VeloceToday.com

The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

The Lancia Aurelia B20: An Appreciation PII

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An almost perfect example of a fourth series Lancia B20.

Part II
Read Part I

By Pete Vack
Very special thanks to Geoff Goldberg and Nigel Trow

An article or three, about the Lancia Aurelia, one of the most significant and important cars of the twentieth century. This week, Lancia’s famous independent suspension systems.

There is no doubt that the Lancia Aurelia B20 was technically advanced when it was introduced in 1951. As we will see, the B20 Aurelias–production-based Grand Turismos– won the Targa Florio outright and nearly won the Mille Miglia, largely due to the successful implementation of its four wheel suspension and transaxle.

As successful as it was, however, when reviewing the Lancia B20 suspension, two questions arise. Why did the Series 4-6 B20s series use de Dion type rear suspension, why with leaf springs, and secondly, why did Jano continue to use the somewhat antiquated sliding pillar front suspension?

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Le Mans 1960: Jack, John and the 750 OSCA

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The OSCA factory mechanic makes some last minute adjustments on the Gordon-Bentley rent-a-ride. Note the NART shield on the OSCA.

By Jack Gordon with Pete Vack
Photos courtesy of Jack Gordon

Forty-nine years ago, John Bentley and John “Jack” Gordon bought OSCA 750, chassis 769, and entered it at Sebring, where they placed 12th overall and won the Index of Performance. On a roll, they decided to go to Le Mans and try to duplicate their amazing success at Sebring. Jack Gordon picks up the narrative here in this exclusive for VeloceToday.

With Sebring packed away it was time to plan the next move.
It was now late March and we were informed that all the entries for Le Mans were closed and they wouldn’t give us a late entry. It would have been nice to repeat the dual Index wins of de Tomaso.

[In 1958 Alejandro de Tomaso won the Index at Sebring with his wife and Elizabeth Haskell, driving OSCA chassis number 760. Then he won the Index at Le Mans a couple months later, driving OSCA 750 chassis 762 with Colin Davis]. But in any case there was too little time to tear down and recondition our car for a 24-hour event.


Gordon’s OSCA number 54 waiting for the start. Next to the OSCA, number 53 is a streamliner-bodied OSCA 750, chassis 761, driven by Laroche/Simon. I was under the impression the front body section was an after-market modification done in France, as i had never heard of any original Morelli bodies having this configuration.

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Peugeot at Le Mans 2009

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Peugeot broke Audi’s grip at Le Mans this year with the 908 HDI FAP driven by Marc Gene/Alexander Wurz/David Brabham. Both Peugeot and Audi were running diesel-engined cars.

Photos and captions by Hugues Vanhoolandt

French cars win the iconic French event; our man at Le Mans, Hugues Vanhoolandt, focuses on the winning Peugeot team.
[Read more…] about Peugeot at Le Mans 2009

British Grand Prix

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Massa and Kimi
Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonnen

by Erik C. Nielsen
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media

Red Bull’s second

Sebastian Vettel made the most of his pole position and dominated this week’s British Grand Prix. The young German blew away the competition and brought his Red Bull Racing car home to finish 1-2, setting Brawn GP on notice that the performance gap has been closed.
[Read more…] about British Grand Prix

A Car Life, by Larry Crane

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Following Le Mans veteran Oliver Mathai, in the Aston Martin DBS, through the Ford chicanes in Aston’s 2009 V8 Vantage.

Aston Martin’s latest V8 Vantage benefits from 80 years of development for the 24 Hours of Le Man and we chase its history on the storied circuitton

Photos by Nick Dimbleby, Pete Robain and Ian Dawson

Cornering hard into the Ford Chicane–second gear–very tight. How do the LMP cars do this? We have entered from a back corner of the paddock and it is a curious place to begin a lap. Full power up the long hill past the pits, all the way to top gear; two quick clicks down to fourth at the top of the hill and into the new Dunlop curves surrounded by acres of gravel and quickly to the esses and the forest.
[Read more…] about A Car Life, by Larry Crane

Improbable, Impertinent, Imponderable

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2CV
Photo by Mary Decker Vack.

Pete Vack on the Immortal Deux Chevaux

Deux Chevaux, Deux, meaning two, and Chevaux, (Cheval Vapeur, or steam horse) a terms which means horsepower and was the the basis for a sliding scale of ratings for taxation purposes.

The Citroën 2CV was one of France’s most popular cars and was in continuous production from 1948 to 199. It was iconic, but not the result of Andre Citroën’s vision–he died in 1935 just as the planning for the 2CV was started.
[Read more…] about Improbable, Impertinent, Imponderable

A Car Life, by Larry Crane

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Tracy (the only blonde in the picture) finds a bleacher seat to share with the locals to watch the Mille Miglia.

Entry not required.

Bob Tullius and I were pushing the D-type slowly toward the starting ramp. Light, misty rain had been continuous since nightfall. The umbrella covered the driver’s seat but Mark Miller’s navigator perch was slowly becoming a leather-lined puddle. The C-type half of the Jaguar team was already off on its soggy adventure with the early cars.
[Read more…] about A Car Life, by Larry Crane

Lancia Aurelia B20: An Appreciation PI

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The clean, Gran Turismo lines of the early Series 2 B20 Aurelia. From coachwork to chassis, a complete classic. Note pronounced fins. Photo courtesy Geoffrey Goldberg.

By Pete Vack
Very special thanks to Geoff Goldberg and Nigel Trow

An article or three, about the Lancia Aurelia, one of the most significant and important cars of the twentieth century. This week, origins and engines.

“The Lancia B20: One of the most significant automobiles of the century of the automobile.”
Who said that?
Maybe it has been written or spoken at some time in the past, distant or otherwise.
Maybe it hasn’t.
So we’ll say it here, loud and clear. You can quote us: The Lancia Aurelia is one of the ten most significant automobiles of the twentieth century, and therefore of all time.

If a 1951 production car with a platform chassis, all independent suspension, four speed transaxle, inboard rear brakes, aluminum V-6 engine confined within the parameters of one of the most beautiful bodies ever envisioned doesn’t mean anything to you, you’re on the wrong website.

Let it also be known that the Aurelia B20, which is our focus here, is a most complex car, each one of the 3,871 coupes virtually hand built, and model lines are confusing. There is engineering excellence with constant changes and as you will see, nothing is as simple as it seems.

The Aurelia story begins with the untimely death at age 55 of the firm’s founder, Vincenzo Lancia, in February 1937. At his side at death, his capable and intelligent widow Adele took control of the firm and steered it through the war years. It is doubtful that this remarkable woman ever received the full credit due her. Mrs. Lancia kept the firm alive until she handed it over to her very able son Gianni.

The 1937-39 Series I Lusso Aprilia: 4WIRS, inboard rear brakes, unit frame body, V4 engine. Photo take at Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea. Photo courtesy Geoffrey Goldberg.

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Lancias Rule at Bristol

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Story and Photos by Paul G. Hanmore

Bristol hosts an Italian spectacle.

The 7th Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festival, held on April 25th, 2009, featured Lancia and we were enthusiastically supported by scores of Lancia enthusiasts who celebrated 30 years of the Integrale with many superb incarnations of the model on display. There were many delightful Fulvias, Appias, Montecarlos, and numerous other confections of the Marque.
[Read more…] about Lancias Rule at Bristol

Grand Prix of Turkey

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Kimi Pit Lane
Kimi Raikkonen and the grand stand. Not a good race for Ferrari; Kimi finished 10th.

by Erik Nielsen
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media

Where are the fans?

It never fails. The race that immediately follows the glitz and glamour of Monaco never seems to live up to the same standard or reputation. Turkey had the honor this year and it seemed like Jenson Button had a good time, but all is not well in F1 right now. Rumors abounded up and down the pit lane that the powers that be actually requested a couple of cameras be turned off during the race, lest someone actually realize that the stands were as empty as they are in Daytona at 2 AM during the 24 hour race, in the rain.
[Read more…] about Grand Prix of Turkey

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