Early Lancia Racer?

[JohnMillham]

A (VSCC) friend sent me the attached. His note with it reads - I was sent the attached photo by a Jeremy Jones who copied it from a album that belonged to a G H Wakefield. I think I can make out Lancia on the hub caps. Do you know anything about the car?
 Any ideas?
I have passed it on to Jack and Roland.
Regards, John

[GG]

Very interesting. Take a look at the rear suspension mount, compare with patent from 1918...

[frankxhv773t]

I wonder if it is a hybrid using Lancia running gear. The height of the upper part of the radiator, above the vertical sides, looks rather short to me. The rear most part of the chassis seems to be bolted on forged extension which I don't recognise from Lancia and the curly spring hangers don't look Lancia either. What do others think?

[peteracs]

John,

I have to say I cannot see anything related to Lancia on the hub caps, just a pattern?

Peter

[BlueSky]

If you click on the image you'll get a much higher res photo with "Lancia" clearly cast into the hub, here's a blow up.
Noel

[frankxhv773t]

Another point is that early Lancia chassis seem to have been characterised by a step outwards in plan view at the fire wall as in the patent diagram. I would suggest the photograph does not display this feature adding to my suspicion that it is not a Lancia chassis. However the heavily drilled locating arm for the back axle and the shroud under the engine bay could be consistent with Lancia running gear.

[peteracs]

Hi

Now I can see it, I had just been looking on it zoomed in on the forum listing.

Thanks

Peter

[frankxhv773t]

This isn't the sane car but is an interesting comparison.

From http://prewarcar1.rssing.com/chan-9920277/all_p40.html "Charles Walmsley sent this photo of Mariano de la Fuente with his Lancia Theta (or is it Kappa?) sponsored by Michelin (see bonnet), probably to showcase their new disc wheels in 1913 or shortly after."

And from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lancia_Light_Car_Race_Savannah_1910.jpg "Billy Knipper's Lancia before the Tiedeman Trophy 'Light Car Race' at Savannah, Georgia in 1910."