Description
The Olympia Motor Show Car of 1930
Racing history
Probably the very first production 2-litre Lagonda with a supercharger
Restored by marque experts in England
1930 Lagonda introduced the revised version of the 2L. The car now offered significantly more performance thanks to the supercharger fitted in front of the engine, achieving a top speed of an impressive 140 km/ h.
The car on offer from Cargold is the show car for the Olympia Motor Show (London) of 1930. The Lagonda was purchased directly from the stand by T. C. Mann to race it.
It is likely the very first production 2-litre with a supercharger that Lagonda built.
From 1930 to 1933 Mann successfully competed in races across Europe. Photos from this period exist.
The notable events were the Monte Carlo Rally 1931 and 1932 as well as the Mont des Mules Hill Climb, which GK3466 won two years in a row (2-litre class).
After the war cars were scarce and many functioning chassis were converted to utilitarian vehicles. GK3466 also received a new coachwork (shooting brake).
Until 1962 it continued to be used in this way until, together with other vehicles, it was parked in a field near Yorkshire.
There John Horne discovered it in 1986 and decided to restore GK3466, due to its great significance for the Lagonda marque.
In the years that followed it was restored with incredible attention to detail, with the help of Charles Battersby, Hartley Wintney, Alan Brown, Ivan Forshaw, and Barry Simpson among others.
In 1999 the completed “Rolling Chassis” was proudly presented at Lagonda’s 100th anniversary celebrations at Brooklands.
In 2003 John Horne received the “Transport Trust Restoration Award” for the exceptionally careful restoration. Tragically, Horne passed away a few months later.
The car was sold on in 2006 and has been in current ownership in Germany since 2012.
The vehicle is well known in the literature and appears, among others, in Geoffrey Seaton’s book.
