Italian Automotive Design

[Jimmy W]

Is this the same car as my photos above? My photos are from 2007.

Pebble Beach Best of Show: 1936 Lancia Astura Pinin Farina Cabriolet



Monterey Car Week came to a close yesterday with the presentation of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Best of Show award. This year's winner was Richard Mattei, a first-time participant in the concours, for his 1936 Lancia Astura Pinin Farina Cabriolet.

In addition to top honors and winning its class, this stunning automobile won the Gwenn Graham Most Elegant Convertible award. It was once owned by Eric Clapton, and the car later spent time in Pininfarina's collection, after which Mattei bought it in 2009 and spent most of the time since then restoring it. Notable features include curved side glass, a power top, and basket-weave trim, plus, you know, gorgeous lines.

[Priscilla]

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[AnalogKid]

How about this one. Much was made of the factory's use of technology in the early advertising of the model.



The early ones look really dated now. My mate had a later one. I remember the dashboard most - a diagram of the car littered with warning lights which he couldn't turn off, and a digital clock with a bunch of failed elements. I wacthed it over the course of a long journey and eventually worked out what time it was when the clock said 0:7L.

I looked a lot better in the later, Abarth version with twin headlamps.

[Edward Pearson]

Two Italian men being Italian men.

[birlinn]

Attachment 128102

Italian??

[John Meachen]

A Lancia that was a bit of a landmark.

[Paul Pless]

how are we gonna merge this back into the vintage sports and racing cars thread

[John Meachen]

How about bumping that thread with some non-Italian cars?

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Italian??

No - early fiftes GT - definitive.

[Art Haberland]

How about this one. Much was made of the factory's use of technology in the early advertising of the model.



The early ones look really dated now. My mate had a later one. I remember the dashboard most - a diagram of the car littered with warning lights which he couldn't turn off, and a digital clock with a bunch of failed elements. I wacthed it over the course of a long journey and eventually worked out what time it was when the clock said 0:7L.

I looked a lot better in the later, Abarth version with twin headlamps.

the 130TC had the 2 litre from the spider in it, twin carbs, and a 130hp. It was a screamer.

[JimD]

Dad taught me to drive in one of these, '68 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe. Same colour. As a newbie I found the clutch tricky.

[Canoeyawl]

Attachment 128102

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[Art Haberland]

Dad taught me to drive in one of these, '68 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe. Same colour. As a newbie I found the clutch tricky.

Having owned more than a few spiders, the clutches on them are very light and grabby, but with little momentum on the flywheel to keep the engine going when you have let out too much clutch and too little throttle.

[Lugs]

[Canoeyawl]

A non-Italian GT

1932 Duisenberg SJ
Just the thing to head from LA to Las Vegas for Sat night back when Nevada had no speed limit this was a thing...
(I remember some well laid bets on the race from Santa Monica to Vegas.
The first generation Buick Riviera was a contender)

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[robm]

the 130TC had the 2 litre from the spider in it, twin carbs, and a 130hp. It was a screamer.

How did they hook that engine up to a FWD 2 box chassis?

[John Meachen]

Probably less of a challenge than getting the 3 litre V6 to propel an Alfa Romeo 164 via the front wheels.