Mysterious barn-find – a Lancia Aprilia Van Rijswijk Cabriolet

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Dutch classic car dealer Juri Casticum recently purchased this Lancia Aprilia Cabriolet. It is not a model from the sales brochure but a custom-built car. At home, he discovered a sticker in the window from Van Rijswijk, a Dutch coachbuilder located in Voorburg next to The Hague.

We know the car was sold new to Mr Van Wonderen who lived in Bergen (the Netherlands), and registered with the number GZ-54457. After the war, the car was reregistered as NK-67-53 under the ownership of Mr Kerkwijk from Velp. Then in 1956 the Lancia came into the possession of Mr Ploeg from Oosterbeek but in 1971 was sold to Mr Wagenaar also from Bergen. The previous owner took the Aprilia to his Chateau in France where it was stored for decades in the coach-house.

It was not unusual that Lancia chose the Van Rijswijk company, as both were located near The Hague. In 1938 the companies even shared a stall at the 26th Tentoonstelling van Automobielen (car exhibition) in the RAI in Amsterdam. Which would be the last edition of the event before the outbreak of WWII.

One other Aprilia with bodywork by the company from Voorburg is known to us. In addition, back in 2010, we published a (mystery) picture of a very attractive Aprilia Roadster with Van Rijswijk coachwork, made for the Paris Salon of 1940 (which never took place).

After inspection, a marque specialist concluded that this car is dated 1938. Which means this Lancia could have been showcased on the Lancia / Van Rijswijk stall at the RAI in 1938. As we know, the show car was a Lancia Aprilia convertible with 2 doors for 4 persons...

We would like to help Juri find information about the Lancia Aprilia Cabriolet in the pictures. Please have a closer look at the shape, especially the front, the wings and the louvres of the bonnet. This could not have been a cheap car to buy at that time.

Any information and/or old photographs of the car or from the Lancia / Van Rijswijk stall at the RAI in 1938 would be greatly appreciated!

Aggiunga un commento...