1938 Lancia Aprilia

This 1938 Lancia Aprilia has been subject to a restoration which took place in 2008 when it was purchased at auction. The buyer, who was an engineer, rebuilt the mechanicals, treated the bodywork with Surface Processing Ltd. rust prevention, repainted it, and refreshed the red leather interior with a grey headlining. He also upgraded the electrical system to 12 volts, although it can be reverted for VSCC eligibility if desired.

Since then, the car has covered approximately 9,000 miles, 5,426 of those driven by the vendor, who has greatly enjoyed driving this Italian classic since he purchased it in 2018.

This is a rare opportunity to take ownership of an automotive piece of history which runs very well, is fully usable, and ready to be enjoyed.
 

Finished in silver, the Lancia was repainted around 2009. Unfortunately, the paintwork has started to show signs of age now, with some cracking and blistering in various places around the car.

From the front of the 1930s classic, the chrome work has a bright finish with minimal tarnishing, and the headlight lenses are in good order. The reflectors behind do have some age-related tarnishing but still work well. The grille is in excellent condition with all the bars nice and straight and no damage. There is some cracking to the body where the wings meet on the inside edge. The bonnet fits as well as you would expect, opening up either side to reveal the engine bay.

From the side, you can appreciate the sleek lines of the Lancia in all its glory. The door gaps appear to be as equal as you would expect. There is some blistering along the lower edge of the swage line on both sides, and some of the paint/filler has come off around the door handle on the nearside. The windows are in relatively good condition, with some light age-related marks as you would expect to see from a vehicle of this age.

At the rear, the smooth lines continue, sweeping down to finish off the aerodynamics of the Lancia. The lights are in good condition with no splits to the lenses, and the boot lid has an equal gap.

The steel wheels have been finished in gloss black. There is some light surface corrosion in places, and the chrome hubcaps have started to tarnish. A full set of Michelin tyres is fitted, all of which have plenty of tread remaining.
 

Open the side doors to reveal the stunning pillarless look, exposing the luxurious full red leather interior fitted during the restoration. The front and rear seats are in excellent condition with no real signs of wear, having covered less than 10,000 miles since being fitted. All four door cards are free from damage; however, the leather does appear to have come unstuck in places.

The three-spoke steering wheel has a small amount of patina, but nothing excessive. The silver dashboard fascia is in good condition, as is the wooden top. All of the instruments have some patina but are said to work as expected. The odometer shows a reading of 25,479 miles. The switchgear has been upgraded to 12 volts and uses toggle switches that are in good condition and clearly labelled. The vendor has mentioned one fault: the windscreen wipers don’t work, but this hasn’t been investigated.

In 2015, a full set of red carpets was fitted, so these are in excellent condition throughout, as is the headlining, which has also been replaced. Inside the boot is clean and tidy, and the spare wheel is in place with a new tyre fitted.
 

Looking from either side and you can see the engine bay is well presented, fitted with the 18-degree 1.4-litre V4 engine. The engine fires up without hesitation, as can be seen in our video, and sounds fantastic. The car has been fitted with a non-standard SU 1.5" carburettor, mounted on a custom-made inlet elbow. The vendor does have an original Zenith carburettor and air filter, which will be included in the sale.

The gear change is as you would expect for the age of the vehicle. The vendor does report that it sometimes jumps out of third gear; to overcome this, he holds onto the gear lever. The brakes bring the car to a stop; however, they do pull to the right under braking pretty ferociously. The handbrake also sticks and the vendor reports this does get better when driven. We do suggest a thorough service of the braking system before any further road use. 

Looking at the underside, this presents well and has been covered in a light coating of stone guard to help future-proof it.
 

This 1938 Lancia Aprilia Lusso has had seven former keepers and served as daily transport for a retired nurse in Edinburgh during the 1980s. Laid up for some time, it was bought at auction in 2008 as a running restoration. As mentioned earlier, the car was then restored by the owner at the time, and in 2010, servicing and mechanical work were completed by marque specialists Omicron Engineering.

There are a substantial number of invoices for parts purchased and work carried out over the years and during the restoration period. Also included is a detailed history of previous keepers and some handy notes regarding starting and maintenance of the 1930s classic.
 

A 1938 pre-war classic from Lancia. The car runs very well. Yes, there are some signs of age to the body, but it's certainly a rare example which is very usable, as demonstrated by the vendor who has covered over 5,000 miles.

Looking for a pre-war classic? Something a little different? The Lancia Aprilia ticks a lot of boxes. With its 1.4-litre V4 engine, the car is very enjoyable to drive.

If you can see yourself behind the wheel of this classic Lancia, we estimate it will fetch between £10,000 - £15,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.