Lot details Registration No: YY 1662 Chassis No: OH10124 Mot Expiry: Aug 2012
An American of Scots descent, Wilbur Gunn began his automotive career building tricars in the greenhouse of his Middlesex home. He formed the Lagonda company in 1906, apparently naming it after a river near his home town - Springfield, Ohio. And, though he passed away in 1920, the business initially continued to develop well, producing a range of sports models that led directly to its historic victory in the 1935 Le Mans 24 Hour race.
Having abandoned the quality car market back in 1913, Lagonda did a complete volte face twelve years hence with the introduction of the 14/60. Coachbuilt onto a ladder chassis, the Arthur Davidson-designed newcomer featured a freshly crafted 1954cc four-cylinder engine featuring twin, high-set camshafts and a detachable cylinder head - a first for Lagonda. Renowned for its powerful braking, the 14/60 could eventually be ordered in low or high chassis form, in Speed guise (with a tuned engine set further back in the frame), or supercharged for ultimate performance.
The final iteration of the much vaunted 2 Litre was the Continental, of which just 23 examples are understood to have been made between April and July 1932. Production was split 50/50 between Saloons and Tourers, however, just seven Tourers are known to have survived by the Lagonda Club. It featured a handsome steel rather than fabriccovered, three-door, four-seater body, a distinctive slanting radiator and 18-inch centre-lock wire wheels. The engine's output of circa 70bhp was sufficient to endow the 30cwt Lagonda with a top speed of around 80mph. The twin-cam OHV engine drove through a four-speed gearbox with right-hand gate change. Braking was by large drums on all four wheels and suspension was by semi-elliptic springs and Andre Hartford friction shock absorbers all round. The price new would have been around £725.
This superb low chassis Continental has had just four owners from new. The first keeper was Edward Lyon of Ormskirk who took delivery in the October of 1932 and retained the car for the next thirty-one years. By coincidence the second owner, Tony Spencer from Bolton, ran the Lagonda for an identical period, treating it to a major overhaul toward the end of the '60s. This included an engine refurbishment (£132.15) and the repainting of the body (£531.95). The third keeper of 'YY 1662' was Colonel Stephen Matthews of Reading who purchased the Continental from the Coys sale of September 1994. His tenure was considerably briefer than that of his predecessors and he sold the Lagonda to the vendor in the Spring of 1997 for £37,500, together with £2,300 worth of assorted spares.
The new owner felt the car was tiring in all departments and very soon masterminded a thorough restoration. The stripping, painting and assembly was entrusted to Paul Flett of The Wirral, the engine was overhauled by Don Rawson of Oswestry, a new bonnet was fashioned by D. Moroney of High Leigh and the retrimming carried out by Stephen Grundy of Warton Presron. The work was completed in 1999 and the result is sensational, and it comes as no surprise to learn the Continental has subsequently been a multiple concours winner. The flowing coachwork is finished in Black and complemented by a Black hood, Green wheels, Red leather trim and Red carpets.
'YY 1662' comes complete with a massive history file and is taxed and MOT'd into August 2012. An exciting opportunity for Lagonda enthusiasts the world over to acquire one of the best of the breed.
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