1978 Lancia Monte Carlo

Thought to be one of just 334 RHD Series 1 Spiders built, this absolute beauty comes with the added scarcity bestowed upon it by its ultra-rare Verde Chiaro metallizzato livery.

A Montecarlo in this colour starred in Lancia’s 1978 UK advertising campaign, featuring a photo of the car at some Dolomites ski resort, accompanied by a gaggle of long-haired hipsters wearing dodgy 1970s ski-suits. The headline read – ‘Some spectacular Italian scenery is now available in Britain.’ The final line of the copy was the decidedly un-PC sentence, ‘Probably nothing more desirable has come out of Italy since Sophia Loren’.

Different times.

The car was purchased new from Autoyachts Ltd of Gillingham on 21st June 1978 by Mr T J Clarke of Kent. It has had six owners in total, and the vendor has had the car for over 10 years. When he bought the car in 2014 it had just had all and any necessary bodywork repairs completed, with the rear bulkhead, rear and front suspension turrets and front floor sections welded in and ready for repainting. He took the car to the highly respected RMG Coachworks in Hampshire for repainting (they are routinely used for paintwork by the Wheeler Dealers team), and they remarked that the bodywork restoration was exceptionally good and was notable for the use of lead filling.

The 5-digit clock is showing 9,640 miles, with the true mileage being 109,640.

We have driven the car and can report that it is a delight to experience. Yes, 150bhp might not sound like much, but in a car this light, nimble and perfectly balanced, it’s enough to provide you with plenty of pedigree thrills, and the chassis will give you a good deal of confidence in the car’s ability to clip apexes, grip the tarmac and pick up pace when needed.

It does all this while emitting a gloriously throaty, rasping burble from just behind your head. The sound resonates through the cabin and seems to be tuned in to the same wavelength as your bones and nervous system – in a good way.

It is visceral, analogue, raw... and all the better for it in our opinion.

Pininfarina created a fabulously pretty car in the Montecarlo, and you should always make a point of avoiding anyone who doesn’t think so.

They are almost certainly deranged and could be dangerous.

The bodywork on this example is entirely straight and true, and there are no dimples, dinks or dents of any note anywhere that we can see.

The paintwork, of course, is the first thing that will catch your eye.

The vibrant Verde Chiaro metallizzato finish really pops and sings in the sunshine and guarantees that an already eye-catching car becomes absolutely mesmerising to all and any who get a glimpse of it.

The panel gaps and shut-lines are crisp, clean and consistent.

The Stilauto wheels are correct, in fine condition and look very handsome indeed.

The wheels are shod in Toyo Proxes R888 rubber, and look as if they’d be just as at home on a track as they would on a country lane.

The tyres are new and evidently have plenty of useful life left in them.

The clever, folding fabric roof and ‘Spider straps’ were replaced by the vendor and is as attractive as it is functional and practical.

We noticed a barely perceptible patch of overspray on a nearside section of bodywork between the windscreen and the frunk lid, and a thin line of ripply paint atop the n/s/r wing.

There’s also a light shiny streak across the folding roof, which is probably just caused by some rubbing when the roof is rolled up and tucked away.

Frankly, we’re now just being picky in our fault-finding because…well, that’s our job.

Even standard stone chips and light scratches are more notable for their absence than their presence.

The lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings are pretty much immaculate and there’s virtually nothing anywhere on this car to suggest that it left the factory in 1978, the year the world’s first ‘test-tube baby’ was born, Ipswich Town won the FA Cup, and The Village People were enthusiastically promoting the virtues of the Y.M.C.A.

It really is in quite exceptional condition.

The interior is following exactly the same script in terms of quality, preservation and condition and, although a black interior was not an original option, you could always have the seats re-coloured if 100% authenticity is your thing and that’s the way you want to go.

The black leather seats are supportive and comfortable and have only some light creasing to show for their use. They are years away from developing any ingrained patina.

The door cards and roof lining are equally good, as are the new black carpets and mats.

New sound deadening material has also been fitted, but thankfully it doesn’t deaden all of that wonderful sound.

The only signs of wear anywhere that we can see are a few scuffs and a bit of fading to the plastic surround on the centre console, and one or two nicks to the plastic above the dashboard air vents.

The Momo steering wheel and the stubby, short-throw gear level are in very good order.

The instruments, dials, switches and buttons all look good and, according to the vendor, everything does what it’s supposed to do.

The frunk is as good as the rest of it. Lift up the carpets in here and you’ll see metal painted to the same exemplary standard as the glorious exterior – and that’s always a good sign.

The frunk contains some larger more ‘modern’ number plates, a collection of Lancia ‘Consortium’ magazines (the vendor is a member), a variety of spare parts, some of which are rare and valuable, and a litre of Verde Chiaro metallizzato paint.

The engine bay looks as clean, dry and correct as you’d hope and expect to find on a car that’s been so fastidiously restored, cared-for and curated.

We’d give it 5 stars on a food hygiene rating, never mind a mechanics report.

All the running gear has been rebuilt by legendary Lancia Montecarlo whisperer, Darren Cooksey, of Kingsclere, Hampshire.

He rebuilt the engine fewer than 2,500 miles ago.

The work included: gas flowed head, Guy Croft camshaft, high compression pistons, steel rods, lightened flywheel, new clutch, Guy Croft oil pump, oil catch tank, silicone hoses, Guy Croft exhaust, and twin 44 DCNF carbs on a rare Avanti inlet manifold.

The completed set-up was tested on a rolling road at Airey Tuning in Hampshire and was found to be good for 150bhp.

The car has all new poly bushes, new engine and gearbox mounts, new uprated springs, shocks, and brakes – with a twin servo fitted for increased stopping power.

A relay conversion has been fitted for the headlights and a new battery installed.

The undersides of the car look to be possessed of plenty of structural integrity and everything looks sound and solid as far as we can tell.

This car comes with a date-organised history file so thick that two of the people who dragged it up the stairs at our HQ have since cancelled their gym memberships.

It is bristling with invoices, bills and receipts covering all manner of work carried out over the years and up to the present day.

It also comes with its original, stamped service book, instruction manual, tool kit, and remote central-locking key fob.

This vanishingly rare car is as stunning to look at and sit in as it is to drive.

The fact that it has been restored to a very high standard is evident and obvious wherever you cast your gaze.

And the fact that the engine and mechanicals have been rebuilt, overhauled and fettled by none other than Darren Cooksey is enough to take it to the next level.

This is undoubtedly one of the very best examples out there.

If you’re thinking of waiting for a better one to present itself, prepare yourself for a very long wait. 

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 Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.