Lagonda Rapiers

3 minute(s) of a 484 minute read

Hello Mike

There are a number of possibilities depending on how wealthy you are. In the UK you could try Aston Workshop. This used to be Beamish Morgan run by Rapier Register and Lagonda Club member John Mc Donald, he has now retired. You can find them at WWW.aston.co.uk. If you are very very wealthy you could look at LMB Racing in Belgium. They too have a web site. Or if you are poor like me you can try Auto Surplus in Blackburn Vic.Aust. WWW.autosurplus.com.au. If you are contacting them you can use my name as a reference. If you are looking for competition quality you could send an email to Ian Shugg at Crankshaft Rebuilders who do nearly all my engine machine work. www.Crankshaft Rebuilders. Vic. Au.

Again you could use my name as an intro. I am sorry but I do not know anyone on your side of the pond.

I have just finished lapping in and fitting the Rapiers valves. Next thing is to install the cams along with the cam followers etc. I can then measure the valve (Tappet) clearance and order some new valve stem "buckets" These are similar to those used by Alfa Romeo and are available in a variety of thicknesses going up in one "thou" rises. Before ordering any new buckets I will go through my stock.  These can be "adjusted" by inserting shims but that is not totally satisfactory as very thin shims tend to hammer out. Before fimal assembly I have to wash out all the cam followers etc. In typical Lagonda thoroughness these are drilled to deliver oil at full engine pressure right to the "pad" where it runs against the cam-lobe. Naturally the cam bearings also run under full pressure. The only disadvantage is that it is not recommended that you run the engine with the cam covers removed. That is unless you want the entire interior of the garage "lubricated". Going back to my quandary re the damaged exhaust valve. I ended up using a used valve that previously been in the same exhaust port. When I did the huge engine rebuild in 1996 I had fitted eight new valves. At that stage the inlet valves had grown appreciably in head size. I have this bad habit of  not throwing out anything that may still have some life. The used exhaust valve that I ended going back into the same port that it had come from initially. I have a habit of numbering parts as they are dismantled. To double check I made certain that it was an exhaust valve by holding a magnet against the head.

Bj.

Many of you will have seen this photograph before but I think that it worthy of a second look. It shows our friend and fellow traveller Bruce Rodgers climbing the Col du Galibier in the French Alps. It was taken by Helen during our 2009 visit. He is driving his 1936 Rapier.

Bj