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THORNLEY KELHAM / ASHLEY BORDER
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1963 Lancia Flaminia GT 2.5 3C Powered by Lancia’s world-first production V6 and clothed in aluminium deliciously styled by Carrozzeria Touring, the Flaminia GT is a rare slice of automotive exotica,
with just 847 made in total. This particular example is one of 667 built with the 138bhp 2.5-litre triple-carb engine. The early logbook records the registration date as June 27, 1963 with
1960 Maserati 3500 Vignale Spider The 3500GT was a development of the A6G, Maserati’s first car. The brand used the cream of British engineering, with Girling brakes, Salisbury axle and Alford & Adler front suspension. Power came from a 3.5-litre straight-six, which gave 140mph all-out. This particular car is one of just 244 Spiders built by Vignale on a shortened, 100in
40
wheelbase. It’s among six pre-production cars, and was specified with a rare four-speed ZF gearbox and black paintwork. It differs from the factory cars in several ways – most notably in the roofline, which is 2cm lower. The body is also narrower, the bonnet reaches up to the base of the windscreen, and the mirrors and lights are subtly different.
the number V33. The last entry is some ten years later, and during that time the Flaminia GT had eight owners, including the Earl of Chichester. The paperwork picks
up the story in 1990, since which the Lancia has had four owners, with specialist Omicron tending to its needs. In 2009 the car was stripped down, and rot to the front subframe and
various body panels was addressed followed by a partial respray. In 2016 the new owner requested a full restoration to be carried out. The GT now resides in its new home in Ireland.
