a Lancia-Jaguar Special in Kolkotta UPDATE IV; finally dated as 1932/33 Astura

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Today it will be Thanksgiving in the US and we will have state elections in Holland so we decided to stay away of the beaten tracks and to show you the very special sportscar of Harit Trivedi in India. His presumption is that the car may have been left by a very creative British racing enthusiast in the fifties. Harit writes: ".....Two are current photos as the car exists today. (click photo to see the rear section) The other photo I have taken from a newspaper in which an article on motor racing in Kolkotta (Calcutta's new name). This was in the 1950's when India was truly socialist and sports cars and parts were not allowed to be imported. In the 1950's my car was raced by somebody in Kolkotta. Sometime later the car somehow landed up in Hyderabad, then I bought it about 10 years ago and started to restore. It was fitted with motorcycle tyres as import of these tyres was not allowed and 525 X 18 tyres are not made anymore in India since long. The engine gave big problems. I have had to rework it 4 times and I am still not sure if it will now work properly. This car, when she runs is very popular at Vintage car rallys as very few sports cars are left in India and is greatly admired by all. " Harit wonders if anybody outside India is remembering this car. More details about it under Read More
UPDATE IV by Harit:" (November 2008)My Lancia Racer was invited (at the Concours d'Elegance of Mumbai). It was very exciting and one gentleman took the trouble to find out on which chassis my racer is based. It is a Dec 1932/ Jan 1933 Lancia Astura." UPDATE III by Frank Tierney:"According to "La Lancia",Wim Oude Weernink's definitive book, 234 series chasis were an Augusta variant providing a platform chasis for coachbuilt bodies. It was available from 1934. However this does not quite solve the mystery because the chasis numbers are only supposed to go up to 23413310. The original engine in the Augusta was of 1196cc producing 35 bhp at 4000 rpm. One can see the temptation to pop in a larger engine with more tuning potential, particularly as the chasis was so good. Out of interest, there is a similar hybrid racing in British historic racing circles, though this one is a single seater. It uses, later, Aprillia suspension and is powered by a MG motor. In the 1930s Lord March, who had an up market car dealership, produced a series of very handsome two seater tourers on the Augusta platform chasis. These were called March Specials. During World war II some of his land was taken over for an RAF fighter base. After the war someone suggested that the perimiter road of this airfield would make a good motor racing track. He tried it out in a Lancia Augusta and so the Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit was born, leading to todays Goodwood Revival historic motor racing event."
UPDATE II by Harit:"I have physically got the engine number checked. It is different, 371577. Could this be correct?"

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