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Reader’s recreation: Lancia Lambda from hearse to racer
Many of us know all about the joys of restoring an old car. And most of us who have carried out one (or more) such restoration(s) will confirm that part of the fun is researching your car’s history. Oh, the excitement of finding historical photographs or documents of your four-wheeled wonderful!
Some of us could fill a book with the heritage of their darling motorcar, especially when the restoration itself is included. As a matter of fact, we’ve heard many people tell they could do just that. Still, not many people do.
Avid PreWarCar reader Leo Schildkamp is a great exception as he just filled just under 200 pages (mostly with photographs – but still!). This after he had amassed so much material during the restoration/recreation of his Lancia Lambda. The book is now available for those interested. We had a look at it and quite liked what we saw. Leo bought a tired old Lambda of 1930, chassis number 22438, which had spent much of its life in Orvieto, Italy, as a workhorse. That’s where the sleuthing work started.
He found out that the car’s first owner was a nobleman named Count Angelo Brazetti Tordimonte of Orvieto who used it up until 1948. After that, the City council took it over only to use it for another ten years – as a hearse! The car’s third and fourth owner planned a restoration but never carried one out. But then our man Leo came in the picture. This was in 2014, and the plan arose to rebuild the car with a sporting ‘Mille Miglia’ body. And that’s just what he did. Well, that may sound easier than it must have been, but you’ll learn all about the restoration while flicking through the pages of Leo’s book. Well done!
Words by Jeroen Booij.
Published:
Tuesday February 25th, 2020
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Comments
Gerard Lansink
28 February 2020, 12:30
Gratulation with your beautiful restoration Leo.
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David Barker
28 February 2020, 10:37
Leo, I apologise for thinking the tyres were wrong size, but I still don't like the red headlamp covers!! But it is a beautiful car and you must be very proud of the amount of work and research you put into it.
Most of the comments on here were highly complimentary and it is interesting that the most critical person, "Pat" hides behind his christian name and doesn't give his full name. Obviously likes to remain anonymous.
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Most of the comments on here were highly complimentary and it is interesting that the most critical person, "Pat" hides behind his christian name and doesn't give his full name. Obviously likes to remain anonymous.
Leo Schildkamp
26 February 2020, 18:36
Dear Morris & Jeroen, I would like to thank you for posting the article, and I would also like to thank all commentators for their input, be it positive or negative. Perhaps a good advice to the negative commentators, delve into the history of the Lancia brand possibly with the help of my book and you will see that my recreation is not a wild invention. The tire size is correct for this Lambda. The red bulbs are a period accessory that were used to spread the light better when driving in the fog. Kind regards, Leo Schildkamp
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Graeme Simpson
26 February 2020, 06:07
I'm saddened by the derogatory, even dismissive tone of some of the opinions expressed. There are as many opinions about 'correctness' in our movement as there are people, and these are just individual judgments. But surely we can express them without calling into question each other, or the correctness of each others' work.
In this case, to what point in time should have Leo reverted in order to be accepted as 'correct'? Why select the ambulance stage? Why not its original state as it left the showroom? Or the times when it left the hearse-builder, or the state in which he bought the remains? It seems to me preferable to resurrect or reconstruct a dead or dying car, than to use it as a parts donor, and lose it.
A little kindness, instead of expecting that we shall embrace your idea of correctness, would be far more helpful and encouraging to each of us. It should not be 'My way or the highway', surely it should be 'Live and let live'? I believe that acceptance of each others' different attitudes and values is a hallmark of a good community.
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In this case, to what point in time should have Leo reverted in order to be accepted as 'correct'? Why select the ambulance stage? Why not its original state as it left the showroom? Or the times when it left the hearse-builder, or the state in which he bought the remains? It seems to me preferable to resurrect or reconstruct a dead or dying car, than to use it as a parts donor, and lose it.
A little kindness, instead of expecting that we shall embrace your idea of correctness, would be far more helpful and encouraging to each of us. It should not be 'My way or the highway', surely it should be 'Live and let live'? I believe that acceptance of each others' different attitudes and values is a hallmark of a good community.
Michael Schlenger
25 February 2020, 19:17
When it comes to prewar cars, I don't tend to "produce" something but I try to preserve cars (and motorcycles) in their authentic condition. Be it my Peugeot 202 pickup with several layers of paint which served both with the French army and a farmer in the Champagne area and lacks a lot of parts (but is on the road again) , be it my 1933 LaLicorne L760 with complete original interior and pretty weather-beaten paint, which will receive only a technical overhaul, be it my 1921 EHP voiturette which survived on the island of Mallorca with a rather awkward 1960s hood and leatherette interior as well as front lights from a postwar tractor, but will stay like this, as long as I am the owner, I advocate leaving historic cars as they are whenever possible. In case of the Lancia Lambda, I would have tried to preserve as much its last appearance as possible, since that makes it a unique artefact. Why not recreate the hearse, if that was the last stage of the car's life? Why produce something which simply looks like any modern re-creation? Of course, the owner can do with it whatever he likes, but simiIarly I feel free to find the result - well, unpleasant.
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David Barker
25 February 2020, 16:25
PAT:
Do we assume that is one of your cars in the picture at the side of your last post?
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Do we assume that is one of your cars in the picture at the side of your last post?
Pat
25 February 2020, 14:13
David Barker: Its not about producing it yourself.....This modern approach is made by several compagnies. So an archivement of spending a lot of money.....
But its all about historical correctness. If we all "restore" and create like this there is nothing historical anymore. Restoration is not about changing and invention something new, because we like it better that way. If it was a painting... it would be destroyed or having no value at all. There is in my opinion no argument if the car was useable. Then perhaps the question was, its worth it? isn't it better to use it for parts for a correct car? The result is something that never existed. Historical totally incorrect and its fake because using a date of 1930 for the car, what it isn't. It should be 2020 ,2019 or something like that. And Seeing the book on the net, my opinion is even less positive... I always was thinking prewar cars is about saving and appreciating the historical aspect.
In the picture attached, there is a car with similar changes.
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But its all about historical correctness. If we all "restore" and create like this there is nothing historical anymore. Restoration is not about changing and invention something new, because we like it better that way. If it was a painting... it would be destroyed or having no value at all. There is in my opinion no argument if the car was useable. Then perhaps the question was, its worth it? isn't it better to use it for parts for a correct car? The result is something that never existed. Historical totally incorrect and its fake because using a date of 1930 for the car, what it isn't. It should be 2020 ,2019 or something like that. And Seeing the book on the net, my opinion is even less positive... I always was thinking prewar cars is about saving and appreciating the historical aspect.
In the picture attached, there is a car with similar changes.
Bart Kleyn
25 February 2020, 12:22
I was lucky enough to see the car in real life. Though I am not a fan of destroying perfect cars in order to build a special, I must say this one looks absolutely stunning and has the exact measures of the Strazza MM car, which fitted the Dilambda engine. And the original car was unsalvable.
Undertaking such an endeavour is really something special, doing most of the work yourself in just a few years and with a limited budget.
If you buy the book, then you will understand the passion, which went into it.
And, yes, Leo has made some adjustments to fit his personal taste. But it has still the looks of an early thirties Lambda.
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Undertaking such an endeavour is really something special, doing most of the work yourself in just a few years and with a limited budget.
If you buy the book, then you will understand the passion, which went into it.
And, yes, Leo has made some adjustments to fit his personal taste. But it has still the looks of an early thirties Lambda.
David Barker
25 February 2020, 11:44
That's a seriously good looking car , O.K. the tyres are a bit too big and I don't care for the red headlamp covers, but those are minor details.
Leo bought a worn out Lambda that had been turned into a hearse and could well have ended up in a scrap yard to be broken up. He has saved it and turned it into his dream car. Well done that man!
I wonder if the critical "Pat" and "Michael" have produced anything better, or even as good?
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Leo bought a worn out Lambda that had been turned into a hearse and could well have ended up in a scrap yard to be broken up. He has saved it and turned it into his dream car. Well done that man!
I wonder if the critical "Pat" and "Michael" have produced anything better, or even as good?
Joop Terpstra
25 February 2020, 10:53
My God so many opinions. Please let that guy be happy and enjoy what he proudly built....how do we say that in Holland? The best captains are standing in the harbour..! Cheers.
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Pat
25 February 2020, 09:41
Looking at that car. I wonder what is original. Looks shorter than a Lambda, bonnet longer, wondering if it has its origianal engine. New "body" on a monoque chassis/body. For me not an example for vintage cars heritage at all. Suits well in the "hot rod" scene or for showing off with something fake. And what is that red bulb things on the headlights?
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Laurens
25 February 2020, 09:30
Disagree, the base he used wasn’t a good car. See the book for that.
He is using a base that otherwise would never be on the road again and perhaps scrapped for parts. Now, the car is used by a true enthusiast.
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He is using a base that otherwise would never be on the road again and perhaps scrapped for parts. Now, the car is used by a true enthusiast.
Robert Stewart
25 February 2020, 03:51
Nice story. My first reaction to the photos was "Oh great, another lame 'recreation', and no effort to appreciate what he found". However, once I looked over the entire project, I thought "Wow, I might have done exactly the same thing, if I had the resources". Even the updated engine is not an offensive idea. It looks like quite a fun car.
Michael Schlenger
25 February 2020, 01:57
Sorry, but I don't share your enthusiastic view. I threw a glance at the looks of the Lancia before this so-called recreation started. In my opinion, the owner destroyed a historic car, in order to build a new one remotely looking like a prewar sportscar. I seriously hope that this modern creation with its way too fat tyres is not "Mille Miglia"-eligible. For comparison I've attached a photo of a truely authentic Lancia Lambda which I took on the occasion of the 2017 Goodwood Revival Meeting in England.
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