Re-bodied Lagonda

[DanCat]

These are some pictures of a 1932 Lagonda i have been paneling. This is pretty much the state that i got the car in, although i do this for a living this is my first full project at home. I hope you enjoy

[DanCat]

I dont seem to be able to up-load more than one picture at a time......

[TA14]

DanCat said:

I dont seem to be able to up-load more than one picture at a time......

Don't worry, keep going. If I click on this second photo it goes to thumbsnap and shows a few others. Looks like a nice job.

[DanCat]

This picture shows that the scuttle wasnt level, as can be seen on the right

[DanCat]

Hmm, it looks like i have to host them on-line first..could be some time!

[Mr. Magoo]

DanCat said:

These are some pictures of a 1932 Lagonda i have been paneling. This is pretty much the state that i got the car in, although i do this for a living this is my first full project at home. I hope you enjoy

Hi DanCat,

this maybe a thread of considerable interest to you (see my car in my profile). I am not far from recommissioning mine (recon magneto to follow).

I do however know that the ash frame is 'suspect'. It is an original HC 3 Litre Tourer body, I can send you more pics. Thing is I don't want to have a new hood, tonneau fitted where the female lugs have moved due to frame warping etc....therefore the long term solution would be a frame replacement.

I would be keen on how you progress, where are you based?

[DanCat]

Hi Mr Magoo, i think i have project envy, your car looks a lot more complete!
My car is coming on very well, the body is all panelled, including doors and sills. I would really appreciate any information you can supply on the rear wing fittings though. My next tasks are the bonnet and windscreen frame.
As ive just moved house i'm currently without broadband but will update the pictures when i can.
I'm based in the new forest.

[Mr. Magoo]

Hi DanCat,

My car resides in Essex although I live in Sevenoaks. Things have petered out due to finances of late but we have done most of the heavy lifting (engine, brakes, electrics, drivetrain, steering etc).

The body is sad in areas and I have left it because in the perfect world I would bankroll a professional coachbuilder to restore it but alas priorities have changed somewhat.

The wings on my car are all GRP - thats how they were when I inherited the car, I think my father changed the wings for cycle wings many years ago when he took it racing. I don't have the orginals but I do have the GRP jigs. We reconditioned the current wings and although not standard they do look nice. From memory the wings are bolted into threaded 'plates' at intermittent points on the frame.

We also restored the bonnet, removing any dents and kinks and respraying. My intention is to end up with a solid runner not a show pony, I don't think they warrant the money spent on them even if I had it as they are not as 'signature' as say the 4.5 / V12 Le Mans Lagondas or Bentleys/ Bugattis of the day.

I have a number of spares including a complete but disasembled 3L engine (cracked waterjacket). The strong points of the car are its relative originality (it is not a buthered saloon), it has the more desirable Alvis box and the Lucas P100's, german silver radiator and spotlight carry the car off well.....

You are welcome to visit although I am not there often, next visit on the 15th Dec.

[DanCat]

Well the car is now bodied and i've had some time to up load some pictures. Apologies for the quality, most of these were all taken on a camera phone



If this works it shows the car almost as it arrived. Except i've had to break a couple of joint above the passenger front door as the scuttle was lop sided...

Edited by DanCat on Tuesday 4th June 21:05

hmm, still cant get the image to appear in the thread....i'll keep trying

Edited by DanCat on Tuesday 4th June 21:07

I've reshaped the scuttle and fitted door shut/sill cover pieces. Also the ash has been painted. The masking tape at the rear of each door shows where the slip joints will eventually be. These altho the body to move slightly if the chassis and ash frame flex

Edited by DanCat on Tuesday 4th June 21:31

Edited by DanCat on Tuesday 4th June 21:48

[SV8Predator]

I know I'm interested in seeing more of your project, so please, get a proper camera, and learn how to post the images.

I'd really like to see more.

[DanCat]

In this shot you can see that i've started shaping the panels up. The a' and b' post panels have the edges turned and are cliped on. These over lap the sill/dppr shut cover panels and leave a better weather proof seal.



The drivers side, which has no door. The finish of the panle can be seen from the reflection of the shrinker.
Also the scuttle top is in place.
The engine bay scuttle panel is in 18 gauge steel and was painted prior to fitting



If you look closely behind the side panel, i've had to plane the ash frame to remove a couple of high spots.

[DanCat]

The rear panel in place, made up of three parts. The corners where beaten out on a sandbag as they have quite alot of shape.




I'll try and find the better quality pictures, i had an issue with my camera and seem to have lost a lot of them

Edited by DanCat on Tuesday 4th June 22:07

[dmulally]

Hi Dancat,

I am just about the start the bodywork for my little flying 10 boat-tail. I can only weld steel so will be making the tail in mild steel and the forward half in 1mm ali. Where the two meet I was going to drill and rivet to a steel bulkhead. Looking at yours perhaps wood with nails may be more interesting. Have you got any advice?



Cheers in advance.

[Mr. Magoo]

Very interesting. In your professional advice if my car has some areas of Ash rot is it worth stripping down and replacing the lot or localised repair?

[DanCat]

Hi dmullaly, Personally given the choice of a wood or steel frame i'd choose steel. They can sit lower on the chassis and i would find it much easier to use. I've just bought an Alvis chassis which i intend to biuld a monza style body on like this one



1mm ali for the front body sounds very thin, and would bruise easily, i'd use 1.5 or 1.2 at the very least.

Mr Magoo, apologies for not getting back to you earlier. Thanks for the kind offer of viewing your car. Without seeing the car its hard to say how far to go. I guess with your car having a canvas body it would be more forgiving if you replace parts of the wood in situe. Make sure you stagger the joints if you go this route.

Some more pics from the lagonda

Front end welded together


A jump forward to better quality pics, body is on


Doors skinned, sill made up and skrank to follow the curve of the body


Sill in place. The matt area on the top of the side panel is the weld area where it meets the scuttle. The doors arent finalised

[dmulally]

Thanks mate. I'll go for the 1.2 as it is just a racing car. I'd go canvas if I could sew.

[Mr. Magoo]

Mr Magoo, apologies for not getting back to you earlier. Thanks for the kind offer of viewing your car. Without seeing the car its hard to say how far to go. I guess with your car having a canvas body it would be more forgiving if you replace parts of the wood in situe. Make sure you stagger the joints if you go this route.


Hi Dancat - let me know if you would consider sizing mine up for a new commission?

best regards

[LordBretSinclair]

Stunning work Dancat - thanks for posting

[guru_1071]

some great skills on display there!

[bsaa7]

Please post more pics and ideas as I have just started my project(some pics in a minute).It is prob 1932 SSII chassis with early 30's Wolseley Hornet axles and 12 inch hydraulic brakes. Thje engine is I think 1938 flying 10 side valve and SSII gearbox. I would love to build a boat tail for it...