Lagonda Rapiers

4 minute(s) of a 484 minute read

Hello Barry

Owing to the situation in the Middle East these days all shipping from Australia to Europe now goes across the Pacific, through the Panama then across the Atlantic. That is why ships take six to seven weeks for the voyage.

Regarding Insurance in the UK and EU. Some years back the British Classic Car Insurance Industry decided that they would no longer offer Insurance to visitors wanting to drive their own cars. Fortunately Hagertys felt that this was rather unfair and decided to open an office in England. They now insure virtually all the "foreign" visitors to the UK and those like us who use the UK as a start point, in the process picking up millions of dollars worth of business. Just think of all those owners of Bugattis, Bentleys, Rolls Royces etc etc all wanting to take part in Rallyes or like us just want to organise their own tour. Our shipping man has just recently shipped 17 Rolls Royce Silver Ghosts. He is kept busy shipping Vintage and Classic cars just out of one port in Australia, AND he is just one shipping agent. 

If you are wondering about our "Equipe Australie" signage, that is simply French for "Team Australia", so that there is no confusion in the minds of the French public, mistaking us for English.

Bj.

3-29-2014

More photographs from "Packing day" these from photographer John Doutch. His profesional eye was quick to pick up the subtle differences between Radiator treatments. Four cars all the same make and model but each one different.

Now for some different photographs of loading the container.

Two of the "top-deck cars waiting their turn. Geoff Burford in his 1934 Riley 12/4 2/4 seat "Special" & my 1934 Lagonda Rapier "Eagle" two seater.

Thank you Whtbaron

Here are a couple more interesting pics for you.

First is Geoff's Riley engine and for comparison a Rapier engine. The Riley has two cams high in the cylinder block with short pushrods to operate the valves while the Rapier has two overhead cams working directly onto the valves. Both use Preslector gearboxes.

The Riley is 1.5 Litre with a bore of 69mm and stroke of 100mm.

The Rapier is 1.1 Litre with a bore of 61.5mm and a stroke of 90mm.

My own Rapier is one of just a handful of 1.5 Litre with a Bore of 72.5mm and a stroke of 90mm. This is possible due to a batch of very special cylinder blocks commissioned by members of the Rapier Register during the 1970s.

Bj.