Show us your Aurelia

[Mitka]

Greetings fellow Aurelia owners

I recently joined the ranks of this exclusive club with the budget entry B10!
My car was sold new to a cattle rancher in Melbourne Australia and lived there until it was exported to UK in 2010. It changed hands a few times and I got it last year! Car is in good running order having a lot of mechanical work last 20 years. It was originally grey then light blue and finally sprayed English racing green in the 70s. The interior was covered in brown vinyl, but the seat covers have come off showing the original grey wool interior. I have tidied the car up quite a bit also adding sound insulation to the floors. I’m planning on new paint and trim, but currently enjoying it as is.

https://youtu.be/4AWlaVyaAzU


Best regards,

[impaw]

Hello!

Congratulations, the car looks great!
I saw your video when you posted it on the FB-group.
Looks like you had a blast driving the B10 to Goodwood!

Here’s my 4th series GT.
Bought it as a completely dismantled car, since the eighties.
Slowly getting her back on the road, have been working on her for 5 years.

[Mitka]

Wow, looks like you have made some progress from when you got it! Hope to see it one day.

[2VKP]

Here's 'my' Aurelia, which was formerly owned by LMC Legend John Savage from 1965-2008 and in more recent years, by fellow Lancista Tim Riley, who carefully restored 2VKP to her former glory.

B20 2881 is a Maggiora-built car that has lived in the UK since December 1962 and on acquiring it earlier this year, I've spent considerable time collating its UK history, which is now pretty much complete and I continue to gently improve it, so I can build more memories in it.  

Over the years, it's been very active, seeing competition from the early 70's at the Nurburging, Spa, Zandvoort, Le Mans 1978 and on the Mille Miglia in 1982. It has competed in over 60 events over the last 50 or so years, though it's now leading a more gentle existence in my care.  The early life of 2VKP, as originally delivered in Italy remains something of a mystery and that's perhaps a project for next year...

I first read about 2VKP way back in 1989, when it featured in Classic & Sportscar magazine's 'profile' series and i vividly remember thinking 'I'd love to own that car one day'.  Funny how things turn out!

I feel incredibly privileged to be the custodian of such a storied car and I'm very aware of the responsibility of continuing to care for it in the appropriate manner, started by John and Tim.
 

[Mitka]

That’s a sweet ride! When you know of a cars history even before considering to buy it.. You know it’s good!!

[williamcorke]

Hi Lee, how do you know that 2VKP was built by Maggiora? Are there marks on the shell to indicate this?

Best, William

[2VKP]

Morning William,

Within the history of the car, I have a build summary sourced from Italy back in the 70's, from Francesco Gandolfi. This document identifies B-20 2881 as built by Maggiora, with body number 001885,

Construction was commenced on 16 October 1953 and the car was road tested on 3 November and approved for sale 2 days later.  It was originally finished in Black with Brown 'Nocciola' cloth, but was 'rust' red by the time it came to the UK in December 1962 and first registered to John Blundell of Chilham in Kent, himself an LMC member.  

There was no interior by the time John Savage bought it in February 1965 and it was a car very much on the edge, having a seized engine stored in the passenger compartment and body damage on all four corners.  It was advertised for sale through Dan Margulies for £165 'as is' and was marketed in the classifieds of Motor Sport.  I have the original ad, plus the bill of sale that shows John eventually paid £70 for it, plus his Aprilia FLW122 in part exchange.

There are no obvious Maggiora identifiers on the car, but conversely the usually seen Pininfarina body stamps aren't in evidence either.  The timelines also make sense too - I am given to understand that there was a period when B20 production moved to Maggiora in 1953 for reasons that aren't explained, though I am sure that someone with far greater knowledge than I will come forward and clarify!

[williamcorke]

Thanks Lee, really interesting and wonderful to have the history of the car so well documented (in the UK at least).

It seems like the absence of PF stamps is a key identifier. I'll be looking out for that when I take #2517 apart.

[2VKP]

I love how the lack of something becomes key supporting evidence!  Only in Italy...

I have sought some clarity on the timelines of Pininfarina vs. Maggiora building B20's in 1953. 

Something definitely went on that year, but I'm not quite sure what.

Let's see what surfaces...

[Mitka]

Took the B10 out to stretch it’s suspension today

https://youtu.be/8OmlZSxHogs

Also met Andrew who was out in his Appia

[Zetaman]

Francesco Gandolfi circulated a list of the 102 Maggiora Series 3 B20 cars some tears ago, and more recently they were published in the Aurelia book by Gino Giugno and Loris Chioetto.
There do not seem to be many of them left as far as I can judge, so from this point of view 2VKP is a bit of a rarity.