1936 | Lagonda Rapier Ranalah

The Lagonda Rapier, a compact automobile, was manufactured by the independent Lagonda Rapier Cars Ltd in London. Prior to the outbreak of the war, only 46 of these vehicles were produced with the Ranalah body.

Registration: UK registered
Chassis number: 11478
Engine number: 3226
Original license plate: JG7812
Rarity: 1 out of 46 produced
Engine Specifications: A rare 1,500cc, 4-cylinder engine delivering 85 horsepower, with a 4-speed pre-selector gearbox.

The heart of this car features a meticulously rebuilt 1,500cc twin overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine, originally designed by consultant Thomas Ashcroft. While the initial plan was to cast it in light alloy, cost considerations led to its construction in cast iron based on the original patterns. This choice made it somewhat heavy but exceptionally robust. Typically, this engine comes in a 1,100cc variant with approximately 50 bhp. However, in its 1,500cc form, as seen in this model, it boasts around 85 bhp, which was quite impressive for its time. The engine's production was subcontracted to Coventry Climax.

Designed by Charles King, the chassis comprises bolted-together steel sections. The engine is connected to a four-speed preselector gearbox, and the Girling system rod-operated brakes feature large 13-inch (330 mm) drums. Suspension is provided by half-elliptic springs controlled by friction dampers.

The Ranalah body was a creation of John Dalrymple and Charles Livesay, former employees of Chalmer & Hoyer. After the collapse of their previous company, they established John Charles & Co, quickly attracting a diverse clientele and producing various saloons and open bodies on different chassis. They also adopted the name "Ranalah" as a brand for some of their body designs. Unfortunately, rapid growth strained their finances, leading to the company's failure in early 1935.

In 1935, a new company called Ranalah Coachworks Ltd was founded in Morden Road, Merton, to acquire the assets and continue the business of John Charles, retaining the brand name. In 1937, they diversified into sheet metal work for the aircraft industry, with an additional address at High Street, Tooting, London. With the outbreak of war, car production ceased.

This car is being represented by Historic Competition Services in Antwerp, Belgium. We specialize in sourcing, selling, buying, maintaining and restoring some of the most important historic competition cars in Europe and the US. Join our newsletter list to view collector cars before they hit the open market.