Introduced in 1933 the Lancia Augusta was yet another advanced design for the family-owned Lancia company. The new model heralded a return to monocoque construction combined with the familiar independent sliding-pillar front suspension system with leaf springs at the rear.

 

The new model was powered by a narrow-angle, overhead-valve V4 engine with a capacity of 1,184cc which produced 34 bhp. Drive was to the rear wheels via a four-speed gearbox and brakes were of the ‘Lockheed’-type and operated on all four wheels. Interestingly, a free-wheel control handle was located on the dashboard.

 

The Augusta was a commercial success and also proved successful in competition with an Augusta saloon winning the 1936 Targa Florio driven by Costantino Magistri.

 

In 1931 Lancia built a factory at Bonneuil near Paris where French versions of the Augusta were assembled that were named ‘Belna’.

 

Offered for sale is a very rare coachbuilt Belna two-door coupe by Carrosserie Pourtout. The company was founded in 1925 by Marcel Pourtout and produced bespoke designs for wealthy clients on the very best chassis available including Bugatti, Voisin, Delage, Hispano-Suiza, Delahaye and Talbot-Lago. When Pourtout met Georges Paulin (a dental technician with a gift for advanced aerodynamic designs) the pair produced the advanced Peugeot 601 Eclipse of 1934 that featured a revolutionary retractable hardtop.

 

The Pourtout Belna Coupe offered for sale here was purchased in 1937 when the car was only two-years old by Angers-based Achille Pineau who kept it until his passing in 1957 when it was inherited by his son.

 

After a long period in storage the car was given to Achille’s grandson, Michel Pineau in 1989 who drove it from Angers to his home in Plouay, Britanny before handing it to a local restorer who dismantled it and restored the bodywork, upholstery and mechanicals.

 

Later, Michel became friends with UK Lancia specialist Peter Harding who bought it on behalf of the current British owner who imported into the UK in 2014. Harding then commenced a program of refurbishment works which included a front suspension rebuild, SU carburettor conversion and the installation of a newly-fabricated fuel tank.

 

New parts included a 6-volt battery, fuel pump, ignition coil, spark plugs, spark plug connectors, points, condenser, HT leads, water pump, brake cylinders, all flexible brake hoses, bleed nipples and the brake shoes were relined.

 

Cosmetic works included repainting the bonnet and various aluminium trim pieces in the correct shade of blue and re-chroming the hubcaps. The road wheels were blasted and painted to the correct factory shade of Ruote 1 Avorio WE 2203 and new Michelin X tyres fitted. The brake back-plates were also blasted and repainted in gloss black and the lighting system was gone through. The 2015 invoices on file total over £9,000. In 2017 the lower windscreen rubber was replaced along with the re-silvering of the interior mirror.

 

In summary, this very rare coachbuilt Lancia Belna Coupe possesses a fascinating history having been in one-family ownership for seventy-seven years. Today, the car remains in good condition, is on the button and ready to be enjoyed once more.

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