Axed Too Soon

 

Everyone knows about Ferruccio Lamborghini’s ‘journey’ from tractors to supercars via heating and climatization appliances, but not so many are aware of the meandering path taken by the Bavarian car maker, Hans Glas GmbH.  This also involved initial production of farm machinery, but was abruptly switched to scooters when they became popular post-war, only for that focus to be abandoned when micro cars became the next new craze in the mid-Fifties, resulting in the Glas signature product, the Goggomobile.  Over a 14 year production run more than a quarter of a million Goggomobiles were built at the Dingolfing factory, with a healthy proportion being exported, including to the U.S. despite that market being characterised by vehicles four times the size!

The Glas Factory at Dingolfing, North East of Munich

Indeed, such was the success of the Goggomobile that in ‘59 Glas was considered to be in sufficiently good financial health to be fit to support BMW and Auto Union when both were struggling to survive. A plan was formulated for the three marques to collaborate with a consolidated/simplified range of products, but Hans Glas declined to agree to the idea. Ironically, a few years later, when it was Glas that was slipping from ongoing viability, BMW provided the solution, taking the company over in November ’66.

That situation had come about because of Glas’s failure to create and effectively market new conventionally sized models to take over from the diminutive Goggomobile. Several models, from the Isar, (launched ’58), through to the 2600 and 3000 V8 Coupes, (launched ’66), did not capture customer enthusiasm and fell short on planned projected sales volumes/market share. But, amongst these, a model with two variants boasted many positive features, looked very good and performed well: the type 211, 1300 and 1700 GTs. Perhaps they amounted to a success-likely combination of Italian aesthetic flair with Germanic engineering quality and efficiency.

The Glas 1300 GT as presented in ‘65

Torinese stylist Pietro Frua had re-established a carrozziere in his own name in the late 50s after a period of employment at Ghia.  Several design projects were then completed in collaboration with Carrozzeria Italsuisse.  These attracted praise from within the industry and enhanced his reputation, but for his business the breakthrough came in ’62 when Frua entered into talks with Glas.  The first outcome was a prototype GT closely based on a design Frua had been developing for Borgward.  This was debuted at Frankfurt, in autumn ’63.  It went into production with a 1290 cc engine and body made by Carrozzeria Maggiora, (at Moncalieri, just south of Turin), the following Spring.  Reception was broadly favourable, Road & Track magazine for instance commenting in its road test report: 

In designing the Glas 1300, the factory started with a clean sheet of paper, no limitations imposed by the necessity for incorporating parts of existing models, and some refreshing ideas. The result is a handsome, comfortable, small GT car of advanced design with as much performance as one can rightly expect from a 1290 cc power unit.

The magazine did however express concern, not so much about its features themselves, but about possible customer resistance arising from unfamiliarity with some aspects of the engine’s specification.  Mainly, this related to the employment of a belt to drive the overhead camshaft.  Glas had pioneered this form of valve gear actuation on a ‘normal’ car only two years previously, on the 1004 models.  Road & Track thought that the 25,000 miles belt replacement schedule might deter customers from considering purchase, though the writer claimed that the renewal operation was very easily and quickly performed – presumably parroting what the factory engineers had told him and quite at odds with the contemporary, well known reality whereby much care is required since even a small error in reassembly can result in very serious damage to an engine.

Glas GT cutaway engine/transmission showing the belt-driven valve gear

The most basic specification version of the Glas 1300 GT was priced at around £1070.  This put the model at a disadvantage as, for instance, an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint 1300 was significantly less expensive – though, perhaps surprisingly, the Glas was quicker, with 88 bhp against the Alfa’s 80. 

Registered in ’65, #1894 featured on Bring a Trailer in 2021; its reserve of $9500 however was not reached.  It appeared to be in usable condition at that time, though comprehensive restoration would be necessary sooner or later.  As seen below, the seats are trimmed in black vinyl, standard specification at the time.  This is the only 1300 built in ‘64/’65 with a flat bonnet panel for which I have a survivor photograph.  Ongoing from September ’65, the model was manufactured with the same panel used for the 1700 – this having a longitudinal, central, rectangular ‘hump’ needed because of the height of the larger capacity engine.  This bulge incorporated an air intake aperture just behind the trailing edge of the front panel.

Courtesy Kucarfa

Courtesy RM Sotheby’s

The central bonnet bulge and air intake aperture are seen in the photograph above of #1364.  RM Sotheby’s 2020 auction lot description details imply that this is also a survivor from the first year of production, (despite the bulge form bonnet).  It was offered on the basis of a need for thorough restoration as the car had been out of use for many years.  This can be readily appreciated from the view of the engine bay seen below.  This also shows the standard twin Solex 35 mm carburettor installation.  Also reproduced is the chassis number plate - a standard format and rivetted to the right hand inner front panel of each and every car.

The front bumper on #1364 differs from the form seen on later cars in not having a pair of indicator lamps mounted to the underside of the blade in line vertically with the headlamp units.  The particular car is also missing the circular reflectors usually mounted between each pair of rear tail and indicator units, (though the appropriate holes are present in the rear panel).  Also noted on cars from early in the production run, are 13” road wheels.  15” wheels were substituted in Autumn ’65 and remained standard specification until the end of production in September ’67.

Another early (’65-built) car – chassis number unknown – is currently in excellent condition and provides a good basis for appreciation of detail features such as the rear lamp units as mentioned above and the two front wing badges mounted one above the other forward of the door aperture leading edge:

Courtesy Columbus Klassic

Also with a chassis number I’ve been unable to trace, the 1300 GT seen below is a ’66 first-registered example.  This is also in nice condition today and the interior shows the pleasing aesthetics of the design.  The instruments layout is easy on the eye and functionally good.  Other points of note are the Nardi-style steering wheel with decorative rim rivets and horn button featuring the Glas crest created for the GT-designated models, dashboard-face script badge to the left of the glove box door and the light colour vinyl trim to the seats and door cards.

Courtesy Gassmann GmbH

In Autumn ’65, the 1290 cc engine was upgraded and consequently re-rated at 74 bhp.  At the same time the 1682 cc version of the engine available in the TS Berlina since the previous year was made available in an additional model named 1700 GT.  As the unit was a little ‘taller,’ a revised bonnet panel with longitudinal raised centre section (’hump’) was necessary, as mentioned above. The 1682 cc engine breathed through twin 40 mm Solex single barrel carburettors, whereas the 1290’s were smaller at 35 mm.  In the GT body this unit enabled a maximum speed of 115 mph and a 0-60 mph time of around 11 seconds (and under 10 seconds according to Sports Car Graphic’s test).  Compared with the Alfa Giulia 1600, the Glas was appreciably faster flat out, though the Giulia had a small advantage in acceleration capability.  Road & Track’s November ’66 Road Test Report, with full performance data, is shown below:

The 1700 GT was priced at around £1285 in the UK – a moderate premium compared with the 1300, justifiable in the light of its higher top speed, something which had become more significant with the extension of motorway/autobahn networks in the UK and Germany. 

A ’66 1700 (chassis number unknown) restored in recent times, shows the limited revisions to the rear bodywork relative to that of the 1300 – boot panel script badge (to ‘1700’) and the reflectors becoming rectangular with radiused corners, where the 1300’s were circular; (however, some 1700s are seen with the circular version):

Courtesy Marc Vorgers

The revised ‘GLAS 1700 GT‘ script badge mounted in the upper right area of the boot lid mentioned above, is seen below on another car – probably ’66 built - for which the chassis number is not currently known.

Courtesy Bonjourlavieille

As seen on #5635 with ‘gold’ finish:

Courtesy Cog Classics

The car is in excellent condition and shows the sleek lines of the fastback very well, as below:

Courtesy Cog Classics

Another ’66 1700, white over red, has had a recent restoration and features a nicely presented engine bay:

Courtesy Bimmerlife

 

#5500 – also from ’66 – is seen below from an angle which enables perception of the shallow V form of the bumper and the lower front bodywork of the GT:

Courtesy GetYourClassic

Alongside the Coupes, the GT was also available as a Cabriolet.  However, only about 7% of production was of cars in this form.  As would be expected, the Cabriolet was a little heavier than the Coupe.  The chassis plate in all, (both 1300 and 1700), closed cars is stamped with a total weight value of 1200 Kg.  As regards kerb/’dry’ weight, the lowest value quoted (factory) for the 1300 Coupe is 800 Kg, while the Cabriolet is 850 Kg.  However, I have seen the value 920 Kg suggested for the Cabriolet.  No other credible variations of these figures for the 1700 have been published. 

The 1700 Cabriolet  was priced at circa £1400 in the UK. 

As always with a car of this type and of its era, production figures as given by different sources vary to some degree.  Consolidating the available data, the approximate number of units per model manufactured were: 1300 GT: 3500;  1700 GT: 1680; 1300 Cabriolet: 230; 1700 Cabriolet: 120.

 

A ’66 1700, this Cabriolet is apparently fitted with the wider wheel rims, (for 175 mm as opposed to 155 mm width tyres), as specified for the V8-engined Glas Coupes.

Courtesy PreSelect

 

Another ’66 Cabriolet is this example, sold recently by Scuderia Sportiva Colonia – describing it as a car which had undergone a 10 year restoration process concluding in ’22, which included, ‘many small improvements such as seats with headrests (original seats are still available), and conversion to 12 volts.’  The price expectation was circa £85,000.

Courtesy Scuderia Sportiva Colonia

#5220 is again a ’66 1700 GT Cabriolet.  Despite having apparently been restored within the last ten years, the car failed to meet its reserve when offered on Bring a Trailer in ’23, (high bid $35,288).  The BaT description/gallery shows a car in generally good condition with some nice distinctive touches such as 14” Borrani wheels and a wood rimmed Nardi steering wheel.

Courtesy Mario_L, Bring a Trailer

The Glas GT on-track:

 

The early Sixties saw a lot of interest in production specification-based sports car racing, governed by the F.I.A. and run under a hierarchy of Categories (car type/production volume) subdivided by Classes (mainly identified by engine capacity/induction type).  Regarding the latter, there were several classes/’divisions’, for example in ’64, for cars, (1) with an engine smaller than 1150 cc; (2) 1151-1299 cc; (3) 1300-1599 cc, etc.  In the 1151-1299 cc class, a Glas 1300 GT would be pitted against some formidable competition, e.g. Abarth Simca 1300 GT, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato, Lotus Elite and Bonnet Djet.  At the Nurburgring 1000 Kms in ’64, unsurprisingly, Abarths finished 1-2-3 in class.  However, despite the relative lack of development and experience, the Glas 1300 GT of Gerhard Bodmer/Dieter Schmid came home in 4^th.

Bodmer/Schmid 1300 GT, ‘Ring, ’64. Courtesy H-J Roegler

In August, again at the ‘Ring and that same year, Bodmer took the class victory at the Rheinland-Pfalz Preis meeting.  Belief in the potential of the 1300 GT as a competitive racing car was evidenced by there being no less than five examples running in the Neubiberg round of the Deutsche Rundstrecken-Meisterschaft, (‘DARM’), with drivers, Karl Gollwitzer Jr, Walter Strohmaier, Karl Heblich, Otto Brindl and Helmut Maier.  In the same series, Bodmer finished 2^nd at the DARM round in September at Wunstorf, and 3^rd in the Preis von Tirol at Innsbruck the following month.  Bodmer was placed 4^th in the DARM for ’64. 

1300 GTs were to be seen once again in the DARM the following season, with a win for Bodmer in May at the ‘Ring and a 1-2-3 for the model later that month at Zolder.  In July a 1700 GT appeared at Solitude, though resulting in a DNF, it was not an impressive debut.  Bodmer ‘s 1300 GT was 6^th at the ‘Ring, (GP von Deutschland), on the 1^st August.

Bodmer, Nurburgring, August ’65. Courtesy H-J Roegler

In October, Bodmer enjoyed another class win, this time at Innsbruck.  Bodmer finished the ’65 DARM as champion, (on equal points with Manfred Schiek, who was killed before the end of the season).  Note: some records indicate that Bodmer achieved this championship at the wheel of a Glas 1204 TS, but as can be seen in the photograph above, and in those below (Nurburgring 1000 Kms) he was in a 1300 GT.

With the ’66 season, May saw another good result – 2^nd in class - at the ‘Ring for Bodmer in the ADAC-Hansa-Pokal race, while Helmut Eck went one better and was the class victor later that month at Zandvoort.

Helmut Eck, class winner, Zandvoort, May ‘66. Courtesy Volker Eck

Meanwhile, back at the ‘Ring, Bernd Terbeck won the 1.3 class in a non-championship race and at Hockenheim was equally successful in the DARM.  A week later at the same circuit he was again first across the line.  Terbeck remained on good form, winning at Zandvoort on 5^th June, while Karl Herd was victorious at Hockenheim in the middle of the month.  There was another DARM win for Bodmer at Mainz-Finthen, 19^th June, and in July Herd scored a further championship class win at Hockenheim.  A fortnight later Herd won again at the ‘Ring at the Rheinland-Pfalz Preis event.

Karl Herd, another class win at the ‘Ring, August ’66. Courtesy H-J Roegler

Later that August, Bodmer and Herd recorded a 1-2 at the DARM in Wunstorf.  Terbeck and Eck did the same thing at Zandvoort in the Girling Brakes-sponsored race, 14^th August.  Early in September, Bodmer was again first in class at the ‘Ring 500 Kms, while Joachim Kautz achieved the same feat at Zolder, mid-month.  As the season came towards its end, Bodmer took class honours in mid-October at Aspern.  In ’66, Glas was classified 4^th in the European Touring Car Challenge.

At the Fassberg Flugplatz in late April ’67, Herd and Manfred Becker were 1-2 in class.  Bodmer and Herd replicated that result in May at the Hansa-Pokal DARM meeting.  Another impressive 1-2 was chalked up that month at the ‘Ring 1000 Kms with Bodmer/Schmid leading Friedrich Noenen/Manfred Herbertz over the line.

Bodmer/Schmid, ‘Ring ’67. Courtesy Michael Bratz

Through the rest of the ’67 season, Bodmer continued to secure class wins, 10 in total, mainly in the DARM rounds. Herd scored 2 more, at Mainz-Finthen while Otto Arnold and Becker both drove 1300 GTs to class victory. So ’67 was a notably successful season for the model, with Gerhard Bodmer remaining its leading exponent.

Class wins were elusive in ’68 and though there were a few DARM podiums, reliability had deteriorated, possibly due to drivers needing to push harder against the competition of newer, better performing rival models.

In 1970, Franz-Adolf Kremer founded the Yellow Arrow Racing Team (YART) in Duisburg, Germany. He selected a ’64 Glas 1300 as the team’s car for the debut season, racing it in German, Belgian and Dutch events. Pictures from that year, as displayed on the YART website are seen below:

Courtesy YART

The team’s results were summarised:

Seeking increased competitiveness the following season, the car was modified/rebuilt and raced in the Prototype category, 1300 class.  Power was upped to 138 bhp, while the weight was reduced to 700 Kg.  Running mainly in hillclimb events, a victory was achieved at Osnabruck, with podiums scored at Risselberg, Hoxter and at the circuit race at Zandvoort in August.  The car is seen below at Mainz-Finthen, June ’71:

Courtesy YART

1300/1700 GTs are today, occasionally, seen in Historic events and race meetings, as below:

Courtesy Eyke Wohlbold

 

The impressive ‘65 1300 GT of Helmut Riemer is seen above at the ’22 Riedenburg Classic.

The Glas 1300/1700 GT was an attractive and innovative car with the potential for a long and successful production run. Unfortunately, the Glas company was out of steam, yielding to a take-over by BMW in late ’66. While the Munich marque was primarily interested in acquiring the Glas factory manufacturing capacity at Dingolfing, it was not blind to the potential of the GT, and proceeded at speed to re-engineer the car such that the BMW M116, 1573 cc version of the M10 four cylinder engine could be substituted. At the same time, the rear was reworked to incorporate independent suspension, and styling changes were made to the front and rear in order to create the distinctive ‘BMW look.’. The work was completed in little more than six months, allowing the BMW 1600 GT to go on sale in June ’67. Despite this notably expedient effort, BMW halted production the following year, with only 1259 units built. Strategic review had led to the conclusion that with the existing Neue Klasse range expanding and selling well, a parallel but technologically-variant model of similar size and in the more niche form of a sports coupe would make for additional manufacturing and marketing costs that would not be recoverable by incremental volume.

Equipe Classic Racing 2025

The Equipe Classic Racing series is now well established in the UK providing the opportunity to see on-track a substantial number of great, well prepared cars from the 60s/70s era.  The first championship round was run at Brands Hatch last weekend, 29th/30th March.  Some of the most good-looking entries are as seen at the Track Day held at Brands the previous week.

Lotus Elan 26R of Nick Powell

’65 Lotus Elan 26R of Rob Cull

’71 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTAm of Gavin Watson 

Marcos 1800 GT of David Methley

’70 Porsche 914/6

’75 MG B GT V8 3900 of Ken Deamer - ’56 MG A 1840 cc of John Pearson - ’66 Lotus Elan 26R of Paul Whight

’54 Austin Healey 100/4 of John Harrison - ’55 Austin Healey 100/4 of Robi Bernberg - MG B Roadster of Robert Waycott

’63 TVR Grantura Mk.III of Rob Cull 

’61 Lotus Elite of Marc Gordon

’61 GTO Engineering Ferrari 250 SWB Berlinetta GT Revival (GTE 2+2-based)

’77 911 3.0 RSR of Steve Winter

Another Elegant Zagato-Styled Lancia

Zagato’s version of the Flaminia coupe was the second of its post-war Lancia collaborations.  Following on from the Appia GTZ, design of the Flaminia Sport was begun in ’58.  There is confusion in previous accounts of the model regarding the categorising of some early cars as ‘Pre-Series,’ and the type numbers assigned.  Authoritative source, Zagato-Cars.com, has summarised the situation as follows:

My own findings (based on chassis plates on extant examples) would add two rows above to that table to include Type 824.00 (with engine type 823.00) and Type 824.02 (with engine type 823.11), both being ’59, single carburettor and covered headlight versions.  As regards total production, marque restorer specialist Thornley Kelham estimates this as being 534, comprised of: 199 ‘Series 1’ (single carburettor); 152 triple carburettor 2.5 litre; 33 Sport triple carburettor 2.8 litre; 150 Super Sport triple carburettor 2.8 litre.

 

The Flaminia was to some extent an evolution of the model it replaced – the Aurelia.  Thus it was powered by Francesco De Virigilio’s ’48-finalised 2.5 litre 60° V6.  A significant ‘modernisation’ was a new front suspension in place of the dated pillar type seen on the Aurelia.  Disc brakes also helped enhance the poise of the chassis and its capability to handle an increase in power that was envisioned.  The Zagato version was first presented at the Turin show in November ’58.  Because it incorporates several characteristic Zagato styling cues and an overall ‘look’ that is similar to the other early 60s GTs built by the Carrozzeria, it has been erroneously written elsewhere that it was designed by Ercole Spada.  However, Spada did not join Zagato until February ’60.  Perhaps any misunderstanding was fuelled by the fact that he was responsible for the ’64 updating – Super Sport model – with a significant reworking of the rear of the car.

 

In a late-’24 survey of extant Flaminia Sport/Super Sports, I have found 33 examples, 13  of which are single-carb and dated to ’59 and ’60.  The lowest chassis number is #824.02-1007.  Vendor, Girardo, describes this car as ‘Series 1,’ built in early ’59.'

#824.02-1007. Courtesy Girardo

As is evident in the frontal view (above) of the car, although the model is often referred to as a Zagato ‘double bubble,’ the roof bulges in this design are far less pronounced than other models with this feature – the Abarth 750 GTZ for example, see below:

’58 Abarth 750 GTZ. Courtesy Tim Scott/RM Auctions

Like the Abarth, the Flaminia Sport carried the Zagato Milan ‘Z’ badge on its front wings, a little below the door handle level and forward of the front door leading edge.

Courtesy Girardo

Note: The car above, #1020, is unusual in being the only Flaminia Sport of which I have a photograph showing the front indicator repeaters located rear of the front wheel arches – all others have the lamp fitted at the front of the wing. 

The Flaminia Sport was also Zagato-typical in having a body constructed in aluminium.  While the Pininfarina-bodied Flaminia coupe weighed 1440 Kg, the Sport was considerably lighter at 1270 Kg.  This factor made the Sport all the more suitable for competition use.  #1007 was a car so deployed, initially used for hill climbing – see below, left, in ‘60 on the Trento Bondone event driven by Giovanni Rota, and later, right, (winning in class), at Monza in the Coppa Inter-Europa, entered by Scuderia Saint Ambroeus, for Rota and Elio Zagato.  The latter, also competed in this car in the Coppa d’Oro di Modena and Coppa FISA, Monza.

#1007 Racing in ’60. Courtesy Girardo

Surviving Flaminia Sports are commonly seen running on 400 mm 5J steel road wheels, (with 165R400 tyres), ‘TZ’ style, and usually complete with chrome plated hub caps which feature an engraved script ‘Lancia’ within a spear, running through the centre point.  This originally was black infilled, but is now often seen without the infill, as below:

#3302. Courtesy Keno Zache

Whether for competition purposes or aesthetics, examples with various types of alloy rim are evident, for example, Borrani bimetal and the Amadori style, as seen on the OSCA GTZ.

#1436 Amadori style wheels. Courtesy Gooding & Co

Like #1007, #1020 was manufactured in ’59.  Its rear (far left below) is somewhat unusual for an early car as the number plate lamp is mounted on the boot lid.  #1065 (centre below) is more typical, with the lamp centrally mounted on the upper face of the bumper bar, which is equipped with a pair of overriders.  Later pre-3C examples, such as #3302 (’62), (right), have a bumper bar with two reflector inserts and boot lid-located lamps either side of the number plate.

Early rear bumpers. Courtesy Girardo – Robin Adams/RM Sotheby’s – Keno Zache/RM Sotheby’s

The front of #1020 is typical for a ’59-made Sport with its full width/wrap-around bumper bar and covered headlamps, below, left.  As seen, right, the Super Sport differed with its rectangular indicator lamps and non-faired headlamps – see #2094  below, right:

Early Sport (left) and Super Sport (right) front ends compared. Courtesy Girardo - Kidston

Girardo & Co’s description of #1020 for its recent sale includes the information that its original owner paid 2,400,000 lira for it as a new car - £1,400.  For comparison, a Jensen 541 was about £1,800.
 
#1065 is an example with bumper overriders both front and rear – a frontal view is shown below along with its script badges – on the front panel and the glovebox door:

#1065. Courtesy Robin Adams/RM Sotheby’s

Also well seen on #1065 is the central chrome script badge mounted halfway between the top and bottom edges of the boot lid:

#1065. Courtesy Robin Adams/RM Sotheby’s

It also provides a good example of an early, single carburettor engine bay:

#1065. Courtesy Robin Adams/RM Sotheby’s

#1105 is also an early car with bumper overriders.  According to Bonhams it is a ‘pre-series,’ ’59 Flaminia Sport.  If so, it must be one of the last of this type, given the chassis number and that it is usually held that only 99 such cars were produced.  The chassis plate shown below demonstrates the use of Type Number 824.00 and this may well confirm ‘pre-series’ status:

#1105 chassis plate. Courtesy Bonhams Cars

After disposal from the 'Rosso Bianco' Collection of Peter Kraus, it was restored in the late ‘90s.  It remains in excellent condition and gives us a good representation of the elegance of the Sport’s interior:

#1105. Courtesy Bonhams Cars

#1105 has a wood rimmed, with rivets, Nardi-signed steering wheel.  The three aluminium spokes are slotted.  The standard wheel was similar but without rivets and the spokes unpierced, as seen below on #3302.  The horn button was black with ‘Lancia’ script in silver font:

#3302. Courtesy Keno Zache

Most survivors retain the original seats, as seen, for example in #3302.  The photograph below of the car also shows the door through to the boot.

#3302. Courtesy Keno Zache

The boot itself is seen below on Super Sport #2052.

#2052. Courtesy Bonhams Cars

The earliest single carburettor car with open headlights of which I have a photograph is shown below.  In advertising the car for sale, Gallery Aaldering has reported it as ’60-made,  I have been unable to determine the chassis number, but I would expect it to be Type 824.03.  Reverting to the table seen below paragraph one above, I believe it could be updated to show 824.02 = 1^st Series, covered headlamps, 824.03 = 1^st Series, open headlamps.

Courtesy Gallery Aaldering

When selling 824.13-1436, Iconic Auctioneers described it as a ’60 car.  That would make it the earliest Sport 3C of which I have a photograph.  But, given other examples of this model of which I have details/an image, I’d think this is perhaps a 824.03 upgraded to triple carburettor (Webers) specification, or a 824.13 more likely manufactured in ’62.

#1436. Courtesy Iconic Auctioneers

Super Sports feature a ‘tidy’ airbox for the 2.8, triple carburettor engine:

#2094. Courtesy Kidstons

3C Super Sport styling update 

As mentioned above, the Super Sport was the result of a styling refresh by Ercole Spada in ’64.  Primarily involving the rear section, the effect of the exercise can be seen in comparison with a 3C Sport (left) in the collage below:

Courtesy Albion Motor Cars (left), Supercars.net (right)

Notably, angularity was introduced into the rear panel together with reshaping of the boot lid and rear wings.  Also evident are revised number plate lamps, a deeper rear screen with modified curvature and broader exterior chrome surround trim.  The script model badge was relocated from the upper face of the boot lid to the vertical area between the right hand tail lamp and the number plate.  The most noticeable change at the front end was the introduction of a chrome plated asymmetric fairing for the headlamps, which, though still uncovered, were significantly recessed, as seen below:

Left, #2052; right, #2114. Courtesy Bonhams Cars

The Super Sport’s engine, with triple Weber 40 DCN 12s was slightly more powerful at 152 bhp.  Together with a lower drag factor thanks to a lower chassis (by 250 mm), this enabled the car to reach a top speed of just over 130 mph.

Discounting vendors’ claim of ‘year,’ (shown in brackets ), the relative age of cars may be interpretable by reference to chassis number/engine capacity – thus for extant examples we have this data:

 

824.13 2.5 litre, 3 carburettor - #3003 (’62); #3099 (’63); #3302 (’62); #3311 (’62); #3495 (’62).  824.132/232 2.8 litre, 3 carburettor - #1002 (’64); #2045; #2052 (’66); #2094 (‘65); #2114 (’66); #2121 (’67); #2130 (’67); #2149 (’67); #3116.  These cars are illustrated below:

Sport 3C 2.5

#3003. Courtesy Alfredo Spinetti

#3099. Courtesy Gullwing Motor Car

#3302. Courtesy Keno Zache

#3311. Courtesy Tom Hartley Jr

#3495. Courtesy Kidstons

Sport 3C 2.8

#2045. Courtesy Supercars.net

#2052. Courtesy Bonhams Cars

#2094. Courtesy Kidstons

#2114. Courtesy Supercars.net

#2121 Courtesy Supercars.net

#2130. Courtesy Supercars.net

#2149. Courtesy Supercars.net

#3116. Courtesy Stolzeclassiccars

The Flaminia Sport/Super Sport embodied performance and aesthetic features which built upon the quality reputation Lancia/Zagato had established with the Appia model.  Next to come was the Fulvia Sport, a model further enhancing both brands’ standing and good enough to warrant a production run of ten times the volume, making it a much more ‘accessible’ Lancia Zagato.  However, the Flaminia’s grace and rarity mark it as an extremely characterful and desirable 60s GT.