1932 Lagonda 16/80 "Special Six" Tourer

With just two former registered keepers, ‘YY 2317’ has been in the seller’s father’s care for the past six years.

A long-time classic car enthusiast – he held the record at Shelsley Walsh for nine years and drove Le Papillon Bleu, a 1901 Panhard-Levassor, on the London to Brighton Run many times – his wife was the one who first fell in love with the Lagonda.

And they were quite the team; while they only used the Lagonda for high-days-and-holidays, they had done a lot of rallying previously, including entering a vintage Bentley in the London to Peking Rally.

VSCC-eligible as a post-vintage thoroughbred, which could exponentially expand your motorsport and social options, the Special Six runs and drives very well indeed.

It looks fantastic too and sounds the part – and for those who might be worried about the cost of running a vintage car, can we point you towards the history file to check how much it cost to have the magneto carrier refurbished?

The bodywork is well patinated and full of character with various chips, scratches, pits, and cracks to the paint across most panels. There is also a small dent below the nearside rear door and two below the driver’s cutout, peeling paint to the trailing edge of the nearside rear wing, and the offside bonnet has cracked near the handle and has a few blisters below the louvres.

And yet, for all these it still looks terrific, and many think a vintage car looks better with a bit of history behind it; go to any classic and vintage show and it’ll be the cars with character that draw the biggest crowds.

It’s much the same for the chromework, which isn’t concours but then neither is it pitted and rusty. The huge radiator assembly leaves passersby in no doubt they’re in the presence of automotive royalty too, as do the equally imposing Lucas headlamps bolted to the pre-war equivalent of a ‘roo bar, with Lucas sidelamps fitted to either front wing.

Of course, being a vintage car, it also gets a solitary Lucas driving lamp and a brace of Lucas horns – plus, of course, badges showing membership of the Lagonda Club and the Irish Veteran and Vintage Car Club.

Modern side steps have been fitted, and these suit the Lagonda’s style very well and make it easier for the driver to make a Le Mans-style leap into the cockpit.

The black fabric hood has some white marks and creases to it but, like the coachwork, these merely add to the car’s (already considerable) period charm. There certainly aren’t any rips, holes, or other damage, and the frame folds and unfolds easily. The small rear plastic window is in good shape too being clear and free of cracks.

A tonneau cover is also provided, and this is, in our humble opinion, all the weather protection you’ll ever need; turning up with it fitted will certainly guarantee your acceptance into the Vintage Sports-Car Club – and you may even find a drink waiting for you when you enter the bar.

The exposed rear petrol tank is filled via a wonderfully-crafted stainless-steel fuel filler cap, with a similarly-styled cap being fitted to the radiator.

The painted wire wheels are all solid and in a fair condition; you could improve them but if you did it would only be to smarten them up a bit rather than to affect a repair. The front tyres are older 5.25/5.50-18s, while the rears look more recent Blockley’s in 5.50-18.

Problems you might actually want to do something about are limited to a delaminating windscreen, and deteriorated windscreen, bulkhead, and sidelight seals.

The Lagonda also comes with a full set of side screens, but these are badly deteriorated and will need to be restored before they can be used.

Our Man describes the green leather seats as having a “beautiful patina”, and we would also like to point out that the cushions are still plump and comfortable, and that the leather face material is untroubled by rips, holes, and other damage.

To adjust the front bucket seats requires you to grasp A.W. Chapman’s patented ‘Leveroll’ system, although they, like many other items including the wiper housing and instrument bezels, are oxidised and worn.

The rear seat is in an even better condition and features a fold down central armrest. The backrest also folds forward to give access to a small space behind.

The door cards and rear quarter panels have been retrimmed, and the carpets also look like they’ve been replaced in the not-so-distance past as they are a brighter and slightly different colour to the carpets that are fitted to the back of the front seats.

The dashboard is a hefty chunk of wood – no thin smear of veneer for a Lagonda driver – and it’s full suite of instruments covers engine and road speed, time, distance covered, oil pressure, coolant temperature, battery charge, and even the fuel level.

Its varnished finish is showing its age but removing it and stripping it down before treating it to a few coats of yacht varnish would make for a very satisfying weekend’s work. (Although we suspect the Lagonda’s first owner may well have joined the Dowager Countess of Grantham in wondering what a ‘weekend’ is…)

The 16/80 also features a carefully inscribed gearlever gate, which’ll come in handy as the pattern is reversed, and the base of the driver’s seat has been crafted to accommodate its travel.

As you can see in the video, it also starts well, even from cold. It idles very smoothly too and builds good oil pressure when revved. The latter does little to disturb the engine’s balance either, and creates a wonderful exhaust note.

The dashboard also shows a good charge to the battery.

The Lagonda drove well on our test drive, and the only fault we’re aware of is that the offside taillight doesn’t work. The fanbelt also looks like a universal one designed to get you out of trouble rather than a long-term solution, but one of the joys of running a car as old as this is that practically everything can be restored or reconditioned with only a modicum of skill and a few decent hand tools – or access to a bottle of decent malt.

The engine bay is very tidy, and while further improvements to its cosmetic condition could be made it is very presentable as it is. It’s stuffed full of interesting features including a remote lubrication point for the cable pulleys, rear spring, comp box, brake pedal, and front shackle: This is a car you will genuinely enjoy maintaining.

The underside features the sort of heavy engineering Brunel would recognise. It is, therefore, probably as strong now as it’s ever been. Sure, there is grease and oil dotted around the place but getting dirty is also part of the fun of running a vintage car.

The Lagonda doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and the recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar a marker for not having road tax.

The history file also contains what might be the original Terms of Guarantee, a booklet Lagonda in the Thirties, a reproduction Instruction Book, an Autocar road test from 1932, Vehicle Test Certificates from its time in Northern Ireland, an old V5 Registration Book, and miscellaneous paperwork from the Lagonda Club and The Crossley Register.

There are also various receipts from 2003-04 for reconditioning the Crossley engine, which is still running smoothly and quietly.

The price of vintage-era cars has been settled for a while now, which means this slice of fried British gold could be yours for between £30,000 and £40,000, which is astonishing value considering the quality of motorcar you’ll be getting in return.

And if motorsport of your thing, then joining the VSCC could be the best money you’ve ever spent; with events running countryside almost every weekend, the only question is whether your liver will be able to keep up.

As a friend of the firm puts it: “Vintage cars are amazing. My Austin Seven has changed my life in a way that owning Caterhams, TVRs, and Porsches didn't” – and if an Austin Seven can do that for him, imagine what a Lagonda might do for you…

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.