The Lagonda V12 is a large car produced by the British Lagonda company from 1938 until 1940. It was first shown at the 1936 London Motor Show but production did not commence until 1938.[1]
The V12 model featured an all new 4480 cc 60 degree V12 engine designed by W. O. Bentley. The engine has a combined cylinder block and upper crankcase cast in iron with a light alloy lower crankcase. The cylinder heads are cast iron. Each bank of six cylinders has its own single overhead camshaft, chain driven, and its own distributor driven from the back of the camshaft. Twin downdraught SU carburettors are located between the engine blocks. 180 hp (134 kW) is developed at 5000rpm.[3]
The chassis was also new and features independent torsion bar front suspension and live rear axle with hypoid final drive. The braking system is Lockheed hydraulic.
The engine is connected to a four-speed gearbox with centrally mounted change lever.
One of ten cars built on the longest wheelbase, a 1939 de Ville
Lagonda V12 Drophead Coupé
Coachwork could be by Lagonda or a number of independent coachbuilders and to suit various body designs a wheelbase of 124 in (3,150 mm), 132 in (3,353 mm) or 138 in (3,505 mm) could be specified. Only ten cars were built with the longest bodywork.
Even with a saloon body the car could reach 100 mph.[3]
Two modified V12s with four carburettor engines were entered for the 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans where they finished third and fourth.
A 1939 version of the Drophead coupe was featured in an episode of The Twilight Zone called “A Thing About Machines” as a car possessed, terrorizing the main character. The car was driven by stuntmen ducking below the dash or by drivers dressed in all black or white to portray the car as driverless, chasing Mr. Finchley (probably based on Robert Benchley) to his death.
The Lagonda V12 featured prominently in Roald Dahl's adult books My Uncle Oswald and the short story The Visitor (in the collection Switch Bitch). In the stories Dahl discusses taking delivery of a 1938 Lagonda with custom coachwork and a set of horns that play Mozart's "son gia mille e tre" in perfect pitch and seats "upholstered in fine-grain alligator and the panelling to be veneered in yew... because I prefer the colour and grain of English yew to that of any other wood".[4]
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lagonda V12.
^ abSedgwick, M. (1989). A-Z of Cars of the 1930s. Devon, UK: Bay View Books. ISBN1-870979-38-9.
^ abcCulshaw; Horrobin (1974). Complete Catalogue of British Cars. London: Macmillan. ISBN0-333-16689-2.
^ abWalker, Nick (November 2007). British Sports and Thoroughbred Motor Cars. UK: Herridge & Sons. ISBN978-1-906133-01-6.
lagonda, large, produced, british, lagonda, company, from, 1938, until, 1940, first, shown, 1936, london, motor, show, production, commence, until, 1938, 1940, overviewmanufacturerlagondaproduction1938, 1940189, body, chassisbody, styletourersalooncoupelimousi. The Lagonda V12 is a large car produced by the British Lagonda company from 1938 until 1940 It was first shown at the 1936 London Motor Show but production did not commence until 1938 1 Lagonda V121940 Lagonda V12OverviewManufacturerLagondaProduction1938 1940189 1 Body and chassisBody styletourersalooncoupelimousinePowertrainEngine4 5 L Lagonda V12 engine single overhead cam per cylinder bankTransmission4 speed manualDimensionsWheelbase124 in 3 150 mm 132 in 3 353 mm or 138 in 3 505 mm 2 Lengthtypically 206 in 5 232 mm but depends on coachwork 2 Width72 in 1 829 mm 2 The V12 model featured an all new 4480 cc 60 degree V12 engine designed by W O Bentley The engine has a combined cylinder block and upper crankcase cast in iron with a light alloy lower crankcase The cylinder heads are cast iron Each bank of six cylinders has its own single overhead camshaft chain driven and its own distributor driven from the back of the camshaft Twin downdraught SU carburettors are located between the engine blocks 180 hp 134 kW is developed at 5000rpm 3 The chassis was also new and features independent torsion bar front suspension and live rear axle with hypoid final drive The braking system is Lockheed hydraulic The engine is connected to a four speed gearbox with centrally mounted change lever One of ten cars built on the longest wheelbase a 1939 de Ville Lagonda V12 Drophead Coupe Coachwork could be by Lagonda or a number of independent coachbuilders and to suit various body designs a wheelbase of 124 in 3 150 mm 132 in 3 353 mm or 138 in 3 505 mm could be specified Only ten cars were built with the longest bodywork Even with a saloon body the car could reach 100 mph 3 Two modified V12s with four carburettor engines were entered for the 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans where they finished third and fourth A 1939 version of the Drophead coupe was featured in an episode of The Twilight Zone called A Thing About Machines as a car possessed terrorizing the main character The car was driven by stuntmen ducking below the dash or by drivers dressed in all black or white to portray the car as driverless chasing Mr Finchley probably based on Robert Benchley to his death The Lagonda V12 featured prominently in Roald Dahl s adult books My Uncle Oswald and the short story The Visitor in the collection Switch Bitch In the stories Dahl discusses taking delivery of a 1938 Lagonda with custom coachwork and a set of horns that play Mozart s son gia mille e tre in perfect pitch and seats upholstered in fine grain alligator and the panelling to be veneered in yew because I prefer the colour and grain of English yew to that of any other wood 4 References Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lagonda V12 a b Sedgwick M 1989 A Z of Cars of the 1930s Devon UK Bay View Books ISBN 1 870979 38 9 a b c Culshaw Horrobin 1974 Complete Catalogue of British Cars London Macmillan ISBN 0 333 16689 2 a b Walker Nick November 2007 British Sports and Thoroughbred Motor Cars UK Herridge amp Sons ISBN 978 1 906133 01 6 Dahl Roald 1986 Mon oncle Oswald Paris Gallimard ISBN 2070377458 OCLC 461744079 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lagonda V12 amp oldid 1076448780, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
