Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special

Lagonda V12 Le Mans “Gunville Special”

Probably the most pleasing job I’ve ever done, marvellous to be allowed to be so creative with this design and a credit to the owner, Joe Harding for allowing us to be so. The end result was a triumph…
Don Standhaft

With this V12 project for Joe Harding we moved away from the standard styling of previous vintage Lagonda V12 commissions. Amongst other things we introducing the air intake on the top of the bonnet, a re-design of the distinctive V12 ‘bombs’ at the front of the car and constructed the body in two parts rather than three allowing the aluminium body to be removed in approximately 15 minutes.
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  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special bonnet during the early stages of construction in our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special floor sections during the early stages of construction in our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special aluminium tub during construction in our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special panelling during construction in our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special aluminium bonnet during construction in our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special aluminium cockpit in the early stages of construction inside our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special aluminium cockpit in construction inside our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special aluminium cockpit after construction inside our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special aluminium body, offside, in construction inside our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special aluminium body, offside rear, in construction inside our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special aluminium body, nearside rear, in construction inside our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special aluminium rear body section in construction inside our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special during construction inside our workshop with Don in background
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special aluminium bonnet during construction inside our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special's newly constructed bonnet inside our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special during construction, front on, inside our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special aluminium bonnet and front end during construction inside our workshop
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special during construction in our workshop
  • A completed 'bomb' or chassis and suspension cover for the Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special
  • A completed 'bomb' or chassis and suspension cover for the Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special, finished
  • A finished 'bomb' or chassis and suspension cover for the Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special
  • A completed 'bomb' or chassis and suspension cover for the Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special, inside
  • A finished 'bomb' or chassis and suspension cover for the Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special, inside
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special with new aluminium bodywork completed, nearside front
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special with new aluminium bodywork completed, bonnet top
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special with new aluminium bodywork completed, front top
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special with new aluminium bodywork completed, nearside rear
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special with new aluminium bodywork completed, offside front
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special with new aluminium bodywork completed, offside
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special with new aluminium bodywork completed, offside rear
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special with new aluminium bodywork completed, offside rear tub
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special with new aluminium bodywork completed, rear
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special with new aluminium bodywork completed in workshop, nearside front
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special with new aluminium bodywork completed in workshop, rear
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special with new aluminium bodywork completed in workshop, nearside rear
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special with new aluminium bodywork completed in workshop, offside rear
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special with new aluminium bodywork completed in workshop, front
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special completed and painted, cockpit
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special completed and painted, front top
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special completed and painted, front
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special completed and painted, front grille and bonnet air intake close up
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special completed and painted, nearside rear
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special completed and painted, offside, which also show the mesh which was later added to to both 'bombs' to improve cooling
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special completed and painted, offside rear
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special completed and painted, rear
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special completed and painted, top
  • Joe Harding racing his Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special in the USA
  • The Lagonda V12 Le Mans Gunville Special in the USA
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Lagonda V12 Le Mans

The Lagonda V12 Le Mans bodies were always quite striking, a long sleek aerodynamic looking car. The red car, the first V12 body I built, also did well at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 1996…
Don Standhaft

Over the years we’ve built quite a few Lagonda V12 Le Mans bodies now. The red 1939 Lagonda V12 Le Mans car you see below originally built for Joe Harding is now owned by the American TV host and comedian Jay Leno, see more info, photos and a video about this car with Jay on his Jay Leno’s Garage site. Infact all bodywork in the photos below are on Joe Harding cars or Lagonda Joe as some of you may know him by!
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  • Lagonda V12 Le Mans panels and frames being made at our workshop, the red car's aluminium skin in construction in the background
  • The red Lagonda V12 Le Mans aluminium body skin being made at our workshop
  • The red 1939 Lagonda V12 Le Mans, now owned by Jay Leno, painted, front, being fitted in our workshop
  • The red 1939 Lagonda V12 Le Mans, now owned by Jay Leno, painted, offside front, being fitted in our workshop
  • The red 1939 Lagonda V12 Le Mans, now owned by Jay Leno, finished, top
  • The red 1939 Lagonda V12 Le Mans, now owned by Jay Leno, being raced by Joe Harding in the USA
  • The red 1939 Lagonda V12 Le Mans, now owned by Jay Leno, offside rear, in the USA
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  • The green Lagonda V12 Le Mans with new aluminium rear end and a 1935 Bentley in the background
  • The green Lagonda V12 Le Mans, with new aluminium body, cockpit with trimmed seats
  • The green Lagonda V12 Le Mans, with new aluminium body, cockpit
  • The green Lagonda V12 Le Mans, with new aluminium body, nearside rear
  • The green Lagonda V12 Le Mans, with new aluminium body, offside
  • The green Lagonda V12 Le Mans, with new aluminium body, rear
  • The green Lagonda V12 Le Mans, with new aluminium body, painted, cockpit
  • The green Lagonda V12 Le Mans, with new aluminium body, painted, nearside, with Joe Harding drivers-side and Mark Standhaft passenger, circa 1996
  • The green Lagonda V12 Le Mans, with new aluminium body, painted, offside
  • The green Lagonda V12 Le Mans, with new aluminium body, painted, offside bonnet side
  • The green Lagonda V12 Le Mans, with new aluminium body, painted, rear
  • The green Lagonda V12 Le Mans, with new aluminium body, painted, offside front
  • Lagonda V12 Le Mans, aluminium body shell in sections before assembly
  • Lagonda V12 Le Mans, aluminium body shell in sections before assembly, side
  • Lagonda V12 Le Mans, aluminium body shell, scuttle in construction
  • One of the aluminium V12 Le Mans bodies we've built here with two students
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  • A Lagonda V12 Le Mans stone guard made by DMark Concepts
  • A Lagonda V12 Le Mans stone guard, rear, made by DMark Concepts
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Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer

Another job I’ve been particularly pleased with. A large new build, but where the effort has more than paid off, this time we also remembered to take some good photo’s as the car left our workshop, thank goodness!
Don Standhaft

A large new build, were we produced and fitted a new steel body skin, bonnet, fuel tank and aluminium wings for this Lagonda M45 T5 body, Drophead Tourer.

  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer's chassis, engine and timber frame arriving at our workshop ready for us to build new body, bonnet and wings
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer's chassis, engine and timber frame arriving at our workshop ready for us to build new body, bonnet and wings, offside
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body skin in construction
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer Vanden Plas wings in construction
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer new steel body skin in construction
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel bonnet, bonnet hingeline showing louvres
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, showing front valance
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, nearside front
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, nearside front in workshop
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, nearside top
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, nearside bonnet deck board area
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, offside bonnet deck board area
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, inside nearside wing and bonnet
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, offside
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, offside and rear
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, offside door
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, offside front
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, offside lower side
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, offside rear
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, rear and new fuel tank
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, rear offside view
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, offside top
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, finished and painted
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, finished and painted, nearside front
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, finished and painted, nearside rear
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, finished and painted, offside front
  • A Lagonda M45 T5 Drophead Tourer with the new steel body, bonnet and aluminium wings, finished and painted, offside rear
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Lagonda M45

This was one of many jobs undertaken for the Forshaw’s at Aston Service Dorset over the years…
Don Standhaft

Built in the early 1990’s at our old workshop premises this new steel body with aluminium doors was a project for Aston Service Dorset.

  • A completed steel body with aluminium door skins for a Lagonda M45 at our old workshop, nearside
  • A completed steel body with aluminium door skins for a Lagonda M45 at our old workshop, nearside and scuttle
  • A completed steel body with aluminium door skins for a Lagonda M45 at our old workshop, offside scuttle
  • A completed steel body with aluminium door skins for a Lagonda M45 at our old workshop, nearside and scuttle
  • A completed steel body with aluminium door skins for a Lagonda M45 at our old workshop, nearside door
  • A completed steel body with aluminium door skins for a Lagonda M45 at our old workshop, nearside door and rear
  • A completed steel body with aluminium door skins for a Lagonda M45 at our old workshop, nearside rear
  • A completed steel body with aluminium door skins for a Lagonda M45 at our old workshop, nearside rear corner
  • A completed steel body with aluminium door skins for a Lagonda M45 at our old workshop, offside front
  • A completed steel body with aluminium door skins for a Lagonda M45 at our old workshop, offside rear
  • A completed steel body with aluminium door skins for a Lagonda M45 at our old workshop, rear from top
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Lagonda M45 Rapide Style Custom Dolphin Shape Wings

I’ve always loved the shape of this set of wings. Built for a lovely chap, Mr. Whitridge or ‘Whitt’ a spitfire pilot during the war…
Don Standhaft

A newly styled set of handmade wings for this Lagonda M45. In fact we still have the patterns for these wings, we just couldn’t throw them away!

  • A set of new Lagonda M45 Rapide style custom dolphin shape wings, painted and fitted to car, front
  • A set of new Lagonda M45 Rapide style custom dolphin shape wings, painted and fitted to car, nearside
  • A set of new Lagonda M45 Rapide style custom dolphin shape wings, painted and fitted to car, nearside rear
  • A set of new Lagonda M45 Rapide style custom dolphin shape wings, painted and fitted to car, nearside rear wing
  • A set of new Lagonda M45 Rapide style custom dolphin shape wings, painted and fitted to car, offside rear wing
  • A set of new Lagonda M45 Rapide style custom dolphin shape wings, painted and fitted to car, offside front
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1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team Cars

It’s nice to have been a part of these restorations, an important part of British motoring history and the Forshaw collection at Aston Service Dorset…
Don Standhaft

When Ivan Forshaw of Aston Service Dorset was restoring his 1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team cars he asked us to make new bonnet tops, make good and repair the bonnet sides and windscreens and make 4 new front valances for all the cars. This is truly a unique collection, probably the only collection of Le Mans team cars from this era under one single ownership in the world. Discover more about the history of these cars and their development story over on Aston Service Dorset’s website.

  • 1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team Car with aluminium new front valance
  • 1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team Car with new aluminium front valance and front of car
  • 1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team Car with new aluminium front valance and bonnet on car
  • 1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team Car with new aluminium bonnet and deck boards
  • 1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team Car with new aluminium bonnet, offside
  • 1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team Car with new aluminium bonnet, nearside
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  • 1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team Car with new painted aluminium bonnet, nearside
  • 1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team Car with new painted aluminium bonnet side
  • 1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team Car with new painted aluminium front valance
  • 1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team Car with new painted aluminium bonnet and screen
  • Three 1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team Car after restoration, nearside front
  • Three 1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team Car after restoration, rear
  • Three 1929 Lagonda Le Mans Team Car after restoration at Aston Service Dorset
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Trackbacks & Pings

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    [...] the new skin. As we were in “photo discovery mode” we found another snap of the green Lagonda V12 …
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