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May 16, 2010 10:51 am
May 16, 2010 10:51 am
Subject: Re: Who built the body for Lagonda v12
Hi Jeremy,
Yes, sounds that's a factory ID plate which therefore blows that theory. At least you know your engine isn't the one first fitted to the car, I thought that number sounded very low! That doesn't mean it wasn't fitted by the factory though, as stated previously. Of course it's possible...likely even, that Ellard swapped engines around. If 14020 (the car) still survives, it would be interesting to see which engine number is fitted, especially if it's a late number & stamped 14022! Catalogue perhaps will show if 14020 was an Ellard car.
Yes, DB similarity is noticeable. Alan Good decided (wrongly as it turned out) that there wouldn't be a market for the V12 once the war ended, so it's unlikely yours was a show car to test market interest. Magazines at the time seemed to be keen to feature one-off cars, so it might be worth looking at Motor, Autocar & Motor Sport for the period around first registration of yours. I did this for my V12 & found it advertised for £3000 in 1946...not a bad mark-up on a car originally costing £1575 (think that was the price for the dhc in 1939)...back to what I said about he error in misreading the post-war market for the V12...apparently V12 Lagondas were in fact the most desired & therefore highly priced cars immediately after the war.
Lagonda (built up) sounds almost evasive! Perhaps that's how coachbuilt cars were described. On the other hand I think yours and (14121?) were "built up" from spares as chassis (at least?!) by the factory after the war. So it could be that that is all that was intended. That line could therefore mean it was first registered as a rolling chassis only...might be worth pursuing if that was feasible, as that will mean your body post-dates first registration. Might be worth checking the car's electrical equipment then, as Lucas items are generally stamped with month & year eg 5 46 means May 1946.
Devil's advocate here...I've yet to find any electrics on my V12 dated earlier than 1949...which is even stranger in that it was totally rebuilt in 1945!
Best
Laurence
Hi Jeremy,
Yes, sounds that's a factory ID plate which therefore blows that theory. At least you know your engine isn't the one first fitted to the car, I thought that number sounded very low! That doesn't mean it wasn't fitted by the factory though, as stated previously. Of course it's possible...likely even, that Ellard swapped engines around. If 14020 (the car) still survives, it would be interesting to see which engine number is fitted, especially if it's a late number & stamped 14022! Catalogue perhaps will show if 14020 was an Ellard car.
Yes, DB similarity is noticeable. Alan Good decided (wrongly as it turned out) that there wouldn't be a market for the V12 once the war ended, so it's unlikely yours was a show car to test market interest. Magazines at the time seemed to be keen to feature one-off cars, so it might be worth looking at Motor, Autocar & Motor Sport for the period around first registration of yours. I did this for my V12 & found it advertised for £3000 in 1946...not a bad mark-up on a car originally costing £1575 (think that was the price for the dhc in 1939)...back to what I said about he error in misreading the post-war market for the V12...apparently V12 Lagondas were in fact the most desired & therefore highly priced cars immediately after the war.
Lagonda (built up) sounds almost evasive! Perhaps that's how coachbuilt cars were described. On the other hand I think yours and (14121?) were "built up" from spares as chassis (at least?!) by the factory after the war. So it could be that that is all that was intended. That line could therefore mean it was first registered as a rolling chassis only...might be worth pursuing if that was feasible, as that will mean your body post-dates first registration. Might be worth checking the car's electrical equipment then, as Lucas items are generally stamped with month & year eg 5 46 means May 1946.
Devil's advocate here...I've yet to find any electrics on my V12 dated earlier than 1949...which is even stranger in that it was totally rebuilt in 1945!
Best
Laurence