Produced between 1947 and 1953, the Ardea 750 Sport was based on the Lancia Ardea, which was first introduced in 1939. However, the Sport version was significantly different, with a new engine, a redesigned body, and a range of other enhancements that made it stand out from its predecessor. This beautiful and elegant car was designed to be lightweight, agile, and fast, with a focus on performance and style that made it a favorite of sports car enthusiasts around the world.
One of the key features of the Ardea 750 Sport was its engine. The car was powered by a 750 ccm V4 engine that produced up to 50 horsepower. This might not sound like much by modern standards, but it was enough to give the Ardea Sport a top speed of around 150 km/h. This was a significant improvement over the standard Ardea, which had a top speed of around 105 km/h.
The exterior of the 750 Sport was also striking. It had a sleek, aerodynamic design that was inspired by Italian racing cars of the time. The car had a distinctive grille that gave it a unique look. The Sport version was also available in a range of colors, including red, blue, and black.
The 750 Sport was also notable for its handling. The car had a low center of gravity and a lightweight construction, which made it very stable on the road. It also had a four-speed manual gearbox that was smooth and precise, making it easy to shift gears. The car's brakes were also effective, with hydraulic drum brakes that provided plenty of stopping power.
Today, the Lancia Ardea 750 Sport is a highly sought-after classic car. Its combination of performance, style, and rarity make it a popular choice for collectors and enthusiasts around the world. Despite being more than 70 years old, the Ardea Sport still turns heads on the road, and it is a testament to the skill and craftsmanship of the engineers who designed and built it. It is also still a joy to drive, with its smooth handling, responsive steering, and classic Italian style. For those who appreciate the beauty and elegance of classic sports cars, the Lancia Ardea 750 Sport is truly a gem.
According to the Italian Libreto, the Bureau d’Expertise en Automobile Doucy expert report and the Moretti registry, this car was constructed as a sport car in 1947 and is known as Lancia Moretti, chassis number 750-1360, used by the Scuderia Traguardo Milano directed by the well-known Lancia racing preparer Rinaldo Tinarelli. The car was taken over by one of the team's investors, the noble marchese Baldi Doria.
Motto aluminum bodywork, modified Fiat/Lancia chassis, Lancia Ardea engine reduced to 750 ccm and Moretti kit, which includes cylinder head, special cams, high compression pistons, Dell'Orto carburetors and free exhaust.
The race car was road legal registered on the 15th of February 1956 as Lancia 750 Sport Ardea with a licence plate AL-35131. It was some time later registered with an older licence plate AL-4785 that previously belonged to a 1929 Fiat.
The story resumes in 2000, when the car was restored by Scotti, a Lancia agent from Casale Monferrato, before the car was acquired by a Belgian classic car dealer from a private collection in Italy in 2021. The car was bought from him by the current owner in September 2022.
According to the Bureau d’Expertise en Automobile Doucy expert report this chassis comes from a LANCIA ARDEA, on which an aluminum body developed by the coachbuilder Motto was mounted. Motto also bodied several Moretti engined sport cars between 1951 and 1955, so there was probably the thought the body was built by Motto, but we did not find this exact car in the archive. It is very likely the body was sub-contracted from Motto to Zabora to build this similar body. Motto was too busy at the time with the big contract from FIAT for 200 MM bodies and the first ever Ferrari body. Therefore it is very likely the body was built by Zabora, mainly because the sister car is almost identical and certified as a built by Zabora, but it could likely be sub-contracted from Motto as the body is very similar to the Motto bodies of that time.
The engine type 100B was used in the type 250 vehicles produced from 1949 to 1952, as well as in the light truck and ambulance vehicles produced from 1945 to 1953 type 550 and finally in the vans produced from 1948 to 1952 type 650. The type 750 did not record the engine types. However, it is very likely that this type could have been used for the specific vehicles delivered to Moretti to be transformed into sport cars.
According to the Italian Libreto the car was previously built in 1947 with the engine type 100A, which would correspond with the Moretti registry date of construction in 1947, when the engine was specified with Dell’Orto carburetors. This was rebuilt probably in 1955 with a more powerful type 100B from 1952, a new cylinder head (05/1955) and a Solex carburetor and the car was prepared for the road legal registration in February 1956.
The car is finished in red, it features a four-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension with a transverse leaf spring, telescopic shock absorbers, four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes, and bucket seats upholstered in black. Features include two adjustable Brookland windshields, a three-spoke steering wheel, an off-set shifter, and a handbrake lever mounted on the rear bulkhead. The red-painted dash panel houses a drum-style tachometer and a Veglia Borletti 150-km/h speedometer with a five-digit odometer It rides on red/beige-painted wheels with rims painted in white with Waymaster 4.00/4.25/4.40-15 tires. The weight of the car is approximately 500 kg, the lenght is 3.260 mm and width is 1.240 mm. The reported power is 36,786 KW = 50,015 PS.
Only 46 Lancia Ardea specials were built (both types 350 and 750). Only 6 other type 750 builders are known.
Lancia Ardea 750 Sport is Mille Miglia eligible with a good coeficient of 1,45. The Moretti 750 Sport is also Mille Miglia eligible with an even better coeficient of 1,50 and this model is also eligible for Le Mans Classic (participated in 1956) and Tour Auto (participated in 1954). It also won its class at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 1954, so the model is eligible for the best shows in the world.
First Registration Date | 15.02.1956 |
---|---|
Body Type | Barchetta |
Engine | 750 ccm, 50 PS, V4 |
transmission | Manual |
Steering | Left Hand Drive |
---|---|
Layout | Rear Wheel Drive |
Color - exterior | Red |
Color - interior | Black |
Miles/Kilometers shown | 27.350 km |
---|---|
Chassis / VIN | 750-1360 |
Location - Country | Czechia |
Location - City | Jablonec nad Nisou |
2-door barchetta body type; Rear wheel drive permanent, manual 4-speed gearbox; gasoline (petrol) engine with displacement: 750 cm3, advertised power: 50 PS; characteristic dimensions: outside length: 3260 mm, width: 1240 mm; reference weights: base curb weight: 450 kg; top speed: 145+ km/h (90+ mph)
Mlada Boleslav, Czechia
Jablonec nad Nisou, Czechia
Jablonec nad Nisou, Czechia
Prague, Czechia
Prague, Czechia
Pisek, Czechia