1957 Lancia Appia

LANCIA APPIA SERIES II

The Lancia Appia Berlina Series II was a four-door four-seater rear wheel drive front engine saloon and elegant Pininfarina coupe that was built from 1956 to 1959. Many enthusiasts of the marque see it as a major improvement over its predecessor.

The Geneva Motor Show of 1956 marked the debut of the Lancia Appia Series II. As with the outgoing Series I, there was no B-pillar on the monocoque steel body, but the luggage compartment had been much enlarged, giving the coachwork a "three-box" appearance, the wheelbase was slightly increased and the new Appia had a slightly lower stance. The suspension was still via independent front suspension with the company's trademark Lancia's sliding pillar with hydraulic dampers, with a live axle with leaf springs and hydraulic dampers at the rear. The braking was all-drum, and the steering was by worm and sector. The rear doors retained their C-pillar hinging but there was now a front bench seat. The engine was also much modified with a redesigned cylinder head, a lower compression ratio and a new carburettor. The top speed was in the region of 82 mph.

The Lancia Appia Series II was also available in platform chassis-only form for conversion by Italy's finest coachbuilders. Production of the Series II ceased in March 1959 with the advent of the Series III.

Power for the Lancia Appia Series II was from a 1,090 cc V4 OHV engine with four-speed manual transmission with synchromesh on the top three ratios.

Despite the improvements instigated by Lancia, the Appia Series II was still regarded as too expensive by Fiat and Alfa Romeo owners in its homeland. However, to quote a Road and Track test of 1959, it had 'unstinting quality throughout' possessed 'a persuasive charm and, above all, was 'an honest car'.

Of the 22,425 Series II Berlinas (saloons) made by Lancia, a mere 3,180 were RHD and any second-generation Appia is a rare sight in Italy, let alone in the UK. As with the Series I, check the front suspension for broken springs and clouds of exhaust smoke can denote worn piston rings valve guides. A noisy first gear is also often a sign of excessive wear in that ratio. And of course, membership of the Lancia Motor Club - http://www.lanciamc.co.uk/ - is invaluable.

The Lancia Appia Series II's main competitors in Italy were the E-series Fiat 1100 TV and the Alfa Romeo Giulietta.