Description
H&H Classic Auction @ The Imperial War Museum, Duxford/ Cambridgeshire
9th October, 2024 13:00
1934 Lagonda Rapier
The 'Zwick' Rapier which was campaigned both sides of WW2
Estimate
£40, 000 - £50, 000
Registration No: AUA 170
Chassis No: D10727
MOT: August 2025
Re-bodied on the request of the then owner and aspiring trials driver Maurice Zwick when three years old
Campaigned before WW2 as the Zwick Rapier on the Land's End, Exeter and Edinburgh Trails etc
Raced at Goodwood, Silverstone, and Great Auclum after WW2 by John Marshall, Margaret 'Peggy' Harman, and AC Griffiths
Supplied with a history file with numerous period photographs of the Rapier in competition
Introduced at the 1933 Olympia Motor Show, the Lagonda Rapier was intended to capitalise on the growing market for small capacity sports cars. Although based around a conventional ladder-frame chassis complete with all-round semi-elliptic leaf-sprung suspension and four-wheel Girling 13-inch drum brakes, the newcomer boasted a highly advanced engine. The work of consultant Thomas 'Tim' Ashcroft the 1104cc four-cylinder unit utilised twin overhead camshafts to produce a quoted 50bhp @ 5, 400rpm. Praised by the contemporary motoring press for its performance, refinement and agility, the model was supplied in bare chassis guise only and bodied via the likes of E. D. Abbott, John Charles, Maltby and E. J. Newns. Prohibitively expensive to manufacture, the Rapier was dropped when the Staines firm went into administration during 1935. Convinced that the reborn Lagonda (LG Motors Ltd) had made a mistake, Tim Ashcroft, William Oates and Nevil Brockelbank secured the rights to the small capacity sports car shortly thereafter. Operating as Rapier Cars Ltd of Hammersmith they contributed a further 46 cars to the total production tally of 470 before closing their doors in 1938.
Beginning life as an Abbott-bodied Tourer, chassis D10727 was first road registered as ‘AUA 170' by Leeds County Council on the 10th of August 1934. Passing to aspiring trials driver Maurice Zwick of the North West London Motor Club two years later (who renamed himself Maurice Wick after World War Two and would go on to contest no fewer than five Monte Carlo rallies), the Lagonda soon proved a competitive mount. Buoyed by taking bronze, silver, and gold medals on the Land's End, Exeter, and Edinburgh Trials respectively during 1937, Zwick had the Rapier re-bodied (from the bulkhead back) and supercharged ahead of the following season. With little to show for his endeavours in 1938 besides a bronze medal on the Exeter Trial and a second-in-class on the MGCC's Abingdon Trial, he side-lined ‘AUA 170' thereafter storing it at Thompson & Taylor's Brooklands premises during World War Two.
Purchased by local Weybridge garage owner John Marshall, the Lagonda was converted into a circuit racer - complete with lightweight body and strengthened engine internals - in time to enter the 1st BARC Goodwood Race Meeting on 18th September 1948. Campaigned by subsequent keeper Mrs Margaret `Peggy' Harman in 1949-1950 at Silverstone and Great Auclum etc, she entrusted its maintenance to Maurice Leo who fitted a replacement engine block amongst other fettling. Initially used by the next owner Joe Branson as a daily commuter, he went on to win the Lagonda Club's prestigious Arthur Fox Trophy aboard `AUA 170' during 1958. Somewhat tired by the time Charles Hoskins of Market Rasen acquired it, restoration work on the two-seater began in the 1980s and had yet to be completed when the gentleman who completed the restoration acquired the Rapier in 2004.
Purchased by the previous keeper in 2016 from H&H, the Rapier required recommissioning at this stage and was provided with over £5, 000 worth of expenditure that comprised new rear axle seals, front brake overhaul, new exhaust system, and a service. Purchased by the vendor most recently, the Rapier was again not running, with the vendor recommissioning the car, and since ‘AUA 170’ has thankfully been in regular use. Running and driving excellently for the recent photography session, the Rapier will be driven to the sale. Supplied with a history file that contains in-depth details on the history of ‘D10727’, instruction book, previous MOT certificates, a current MOT certificate until August next year with no advisories, numerous period competition photographs, and a current V5C document.
