1935 Lancia Augusta Cabriolet

The Lancia Augusta represented a step forward for the Italian automaker. Previously it had built sports cars and mid-size sedans, but with the Augusta, it was moving into a whole new sector of the market, that of the smaller sedans. It was available as a four-door sedan or 2-door cabriolet, both riding on a 104.3 inch platform. The Augusta was developed from 1930 and when it appeared in 1933 it was noted approvingly by most Lancia admirers that it marked a return to unitary construction. The Augusta had the famous independent front wheel suspension but on this model friction-type shock absorbers replaced hydraulic ones. "Berni elliptics were used at the rear, these incorporating Silentbloc bushes in the shackles and rollers at the rear ends. The car also had a narrow-angle Vee engine. It was a four-cylinder of 1,194cc and produced 35 bhp at 4,000 rpm. The cars power was sent to the wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox. A freewheel was introduced into the transmission-such devices were rather popular at that time. Hydraulic brakes were adopted after a good deal of testing, doubting and redesigning.

Our vendor purchased this rare Lancia Augusta Factory Cabriolet in 1994 as a rolling chassis with a huge amount of boxes brimming with bits. The car had been dismantled by an enthusiast who set up his own restoration business and put the Augusta aside for a rainy day. With the vast majority of the work already completed and a spreadsheet of costs totalling over £35,000 this stunning motorcar it is now ready for someone else to pick up the mantle. Restoration commenced in July 1999 with the help of a retired bodywork specialist. Work started by stripping the car down even further to its bare essentials and work commenced on the chassis. Next all the main panels were trial fitted before restoring them and the body tub. New Ash sills were fabricated along with an entire new boot. Not a job for the faint hearted! It took several attempts and a huge amount of hard work. The wings and running boards were test fitted repaired and then set in place work was continued through the rest of the car until it eventually reached the stage where it was driveable. We are told all that it requires is the interior either remade or refurbished and the final pieces of exterior trim fitted in place. Due to the arrival of small feet our vendor then mothballed the project and final completion was never undertaken.

A fine project indeed and at the perfect stage where the hard work has been done and can be completed to their own specification.