Only some dusting off necessary? – Lancia Dilambda

 

Fantastic Lancia Dilambda restoration in the Netherlands

Lancia Dilambda restorations are very rare. So we are happy to present this story by Dutch enthusiast Gerard B.J. Lansink, a lucky man who got this wonderful project from the famous “reserve-reserve collection” of the Schlumpf Museum. So goes Gerard:

The Lancia Dilambda rolling chassis with number 27-306 was bought by me in August 2008. It comes out of the collection of  69 cars of Mdm. Arletta Schlumpf, named the „Malmerspach Collection“, this recerve collection stayed in the family ownerhsip (while the Schmlumpf museum cars are now owned by the French state). From doucments it is known that Mr. Fritz Schlumpf bought the Dilambda at the 19th of April 1963 from a broker called Mr. Eckert for the sum of FF 500,=.

Only a short time ago the Dutch gentleman Jaap Braam Ruben and the Frenchman Bruno Vendiesse bought this whole collection. Braam Ruben: http://www.fineautomobiles.nl/

With the Malmerspach collection was this rolling Lancia Dilambda chassis (as well as a number of Bugattis sold to the USA but also a big Steyr V which was sold to Austria, the “Burg Strechau” collection! the editor). Jaap Braam Ruben sold me the chassis and I collected it near Lille, France, at the car dealer Bruno Vendiesse.

I am not exactly sure about the year of registration, maybe 1929 or 1930?

After making of more than 100 fotos I dismantled the car. First I repaired the engine, at this stage the double Zenith carburator fell in 100 pieces.With the help of 2 SU carburetors and a new made inlet manifold I got the engine running as you can see on: www: <http://www.next2friends.com> type; Lancia and you see the engine running, at the first time since 1963.

Since that happy moment the chassis and the wheels got sand blasted and primed, the gearbox got new bearings as the front and rearaxles. The brakes were overhauled and got new steel cables. The kilometer counter reads 72.000 km. This could be the true kilometers as all the mechanic parts as gearbox and rearaxle sprockets, the steeringhouse the engine, the front axle are looking like new.

Missing are the two Bibendum 16×50 sparewheels, the steeringwheel, the headlamps and the complete body with the exception of the wings and the bonnet. The dashboard was missing the clock, I bought one on Ebay.

Since my youth I dreamed to build myself a vintage special racing car. With this Lancia Dilambda chassis I can realize this dream but it has a very long wheelbase of 34750mm. While drawing the new aluminium body, it is immensely important to find the correct dimensions for a good looking special. So I talked to Wim Oude Weernink, the famous Dutch writer of Lancia books. He was of great help for me!

Wim got me a photo of a rally car from the archivist “Mr. Dries Jetten”: this photo was shot during the 1932 „Coupe des Alpes Francaise“. It shows a very attractive sports Dilambda, one of the two people sitting in the car should be a Dutchman, the owner of the car. While I am rebuilding the Lancia Dilambda to this body specification I am most interested to find out about the history of this original car in the 1932 Coupes des Alpes Francaise! I hope that the readers could help me to indentify this people?

Gerard / 9.2009

P.S. Lancianews wants to invite readers to write in to office@lancianews.com if you can help with the restoration of the car as well as information on the 1932 photo.