When David Brown acquired Aston Martin, then shortly afterwards Lagonda he decided to standardise on the W.O. Bentley inspired twin overhead cam straight six engine. Impressive though the specification may sound consider these points; why fit a cast iron block with wet liners? Why give a six cylinder engine only four main bearings? Why design for a barrel crank that has to incorporate cheeses? Why drive the water pump by the gear train so a lump of ice in the pump will strip the gear train? Claude Hill was so incensed by this decision that he made a drawing to show David Brown as to how the new proposed DB2 bonnet would have to be more bulbous and ugly to incorporate this Lagonda engine and resigned.

While the DB Lagondas are regarded as Feltham - Hanworth-Park cars, they were actually built in many different places. The rolling chassis, engines and other parts were made in the David Brown Industries factories at Meltham Mill near Huddersfield and the tractor engine factory at Farsley, both in Yorkshire. David Brown was a Yorkshireman himself of course.

The coachwork was made and  assembled by Tickford, possibly from panels made by such people as Airflow Streamline in Northampton (CHECK). Then  the cars arrived at Feltham for finishing.  However, by 1955 the cars were assembled entirely at Farsley. Fully trimmed bodies from Tickford were fitted to the chassis and finished on a production line alongside the David Brown tractors.

TO BE CONTINUED