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Exploring the production timeline of the Lancia Aurelia GT

14 June, 2015

 

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“Between 1951 and 1958, Lancia produced six recognizable series of the Aurelia B20 GT”

1951

Aurelia B20 GT S1. The first Lancia to carry the Aurelia name was the B10 saloon, a replacement for the Aprilia. Powered by an all-alloy 1754cc V6 engine, the B10 debuted in 1950. The two-door B20 GT appeared the following year, powered by a 1991cc, 56kW version of the B10’s V6. Production: 500

1952

Aurelia B20 GT S2. With its 1991cc V6 now producing 60kW due to a higher engine compression ratio and revised valves, the S2 GT also featured improved brakes, new chromed bumpers, and a revised dashboard. Production: 731

1953

Aurelia B20 GT S3. The V6 was now enlarged to 2451cc, while outwardly the vestigial tail fins that featured on the earlier cars disappeared, and a larger rear window was fitted. Production: 720     

1954–’55

Aurelia B20 GT S4. A new de Dion rear suspension was introduced, and the car was now available in left-hand drive for the first time — the B20S (‘S’ for sinistra, or left). Although an Italian-built car, until then most Aurelia GTs were right-hand drive. This also applied to many contemporary Maserati and Ferrari cars, and is generally believed to have something to do with most racing circuits being taken clockwise. The V6 engine was now fitted with more modern Vandervell engine bearings. For the first time, an open version of the GT became available — the B24 Spider (1954–’55). Production: 745 (B20) / 255 (B20S)

1956

Aurelia B20 GT S5. A new split-case transaxle was  fitted along with a revised driveshaft with rubber-doughnut–type universal joints and larger drum brakes. Lowered compression and a softer camshaft saw power reduced to 82kW as the car gained a more luxurious character. The B24 Spider was replaced with the B24 convertible. Production: 119 (B20) / 180 (B20S)

1957–’58

Aurelia B20 GT S6. The V6 engine now produced 84kW, plus more torque to offset increased overall weight. Vent windows were fitted along with a chromed strip down the bonnet. The fuel tank was relocated from behind the seats to the boot on later S6 cars. Production: 196 (B20) / 425 (B20S)

Total Aurelia GT production: 3871

Almost mythical pony

25 July, 2024

The Shelby came to our shores in 2003. It went from the original New Zealand owner to an owner in Auckland. Malcolm just happened to be in the right place with the right amount of money in 2018 and a deal was done. Since then, plenty of people have tried to buy it off him. The odometer reads 92,300 miles. From the condition of the car that seems to be correct and only the first time around.
Malcolm’s car is an automatic. It has the 1966 dashboard, the back seat, the rear quarter windows and the scoops funnelling air to the rear brakes.
He even has the original bill of sale from October 1965 in California.

Becoming fond of Fords part two – happy times with Escorts

17 July, 2024

In part one of this Ford-flavoured trip down memory lane I recalled a sad and instructive episode when I learned my shortcomings as a car tuner, something that tainted my appreciation of Mk2 Ford Escort vans in particular. Prior to that I had a couple of other Ford entanglements of slightly more redeeming merit. There were two Mk1 Escorts I had got my hands on: a 1972 1300 XL belonging to my father and a later, end-of-line, English-assembled 1974 1100, which my partner and I bought from Panmure Motors Ford in Auckland in 1980. Both those cars were the high water mark of my relationship with the Ford Motor Co. I liked the Mk1 Escorts. They were nice, nippy, small cars, particularly the 1300, which handled really well, and had a very precise gearbox for the time.
Images of Jim Richards in the Carney Racing Williment-built Twin Cam Escort and Paul Fahey in the Alan Mann–built Escort FVA often loomed in my imagination when I was driving these Mk1 Escorts — not that I was under any illusion of comparable driving skills, but they had to be having just as much fun as I was steering the basic versions of these projectiles.