French Pichon – Parat conversion?

[sparehead3]

Hi All,

I've received an email asking about this car and have included some of the pictures. If anyone knows anything more drop me a line and I'll forward on the original email:

"A friend of mine bought a very unusual Mercedes with a body that looks strongly like an Aurelia B20 body.
The chassis is Mercedes and so is the engine, gearbox and differential.
However it’s too easy to say that it is a modified B20 because the dasboard is completely different. It has Mercedes instruments and switches.
I wonder if it could be a French Pichon – Parat conversion?
Hope you can help me, as the car is a complete mystery to us. I‘ve included some pictures.
Some pictures are from the 70’s as the car was in daily use. Other pictures are as the car is as we found it."

[mikeC]

It might be worth putting the enquiry on the coachbuilt.com forum; looking at Pichon-Parat bodies on there, I think it unlikely that it has P-P origins, but I could be wrong 

[williamcorke]

This car doesn't look like a modified B20 to me. The overall body shape seems to be inspired by the B20 (especially obvious with the front panel vents), but all the panels are different in profile and angle - the sides too flat, the windscreen too raked, etc.

I'd love to know who did make it.

[Dikappa]

This car was sold on the Antwerp oldtimer fair past weekend, very strange looking thing indeed, and  I was told it had Lancia documents.  Sadly I did not attend so did not see it 'in the flesh'. 
It did attact quite a bit of attention apparently.

[stanley sweet]

With the yellow paint, bonnet hooks, racing mirrors and mysterious provenance it does remind me of something Terry-Thomas would sell to an unsuspecting Ian Carmichael.