Lagondaforum

Subject: American DBLs

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Hi Tony (See Other; Am I a sucker for punishment?)
DB 3litre 4 door saloon LB 290/1/207 which I am restoring was in Ontario in July 1991 having been sold to Jason Edge 174 Pine Brockville By Larry Foster and Son Antiques Coburg.
The serial no of your engine is not VB6H/684 by any chance is it?
Does anyone have an idea of how many of these cars were sold to this side of the Atlantic,is there a LHD conversion ?
BaT reports a couple of 4 doors sold by Kevin Kay Redding Ca.and a green one in Muskoka in April 2009 but no serial nos. Where are they now?
The attachments show where I am at now, with mine.

Ken Douch Sooke British Columbia




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Subject: Re: American DBLs

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Hi Ken,
Looks like you will be busy for a while. Sorry to repeat but you may not have read my initial response.

I came across your car (could have been 1980) in St Catherines, Ont. The owner had just won it in a poker game and wanted to cash in. It looked like a professional conversion to XK power? The owner was moving to Barrie and I lost track of it.

The engine I have was supposed to have come from a DB2/4 MIII (also converted to XK power) but it is a VB6J unit so not correct for a MkIII or a Lagonda. I tracked down the garage who did the conversion. They were supposed to be high end British Marque "specialists" but I think their specialty was fleecing customers. I paid a hefty price to rescue the motor but 30 years later, I am glad I did.

Having said that, many of these cars had engines replaced by the works (including my DHC) according to early service records. It is possible that your car was later fitted with a VB6J unit.

I think that the 3 Litre that I saw pictures of (maybe six years ago?)was a 2 door. It was in the Brockville area and had been stripped of its mechanicals including instruments. I have not heard of it since.

Tony

Subject: Re: American DBLs

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Guys,

This is a really enjoyable thread.

May I ask you to pass information to the Lagonda Club's North America Secretary, Rudy Wood- Muller. He publishes an excellent newsletter and I'm sure he would love to hear about these projects from Lagonda enthusiasts in USA and Canada. His email address is lagondausa@aol.com.

Colin

Subject: Re: American DBLs

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Hi Colin,
Please feel free to share. I am not sure how many of the early DB cars came to USA/Canada. I know of no officially imported or left hand drive cars.

Mine was my personal import (1975). I believe the Brockville car was brought over specifically as a donor? Ken's car was definately here pre 1980. There have been two other 3 Litres recently for sale on the west coast. Both 4 door saloons. The green (South African?) car looked very soild. The other was again, likely a donor car but not beyond help.

There were a couple of 2.6's (one drophead and one saloon) in the States that surfaced in the eighties. Both needing restoration. Also a white DHC that was for sale quite recently through a dealer on the East coast. Maybe one and the same. Apparently it appeared in a Steve Martin movie?

I will check my old Lagonda Club newsletters to get a more accurate count.

Tony

Subject: Re: American DBLs

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Guys,

It may be of interest that, in my collection of automobilia, I have a letter dated 11 June 1954 sent by James Stirling (then 'Resident Manager' of the 'Lagonda Division' of 'The David Brown Corporation (Sales) Limited') to Lens Automobiles of Buffalo NY. Apparently, the proprietor of that firm had a customer who, already very happy with his Aston Martin DB 2-4, was interested in ordering a 3-litre Lagonda Coupe.

In partial reply to the enquiry, Mr Stirling wrote; "While it is our intention to make a central gearchange available, we do not intend to produce the Lagonda with left-hand drive."

By the way, what may very well be the same two 2.6 litre cars mentioned by Tony (one a DHC and the other a saloon, both in a very poor state) were offered for sale and sold on ebay last year (reputedly going to a collector in Germany).

Tim

Subject: Re: American DBLs

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I was offered a sedan less engine near Brockville about 10 years ago. I recently spoke with the seller and he said it did eventually go overseas and he subsequently found the engine and alerted the buyer who acquired it.

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Subject: Re: American DBLs

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Thanks for the feedback,

Tim, yes I do remeber seeing a 2.6 Saloon (light green?) advertised with what looked like a 2.6 DHC (rough) in the background. There appeared to be a cylinder head and possibly a block in shot also. If memory serves, the Saloon did have an Ontario plate but the cars were on the West coast.

Barry, I was hoping to track that car down. Good to hear that it has a home and that it was more complete than I remember. How is the M45 coming along? Arguably the finest looking Lagonda there is. Sorry that I don't have something to trade otherwise I woud love to give that car a new home.

Tony

Subject: Re: American DBLs

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Tony, I am plugging on with the M45 as everything I have been offered would be a downgrade and my learned vintage car buddy here in Canada has got me convinced the M45 was one of the truly great ones. It's a daunting task compared with motorcycle restoration but at least I now have a decent warm shop to work in. I will ask the fellow who had the DB where it went to, hindsight but I suppose at $1800 I should have snapped it up!

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Subject: Re: American DBLs

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Barry,

I suggest you plug on with the M45. It is a truly a great car. All Lagondas are great cars - including the 12/24. The DB cars are as well of course and I admire fellow readers of this newsgroup doing good stuff here. Thanks all for your interesting postings!

However the kind of restoration work involved in the post-war cars personally scares me and I would urge you to enjoy the combination of grunt and agricultural simplicity of your M45 before being seduced by the later cars. Over the years I have spent hours agonising about this myself at places such as the Beaulieu automart where there have been many attractive later Lagondas present - including at least one DB Rapide which was not much money at the time. I have now decided to leave the restoration of these cars to more talented and skilled fellow enthusiasts.

This does not stop me liking them very much and admiring the work that has gone into keeping them going. More postings please guys!

Cheers Colin

Subject: Re: American DBLs

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Hi Tony
Having had a close look at the MK2, restoration is not too difficult as compared to a rusty XK for instance.
The body can neatly be separated from the chassis and, although it is a composite construction of an aluminium shell on a steel and wood frame, it is very repairable provided it has retained its structural integrity.Except for the ash frame certainly no worse than a comparable American sedan.
The chassis is a little more complex than a live axle car, but having been built to tractor standards it is emminently rebuildable with few unique parts needing renewal.
Most system parts,Lucas, Lockheed,SU etc. are used on other contemporary makes such as Jaguar and Rover and are available as secondhand or reproduction.
The Achilles heel appears to be the engine and gearbox which are more suited to a lighter sportscar,but I am avoiding this.The "professional"(Farmer?) engine swap will be done properly(although reconvertable) by this amateur.
So my put is that, if it is in one piece, the DB3l is worth saving even if it does look sad.
The skill is not to spend too much more on it, than it is worth when finished, as this is in the eye of the beholder!
Ken