Lagonda Rapiers

4 minute(s) of a 484 minute read

Two or three hours later the gearbox is well on the way to being dismantled, all that remains to do is to split the case so the bands can be changed over to the newly relined ones. Then it can all be reassembled again and the Australian Border Force (Customs) can rest easily in their beds at night, relaxed in the knowledge that all traces of asbestos will have been removed. I have pages and pages of the specifications for the new lining material.
Once it is all assembled again I can ask the "maid" to wash and polish the work top and vacuum up any stray traces of asbestos dust.
Oh yes, I hope that you have all noticed that I have already started to polish the aluminium gearbox housing to a mirror finish. I will give it a final run over with the high speed buff before I put it back in the car. It seems a shame that I have to pour some of that nasty messy oil into it again. If I never drive the car again I suppose that it would not matter if I left it out. That way there is no possible chance that a Show Judge could take any points off for an oil leak. Perhaps I had better drain all the oil out of the motor too? Then I can polish the underside of the sump (oil pan) too.
If anyone is curious about the "Rev" label on the container for loose nuts etc on my work bench. That is actually a cut down 1 litre milk container.
YES! here in Australia we have "Hi Performance" milk too.

12-21-2018

This where the whole business is so silly. They may have x-rayed the box but did not open it. All the paperwork was neatly folded inside the box so they could not have read it without opening the package. Yet they, Australian Border Force (Customs),   could impound the car and take it apart, depending on the mood  of the particular inspecting officer and or perhaps his political viewpoint or attitude on the particular day. It all seems very arbitrary. In the past we have experienced some malicious damage to our car at the hands of people claiming  to be  acting under instruction. Hi-pressure washing supposed to remove any soil from under mudguards (fenders) that "accidentally" filled electrical equipment with water, on the asumption that the cars MAY have been on a farm and have contaminated soil attached to the cars underside. This when the car had already been steam cleaned underneath before leaving England.  Please do not get me started.......

Now with all the new/relined parts to hand I could confidently start work on the Rapier Gearbox. I hope that you all appreciate what a rare gift I am giving you all.
Very few people anywhere in the world would have an opportunity to see one of these gearboxes totally dismantled then over the next few days seeing it go back together again. I am sure that with such a highly educated audience any words of explainantion would be wasted.
Bj,