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:
#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 = 1st
Series, covered headlamps, 824.03 = 1st 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 |
 |
#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:
 |
#2045. Courtesy
Supercars.net |
-2052-66-03cropped.jpg) |
#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.
-2052-66-03cropped.jpg)
