To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Arizona event, 17 - 18
January 2019.
Estimate:
$300,000 - $400,000
- Long-term Australian history
- Expert concours-quality restoration
- Finished in stunning jade green over beige
- Extremely rare and elegant show car
Sophisticated, stylish, and expensive, the Pinin Farina-designed
Astura was Lancia's premier luxury model during the Art Deco era.
The car displayed all the right attributes: flowing lines, a whiff
of flamboyance, and a fashionable aura that made it the choice of
Italian dignitaries - including Mussolini, who used an Astura coupe
as his government car. Produced from 1931 to 1939 in four series,
the exquisite Astura was regarded as one of the most beautiful cars
of its time. Fewer than 3,000 models were built with only 426 in
the fourth series - all long-wheelbase versions.
This rare fourth series, four-door, right-hand-drive Astura
cabriolet has a rich history. It was originally purchased in 1938
and shipped to London for the Italian ambassador. The car was later
acquired in Britain by Peter McAdam who retired to Toowoomba,
Queensland, Australia, in the late 1960s and brought the car with
him. McAdam died soon afterward, and his nephew inherited the car.
In 1971, he sold it to the previous owner, a Melbourne resident and
Lancia aficionado. Dissatisfied with the restoration the car
received in England, in 1972 he elected to restore the Astura from
the ground up. Slowly but surely, the project took 30 years to
complete.
In restoring the Astura, the cast iron engine - a 3.0-liter SOHC
V-8 with 10 more horsepower than the 2.6-liter unit used in the
first and second series - with its aluminum crankcase was fully
rebuilt. So were the drivetrain, suspension, and brake and
electrical systems, with components repaired, restored, replaced,
or upgraded to proper operating condition.
The Astura's cabriolet body also received attention. The car has a
mid-green paint color with a slightly lighter shade above the
molding line. Appropriate ornamentation includes a chromed radiator
grille and chromed louver moldings and molding strips along each
side of the car. All window glass was removed and polished. An
emphasis was placed on authenticity: tires, wheels, and hubcaps
stayed true to the Art Deco look. The spare tire is mounted on the
trunk lid. A restored black convertible top finishes the exterior
appearance.
The cabin is exceptionally pleasing. Seats have been reconstructed
and covered with beige leather. The matching wood and carpeting
look fresh. The dashboard displays original Jaeger gauges and
includes a speedometer and tachometer, clock, fuel gauge, and oil
pressure gauge, all surrounded by three chromed escutcheon plates
engraved with an Art Deco pattern.
Since its rejuvenation, this very drivable Astura has covered
approximately 12,000 miles, some of which came from participating
in the 2015 Australian Lancia Register's Rally at Castlemaine.
Combine that condition with the car's rare status, and the Astura
stands as an opportunity no serious collector should miss.
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction,
please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/az19.