LagondaNet

[Mitrovic]

The description says it all:

... is complete with no engine and transmission....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140331041978&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3ASS%3AUS%3A1123#ht_915wt_1340

[Vincent]

Pay attention to this when importing these cars to EU :
1. You have to pay shipment + towage for the cars
2. You have to pay 10% import tax at the arrival in the EU, also on the shipment.
3. You have to pay the VAT in the country of destination ( from 15 to more than 25 % ) at the customs.
So, 13034 costed me at Boston 9500 € ( a bargain ); and costs me now about 16000 €...
_________________
Welcome to Paradise ! (FRONT 242)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS30BC3D5WM

[Francis]

These cars are owned by a frenchmen. I spoke to him this morning. the black car is a total writeoff. Only parts are salvageble. The gray one, was originaly blue. Probably in a flood. Carpets are shot (dead) but the guy tels me that the leather is ok...the electronic is gone and needs to be redone. the chrome inner door handles are rusted... what does that tells you? I took the door handles fron 13422 that had sat in the elements without front windows and they never rusted, and that in a field in humid Florida. The car is missing the engine and the tranny.

He gave up on his project to combine the gray car with the engine tranny of the black one probably because of costs.

I could get these cars here in Montreal for the cost of transport plus about 20% on duty and taxes. Transport (320 miles from me) would be about $1500.- for both cars and purchase could be as low as $10 000.- in my opinion + $2 000.- import tax and duty, plus $500 to register the car (the rebuild one).

I can't find a good electrician to fix this electronic problem, I would need to probably ship it to England for that to be done. $3000.- all inclusive. or get a guy like Julian Wharton to come here and do the work properly.

Restauration here of the interior, leather if needed ($5000.-) carpets + roof linner ( $1000.-), wood ($1000.-)Transfer of tranny and engine plus connection (1500.-) strip down repaint and new rubbers ($8000.-).

So a total of:

$ 10 000.- Purchase
$ 20 500.- Duty taxes + restauration
$ 3 000.- transport to England
$ 3 500.- electronic fix-up in England

$ 37 000.- for the fourth to last series 3 Lagonda.

- sell of left over of the black car $2 000.-

This car will cost, conservatively $35 000.- to $40 000.-

Anybody interested in doing this with me?

I will pay the upfront costs of purchase transport duty tax and storage for the duration of the work done here ( at a cheaper rate than Europe) or ship it directly to Europe to have it worked on over there if you can arange a restauration that will not be over the top in form of price.

So I pay the first $15 000.-, the partner supplies the rest and we split the profits if we sell it or we buy out one an other for the price of the total project (minus ones invested monies).

The gray one is the fourth to last series 3 Lagonda V8 ever produced. So technicaly speaking the most evolved of the pop-up headlights generation.

Francis
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Alvira's keeper

[Lagondanet]

I marvel at your enthusiasm Francis. IMHO I am inclined to think that they are both dead & that you would be better off spending your money on a better example rather than attempting restoration. But I stand to be corrected.

[Lagonda87]

Francis,

Considering the risks and work involved in restoring the car, I think the asking price of 10.000 USD for the two wrecks is way too much. If the restored car end up costing 35 - 40K, one could buy an original Lagonda (- which haven't been through hell like the two offered for sale) in very good condition for that kind of money. And the restored car wouldn't even have its original engine & gearbox. Also, who knows how many parts are missing or need replacement. It could be VERY expensive to do the restoration.

Personally I see only two options for the 2 wrecks:

- Scrap them both now and sell all working parts (Puddleduck style)
- Or, put them both into storage and hope (pray....) that some day in the future Lagondas will become so valuable that restoration is possible.

Best regards,

Soren

[Lagonda87]

Francis

- This nice looking Lagonda has been for sale in Sweden for a long time:

http://www.bytbil.com/bilar/begagnade/aston-martin/lagonda/qvtqawug

Price is 41.162 USD with the current exchange rate. The car has been for sale for a long time (1-2 years) so the owner will most likely consider an offer. I have seen pictures of the car (+ including in a magazine article), and it appears to be in great condition (and only 50.500 km / 30.000 miles)

Yes, I'm probably a chicken

...... But I would rather buy the car in Sweden for eg. 35.000 USD than take on the risks and work involved in restoring one of the wrecked cars.

Soren

[Francis]

Great looking early series 2 car. $35 000 is way too much for it at this point.That is my opinion.

You see I love a challenge, I know the risk involved in restoring such a car (or two!), I just did Alvira! I spent over $60 000 and I am still not happy with the result, especially the paint. But I have learned from that process.

But on an other level, I sold my company last December and I am not as busy as I used to be, so I see this as something to keep me busy, with no cost involved for my time. I am now semi-retired (at 48 ) and my present passion is those pesty Lagondas!

Bringing on a partner is just a way for me to sell this to my wife as an investment...so that she think that I am spending my time on a worth while cause...

In fact it will fuel my passion and I hope that this will be the same for someone that would join me in the project.

Are you tempted? surely that chicken comment must be covered by a '' I want to join'' feeling, no?

Francis
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Alvira's keeper

[Francis]

what is the serial number on that great looking green Swedish car?

Francis
_________________
Alvira's keeper

[Vincent]

[Lagondanet]

You are in a fortunate & unique position then Francis.
The VIN of the Swedish car is 13246 (Don't you read my directory page?!)

http://nexwebsites.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=59&highlight=13246

[Keith]

Hi Francis

My Lagonda 13302 was purchased from E-Bay and I thought that the car was in a "reasonable" condition: certainly far better than these 2 you are considering. However, 1 year's intensive restoration and considerable expense later, (more than double than what you are budgeting for), she is only now in, what can be described as, a "decent condition".

Granted, the restoration has been done by those wonder chaps at Puddleduck and you are proposing to do a lot of the work yourself but I would say you should have a good long chat to Julian before committing to such a project.

Lagonda owners seem to be a breed apart and they really only want their Pride and Joy's to be as best they can be and do not seem to care about the actual commercial value of the car, but I think it is sensible advice to consider buying a better condition model for more money to start with, rather than 2 wrecks. It will still, inevitably, need some TLC and lots of cash.

Keith

[Vincent]

Keith,

I understand your car is the former one of Alan Ayling, and I remember to have seen some pics of the restoration of the chassis on Puddleduck's website.
Mine was also very rusted (rotten) and costed me a lot of money too.
As Roger says, buy the better car you can afford. Personally, I don't want to make a revival of the last 2 years of restoration in another project. Just get in mind the Lagonda is the 10000 €/£/$ car :
10000 for a car ( in average/bad condition); 10000 for the leather; 10000 for the sills; 10000 for the electronics; 10000 for the bonnet if damaged; 10000 for a good second-hand V8; 10000 for the VAT/TAX...; 10000 for the rest....
Mmmmmh....and it comes to 80000 !
_________________
Welcome to Paradise ! (FRONT 242)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS30BC3D5WM

[Lagondanet]

Just get in mind the Lagonda is the 10000 €/£/$ car

[Keith]

Hi Vincent

Yes, my car was Alan Ayling's one. However the guy I bought it from in Newcastle swopped it with Alan for a Rolls Royce, (this also was "not as described" according to Alan and he regretted doing the swop).

To put it kindly, the restoration work that was performed on 13302 was done by people with the right intentions but very few of the skills needed. After it went to the guy from whom I purchased it from, the car had deteriated considerably but the photos used on e-bay were of the car taken 2-3 years earlier. I bought the car thinking that I really only needed to do the interior up - again - but Oh How Wrong I Was.

Puddleduck have even featured my car as a warning to all other potential buyers on their web-site.

http://www.puddleduck.uk.com/shop/VpageGal.asp?cpid=17

Your £$ 10,000 summary is not far off the truth. Add on a couple more chunks for all the necessary things you do not even see on the car and your almost there.

[Keith]

Sorry, that should read $10,000. (I scared myself for a moment seeing the £ sign).