1958 Lancia Aurelia

This 1958 Lancia Aurelia B24S was completed on June 3, 1958, as one of 521 convertibles built during the three years of production. Chassis 1629 is said to have been initially registered in Germany prior to the original owner relocating the car to Italy, where it is noted to have remained under their care through the mid-1980s. Following a change of hands, it is reported that the car underwent refurbishment work in Italy and resided there through 2016 when it was brought to Belgium and acquired by the current owner. A subsequent refurbishment is said to have been carried out by Lancia specialists Epoca Ricambi of Ciney, Belgium, with work involving refinishing the body in dark gray as well as re-trimming the interior in red leather. The 2,451cc V6 was also overhauled as was the four-speed manual transaxle. The car wears a black soft top and rides on sliding-pillar front suspension, a De Dion rear axle, and body-color wheels with chrome trim rings and hubcaps. This Aurelia B24S is now offered in Roeselare, Belgium, with a Lancia Classiche Certificato di Origine and Belgian registration. The Aurelia convertible was introduced in 1956 as a more-refined successor to the B24 Spider, from which it was differentiated by roll-up side windows, a conventional windshield with fixed quarter vents, larger doors with exterior handles, a single-piece front bumper, and a widened hood scoop. The convertible was only offered in left-hand-drive configuration and shared its mechanical underpinnings with the contemporary fifth- and sixth-series B20 coupe while riding on a wheelbase 8” shorter than that of its closed counterpart. The Pininfarina-designed bodywork of this example was finished from the factory in Grigio and was refinished as part of the aforementioned refurbishment completed in the early 2020s. Exterior details include a black soft top, a left mirror, Carello headlamps, side marker lights, and wrap-around chrome-finished bumpers. Body-color 400mm wheels feature chrome trim rings and hubcaps and are mounted with 165-width Michelin X Radial tires. The car rides on a sliding-pillar independent front suspension that comprises coil springs and adjustable shocks contained in oil around vertical pins anchored to either end of a beam axle. The De Dion rear suspension setup is equipped with leaf springs and tubular shocks. Stopping is handled by hydraulic drum brakes with inboard rear units. The cabin left the factory trimmed in Pelle Rosso leather and is noted to have been reupholstered under current ownership. Replacement gray carpets are covered with black floor mats, while a rearview mirror and black pad are affixed to the body-color dashboard. A heater and a locking glovebox are further appointments. The wood-rimmed steering wheel fronts Jaeger instrumentation including a tachometer with an inset clock and a 220-km/h speedometer with inset auxiliary displays. The five-digit odometer shows 17k kilometers (~11k miles), around 1k of which have been added under current ownership. Total mileage is unknown. The 2,451cc V6 is an evolution of the Francesco de Virgilio design that made the Aurelia the first series-produced car with V6 power. Characteristics include an aluminum block with a 60° angle between cylinder banks, aluminum cylinder heads with hemispherical combustion chambers, and pushrod-actuated overhead valves. The engine in this example is said to have been overhauled as part of the refurbishment completed under current ownership. Induction is through a single Weber downdraft carburetor fed through a dual-snorkel air intake. Engine number 1749 is shown above, which is noted on Centro Storico Fiat correspondence to be the factory engine number. Additional markings shown in the gallery below include differential number 1225 and front suspension number 429. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a split-case four-speed manual transaxle unit that carries both the clutch and inboard rear drum brake assemblies. The gearbox was reportedly overhauled during the refurbishment, at which time a replacement dual exhaust system featuring Imasaf components was installed. The Lancia Classiche Certificato di Origine lists the original colors and production date as well as the factory identification numbers. The vehicle is being sold on its Belgian registration documents. The sale does not include a title, as the vehicle is registered in a country that does not issue titles for vehicles.