Topic: JPG #44 Solved : 1955 Lagonda "Brown Bomber" Prototype

[Joćo]

What“s it? Complete answer please! 

[Joćo]

Up!

[woodinsight]

Lagonda III saloon

[Joćo]

Lagonda III saloon

Yes,it“s a Lagonda.Can you complete your answer please? This one deserves more attention 

Locked for you!

[woodinsight]

It indeed requires further explanation.
This particular saloon dates from 1953 and could be said to be a precursor of the Lagonda Rapide, although this was quite a different car.

The body of the car in question was built by Tickford and was mounted on the chassis known as the Lagonda III.
It was an experimental car that was used by the Aston Martin works team in the mid-1950s as backup transport vehicle in the days when the race cars were driven to the circuit.
Lagondas were also raced at Le Mans and other circuits in the mid-1950s.

David Brown, owner of Aston Martin had purchased Lagonda in 1947 and was keen to re-establish the famous name on the market.
That he succeeded is open to question as he often had to use the name Aston Martin Lagonda to sell the product.
Lagonda produced over 500 2.6 litre saloons and drophead coupes until 1953. Its successor, the 3 litre although arguably a better-looking car sold fewer units.

The car in question is not thought to survive today - although I could be proved wrong on that score.

[Joćo]

I agree with you that this could be said to be a precursor of the Lagonda Rapide,but I have it from 1955,so I think that this one is the prototype or the first Lagonda Rapide built by Tickford and owned by David Brown.

"The 'Brown Bomber' was a Lagonda built on a tubular chassis much the same as the Aston-Martin DB 111 and DB 111 S's. It was intended to be fitted with the V12 engine under development at that time but the engine was quite a failure due to the method of locating the crankshaft but that is another story.
After the Experimental Department had finished with it, the 'Brown Bomber' was passed over to the Service Department where it was extensively used by David Brown who was driven by his chauffeur George Walters. It had a 3-litre LBS engine which we ported and fitted some illegal camshafts etc to give it a bit more power. It was an extremely large car so was under powered with a 3-litre engine. Four people could sit side by side on the front bench seat and at that time it had the largest curved windscreen ever produced by Triplex. Whatever possessed the management to scrap it before the move to Newport Pagnell in 1963 was a disgrace! At that time, not much thought was given to the historical value of such vehicles"

I believe that this one is the Brown Bomber

[woodinsight]

I knew it had a nickname but couldn't turn it up in the time.
That really fills in the background to this car - so much I didn't know about it.
Great shame it doesn't exist today.

[Carnut]

That registration number actually dates from September 1954

[barrett]

Fantastic! Does anyone have the profile view of this car? It shows how handsome it really is.
At the same time there were two other similar cars built on 3-litre chassis - both, I believe, DHCs (which I had saved as future puzzles, but I may as well share them now....)

[woodinsight]

Yes, I have a profile view - will scan it and post it here as soon as I get a chance.

[woodinsight]

This is the only profile I have seen -

[Joćo]

Wow!  Thank you so much!

[woodinsight]

A view from the other side  -

[barrett]

Great! This is just the sort of wafty old barge I'd love to cruise about in!