Conrero

[Sebastien]

Chris,

My explanation, and maybe I am too direct:

Someone had this special made at Reklus (or another similar shop - there are some in Italy), with cheap parts, using a B10S platform. Then it came to Europe (remember Mecanicimport) 15 years ago. Someone, not the manufacturer, but the then owner, invented the Conrero barchetta monicker.
Maybe he could not register it, or he just wanted to make a quick profit. And now (and for the last 10 years) that poor car does the rounds, now "finally restored", which means a new coat of paint.

But maybe someone has a better explanation!

[DavidLaver]

I get that its not good to attach such a story to it - a degree worse than dangling MM or Goodwood eligible.

As a piece of work I like it. I'm sure a good proportion of those who've been to visit Ron Francis look at his room full of "little Aurelia" engines that nobody wants (or used to...) and the rack of gearboxes with the weak clutch and short CWP that nobody wants (or used to...) and all the early brakes where everyone wants the upgrade to the later ones (or used to...) and you think "how hard would it be".  With all the Aurelia "parts cars" now being restored and interest in the Berlinas its now the Aprilia bits I look at in that light.

I ~love~ that book La Sport.  A real favourite.

http://www.velocetoday.com/lifestyle/lifestyle_12.php

Its one of those books where a quick dip in results in a heap of unanswered questions which in the internet age has become a good thing not a fault.

David

[Sliding Pillar]

Sebastien, I'm with you regarding this cars history....... or lack of it!

[DavidLaver]

From the Aurelia technical info page I went to:

http://aureliatips.lanciainfo.com/Aurelia_Tips/Technical_Tips.html

...and read:

"Parts for Aurelias are reasonably available for some things, and hard for others. Typically, small trim bits are very hard to find, while running parts (mechanical) are generally all available".

With kit cars being stripped of parts to restore Escorts you've got to go somewhere else for bits

David

[simonandjuliet]

David

Please keep quiet re. Aprilia bits, I want to be able to enjoy the Aprilia without it becoming too valuable or expensive to use !

I jest, but you and I were some of the last to use an Aurelia as an "everyday" car without worrying about the potential loss/cost if we pranged or broke it - I genuinely hope Aprilias do not get too expensive .....

Sorry - off topic !

[chriswgawne]

Thanks Sebastien,
Your directness is refreshing.
It seems to be a classic case of a car almost inventing its own history and then because nobody challenges this history (because we are all too polite) it  then becomes accepted by all and sundry. What is also amazing about this Conrero car is the asking price today of €350,000.
In the recent past I have seen what I believe to be  a 'fake' B24S Spider (not sure where it was constructed but the scuttle really didnt look right)  which was probably based upon a cut B10 chassis/floorpan. Maybe this came from Argentina as well?
Chris

[ColinMarr]

Sebastien is correct in pointing out that this supposedly B20 based car (as in the original post) goes back a long way. I remember going to an LMC Sunday pub lunch meeting near Elstree aerodrome almost 20 years ago when one of the Aurelia owners furtively produced a few pages of fax with the details of what I am sure was the same car. This was then being offered exclusively (pre Internet) to those who might be tempted. It seemed to me then to be too good to be true, and I guess it still is twenty years later.

Colin

[ncundy]

I did wonder at the start of this thread if Belgium would figure!

The Alfa thread is good, only took 7 of posts for a familiar connection to be made. It seems a lot of cars with interesting history have spent a period of time in Belgium, often coincidently during a gap in the history; rediscovered Alfa TZ's, ISO & Bizzarrinis, long missing Alfa GTAs. A common connection made by those in the know is the certain person alluded to in the Alfa BB thread.

Couldn't agree more with Sebastian's synopsis.

[DavidLaver]

Someone one day will write an excellent book about him.

I think the FIA were smart to permit "fake" cars to race as long as the spec is 100pct correct.  You can't have the front two rows of the grid all with the same chassis number.  "12 survive of the 3 originally made".  Goodwood and the MM are the last carrots that get dangled next to the big money cars with the thin histories.

What's more interesting is that with the price of posh Fulvias on the rise its a game coming closer to home. Come to that there may be another Flavia Zagato "discovered" in Lewisham made of a few bits left over and the bits I made but didn't quite fit   Print this post off and put it somewhere safe to shame me with when it comes to it.

David

[Sebastien]

When I wrote earlier about the nicely shaped, Ferrari like body, I was in fact thinking about this car, for sale on PostwarClassic, a subsite of Prewarcar. It reminds me of a Ferrari Mondial, with that eggcrate grille while the diamond stitching of the interior, applied literally everywhere, is just too much!
http://www.prewarcar.com/index.php?option=com_caradvert&view=ad&section_id=4&id=71164&Itemid=434
On the photos that car has Florida plates.
The same austrian dealer also has for sale an Aurelia B12, which has been discussed elsewhere on this forum a few months ago.

Look also on the PostwarClassic website for 2 Maserati replicas, a 300S and a 450S, for sale in Uruguay. At least those are clearly labelled REPLICA! And they still look good!

[Sebastien]

And just for comparison, the car that started this thread.

[Kevin MacBride]

Interesting thread this...I've noticed this car over the years (in silver as well). Without doing any research, I simply assumed it was a 'special' produced back in the 50's. Here in Ireland there are dozens of oddball 'specials', homemade cars that were built from bits and bobs pre and post war and were raced and hillclimbed till they finally had enough. From time to time the children or indeed grandchildren of the original owners turn up having put them back on the road (or track). Quite a few were Riley 12/4 based, or with MG XPag engines. There was even a Bugatti chassis (with a flathead Ford V8....I kid you not).
These cars were never passed off as anything but 'specials' and over time have acquired their own history.
It a bit of a shame really, to produce a car (as nice as this one seems to be), and 'retro-invent' a provenance. What is the harm is just saying its a 'special', and price it accordingly. I'm certain there would be plenty of buyers if it were reasonably priced.
I'd love something like that, simply for looks alone, and also for the Aurelia connection. Rather than having a complete wreck of a shell lying around, would it not be far better to utilize the mechanicals.
A local racecar company near where I live builds Formula V chassis' and complete cars. A bare chassis only costs a few thousand Euro.
I wonder how one would perform with an old Flavia engine and 'box I have lying about........??

[DavidLaver]

Kevin - do it !!!

The replica I'm wanting someone to do really properly is the D20 with the roof.  I'd buy the book and the film and the tee shirt of that one if it ever got done.  Seeing the Zagato Aprilia gave me hope it might and each time I see a mention of the D24 or D50s I think "maybe someday someone will..."

David

[Sebastien]

Surprise, surprise!

Here the inspiration for one of the barchettas above, a Ferrari Mondial.
(Photo courtesy RM Auctions, Monterey sale 2013)

It is a nice design!

[Sliding Pillar]

Now for sale on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LANCIA-AURELIA-B20-Conrero-Barchetta-/121147734699?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1120#ht_95wt_954