1955 Lancia Aurelia Spider America Roadster (Series 5)

The Lancia B10 Aurelia was introduced at the Torino Motor Show in May of 1950. Importantly, they were equipped with the world's first production V-6 engine. In January 1955, the B24S Spider America was shown at the Brussels motor show. They were based on an open version based on the fourth-series cars. They had a shorter and more nimble chassis than their predecessors and a standard floor shifter. The Spider had an updated 2.5-liter V6 engine and a DeDion rear axle. The Pininfarina coachwork had cut-down doors, split bumpers, and a wrap-around windscreen. During its production lifespan, just 240 examples were built, including 181 configured for left-hand drive, before the Spider America was replaced by a revised convertible with permanent weather equipment.

This Lancia was completed at the factory in October 1955 and equipped with engine number 1229. It is believed that this is the only example that was finished in Alacio Verde (Light Green) over a Natural Tan leather interior. This European-specification example was ordered new by a U.S. Air Force officer stationed in Rome. It is believed that the car remained in Italy for several decades before being acquired in 1981 by Ken Watt.

The car was later refinished in red with black upholstery. It was exported to the United Kingdom with the British registration 'WYA 8.' The engine was rebuilt in 1982 and was sold in the spring of 1985 to Paradise Garage in London. It was purchased in July by Robert Heisey, an American working in Parma, Italy. Shortly after its acquisition, Mr. Heisey returned to the United States. The car was driven for a few years in Florida before being put into storage, where it would rest for nearly two decades. In August 2014, it was sold to Pierre Mellinger of Warsaw, Poland, who had the car shipped to the United Kingdom. GPS Classic S.r.L. in Soragna, Italy was commissioned to freshen the car as needed. It was then shown in various European tours and exhibitions over the new few years.

In early 2018, the Lancia was purchased by its Southern California-based owner. Since then, it has been given an extensive, bare-metal, rotisserie restoration to show standards. The work concluded in early 2019.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2019