Prev / Next

Padova Finarte / Collector Cars

Friday 25 October 2019, 02:30 PM • Padua

2

1928 Lancia Lancia Lambda Drop-head Coupé (Albany Carriage Co.)

chassis no. 19229 - engine no. 9091

Estimate

€ 275.000 - 295.000

Sold

€ 326.116

The price includes buyer's premium

Information

  • It is believed to be the only car survived of just eight built.
  • Matching numbers.
  • For over 50 years in the same family.
  • Mille Miglia: excellent 1.75 factor. As a pre-war, early on the starting line.
  • Completely overhauled by Storicar

Certifications and Statements
Fiva, ASI.
Documents
  • Registration and Italian license plates in order and up to dateEligibility
  • Mille Miglia. Eligible. Excellent 1.75 factor.
  • Giro di Sicilia. Eligible.
  • Targa Florio. Eligible.
  • Goodwood Revival. Eligible.
  • Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti. Eligible.
  • Coppa delle Alpi by 1000 Miglia. Eligible.
  • Winter Marathon. Eligible.
  • California Mille: Eligible.
  • Nürburgring Classic. Eligible.
  • Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Eligible.
  • Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Eligible.
  • Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille. Eligible.
  • Concorso d’eleganza Villa D’Este. Eligible

Provenance

The model
The surprising innovations, for a car designed and built in the late 1920s, included a monocoque chassis, independent front suspension and hydraulic dampers: to some extent the basis of most modern cars. Thanks to the designer Battista Giuseppe Falchetto, the ingenious ideas of Vincenzo Lancia were translated into a concrete project. The narrow-angle aluminum Lancia V4 engine was also notable. All three displacements shared the same 120 mm long stroke, and all were SOHC designs with a single camshaft serving both banks of cylinders. The first engine had 13° V angle, second 14° and third 13° 40'. The engine, a 2,120cc unit , was progressively enlarged, arriving finally at 2,569 cc, 69 hp configuration in 1928. The first Lambdas had three-speed gearboxes, with a four-speed version being developed in 1925. The design of the Lambda engine, under the general oversight of Battista Falchetto, was in the hands of a small group. Primitivo Rocco, responsible for all of Lancia’s engine designs was in charge, supported by Augusto Cantarini and Quarello making up the third member of the group. The Lambda’s technical innovations make it still very pleasant to drive today. Impressive, considering that it is a car with 90 years of history and life.Also from an aesthetic point of view, the Lambda was absolutely innovative: the front hood is low, compared to its contemporaries, allowing a larger windshield. Another difference: the roof, when open, disappears into a dedicated space, unlike other convertibles of the era, in which the open top stood out cumbersomely. In fact, the line still appears modern, fast and elegant even today.The Lambda’s sporting career was restricted by the manufacturer's determination to make it a touring car, choosing displacements that sat awkwardly with the classes recognised by the AIACR. A series of special Lambda "Corsa" versions were prepared for the Coppa delle 1000 Miglia in 1927, the Strazza-Varallo crew driving one to 4th place overall ahead of another driven by Pugno-Beggia. For the following edition, five Lambda “Tipo 223" torpedo-bodied versions and three special short-chassis spiders bodied by Casaro were prepared, all fitted with a special head developed by Romagnoni & Pirotta and offered as an option on the production cars. The model's commercial history can be summarized in the around 13,000 cars produced in nine series between 1922 and 1931.With the eighth series, launched in the spring of 1928, the Lambda received the 2,569 cc engine. The power reached 69 hp at 3500 rpm, in part thanks to a new carburetor, always Zenith, but HK38 type. The maximum speed now exceeded 120 km/h. The chassis also underwent modifications, presenting itself as a real platform. This way the coachbuilders, could work more easily and take greater advantage of it. Other new features: raising the radiator, a new dashboard (with a rev counter as standard) and the possibility of left-hand drive. The selling price, however, significantly increased: in 1923, LIT 43,000 was needed for a complete torpedo, seven years later it required LIT 1,000 more for a bare chassis. Some VIII series Lambda performed very well in the grueling second edition of the Mille Miglia, in 1928. The last "VIII series" left the factory on August 28, 1930, giving way to the "IX series".
The car
The Lancia Lambda, chassis no. 19229 is a VIII series model, produced in 1928. The car is matching numbers: the current engine no. 9091 is the original one. It came out of the Lancia assembly lines on June 30 as a short chassis (3.1m), type 221, was sent to Carrozzeria Albany on July 14 and registered on September 20, 1928. The family of Albany coachbuilders is known in England for the construction and holding of many patents for carriages, Landeau and sleds spread allover Europe. It is believed that Albany produced seven different body styles on Lambda chassis. On the VIII series it built Weymann-type saloons, aerodynamic cars with internal drive called Airflow Stramline and the convertible Drop-head Coupés. This last particular body was built by Albany in only 8 units and it is believed that the car with frame no. 19229 is the only one to have survived. The world register Lambda LWR, chaired by Bill Jamieson and Joachim Griese, recognizes its rarity.The car with chassis no. 19229 is found in 1962 and, after a partial restoration, remained in the London surroundings until 1965 when it was purchased by Arthur Keeling who, in 1982, proceeded to a conservative restoration. Since then it remains of the same family. Upon Arthur's death, it passed into the hands of his son George, who lovingly cared for until 2016, when it returned to Italy. Since then, it has been followed step by step by Storicar that defines itself as an "artisan workshop of restoration" but the Brescia-based company is universally recognized as the Lambda specialist par excellence. The car arrives there already in excellent condition; ordinary maintenance operations and a complete service are carried out, the electrical system is redone, the dynamo and ignition are repaired. The car is presented in the Asi and Fiva commission, obtaining an excellent A classification, being considered an excellent conserved one. It has first-rate aesthetic features, painted in pastel gray with black fenders and a bright red leather interior. Many surprising details are present, the brass plaque on the sill, of the original London dealer, stands out. The car retains the original plates nd has recently registered in Italy. Excellent for concourse d’elegance and regularity races: the Lancia Lambda "Tipo 221" has an excellent coefficient of 1.75 at the Mille Miglia where, as a pre-war car, it has the advantage of positioning early on the starting line.
State of the Art
The car is sound, fully functional, an excellent preserved. Complete Storicar’s overhaul.

Literature

  • Oscar Capellano,Lambda, L’eccezionale, Lancia Club, Italia 2000.
  • Wim Oude Weernink,La Lancia, Motor Racing Pubblications, UK 1979.
  • Ferruccio Bernabò, Alfio Manganaro,Lancia Catalogue Raisonnè 1907-1990, Automobilia, Italia 1990