Description
Kelham Hall | Newark, Nottinghamshire
Viewing: Tues 17th March 2026 from 12pm
Auction: Weds 18th March 2026
Location: Kelham Hall Main Street, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG23 5QX
1939/ c. 1951 Lagonda Rapier 'The Derrington Special'
Understood to have been constructed post-war by Victor Derrington
Estimate
£26, 000 - £30, 000
Registration No: GNR 800
Chassis No: D379
MOT: Exempt
Constructed as a special post-war and first registered in 1951
Sold by ex-Brooklands racer, car dealer and tuner Victor Derrington
Fitted with a rare Centric supercharger and dashboard mounted pre-selector lever
A regular competitor in VSCC events during the 1950's and 60's with owners G. B Wooley and Anthony Skipper
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.
In 1938 well-known London-based dealer and racing driver Jack Bartlett acquired the remaining new Rapier spare parts and advertised them for sale in the motoring press in 1939. Bartlett continued to supply parts to Rapier owners and Lagonda Rapier historian Chris Wiblin confirms in his book ‘Twin-Cam Extravagance’ that GNR 800 was built from a shortened chassis using new parts and was completed post-war. The resulting car became known as the ‘Derrington Special’.
More information to follow.
** Bidding will take place live at the venue, online via our H&H website, by telephone and commission - T&Cs apply**
Parking and entry into the auction is free for auction attendees with a catalogue, available at the door.
Catalogues can be purchased for £20 (admits 2 people).
