Daniel Richmonds Lagonda Rapier.
Daniel at the wheel of the Lagonda Rapier
Lagonda rapier's Twin Superchargers
Bunty driving the Lagonda, Bouley Bay Jersey
Bunty again
A lightened Lagonda back plate
This car is still competed very effectivley in VSCC events.
Daniel Richmond on the Lagonda
I am very pleased to be able to publish a reproduction of a letter writen in the early 1960's by Daniel Richmond to a fellow Lagonda owner, regarding his car.
I think this long letter gives a superb insight into Daniel Richmond both as a man and an engineer. I have at the request of the owner of the letter removed all references to any specific people, this does not however reduce its interest or significance.
I would like to thank the Rapier Register for allowing me to reprocuce this very interesting letter here.
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Should you have any further information of any sort regarding this vehicle both Tony & myself would be very interested to hear from you. I can be contacted at
mark@mk1-performance-conversions.co.uk
Allard J2 .
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Click on the images above for larger copies.
Throughout the mid to late 1950's Bunty regularly competed in Sprints & Hillclimbs at the wheel of an Allard J2X owned by their good friend Peter Farquharson. Peter was a good customer of the Richmonds in the early days with them "looking after" a number of cars owned by him.
The Allard originally was fitted with an ARDUN converted flathead Ford V8 and 3 speed gearbox and would seem to have been rather successfull in the club competitions of the time, with various class wins. The engine/gearbox were however swapped for a 5.4litre Cadillac engine with Richmond 4 X 1-1/2"S.U carbs on two seperate fabricated manifolds along with a host of the usual US hotrod cams, headers and most interestingly and set of heavilly modified heads by the man himself. At the same time an Alvis Speed 25 gearbox was fitted, an favourite of the Allard boys to replace the weak Ford box.This work was enjoyed for 1958 only as the car was then sold on for another Allard.
The particularly interesting aspect to this story is the fact that by the early 1960's Bunty owned a Cadillac powered Allard J2 that she called "Butch" it is not currently clear if this car is in fact "Butch". If you have any information regarding the Richmonds Allard I would dearly like to hear from you.
The car is now owned & has been beautifully restored by Roger Murray-Evans, who I would like to thanks for the details and information reprocuced above. Roger currently Hill Climbs the car in VSCC events.