Aprilia'ish

[williamcorke]

Look what's for sale at Auction on 30th November;


Listing: http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/lancia/other-models/lancia-mg-special-monoposto/1847500?

Does anyone here know this car - Nick S, looks like you owned it, what's the story?

Here's the auction description:

"This vehicle is for sale by Historics at Brooklands on Saturday 30th November at Brooklands Museum.

Registration    FGF 974
Chassis Number    38CC15
Engine Number    7678
Odometer reading    1 miles
Estimate     £10,000 - £15,000
The Lancia/MG is an example of a 'new' vintage special, having been built by Richard Thompson in the early 1980's from the mechanical parts of a Lancia Aprilia. These have then been assembled onto a 1934 MG PA boxed chassis. Needless to say, the chassis had to undergo some surgery to allow the transplant to work. It has been cut, inverted, reversed and plated to produce a very un-Abingdon-like structure that matches up with the Lancia independent suspension systems as well as giving it a wheelbase of seven foot, six inches long.

The overhead camshaft (1352cc) Lancia engine has been totally rebuilt, tuned and now sports a Shorrocks supercharger fed by a two inch S.U. downdraught carburettor. With a modest six psi boost, about 70bhp is produced. The drive train, all Lancia, incorporates the original four speed gearbox and the MG cart springs have been replaced by Lancia independent suspension at all four corners. At the front end, this is by the well known coil springs and dampers, whilst at the rear, a transverse semi-epileptic spring is coupled to torsion bars with short trailing arms.

The brakes are hydraulically actuated with servo assistance from a Lancia Flavia unit. Disc wheels use 165x400 tyres at the front with 19x400 at the rear. As well as having a blower, the engine also incorporates a couple more ingenious items; as it runs without a cooling fan, or dynamo for that matter, a bigger radiator from an Austin 12/4 has been bought in together with a larger pre-war Fiat water pump. The plate-type oil cleaner has also been replaced by a full-flow air-cooled unit.

The original body made of fabric-covered marine plywood with a louvered bonnet has been superseded by a bespoke aluminium unit, beautifully crafted to fit and taking its styling cues from such icons as the Maserati 6C and 250F.

Originally completed in 1985, the Lancia/MG was entered in a number of vintage events including Wiscombe, Shelsley Walsh and Prescott; however, difficulties with the car's ageing driver prevented it actually taking part. Stewardship was then passed to Nick Savage for further works before selling to Trevor Pask in 1998.

This is a tribute to a pre-war design initiated by famous racing driver, Reg Parnell when he rebuilt his car using the front axle from a Lancia Augusta mated to his MG K3.  The cockpit includes a selection of modern Smiths instruments such as oil pressure, oil temperature, water temperature and a period military aviation boost gauge. There are also two AC period instruments, Speedometer and rev. counter. A side exit exhaust, with no baffle, leaves the engine further indicating its competition credentials.

As the work on this exciting project is largely complete, there appears to be relatively little to do. Included with the car are a number of spares including templates, panels, rear axle and differential unit, radiator as well as a number of other items.  It has been accepted to compete by the VSCC with the accompanying letter in the history file as well as the buff application booklet. It is also mentioned at length in John Batemans book, 'The Enthusiasts Guide to Vintage Specials', and should prove a rewarding drive for future national and international vintage racing.

If this could be bought for £10k it would surely be the bargain of the year. Imagine the cost of building it.