Aprilia

[SanRemo78]

Plenty of interest already!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lancia-Aprilia-1939-series-1-model-238-project-restoration-very-rare/173152930023?hash=item2850b808e7:g:OXMAAOSwItJafy5v

no connection to the seller.

Guy

[Angle Grinder]

I've no connection to the seller, but I see that car is in South Ayrshire and so am I. If anyone is seriously interested in the car (it will be out of my price range and my wife would kill me) I could inspect it on your behalf.

I admit that I don't know much about Aprilias, but I can poke and prod for rust and take pictures.

[lancialulu]

Lusso model

[Sliding Pillar]

Lusso model

It looks more like a standard saloon, no air vent at the back of the bonnet and round instruments

[lancialulu]

Lusso model

It looks more like a standard saloon, no air vent at the back of the bonnet and round instruments

runnng boards on an S1 = lusso no?

[Sliding Pillar]

The running boards don't look original, they are flat, not curved on their outer edge, so look like they have been added at a later date. The only thing that would be difficult to change would be the air vent at the back of the bonnet. No air vent = standard saloon.

[ColinMarr]

And it has round instruments and not set in a rectangular frame, that I would associate with a Lusso. I thought it was only the very early standard cars that were sold without running boards.

[Sliding Pillar]

It is my understanding that early cars had the solid disc wheels and no running boards, later they had the Fergat wheels and running boards (although not necessarily at the same time). When the Lusso was introduced it gained the square instrument set, bonnet fresh air vent, along with running boards and Fergat wheels.

[lancialulu]

Well I agree on closer inspection the running boards do look a bit suspect but I have always understood that a Lusso was available in 1st Series 1300cc form with running boards (as Ardenne) and round instruments cf "70 years of Trail blazing" etc. So in this instance it is a homage to .....??

[Sliding Pillar]

Aprilia Lusso always had the square instruments, '70 years of Trail blazing' mentions this in the text.

[lancialulu]

Aprilia Lusso always had the square instruments, '70 years of Trail blazing' mentions this in the text.

Sorry to be pedantic but....Page 175 It says the late series cars were identified by the square instruments ... and it also says the second series had running boards only previously offered on the Aprilia Lusso pg 185 spec sheet.

[Sliding Pillar]

Being extra pedantic, the full quote from page 175 is:-
"The late series cars were identified by their square-faced instruments, which were a feature of the first series Lusso."
i.e the first series Lusso had square instruments.

[lancialulu]

Correct. I should have read more carefully. Substantiated by Wim in La Lancia!

[Lapsed Cesare Ferrari]

I fear however that one must beware of being too categorical about Aprilia identifying features.
Regarding the dashboard, early standard cars had round instruments in a plain panel and a plain glove box lid. Many cars in this country and in Italy have a version with similar round instruments, an ash tray in the glove box lid like the Lusso as pictured in the reference books, and both surrounded by a bright trim. I wonder if this is not an early version of the Lusso dashboard.
Certainly the Italian Wikipedia article on the Aprilia says that from September 1937 to May 1938 the Lusso mounted the same round black dials as the standard car, the single panel instruments then being introduced.
Cesare

[Dave Gee]

Hopefully in the summer, I am going to start restoring my Aprilia Lusso, 1938 - still hunting for some parts. My question is:
should it or should it not have running boards?

Looking forward to receiving some advice.
Dave