Fantasy Junction

Description

1950 Lancia Aurelia B50 PF Cabriolet
Chassis No. B50-1159, Engine No. B10*1797
Dark Blue with Light Grey Leather Interior

Famous for their incredible craftsmanship, innovative engineering solutions, and complete disregard for cost accounting with respect to those engineering solutions, pre-Fiat Lancias are, in many ways, in a class of their own. Few cars are as thoughtfully engineered or built, which helps to explain why Lancia encountered a great deal of financial troubles. The Aurelia was first conceived during World War II, being formally introduced in 1950 at the Turin Motor Show. The car was powered by what is considered to be the world’s first production V6, which included hemispherical combustion chambers and aluminum construction. To improve weight distribution, the cars employed a rear-mounted transaxle unit including clutch, inboard rear brakes, and independent rear suspension (which would later be supplanted by a de Dion rear end). The chassis itself employed unibody construction, a technology that Lancia pioneered nearly three decades before, but was still fairly unusual in 1950s. Contemporary road testers marveled at the car’s refinement, exceptional build quality, and roadholding. They found the car to be highly capable and a joy to use, with the magazine The Autocar going as far as to claim that the Aurelia was “one of the most desirable sporting cars of the decade”.

The cars proved to be highly successful in competition, with perhaps the Aurelia’s most shocking achievement occurring at the 1951 Mille Miglia. The factory entered four Aurelias, and the car of Giovanni Bracco and Umberto Maglioli soon left the 2-liter competitors behind and began closing on the overall leaders, who were piloting cars with 50% to 100% more displacement. In the torrential rain, the 2.0 liter 80hp Aurelia closed five minutes on the leading 4.1 liter Ferrari 340 in the second to last leg alone, and was still closing at the end of the event, placing second overall! The Aurelia lost by 20 minutes in a 13 hour race, amply demonstrating the capability of both drivers and car. The Aurelia met with countless other competition successes, including another class win on the Mille Miglia plus further class victories at the Le Mans 24-hours, Coppa d'Oro delle Dolomiti, Pescara 6-hours, Carrera Panamericana and Targa Florio, among others.

While the B20 and B24 variants are well known, a full model line was available at various times including a sedan, the B10, and the elegant B50 cabriolet. As with coachbuilt cars of the period, no two cars were finished in exactly the same manner, and all were built to order. Less than 300 B50 PF Cabriolets were produced with only a handful still known to exist, and even fewer with original Pinninfarina body work.

This Cabriolet displays an older and very nicely preserved restoration. For over twenty years, the car was owned by the same family in Italy, during which time the car was restored. In 2005, it was purchased out of the estate by a dealer in Turin, Italy, who sold the car to its next keeper. It is believed that the engine was rebuilt at the time of the restoration. The interior was retrimmed in 2014 to high standards. The car has received recent clutch, brakes, and seals as needed, as well as a tune up.

The car remains in very nice condition, and it is clear that the restoration was carried out to high standards. The body is straight and solid, with no obvious corrosion, and the paintwork remains in fine shape despite appearing to have been completed about twenty years ago. The paintwork is excellent overall, with minor swirls, and the occasional small chip. The chrome is very good overall condition, with no major pitting, but a few small dents and the occasional blemish in the finish. The hubcaps and wheels are very nice overall, other than a dent in the left front hubcap. The glass appears original and is in fine shape. The top is in very good shape and features contrasting leather binding to match the interior upholstery. There is light staining and aging to the rubber weather stripping.

The interior has received fresh leather and carpets, which are high quality materials installed to high standards. The dashboard is in very good shape, with nice paintwork, beautiful gauges, and period Condor radio. The steering wheel is very nice although it does have a few hairline cracks. The trunk has high quality wool carpet as well as restored spare.

The engine compartment is correct in appearance, retaining a number of original and unique components, including heater core coolant valve, thermostatically actuated radiator blinds, and suspension lubrication reservoir. It has the appearance with of an correct older restoration and is showing some age and soiling, but is very authentic, solid, and honest in presentation. The Pininfarina body number, 778, is stamped on the hood.

This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a very rare B50 Aurelia Cabriolet with excellent integrity. It has been thoroughly restored in a wonderful color combination and used sparingly since, and remains in very nice condition. It would make a comfortable and sophisticated car for tours and is eligible for a variety of prestigious events thanks to its 1950 model year.

The above vehicle information is complete and accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time it is posted to this website. Corrections or additional information is always appreciated. All advertised prices exclude government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document preparation charge, and any emission testing charge. Vehicles are subject to prior sale. All advertised to be true but not guaranteed. We assume no liability for errors or omissions.

Inquire About This Car

Fantasy Junction  •  510-653-7555  •  1145 Park Ave, Emeryville, CA 94608