Tag Archives: Lancia

HM Racer – Nardi MD4 Spyder

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Todays post comes courtesy of photographer Ed Arnaudin who’s photo’s were kindly forwarded to me courtesy of his son Steve.

Featured today is a Nardi ND 4 Spyder, seen here at the New York Championship Race meeting, Thompson CT July 20th 1958 where it came in 11th driven by John Igleheart in Race 1, a race which I will be returning to tomorrow.

Enrico Nardi was an Italian racing driver, engineer and designer who worked for Lancia and the works Alfa Romeo Scuderia Ferrari Team. Enrico is credited with being one of the first two drivers to race the Auto Avio Costruzioni 815, considered to be the very first Ferrari model in all but name, in the 1940 Mille Miglia.

In 1951 Nardi established his own workshops on Via Lancia, Torino to build prototypes and one of the strangest vehicles out side of Can Am 2 the twin boom Nardi Bisiluro for the 1955 Le Mans 24 Hours.

The mid 1950’s ND4 Spyder is one of many of Nardi’s 750 cc vehicles which came in a variety of shapes powered by a variety motors including JAP, Crosley, Panhard and in the case of this particular vehicle a 4 cylinder 43 hp 747 cc / 45.5 cui FIAT unit sourced from the FIAT 600 parts bin.

John Igleheart driver of the #95 seems to have been a specialist at racing cars with small motors he is known to have raced from at least 1953 to 1968, he seems to have been most successful driving a ‘Bobsy’.

My thanks again to Ed and Steve Arnaidin for todays valuable contribution and to Terry O’ Neil for the race results.

Hope you have enjoyed today’s 45.5cui edition of Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’ and that you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Top Gear – Lancia Thesis

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Lancia was founded by Vincenzo Lancia in 1906 and was run by his wife, son and Vittorio Jano upon Vincenzo’s death in 1937. The company was taken over by Fiat in 1969 and has been run as a Premier Fiat brand ever since.

The Thesis was powered by a variety of straight 5 and V6 engines with horsepower ranging from 170hp to 230hp, the top speed of the 230hp V6 is around 150 mph.

Lancia ceased trading in the UK in 1984 after their Ferrari powered Thema failed to sell beyond double figures, so it is always a surprise to see a contemporary Lancia in the UK. The Thesis was in production from 2002 – 2009.

Amongst Lancia trademarks is the use of the letters of the Greek alphabet for the names of it’s models. Lancia like Alfa Romeo also make a variety of commercial vehicles rarely seen outside Italy.

Innovations introduced by Lancia include the first mass manufactured monocoque vehicle which dispensed with the separate chassis a type of construction prevalent in the motor industry today, they also introduced V6 and V4 engines along with the first 5 speed gear box’s as options for their vehicles.

I was surprised to learn when researching the Lancia Thesis that Lancia was named the greatest car company of all time by the presenters of the 14th series ‘Top Gear’ a motoring TV show produced by Britain’s impartial public broadcaster the BBC.

I’d like to thank everyone from the Rowdy and Cadillac Forums who visited and made the last couple of days here bumper events. Thanks for popping by Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres, don’t forget to come back now !

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