Cory Younberg reports from California
California, October 24
"We made it!!" The Italians plant the flag at the edge of the Pacific. On the left, the 2000HF of Suaria and Stancatti, and on the right is the Fulvia 1.5 Coupe of Albenzio and Suaria. Photo by Adan Figueroa
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The second and third groups of Lancias arrived at their hotel around 5:30 PM. After changing we left to go to the San Fernando Valley for a wine mixer, visit to Gary Byrd’s residence and workshop, and off to dinner. I led one group of Lancias, while Adan Figueroa led the second. I had two Aurelias following me across town and took three participants in my 1959 Flaminia Berlina.
The Flaminia of Rasetto and Prinzio makes its way through Santa Monica... Photo by Adan Figueroa
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By coincidence the exhaust pipe in the dual exhaust broke just before the muffler, so my Flaminia Berlina was running an open exhaust across town. The Italians didn’t mind too much and commented that the exhaust was “sportivo” The Flaminia and Aurelias made it successfully across town in the worst rush hour traffic that I have seen in years due to an accident blocking the lane. The Italians had a hard time believing the congestion.
..and down onto the waiting pier. "We are smelling the Pacific!" said Joachim Griese. Photo by Cory Youngberg
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Adan Figueroa led the second group in his Lancia Fulvia GTE Berlina. Eventually everyone made it to the mixer and dinner arranged by Gary Byrd and Paul Tullius
at a local French Restaurant. Special menus were printed up for the group with a Lancia theme.
October 25
Wednesday we met the group in Santa Monica. I drove my 3rd Series Appia instead of the Flaminia. The cars were displayed at the Santa Monica Pier with group shots being taken with the Italian and Americans Flags and the singing of the Italian national anthem by the group, which was inspiring and showed their camaraderie. Local Lancia owners Gary Byrd and Paul Tullius showed up in Gary’s 1923 Lambda Torpedo touring car. After lunch Gary Byrd led three Aurelias and a very original Touring Bodied 2.8 litre 3C Flamina up the Pacific Coast Highway to Mulholland Drive and through the wonderful back roads of the Santa Monica mountains.
The early Aurelia B21 Berlina was driven by the son of the original owner. He had learned to drive in the same car in the early 1950’s and it has been kept in the same family since new. Likewise, Mr. Minerbi’s 1955 B12 Aurelia Berlina is an extremely original car with its original wool interior that looked brand new.
Two Fulvias, on the left an HF1600 of Spiga/Mattana, next to the HF1600 of Lavieri/Caputo. Photo by Cory Youngberg
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I enjoyed following the Aurelias with their beautiful 1950’s styling in my Appia through the mountains and seeing how they briskly glide through the twisty corners with such composure never putting a wheel wrong. It is on these roads in particular that one can appreciate the wonderful gearing of the transmission and understand why the Lancias are such wonderful mountain cars as opposed to typical flat land cars of the period. On the level freeway the Lancias seem to be revving too high, but in the mountains the gearing, handling and braking are fantastic.
The 1923 Lambda Torpedo led the way with similar speed (if not more) and beautiful handling for a 1923 car. The Aurelias and Flaminia’s had to be driven hard to keep up. The Italians were wonderful drivers hardly touching the brakes through the corners and downhill sections, but still driving briskly.
We ended up at Jan Voboril’s residence and workshop overlooking Topanga canyon where the American Lancia Club hosted a mixer. The Italians enjoyed inspecting the workshop with various vintage cars in restoration and a library and residence with four vintage cars stored within including the 1916 Lancia Theta Kappa Corsa and 1956 Aurelia Spyder. I must give credit to Jan Voboril for hosting this mixer and Gary Bryd and Paul Tullius for leading the driving group through the Santa Monica Mountains. That drive was very special.
October 26
The Lancia group also saw Voboril's 1916 Theta. Photo by Cory Youngberg
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Thursday the participants will be touring Los Angeles and Friday they will be taking their cars to the Port of Long Beach to load them in the containers.
I also wanted to thank Gary Byrd, Paul Tullius and Jan Voboril for hosting and arranging the social and driving events. I also wanted to thank all the Southern California Lancisti who showed up at the events and hotels on very short notice and showed the enthusiasm they have for Lancias. The Lancias they brought showed the range of cars in Southern California (a Theta, Lambda’s, Aurelias, Flaminias, Appias, Fulvias, Scorpions and Intergrales)I also wanted to thank Adan Figueroa, Luis Castillo, and Stephan Jennes for acting as guides to help the Italians find their way across town to their hotel.
I want to thank Geoffrey Goldberg and Veloce today for publicizing this special tour on the internet. This was a wonderful opportunity to see these wonderful cars driven across America with few problems and to meet with other local enthusiasts to help make their stay in California enjoyable. The Italians are on to something special with their driving events and should be an inspiration for all of us to get out and drive our Italian cars as they were meant to be driven rather than staying parked.
Minerbi's B12 Berlina takes a well deserved rest. Photo by Cory Youngberg
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1957 B20 GT Aurelia of Giorgio Cocchia on the Santa Monica pier. Photo by Cory Youngberg
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The Astura usually was full up with four people. Amazingly, it was trouble free.
Photo by Cory Youngberg
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In restoration at Jan Voboril's is this Aurelia Spyder. Photo by Cory Youngberg
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In the Santa Monica mountains, the Fulvia of Stancati and Perri sits next to the Fulvia of Albenzio and Suaria. Photo by Cory Youngberg
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The Vassalli/Leonardi Flaminia GT rests near the B21 of Paoluccci and Romano. Photo by Cory Youngberg
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