Lancia Aurelia B24S 1957

This 1957 Lancia Aurelia B24S is one of 521 convertibles built during three years of production and was completed on September 12, 1957. Chassis 1445 is said to have been acquired from a gas station as a project by an engineering student circa 1965 and later remained under the stewardship of a Toronto, Ontario, family for over four decades. The car was purchased by its current owner on BaT in August 2020 and was again offered on BaT in June 2022. Finished in gray with a black soft top over red leather upholstery, the car is powered by a 2,451cc V6 that breathes through a single Weber carburetor and is paired with a four-speed manual transaxle. Additional equipment includes sliding-pillar front suspension, a De Dion rear axle, Marchal driving lamps, and body-color wheels with chrome trim rings and hubcaps.

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 is said to have been repainted prior to the late 1970s. A cosmetic freshening performed in 2023 is said to have included refinishing and blending of various areas as well as a paint correction. Exterior features include Marchal front driving lamps, chrome side mirrors, and a black soft top that was installed in 2022.

The steel wheels feature body-color covers with chrome rims and hubcaps and are mounted with 165R400 Michelin X Radial tires, while a full-size spare is secured in the trunk. Stopping is handled by hydraulic drum brakes with inboard rear units, and a 2015 refresh included the replacement of the brake master cylinder and rebuilds of the wheel cylinders.

The cabin houses a pair of bucket seats that were reupholstered in red leather in 2012, matching the color indicated on the Lancia Classiche certificate. Matching trim covers the door panels, while additional features include red lap belts, tan carpeting over the sills and center tunnel, gray floor mats bound in red, a dash-mounted rearview mirror, a locking glovebox, and a heater. A set of red and black Coco Mats are in place underfoot.