Fantasy Junction

Description

1951 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT
s/n 1047, engine no. 1001
Beige Metallic with Nocciola (hazelnut) Cloth 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, and was powered by what is considered to be the world's first production V6, which included hemispherical combustion chambers. To improve weight distribution, later versions included 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). 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 Aureliamet 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.

This particular car is an extremely early example, described in a letter to a previous owner as a pre-production car. Certainly it is among the first 98 examples built, which were not bodied by Pininfarina like the remaining B20s were. Most of those 98 examples were bodied by Ghia, although a small number, this car included, were built by Viotti. This information is confirmed in a letter from the Italian Aurelia Register, which also indicates that this car was originally dispatched on the 18th of June 1951, finished in the color combination it wears to today of beige metallizzato with nocciola cloth interior. The car was restored in Italy by Gianni Sala sometime in the 1990s and was fitted with floor shift and dual carburetors at some point as well. The car was in the UK after that, and imported to the United States relatively recently, where it has been part of an impressive collection. It was comprehensively serviced in October 2014, including new spark plugs, synchronized carburetors, adjust idle and mixture, change oil, repair radiator blinds and radiator, adjust brakes, repair fuel gauge and generator charging light, and miscellaneous other items. The total for this work was approximately $3800.

Today, the car presents freshly, despite the passage of some years since the restoration. The paint is glossy and was done to very good standards, with some minor surface blemishes such as light orange peel, but a crisp and fresh presentation overall. The body is straight and displays good fit and all panels operate well. The chrome and brightwork are very good to excellent with only very light pitting and swirls. The glazing is very good, with light road wear and wiper marks to the front windscreen. The car is fitted with evocative Carello headlamps in excellent shape. The wheels are in excellent shape and wear Michelin X tires.

The interior is in excellent shape with correct upholstery installed to high standards. The contrasting brown trim is also excellent. The headliner was restored in matching wool as well. The dashboard was included in the restoration and is excellent, including switches and instruments. The steering wheel is excellent other than light cracking where the spokes meet the rim. The correct rubber floor mats are in as new condition.

The engine compartment was thoroughly and correctly restored and is very clean. It is nicer than that of an average driver and would be appropriate for casual shows. The car retains its correct and unique equipment including heater core coolant valve, thermostatically actuated radiator blinds, and suspension lubrication reservoir. The trunk was also restored and is in excellent shape, including the spare, which was also restored. The rubber mat matches that of the interior.

The undercarriage is solid and quite clean. It is clear that the car has seen little use since the restoration, with crisp suspension, brakes, and driveline. The floors and structure are excellent and the car has a fresh looking stainless steel exhaust system.

The car is a pleasure to drive. The engine is well tuned, tractable and has a fantastic exhaust note. The driveline is excellent, with no vibration in evidence, which is a common problem on Aurelias because the transaxle layout. The brakes grab with unusual authority for a car with drum brakes, but are not grabby or difficult to modulate. The gearbox is a pleasure to use, and the chassis is confidence inspiring and communicative.

This is an exceptional opportunity to acquire what is likely one of the earliest B20s in existence. Thoroughly restored to very nice standards in its original colors, this car comes with photos from the restoration, ASI homologation documents, extensive correspondence (in Italian) from the Italian Aurelia Registry, invoices, and miscellaneous other documentation.

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.

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