: E3007
Mot Expiry: None

The 4.5 litre Lagonda was the first model to be designed by W.O. Bentley and 'FPJ 553' was one of the last of these wonderful saloons to be built. The LG6 used the same chassis and running gear as the V12 and the coachwork was interchangeable.
On October 10th 1938 Lagonda took 'FPK 550', a V12 saloon, and 'FPJ 553', a 4.5 litre saloon, to Brooklands to demonstrate to the world the supreme capabilities of their cars. Lord Howe drove the V12 at an average speed of 101.5 mph and at the same time 'FPJ 553' was driven at an equally impressive average of 95.87 mph and these figures compared very favourably with their competitors of the period.
After the run 'FPJ 553' returned to the factory and the saloon body was removed and she became the factory's prototype development vehicle for the all-new drophead which was shortly to be unveiled to the world's press. It is understood that it then became the personal transport of W.O Bentley himself but unfortunately there is little history of the car after it this period until it's purchase in 1960 by Ben Marlin, an employee of Patrick Motors in Birmingham, and upon his death 'FPJ 553' became an exhibit in the Museum.
In 1967 it won the Allcomers Cup at the Aston Martin Concours event and in 1993 'FPJ 553' found a new home with a Dr. Heath who lovingly tended to it, having a new hood fitted and replacing the tyres straight away and in 1994 it was rewired whilst the leather and carpets were attended to in 1995. It was only used during the summer months and this careful use, coupled with the easy life she enjoyed from 1960 onwards, has helped this very rare and extremely special LG6 survive in very largely original condition.
Originality and patina is rapidly becoming what the top collectors of the world are looking for and they seek the sort of purity that 'money no object' restored examples do not possess. The paintwork of 'FPJ 553' may need some attention but it is in generally lovely order and although it has only covered some 1500 miles since 1993 it does start and run well.

Updated information on the
1937 Lagonda XLG6 Drophead Coupe FPJ553


There is a certain amount of confusion of the exact history of this vehicle and to that end we have included in the history file the original letter from the Lagonda Club and a copy of that is attached to the windscreen of the vehicle in the saleroom and on the reverse of this late entry list.
Essentially what Arnold Davey, the registrar of the Lagonda Club, is saying is that there were two cars made with the same chassis number. Not an unusual event but at some point they were mixed up and this car ended up with the chassis number and registration number of the car we eluded to in our catalogue description. There is no confusion however that the lightened car presently resides in Germany and although he has no idea how the mix up occurred, occur it definitely did.
There may be many reasons why when the hour run car returned to the factory that it was confused with this car but this car definitively started out as a saloon and was converted BY THE FACTORY to its present drophead coupe configuration. We believe that this car was not W.O. Bentley's car but we can indeed say is that it was the car that was in the Patrick Collection in Birmingham and everything further to that in the catalogue description is, we believe, correct.

It is still, without doubt, a fabulous car!

Please note: This vehicle will need the engine servicing before use, but we have had it running.