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Lancia

Vernasca: Lancia through Serenissima

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Kai Desinger's 1960 Lancia Flaminia Sport Zagato

Kai Desinger’s 1960 Lancia Flaminia Sport Zagato.

Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp

A little about the history of this fascinating event: The Vernasca Hillclimb was originally sanctioned by the Automobile Club Piacenza between 1953 and 1972. The 1953 event attracted 40 entries, and was won by Alfa factory driver Consalvo Sanesi with a 3000CM. The race continued to grow, with 90 cars entered by 1955, when Massimo Leto de Priolo took first overall.

A Stanguellini Formula Junior achieved the fastest time in 1960, and by 1961 Odoarado Govoni took a Birdcage Maserati to win. The cars were getting bigger and faster as Govoni’s competition was Nando Pagliarini with a Ferrari SWB. Pagliarini returned in 1962 with the Ferrari to win. Abarth 1000s, Porsche 904s and Alfa TZs were popular entries in the 1960s, followed by the bigger, faster Abarth 2000s. In the early 1970s Lualdi brought the Ferrari 212 E hillclimb car to compete with the Porsche 908s. The last edition of Castell’Arquato-Vernasca was held May 14, 1972.

This segment reflects the cars at the event from Giannini to the one-off Serenissima. All in all, the 20th Vernasca Silver Flag Hill Climb was my sort of weekend. If you go next year, and as we understand, the event is already approved, you won’t be disappointed.

Vernasca overview
Abarth to Ferrari

John Skibiki's original Group 2 650 Gianni

John Skibiki’s original Group 2 650 Giannini.

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Gianni Lancia, 1924-2014

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Last of the Glory Days; testing the D50 with Ascari at Caselle Airport. Courtesy Nigel Trow.

By Nigel Trow

Sigmund Freud, Vincenzo Lancia’s older contemporary, would have had much to say about the life of Lancia’s son, Gianni, who died on June 30th 2014 at his home on Cap Ferrat, France. Born in Turin in November 1924, Gianni was the middle child of three and the only son of Vincenzo and Adele Lancia. The children were close in age; Anna Maria, the eldest, being born in 1922 and Eleonora, in 1926 (tragically murdered by her disturbed daughter in 1996). They were left fatherless in their early teens by Vincenzo’s sudden death in February 1937, and for Gianni, not yet 13 years old, the prospect of having to take his father’s place must have loomed large. [Read more…] about Gianni Lancia, 1924-2014

Arutunoff and the Appia

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The Arutunoff Appia Zagato at the Walter Mitty at Atlanta in 1984. Photo by Pete Vack

By Toly Arutunoff

In 1964 it seemed like I needed a companion in the garage for my Lancia Flaminia Zagato. The previous year, after our good finishes in the Targa Florio, Nurburgring 1000km, and Spa 500km, the factory offered me a straight swap for my car and one of the GTS Appia Zagatos, guaranteed for 117 mph. I turned the offer down, but later I saw an ad for an Appia Zagato in Rhode Island for $900. I heard it call my name and before I knew it we were on our way east from our lair in Oklahoma. [Read more…] about Arutunoff and the Appia

Coppa D’Oro Delle Dolomiti (Cortina) 2013

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A nice view of the mountains near Cortina and the Osca 372 FS.

Coppa D’Oro Delle Dolomiti, August 29th-September 1st 2013

Giuliano Canè is an Italian driver who has won many historical Mille Miglia and seven editions of the Coppa d’Oro. In an interview with a local newspaper, he said that the Coppa d’Oro in the 90s was at the same level as the Mille Miglia in terms of number of participants and even more qualified for drivers and cars. I remember in late 80s, I saw a man whose name is Mauro Forghieri changing the plugs of a Testarossa: what a dream! [Read more…] about Coppa D’Oro Delle Dolomiti (Cortina) 2013

California Mille Kickoff

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This car is the make and model that started it all. In 1982 Martin Swig and Road & Track photographer John Lamm took a similar Alfa 1900 SSZ, without a Zagato signature double bubble roof, to the first Mille Miglia retrospettiva. They were the only Americans entered. That experience led to the creation of the California Mille. This example was brought by Bruce and Cathy Milner.

A Bittersweet Gathering

Story and photos by Michael T. Lynch

The sky was clear on Nob Hill in San Francisco and the temperature was in the mid sixties. An exceptional group of collector cars from all over the world were backing into their spaces on the street between the Pacific Union Club and the Fairmont Hotel. It was the traditional kick-off luncheon for the California Mille. For many of us it was an emotional time because it was the first edition of the event run without its founder Martin Swig, who left us in 2012. Many joked about the weather, saying that where Martin was now gave him a more direct line to control that.
[Read more…] about California Mille Kickoff

A Lancia Fulvia HF and the Winter Challenge

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Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF

Story and Photos below By Peter Collins
Above photo courtesy of the Classic Rally Association.

Portions of this article appeared in the new online classic rally magazine, Retro-Speed.
Check it out for classic rally stories and results!

When friend and colleague Peter Baker asked me if I would like to occupy the navigator’s seat in his well-prepared Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF for the Classic Rally Association’s Winter Challenge. The Rally started from Chester, which is a large and historic town south of Liverpool and close to the Welsh border (it has been used as a rally base several times in the past), and finished at Monte Carlo. I naturally acquiesced immediately. A fun drive with a spot of map-reading – easy, job done–but I had failed to notice that the event was an FIA Regularity round. This latter detail meant that it would be up to expert standards in all respects in order for it to be ratified by the international motorsport body, the Federation Internationale d’Automobile.

[Read more…] about A Lancia Fulvia HF and the Winter Challenge

Boniface Picnic Benefits St. Elizabeth Health Center

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By Carl Goodwin
Photos by Chuck Hazle

The Annual Ray Boniface Picnic is more than a car show. It’s a way to make free breast cancer exams available to women in eastern Ohio who could not otherwise afford one. The Picnic raises money for and schedules two yearly programs providing free mammograms for women in the Warren and Youngstown area of Ohio.
[Read more…] about Boniface Picnic Benefits St. Elizabeth Health Center

Le Mitiche Sport a Bassano 2011 Images

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Photo Story by Dino Brunori

Le Mitiche Sport brings out a wide variety of historic racing cars not seen elsewhere in the world including a great number of of our favorite small displacement Italian sports racers. But also eligible are the legendary big cars like the Mercedes SSK below making it an event not to be missed.

1928 Mercedes SSK is a huge affair next to the miniscule Italian specials. It was driven by the team of Bernhard and Henry Bauer from Germany.


[Read more…] about Le Mitiche Sport a Bassano 2011 Images

Mille Miglia at Brescia with Alessandro Gerelli

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One of our most outstanding long term contributors has been the Milanese Alessandro Gerelli who first came to these pages in 2002 with a story about his experiences at Monza: Monza, a Personal Look.

From then on Gerelli has never stopped filing excellent stories from all over Europe and the U.K, and even the United States. From 2004 on, Alessandro provided the color in blue and red for every single Mille Miglia event, rain or shine.

As we kickoff VeloceToday’s First Ten Years Celebration (yes, it’s been that long), we present the below urls from Gerelli’s coverage of this great event since 2004, and cap it off with the Mille Miglia of 2011.

We thank you again, Mr. Gerelli!
[Read more…] about Mille Miglia at Brescia with Alessandro Gerelli

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

A Car Life, by Larry Crane

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lancia
The Crane B20 near the top of the Stelvio Pass in northern Italy in an attempt to duplicate a photo in the 1955 Lancia calendar.

“Of all the cars you’ve owned, which would you like to have back?” Always a popular question from friends who have most of their life’s income carefully invested rather than using it for an endless string of automotive experiences and adventures.
[Read more…] about A Car Life, by Larry Crane

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