1953 Turin Motor Lancia Ghia Show Car at the McPherson College Car Show in Kansas. Could there be two?
By the Editor
Last week Bob Dinkins (you will learn more about Bob below) sent us a few photos from the College Automotive Restoration Students Car Show held at McPherson College in Kansas, on May 3rd. Dinkins asked if we’d be interested in a few photos of a rare Lancia. Of course!
We recalled that there was a similar car shown in VeloceToday. But when, where? Ah, speak, memory.
We checked the highly useful VeloceToday database (you can too!) buy typing in “Lancia Ghia” and came with an article by Paul Sable, a retired University Professor and now a full time Car Guy and concours judge. And an expert on Ghia. Paul attended the Lugano Concours in 2024 and photographed another Ghia Lancia at the event. And although a Ghia fan, Paul was not aware of this one.
That’s because there were only two made. So, when Dinkins photographed the other Ghia B52 last week, we were able to put the two together.
Both cars were built on the B52 Aurelia chassis; the white and blue example is B521055, and the Lugano car is B521061. In the Aurelia history, first was the B10 berlina, at 1574cc, then the B21 with 1991cc, followed by the B20GT coupe, and then the B52, with a 1991cc V-6 and slightly longer wheelbase. Why the B52s were named “B Juniors” is a good question. Only 98 were constructed and sent to various coachbuilders for demanding customers. Some of the most beautiful and evocative Lancias were on the B52 chassis, and included many by Pinin Farina, Bertone, Vignale and others. Ghia bodied these two, reportedly designed by Boano.
1952 Lancia 2000 B52 Aurelia “B Junior” chassis B521055. Photo by Bob Dinkins
Nicely restored Aurelia engine. Photo by Bob Dinkins
Italian cars built before 1953 often had right hand drive. Photo by Bob Dinkins
The sister car, a 1953 Lancia B32 Junior by Ghia as seen at Lugano Concours in 2024. Chassis B521061. Photo by Paul Sable
Paul Sable: Interestingly, I am a Ghia expert and never knew this car existed! Photo by Paul Sable
Who is Bob Dinkins
Bob is passionate about cars, both real and scale, woodworking, technology, art and family. Bob is from the Kansas City area, in Olathe Kansas. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Art, and has used artistic skills in a variety of successful businesses and hobbies.
Since the first car he owned in 1969, a 1940 Nash LaFayette, he has owned 52 different cars and currently drives a 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio and 2008 Porsche Boxster RS60 Spyder.
Bob with his Porsche Boxster.
During his career Bob has owned several different companies, mostly in the corporate field specializing in online training development. Since retirement Bob has gotten deeply involved with woodworking, creating furniture such as tables and cabinets. His most recent project has been buying and selling old hood ornaments which that he mounts on wood and adds LED lights when it’s appropriate.
These are unique…take a closer look. Dinkins photo.
He also volunteers at the Kansas City Automotive Museum and is a 20-year member of Car Guys, a Kansas City enthusiast club. Being in Kansas City, we asked Bob if he knew the late Michael Lynch. “Yes, Michael Lynch was very active in our group and made some fantastic presentations. His automotive knowledge always stunned everyone,” said Bob. More photos from various events can be seen on his website.
And he builds Pochers
“I started out collecting Danbury Mint and Franklin Mint when I wanted model cars, but it wasn’t long before I wanted to build them myself again. Like most model builders, I started out with the basics: AMT and Revell plastic models and the like. But about 15 years ago I realized I was looking for more detail, higher quality and more challenge. In short, I got the bug to try a Pocher kit. I’ve known about Pocher kits for a long time but never had the time or money to try one. Pocher kits were one of the first ones that included lots of detail, like real wire wheels, leather seats, and lots of working parts.”
Stunning work on the Pocher Alfas. Dinkins photo.
VeloceToday will present Bob’s article on building Pochers in a future edition…
what is that fancy kneecap remover sticking out of the lower righthand part of the dashboard?
I personally followed the B52-1061 restoration, it belongs to a dear friend of mine. We researched the story of this car for almost 10 years. Finally I had the opportunity to catalogue and study what survived of the Ghia’s archive: the B52-1055 has been introduced to the 1952 Turin motor show as well as a Fiat 1400 with a similar body. Here they shared the same spot in the Ghia’s stand. Ghia introduced also a Fiat 1900 with a similar body at the 1952 Paris motor show. The B52-1061 chassis was produced in 1952, homologated in 1953 and introduced at the 1954 Sanremo coach-builders exhibition. It’s the last car built named B-Junior. B-Junior means Boano junior, where the junior is GianPaolo Boano of course, Mario Felice Boano’s son. I even found a sketch signed by Boano junior, quite rough because he wasn’t skilled enough in the design. We know from the ledgers that Giovanni Michelotti was in the Ghia’s payroll at that time (i also catalogued and studied the Michelotti’s archive), so it’s easy for me to say that many details of the B-junior bodies originated from the Michelotti’s pencil. Also drawing a sketch is one thing, but building a body is always different: you need to fix the overall result from a 2D dimension to a 3D dimension and without a CAD it wasn’t an easy task at that time.
After the B-Junior (I and II) experience GianPaolo Boano didn’t draw anymore.
Paolo Giusti
@TheTurinAutomotiveHistorian
anatoly arutunoff says :
what is that fancy kneecap remover sticking out of the lower righthand part of the dashboard?
It’s the key to wind the clock up (the clock is the gauge on the right).
In the B52-1061 is smaller.
Being a friend of Bob Dinkins for 35 years, I can attest to the immense talent he possesses as an artist, craftsman, photographer, tech “guru” and, most of all, great guy!
He is always ready to use his many talents in tech to rescue those making presentations at our Car Guys meetings!
His profile in this article is a terrific (and richly deserved) tribute!
Good morning all,
I am not sure if this information can be of any use but John a close friend of mine send me a message about this car which is the following:
When I bought my Daimler Double Six from Panorama Bay Motor Co, in Poole (UK) in 1989, that very Lancia, the turquoise and white one, was for sale and sat in their showroom next to my Daimler, it was not particularly expensive. althought I cannot remember the price, but it was with them for at least a couple of years.
I hope this info might be useful to someone.
Claude
I came across this same Ghia the first time in Bruxelles Belgium where I was on the hunt of a Flaminia Zagato ( Later I bought the “Goldberg “ Supersport in Cali from Tullius) in 1996 where I took a picture of this unfinished car.
Can I share this picture here?
Hans