LANCIA AURELIA B10 S Berlina.Full matching numbers car and very original

FOR SALE

Superb. 953 Lancia Aurelia B10 s (lhd) Berlina. n Nero (black) coachwork and Panno nocciola (Nut brown). est of England. loth interior.

Stylish. are and very original Lancia Aurelia B10 s.
Just imported from northern Italy. here it has spent all it's life in and around the Milan area. ith just 5 keepers (full names and address's recorded) since 1953 and two of these suspected to be within the same family.

Aurelia history.
Most reading this will be aware of the importance and place in motoring history that the Lancia Aurelia has. he B20 GT is probably the most known variant with it's stunning GT styling by Pininfarina. t accrued an enviable racing history and many glamorous owners.
However it was the Aurelia B10 Berlina that started the story.
Introduced to the public in 1950. esigned by Vittorio Jano. ith an engine developed by Francesco de Virgilio. This engine. 1754cc V6 was the first V6 engine to be sold in a production car.
The gearbox. lutch and differential are one unit and are rear mounted to help weight distribution with inboard rear brakes fitted. Front suspension is the classic Lancia sliding Pillar. s used on all Lancias up to this point since the Lambda. Rear suspension was initially semi trailing arms with coil springs. his was changed to a de dion tube with leaf springs in the later cars.
The Aurelia Berlina also continued the pillarless door opening theme. s seen on the Aprilia and Augusta Berlinas.

Lancia Aurelia B10 S. I 208562 history.
On offer here we have a delightful and highly original example of the B10 S. he S standing for sinistra. eaning lhd. It is one of around just 500 lhd cars made in total. Most Lancia's of this period being made with rhd. or the home market as well as for export.

Built in January 1953. I 208562 was first sold on 20/02/1953 to a Mrs Maria Pisoni. esident of Cuggiono. ia G Garibaldi. rovince of Milan. Purchase price is stated as 2. 43. 00 Lire.
Just eight years from the end of WW2 and the Milan area having suffered heavily from bombing during the war. his would have been a very expensive purchase and only possible by the very wealthy! 

Some 12 years later in August 1965. wnership was transfered to it's second owner. he Galleria Montenapoleone. ilan. Via Montenapoleone. Central Milan.
Research has found that this was an art gallery in a street which. hen and now is a very exclusive shopping street in the centre of Milan. Today it is full of high end fashion retailers.
Perhaps the art gallery appreciated the pillarless door openings to carry large canvases?! 

In September 1974 the car found it's way to it's third owner. Ms Luisa Montruccoli. esident of Cavenago di Brianza. ia Gramsci.

The 4th owner. Mr Luigi Lammana. esident of Carvico. ia Don Pedrinelli aquired the car some 6 years later in November 1980.

Finally. he car is registered in the name of Renauto of Milan on 23/4/1991. This is a vehicle hire firm who offered chauffer driven vehicles for hire with a spread of 50% modern cars and 50% classics.
So. otentially MI 208562 took many an Italian bride to the church on her wedding day?
It was also part of the owners personal collection of classic cars of which a large number were Lancias and we suspect the company. enauto was set up by owner number 4 on the log book.

MI 208562 is now residing here in the UK in Wiltshire. ust outside of the village of Avebury. amous for the ancient stone circle. Currently not UK registered it will be registered with the DVLA for any UK buyers if required. but as we know there is likely to be interest from overseas. we will leave it unregistered for the immediate future .
All paperwork required to register the car here or overseas is present.

Condition. ull matching numbers.
MI 208562 is a rare surviver. specially as a lhd example. It's low number of owners has helped to keep this car in very original condition inside and out.
It is a full matching numbers car. ot just the correct engine but also the transmission. ront suspension and steering are all confirmed as they left the factory in 1953. ith the identity tags still attached to prove this.
Externally the car presents to a very high standard. Body panels on these early cars were mixed steel and aluminium. I'd suggest the paintwork is not original but it is the correct colour and has some age to it. All external trim is present and correct. he delicate alloy bumpers are remarkably straight. he panel joining alloy trim is correct and in excellent condition. he alloy hubcaps are dent free and the lovely headlamp lenses are correct and undamaged and are a work of art in themselves!A pair of Carello spotlights have been fitted at the front. lthough not of 50's vintage they are in full working order and come with the original plastic covers.  
The doors open and shut with a satisfying feel of quality and all panel gaps are excellent. The original brass bolts fitted in the roof for the optional roof rack are present.
A pair of rear light units. ith separate indicator and lights and front side repeaters have been fitted at a later date. e suspect this was perhaps due to Italian legislation changes. ossibly in the 1970's?

Interior
Opening the doors and getting yourself comfortable inside the car is like stepping back in time. Firstly the smell of the old materials used is unlike any modern car. hen glancing around you notice the original period Condor radio. he Bakelite switches. ream 3 spoked steering wheel and lovely period dials. Then there's the wonderful Panno nocciola. est of England cloth interior. This is in superb condition and the colour combination of the black coachwork and nut brown interior is very attractive and very rare.
As with the exterior. ll fittings inside are present and correct and unusually for an Aurelia a rear window. oller blind has been fitted. perated by a pull cord just above the drivers head. n the roof lining.
On the floor. ou have the correct rubber mats in the front and carpets to match the trim in the rear. A small. lloy lever can be found just below the rear seat on the drivers side to release the boot catch.

You'll notice inside a few extra switches and one extra dial. he dial. nder the dash is a water temperature guage. sensible addition. The extra switches operate the spot lights. horn isolater switch and a priming electric fuel pump for initial start-up.   

Engine bay.
Under the bonnet it is very clean and original. e've not tried to detail it or add any shiny bits. t's just been left as is and is just how you want to see it.
Boot area.
The boot area is just as original. ith the correct rubber mat. added wheelarch side trim and spare wheel being fitted. Also present are the correct and original jack. heel brace and starting handle. till clipped into the correct mounting points.

Underneath.
The underside of the car presents very cleanly but as with the engine bay. on't expect a shiny. etailed underside. It's straight and very original. here are no signs of older welding repairs and no signs of work being required in this area. he floorpans are original and very straight. All mechanical components are clean but not detailed. There are no oil leaks to be concerned about and there is evidence in the usual areas of a recent service.  

On the road.
The car starts up easily. il pressure runs at a healthy level. n the normal section of the guage either hot or cold and the water temp remains steady. The column gearchange operates without issue and the brakes have a firm pedal and pull the car up in a straight line. The car feels tight and rattle free over the bumps.

Summary.
The Lancia Aurelia is firmly established as a landmark car in motoring history. Prices of the B20 GT are now approaching and in many cases exceeding £100. 00. 00. Many who have desired this model have been priced out of the market. This is now one of the things that makes the original. 10 Berlinas such an appealing car. You can still own an Aurelia for a fraction of the cost of a GT and with that you get a very stylish. are and beautifully engineered car.
Our car is. s previously stated not a concours. etailed rebuild. It is a highly original. nmolested vehicle with age  and patination and traceable history. It retains the charm and feel of originality that is frequently and disappointingly lost with rebuilds.

Thanks for taking the time to read the write up. s always though if seriously interested I would thoroughly recommend a visit to view and drive the car. We have full ramp facilities available on the premises and also welcome any independent inspecton on any vehicles on offer.

Please call 01672 512879 / 07813394167 to arrange a viewing or for further details on the vehicle. r feel free to email with any questions you may have.

Overseas interest is more than welcome and we can help with any shipping issues. f required.

www. europeanclassiccars. co. uk

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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