1951 Lancia Aurelia B20 Coupé First Series
- Engine
- 2.0L V6 all-aluminium, ~100 bhp (with twin Solex carbs, competition exhaust and uprated camshaft)
Chassis B20-1301 is a 1951 first-series Lancia Aurelia B20 Coupé, one of the lightest and most sporting of the type, acquired new in Turin by American racing driver William 'Bill' Spear following his attendance at Le Mans in 1951. Delivered with a suite of Nardi and Jaeger special fittings unique to this car, it subsequently passed through the hands of Ferrari works driver Richie Ginther and renowned motorsport photographer Jesse Alexander before returning to long-term private custodianship. It retains original first-series aluminium bodywork details and is offered with the Nardi six-carburettor Dell'Orto induction set-up.
Ownership
- 2021-10-10Auction saleEstimate €250,000 – €300,000
- 1951 →Factory deliveryWilliam 'Bill' Spearpartial documentation
Ordered directly from Gianni Lancia in Turin after observing the B20's performance at Le Mans; car was specified with several bespoke features intended to appeal to the American market.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownRichie Gintherpartial documentation
Ferrari factory driver who owned the car during its long period of US residence.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownJesse Alexanderpartial documentation
Renowned motorsport photographer who acquired the car after Ginther; sold it to Anthony MacLean in the early 1990s.
- Date unknownPrivate saleAnthony MacLeanpartial documentation
Purchased from Jesse Alexander around the early 1990s; sold the car approximately a decade later but subsequently reacquired it roughly fifteen years before the catalogue date. Has had the car maintained by specialists in Turin and England.
Competition
- 19511951 Le Mans 24 HoursDriver: Giovanni Lurani1st in class, 12th overall
Count Lurani's strong result in a B20 prompted Bill Spear and Briggs Cunningham to travel immediately to Turin to order their own cars; Spear's purchase became chassis 1301.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Modification
Car was fitted with a Nardi twin-Solex carburettor conversion, together with factory period competition exhaust manifolds and a higher-specification camshaft, yielding approximately 100 bhp — comparable to the specification of the lightweight competition B20s from 1952.
The original Nardi six Dell'Orto carburettor set-up is retained and included with the car but not currently installed.
- —Service
Ongoing meticulous upkeep carried out by leading Lancia specialists based in Turin and in England, keeping the car in consistently reliable running condition.
Work performed during Anthony MacLean's second period of ownership, covering roughly the fifteen years prior to the sale.
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