The Van Rijswijk - Van Gips Mystery (UPDATE: Lancia Aprilia)

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We had no clue to the make of this streamlined supercar, until we started writing this feature yesterday. So we decided to name it after the coachbuilder & the owner until otherwise was known to us. Sender Hans 'Hisso' Veenenbos stumbled over this set of photos and wanted to hear our opinion. The car was built by B.T. van Rijswijk in The Hague (Voorburg). the photos were made on the van Alphenstraat, Voorburg, at the porch of the coachbuilder. Click the photo and you will see the sensational car from the side. Sort of Roadster with Dickey seat, or what else is the lid behind the front seat? For identification the elaborate dashboard was the giveaway. By coincidence we found out what  is the make. Can you tell as well?

The owner of the car was a Mr. Cornelis Gips, director of the N.V. Graan Elevator Mij. and was born in Dordrecht. You can find a lot more if you google his name. Interesting however is that he loved to participate in motorsport, more specific in rallies. He must have known our famous countryman Maus Gatsonides. Please give us your comments.

Editor: Lorenzo Marzullo is right. The Dutch page of Conam (follow link above) suggest there was a Lancia Aprilia with Van Rijswijk coachwork, made for the Paris Salon of 1940 which never took place.  We checked the dashboard with google images and ...  bullseye! Lancia Aprilia it is.

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