Lot details Registration No: VNE 79A Chassis No: 815334990 Mot Expiry: Sept 2005
From being a book-keeper at pioneers Ceirano, who were bought out by FIAT in 1899, Vincenzo Lancia of Turin, the youngest child of a wealthy Turin soup manufacturer, became Chief Test Driver, winning his first race at Padua in 1900. Vincenzo then set up his own Fabbrica Automobili Lancia, but like so much of the Italian motor industry, by 1969 the by then Carlo Pesenti owned firm had such massive debts that only a takeover by the Fiat empire could ensure the marque's survival.
Basically a thirteen year old design, having first appeared as the 1947 Cemsa-Caproni, the now named Flavia was finally unveiled in 1960 as a front-wheel drive Lancia with restyled bodywork, larger and more powerful twin-cam 1488cc engine and disc brakes all round. After a year's production in Turin, Flavia manufacturing was transferred to a new assembly plant at Chivasso in 1962. Engine capacity was increased to 1800cc in 1963 and to 1991cc for the 1970 Flavia 2000. A total of 108,175 were built, including Pininfarina-bodied 19,293 short-chassis coupes and a much smaller batch of fixed heads and convertible by Zagato and Vignale.
According to the vendor of this 1963 Vignale convertible, the left-hand drive two-door in silver with blue interior is rot-free. Both 1.8-litre flat-four motor and four-speed manual gearbox are in good order, he says, VNE 79A being ready to provide open summer motoring for four. When entered, the odometer read 71,505, whilst current MOT test certificate will be valid until September and historic car tax exempt disc until December.
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