1956 Lancia Aurelia Convertible Roadster

Lancia was founded in 1906 and built a reputation for its imagination and engineering excellence. After World War II, many manufacturers, including Lancia, looked to their pre-war designs to inspire and develop their first post-war cars.

The Aurelia B10 sedan was introduced in 1950, Lancia's first new post-war car, and included a V-6 engine, four-speed rear transaxle, and inboard brakes. It was soon joined by the B50, a chassis for coachbuilders, and then the B20 GT coupe in 1951. A sporting open variation followed in 1955. The intended market was obvious by the vehicle's name - the B24 Spider America. The body was designed by Pinin Farina and given a wraparound windshield. It did not have roll-up windows and external door handles, as was the style of the time for roadsters.

In total, there were 240 Spider Americas built, with 181 having a left-hand drive configuration. In late 1956, the B24 convertible replaced the Spider American.

In the summer of 1956, John Jang purchased this Lancia from the British Motor Car Distributors dealership on Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco, Ca. The purchase included a trade for his 1953 Porsche Cabriolet, which he had bought only a month before. His red Lancia was still in his Northern California garage 56 years later.

In 1957, Mr. Jang took the Aurelia on its longest-ever trip to Los Angeles for a golf tournament, stopping at Disneyland while he was in town. The following year, he went to visit family in Suisun Valley in California's wine country. In 1961, Mr. Jang and his new bride drove the Lancia on a vacation through Sausalito and continued up the California coast on Highway 1. In 1963, as the Jang family began to grow, the Lancia went into storage. It would be kept under a cover in a garage for the next 49 years.

In December 2012, the Jang's made the decision to sell the red Spider America. At the time, the car showed just over 28,000 original miles. The original gray leather interior is dry but mostly intact. The engine turns over and appears absolutely complete and original. The electrical system functions as it did in period, numerous factory markings have been found, and the entire car presents as only an undisturbed, low-mileage car. It has the rare Plexiglas removable side windows and the original tools, jack, and spare wheel. It has the original rearview mirror and headlight rings, which have not been mounted on the car in over five decades.

In 2013, the car was offered for sale at Gooding & Company's Scottsdale, Arizona sale. It was estimated to sell for $400,000 - $450,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $803,000 inclusive of buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2013