Vehicle Description
Regarded by many as W.O. Bentley's mechanical masterpiece, the
classic lines of this Frank Feeley-designed Lagonda remain as
aesthetically impressive today as they were in 1939. The
magnificent body is affixed to a production chassis that
exemplifies some of the most graceful and flowing designs of the
era. Every amenity was provided to purchasers, including a set of
tools and spare spark plugs ingeniously concealed in one of the
side mount covers. Only nine Lagonda V12 Drophead Coupes were
manufactured in 1939.
This particular example (Chassis number 14113) was produced in
August of 1939 - immediately prior to the start of World War II,
which necessitated closure of the factory on September 26th, 1939.
Several vehicles were relocated from the factory facility and
housed in a chapel on Flood Street in Chelsea while the production
line underwent conversion to serve the war effort. In 1940,
authorities were ultimately persuaded by the company that these
stored vehicles should be sold. However, the stipulation required
that they be exported from England in exchange for much needed
funding for the war.
The Lagonda V12 Drophead Coupe here was among those chapel-kept
cars and was dispatched directly to Joseph Luchs on December 10th,
1940. His interest in acquiring a Lagonda automobile was conceived
during his residence in London in 1935 prior to relocating his
family and enterprise to New York City. Luchs, an Austrian by
birth, was a prosperous dress manufacturer based near Park Avenue.
In preparation for transporting the Lagonda to the United States,
it was equipped with a number of special-order accessories
including a center lamp, horn brackets, sun visors, and Lucas
Mellotone horns. There was also a modification to accommodate
fender skirts as documented in the purchase order. These original
accessories remain with the Lagonda.
14113 was subsequently owned by Robert C. Bacon who held a seat on
the Grain Exchange in Boston, Massachusetts. It was later procured
by Bill Harrah, of Sparks, Nevada on November 30th, 1962, and
remained in his collection until his death and subsequent auction
in 1985. The Lagonda was thereafter incorporated into the Behring
Collection at the Blackhawk Museum in Danville, California until
March of 2016 when it was acquired by John P. Shibles of Sea Girt,
New Jersey. After a comprehensive 16-month restoration at Steve
Babinsky's facility under Shibles' ownership, meticulous
maintenance, and more recent service to the brakes, this Lagonda
V12 Drophead Coupe is an exquisite addition to any collection.
