1956 Lancia Aurelia Convertible Roadster

Vittorio Jano's abilities were already well-documented from his days prior to World War II. Not greatly educated, Jano's talent was still undeniable. Following the war, the talented engineer would play a small, but very important role in what would be considered one of Lancia's greatest achievements. It would be a production automobile, but it would have so much of Jano in it that it could not be so easily defined.

Following the Second World War, Lancia was already struggling as a result of little to no funds coming its way from reconstruction. This meant the company was forced to make do with older tooling and equipment. But, with Jano as part of the company's design team, there was hope.

Lancia's team would already have a small coupe design in the works, but there were some issues, most notably with the transaxle. Jano would help solve that issue and would also help to play a part in what would become known as the Aurelia introducing a number of firsts in production sports car history.

Introduced in 1950, the Aurelia would be Lancia's first post-war car. But while the company would be forced to make do in many ways, the company would still show the way forward by producing the first V-6 engine for production cars. Furthermore, the Aurelia would include such interesting features as inboard rear drum brakes and a gearbox of such quality that a fine watchmaker would have been proud.

Whereas car makers like Ferrari would be all about jamming as much performance into as small a car as possible. Lancia, as it would be proven, would go another direction. With strong engineering and innovative planning, Lancia would provide just enough performance with a greater amount of refinement.

The Aurelia would continue in production for a number of years and would help Lancia recover following the war. The Aurelia was simple yet elegant, powerful, but not overly boisterous.

As the 1950s continued, the jet age and, later, the space age, would really begin to have an impact on car design. However, at a time when designers were coming up with radical looks, Pininfarina would keep the Aurelia tastefully simple. This would be best typified by its most desirable example—the B24S Spider America.

The intended audience was clear. Pininfarina would design a body that would embody the feel and the nature of the Californian. Including a wrap-around windscreen, simple touches of chrome, a light folding top, split bumpers and upturned rear wheel lines, the Spider America included classic Aurelia lines with enough drama to lure in the most elite of Hollywood.

The first example of the Spider America would make its debut a the Brussels Motor Show in January of 1955. Though intended for the U.S. market, each Aurelia built by the company would be an exhaustive endeavor. As a result, only 240 Spider Americas would ever be built. One of those Aurelia Spider Americas is 1155.

Completed in the fall of 1955, 1155 would be completed in Lancia racing red, one of only a few to be finished in such a color. Though completed in 1955, the car would not arrive in the United States until it came with a group of Lancia Aurelias in early 1956.

Though 1155 would be in the United States by early 1956, not much is known of its history before the mid-1960s when it was known to be registered to Gary Vitale of Connecticut. In December of 1966, Robert Mellon, a fellow resident of Watertown where Vitale lived, would become the car's next owner.

In the care of Mr. Mellon, the Lancia Aurelia was to be restored. And though some of the restoration project would be completed, the Spider America would remain largely undone and left in a garage. The car would remain in the garage for 40 years until Mellon passed away in 2012. At that time, much of the estate, which included the Lancia, would be sold. This would be the first time in some 40 years the Lancia had been moved from its garage.

An east coast collector would purchase the car and would set about restoring the car. Tom Straubinger would be commissioned to complete a concours-quality restoration. Straubinger is an Italian car specialist held in high esteem, and therefore, was more than trustworthy to complete the car in top condition.

The car had 41,000 miles at the time the restoration began. Much of the car was without defect and corrosion. Aspects of the car would be shipped to other experts for completion. This would include David Carte's Classic & Sport performing work on the upholstery, electrical and other furnishing installation. One of the final details would be to refinish the car in the same Lancia racing red. The restoration process would take two years, but the result would be one striking Spider America, a fine example of the underrated Lancia Aurelia.

A great grand touring automobile, the Lancia Aurelia certainly deserves more credit for its achievements than it often gets. However, the Spider America, and certainly this example, certainly helps to right the notorious wrong.

Sources:
'1956 Lancia Aurelia B24 News, Pictures, Specifications and Information', (http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z13903/Lancia-Aurelia-B24.aspx). Conceptcarz.com: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z13903/Lancia-Aurelia-B24.aspx. Retrieved 18 February 2014.

'1951 Lancia Aurelia B50 News, Pictures, Specifications and Information', (http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z12304/Lancia-Aurelia-B50.aspx). Conceptcarz.com: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z12304/Lancia-Aurelia-B50.aspx. Retrieved 18 February 2014.


'Lot No. 54: 1956 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America', (http://www.goodingco.com/vehicle/1956-lancia-aurelia-b24s-spider-america-2/). Gooding & Company. http://www.goodingco.com/vehicle/1956-lancia-aurelia-b24s-spider-america-2/. Retrieved 18 February 2014.

1958 Lancia Aurelia—Jay Leno's Garage. Video. (2013). Retrieved 18 February 2014 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lkHB2OExmM

Wikipedia contributors, 'Lancia Aurelia', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 7 December 2013, 23:18 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lancia_Aurelia&oldid=585054600 accessed 18 February 2014

By Jeremy McMullen