ColinMarr
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« on: 14 May, 2012, 07:59:30 PM » |
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Jack’s editorial in the current issue of Viva Lancia! mentions Ron ‘Steady’ Barker’s recent 92nd birthday and his legendary short-wheel-base special “short-Arstura". This is a good pretext to revive the little used Astura section of the Forum to post two photos of two different Asturas associated with Ron.
One is of the short-Arstura probably taken in the late 1950s in its original ‘special’ guise with a body that included the front section from an Aston DB2. Apparently it was very competitive. It is this car that will reappear with a new period-style body designed by Ron himself.
The other is of the Mille Miglia Astura with Ron driving at an LMC driving test in the 1960s.
Wonderful cars – wonderful man!
Colin
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Sliding Pillar
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« Reply #1 on: 15 May, 2012, 07:13:16 PM » |
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This photo was taken at Steady's 92nd Birthday party held at Thornley Kelham, where Steady was presented with a book of his Asturas by Michael Scott. http://thornleykelham.com/about-us/ |
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1955 Aurelia
1961 Lamborghini
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davidwheeler
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« Reply #2 on: 20 May, 2012, 08:46:52 PM » |
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I remember when I was a young doctor in Bath and met Roland, who subsequently joined us in living at Crosslands Caravan Site. He had the short Astura in a lockup next to mine and was busy stripping the paint off it with an angle grinder and wire brush (or was that the B24?). The SA was also known as the Costalotti. Those were the days when I could work late into the night replacing the cylinder head, drive it home and go on duty in the ward just a little later in the morning.
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David Wheeler. Lambdas, Aprilia, Fulvia Sport.(formerly Appia and Thema as well).
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Richard Fridd
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« Reply #3 on: 19 July, 2012, 06:29:27 AM » |
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Another pic (photo credit autopuzzles)
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« Last Edit: 19 July, 2012, 07:54:26 AM by Richard Fridd »
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Richard Nevison Fridd Happy Lancia, Happy Life
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Richard Fridd
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« Reply #4 on: 19 July, 2012, 06:53:34 AM » |
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Mille Miglia in colour(photo credit autopuzzles)
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Richard Nevison Fridd Happy Lancia, Happy Life
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ColinMarr
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« Reply #5 on: 19 October, 2012, 06:25:41 PM » |
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And here’s another picture of the “short-Arstura” in competition. This is a copy of one of the photos on the display stand at AutoLegends.
Colin
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fay66
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« Reply #6 on: 20 October, 2012, 12:01:26 AM » |
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And here’s another picture of the “short-Arstura” in competition. This is a copy of one of the photos on the display stand at AutoLegends.
Colin
Colin is that a pun or a play on words  Brian 8227  |
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Own 1966 Fulvia 2C Berlina since 1997, back on road 11-1999.Known as "Fay"
2006 Renault Megane 1 5 Dci Sports Tourer
Dedra Technical Adviser
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GG
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« Reply #7 on: 20 October, 2012, 09:10:34 AM » |
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A bit confusing - are there three of these competition Asturas:
- Steady's with the vertical grille
- the current Italian one with the horiz. grille (seen above)
- the Mota rebodied one just surfacing from the US
And wasn't there some story about a special Astura head made for one of these? Anyone know anything?
Geoff
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Appia C10, Flavia 2000 coupe, Fulvia Fanalone
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ColinMarr
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« Reply #8 on: 20 October, 2012, 10:05:30 AM » |
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I only know of two of these cars both of which were owned by Ron 'Steady' Barker, but I also have read of another one in the US, which I think looked more like the Mille Miglia car photographed above.
The Short-Arstura, as Steady named it, was based on a seven-seater Astura saloon, which Steady modified drastically to produce his short-wheel base (hence the name) race car. According to Motor Sport in 1955 the original saloon weighed 37.5 cwt, which was reduced to 8.25 cwt. The wheelbase was reduced from 11’10’’ to 8’1’’.
The last I heard of the Mille Miglia car is that it was owned and being used in Germany. It was this car that I think had the special head.
Colin
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DavidLaver
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« Reply #10 on: 20 October, 2012, 09:10:19 PM » |
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That MUST be some sort of record for percentage weight saving.
David
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David Laver, Lewisham.
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Sliding Pillar
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« Reply #11 on: 01 November, 2012, 06:33:04 PM » |
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This is some more information on the MM Astura from Paolo Giusti:-
I know this car, as i had a long chat about it with the son of Minetti last June. This car has the 41-3207 chassis, a late 1938 production. Because this chassis was unsold at the factory, Eugenio Minetti, the Lancia dealer in Milan and one of the founders of the Scuderia Ambrosiana, decided to buy it and assigned it to Villoresi. Minetti, with a 1937 Aprilia, and Villoresi joined in the 1940 1000 miglia. Both the cars were coachbuilt by Colli and fitted up by Pagani. Pagani was the chief-mechanic of the Scuderia and he set up 2 special heads for the cars. Particularly the Astura had a special head, 2 Zenith carbs and 2 ignition coils, 30/35 CV more than the standard engine. Unfortunately both the race drivers had engine failures: Villoresi during the step closer to Brescia and Minetti during the race. After WWII Pagani opened his own workshop and fitted up the Astura again. So Cortese won the 1946 circuito di Luino race and Minetti the 1946 circuito di Modena race with this car. Later Gordon bought the car in July 1947. I wrote a short Minetti's story on the viva-lancia forum:http://www.viva-lancia.com/lancia_fora/read.php?337,1042525.
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1955 Aurelia
1961 Lamborghini
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GG
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« Reply #12 on: 04 November, 2012, 04:14:25 AM » |
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Nicely done, and good to finally get the story on this interesting car!
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Appia C10, Flavia 2000 coupe, Fulvia Fanalone
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ColinMarr
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« Reply #13 on: 05 November, 2012, 11:29:36 AM » |
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Having looked back at an old LMC Journal (see post about News-sheets under General Chat) I found the letter (copy attached) which was reprinted in the Summer 1977 issue. This is a copy of letter from 1949 about Astura DXU 557. Such an amazing story I thought it should be posted here together with a more detailed scan of the photo.
Colin
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