1936 Lancia Astura Cabriolet Series III 'Tipo Bocca' (Pinin Farina coachwork)
- Engine
- Narrow-angle V8, single overhead cam, ~3.0L displacement
- Colour
- Pale gray
Chassis 33-5313 is a 1936 Lancia Astura Tipo 233C, one of only 328 built on the short 122-inch wheelbase, bodied by Pinin Farina to a design by Mario Revelli di Beaumont as the Tipo Bocca cabriolet. Delivered new to a Biella dealer, it passed through a Genoa industrialist, Lancia's German distributor, and the American collector Barney Pollard before a comprehensive concours restoration brought it awards at Amelia Island, Mar-a-Lago, and the 2014 Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$2,145,000
- —Auction saleSold US$1,380,000
- —Auction saleSold US$1,187,500
- 1936 → 1936Acquisition unknownGhiara & C.partial documentation
Lancia's primary agent in Genoa; took possession after the Milan motor show and sold the car shortly thereafter.
- 1936 →Private saleCav. Piero Sanguinetipartial documentation
Local Genoese industrialist who purchased the car from the Genoa Lancia dealer for approximately 75,000 Lire; showed it at the inaugural San Remo concours in 1937.
- 1947 → 1980Private saleBarney Pollardpartial documentation
American collector who acquired the car early in 1947 as part of a broader transaction that also included two steam locomotives; shipped it to the United States and retained it for over three decades.
- 1980 → 2004Private saleArmand Gigliopartial documentation
Former president of the American Lancia Club; held the car for roughly twenty years before selling.
- 2004 → 2011Private saleConnecticut-based ownerpartial documentation
Undertook repair of deteriorated wooden body framing and preliminary bodywork preparation; car was otherwise largely in its original state aside from an earlier repaint.
- 2011 →Private saleOrin Smithpartial documentation
Commissioned Vantage Motorworks of Miami to carry out a full concours-level restoration; subsequently exhibited the car at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles and entered it in multiple prestigious concours events.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownEmil Uebelpartial documentation
Lancia's German distributor, believed to have kept the vehicle at his principal premises in Berlin-Charlottenburg; wartime fate of the car under his custody is undocumented.
Competition
- 19341934 Mille MigliaDriver: Mario Nardilli10th overall
Castagna-bodied Astura shared by Nardilli and Carlo Pintacuda; not the car being catalogued but a 3rd Series example of the same type.
- 19341934 Giro d'ItaliaDriver: Mario Nardilli1st overall
Same crew of Nardilli and Pintacuda completed the six-day, roughly 3,500-mile Italian circuit in just under 66 hours; a second Astura driven by Giuseppe Farina and E. Oneto finished third.
- 19361936 Salone dell'Automobile, MilanoPresident's Cup awarded by Registro Ancetre Club Italia
The newly completed cabriolet was displayed on the Pinin Farina stand and received the President's Cup; this is the catalogued car.
- 1937-05-011937 Concorso d'Eleganza per Automobili, San RemoClass award
Inaugural running of the San Remo concours; the catalogued car was entered by owner Cav. Piero Sanguineti.
- 20132013 Classic Sports Sunday at Mar-a-LagoBest in Class
First major concours appearance following the Vantage Motorworks restoration; the catalogued car.
- 20132013 Amelia Island Concours d'ElegancePeople's Choice
Second concours showing post-restoration; the catalogued car.
- 20142014 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'EsteMost Sympathetic Restoration
Attended by Orin Smith and his wife; the catalogued car was recognised for the quality of its restoration work.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2004Repair
The deteriorated wooden structural framing of the body was repaired, and preliminary bodywork preparation was carried out.
Work initiated by the Connecticut-based owner who acquired the car in 2004; the car remained otherwise largely original at this stage.
- 2011RestorationVantage Motorworks
A comprehensive concours-level restoration was completed, bringing the car to international show standard following the earlier partial work.
Commissioned by Orin Smith after acquiring the car in late 2011; the finished result won multiple concours awards in 2013 and 2014.
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