Subject of a nearly $500,000 restoration
1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America

2,451cc OHC All-Alloy V6 Engine
Single Dual-Throat Weber Carburetor
118bhp at 5,300rpm
4-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Drum Brakes — Inboard at the Rear

*Exquisitely restored by marque experts, competed in 2022
*Nearly $500,000 in restoration receipts
*Twenty-year labor of love restoration
*Never shown publicly
*Delectable Vittorio Jano V6 engine
*Glorious sounds and sights from one of the 50's finest roadsters
*Single owner for nearly four decades

THE LANCIA B24S

Lancia's first post-war production car, the Aurelia B10 berlina, debuted at the 1950 Turin Motor Show, and though the four-door sedan may have worn undistinguished bodywork (by Ghia), the technology that lay hidden under its prosaic steel would establish the Aurelia, in ever increasing steps of sophistication through six series over the following eight years, as the first of the modern Gran Turismo motorcars.

Brilliant chief designer Vittorio Jano and equally brilliant young engineer Francesco de Virgilio directed the Aurelia program, which gave us the industry's first production V6 engine, a body/chassis of leading-edge unitary construction, and, at its rear, a cleverly packaged combination transaxle and inboard brakes for excellent weight distribution. It also would be the first car delivered with radial tires (Michelin X) as factory standard equipment. Before running its course in the summer of 1958, the Aurelia badge would encompass a family of closed and open cars that began with an unprepossessing four-door berlina and climaxed with one of the most spectacularly designed sports cars of the 1950s, the rare B24S Spider America.

Those First Series sedans came with the first version of Lancia's overhead valve V6, generating 56bhp from the 1,754cc all-alloy engine. In 1951, the B21 sedan arrived with a 1,991cc version of the V6 rated at 70bhp. Flexing the muscles it had found with this platform, Lancia introduced in 1952 the new short-wheelbase B20 GT Coupé, equipped with a stronger, 75bhp V6 primed for competition. In fact, B20 GTs introduced radials to motor racing at Le Mans in 1951. Equipped with the Michelin X, a GT won the 2.0-liter classification, and later that year finished second in the Mille Miglia behind a mighty Ferrari 340 America.

The Second Series Aurelia debuted in 1952 with the B20's engine now at 80bhp. Though the racing version of this revised B20 slipped to third in 1952's Mille Miglia, Lancia more than made up for it with a scarcely believable 1-2-3 finish in that year's Targa Florio.

A B22 sedan followed, its V6 delivering 90bhp from a dual-carburetor configuration. In 1953, the Third Series engine, modified with a racing-spec camshaft and single Weber carburetor, was increased to 2,451cc and given a new block and new heads. Output increased significantly to 118bhp at 5,000rpm.

Inflamed by the motorsport successes which clearly validated the superiority of the Aurelia's advanced platform, Lancia loyalists called for a sportier variant. Starting point was the new Fourth Series Aurelia of 1954, regarded by many experts to be the best of the six series, as it was newly fitted with a De Dion tube rear suspension to replace the previous trailing arm setup, and the engine bearings were upgraded. Lancia responded with the most attractive, beguiling Aurelia yet, the B24 Spider America, first shown to the public at the 1955 Brussels Motor Show. Designed, as its name implies, with America's robust post-war economy and growing taste for European sports cars in mind, the B24 was offered in both left- (B24S for sinistra) and right-hand drive versions. (Prior to 1955, all Lancias were delivered with right-hand drive.)

Minor mechanical and external changes continued through the Fifth and Sixth Series of Aurelia before production ended in 1958 with approximately 13,500 having been built.

Just 240 Spider Americas were built before production ended in 1955; of those, 181 were left-hand drive. Lancia supplanted the Spider in 1956 with the better equipped, more comfortable B24 convertible based on the Fifth Series platform. Just 521 B24s were built, and only 86 ever arrived in the United States. (A number of B24 convertibles were reportedly lost to the depths as a result of the sinking of the Andrea Doria in 1956, but other reports say the cars had already been delivered to U.S. importer Max Hoffmann on the merchant ship President Madison.)

The Spider America rested on a wheelbase even shorter than the coupé's, and its appearance was reminiscent of Lancia's D24 racing car with its long, sloping hood and jutting air intake, wraparound windscreen, and the sinuous line described along the top of the prominent fenders, through the small, artfully curved doors, rearward to the steep fall-off of the boot lid. The discreet split bumpers front and rear, and the hidden external door handles were other major elements of the Spider's signature styling.

The neatly designed dash panel contained only essential instrumentation. Viewed through the three-spoke Nardi wood steering wheel was a central speedometer flanked by a combination oil and fuel gauge and a larger tachometer reading to 6,000rpm. The doors, closed by elegant pulls, were topped with fully removable framed glass, divided to accommodate large front vent windows. The secondary pieces of plexiglass were fixed. All mechanicals of the Spider America were identical to the B20 GT's save for a slightly de-tuned engine and re-positioning of the gearshift changer to the floor. Running gear was Borrani wire wheels with single knock-off bolts or optional Borrani steel center, alloy rims.

Top speed was around 115 mph (184 km/h), but outright pace was never to be the Spider's forte. Rather, it was the car's remarkable road manners and tenacious handling that helped secure its reputation as one of the world's finest driving cars of the day.

The opportunity to own such an exceptionally well-restored examples of post-war European sports car technology rarely occurs, as the Spider America is one of the most coveted of Lancia's highly regarded lineage of superb motorcars, and almost never leave the collections in which they reside. The B24S is sophisticated, energetic elegance at its best.

THE CAR OFFERED

A rare beauty with an uncommonly detailed restoration, this 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America, B24S-1140, spent the last nearly four decades in the current ownership. According to factory records, as affirmed by a copy of the Registro Aurelia on file, s/n 1140 was assembled on July 9th, 1955, and completed and tested on August 18th, 1955. Originally finished in Grigio (grey) over Rossa (red) leather, it is not recorded as to where the car was first delivered by it was likely sent new to the United States.

The early history of this car is not documented but by the 1980s it was spotted by a local enthusiast who saw the windscreen peaking over the weeds. Suspecting it to be an early Corvette, he stopped to investigate—and found out it was a much rarer and more interesting B24S Spider America. Not long after its discovery, the current owner purchased it on October 23, 1987.

Initially acquired as a spare parts car to support the restoration of another B24S Spider America, it was dry stored in a garage for over two decades before the decision was made to restore the car in 2008. Still retaining its original drivetrain but devoid of paint, pictures of the car prior to the start of the restoration show just how far it has come. A dedicated Lancia enthusiast who has restored other Aurelias, the consignor entrusted the to the legendary, late Lancia guru Bob Williams and the specialists at his shop, Will's Garage in Oakdale, Pennsylvania to oversee the complete, concours restoration. Working with Lancia engine wizard Walt Spak and interior expert Thomas Pearce, the restoration lasted 14 years and continued through the passing of both Messers Williams and Spak—making this the last Lancia they both worked on.

Photos and detailed restoration records—including receipts, correspondence, and copies of each check payment—totaling nearly 400 pages document the work that encompassed hundreds and hundreds of hours. Every element of the car was restored, with those parts that needed replacement coming from Mike Kristick of Lancia Parts in nearby Wellsville, Pennsylvania, and other reputable sources. Enormous amounts of time and money were spent ensuring the body was straighten and sanded to obscenely high standards before any paint was applied. Nearly $14,000 was spent refinishing the wheels and almost $40,000 rebuilding the motor. All told, just a touch under half a million dollars was spent to bring the car to the concours condition in which it now appears.

Completed in August of 2022, the 18-month-old restoration shows extremely well having been driven sparingly and never shown publicly. Finished in an original factory shade of Amaretto over tan leather, close inspection of the car reveals the level of detail that is described in the restoration receipts. Fitted with the optional Borrani steel centered, alloy rimmed wheels with chromed hubcap, the car is as clean on top as it is on the bottom. Described as 'on the button' by the seller, this fact was made clear when it started with, quite literally, the touch of the starter button. The glorious staccato exhaust note of the narrow angle V6 provided aural pleasure at idle or when gleefully revved.

Accompanied by extensive documentation of the restoration process, its Lancia Registro Aurelia, and matching side curtains, this B24S Spider America would be equally welcome as a future award winner at any number of top concours events as it would be a suitable entrant to tour events such as the Colorado Grand and Mille Miglia. Few cars of the time so ably demonstrated la dolce vita, and even fewer of the surviving Spider Americas are so beautifully and accurately restored.