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Lancia Flaminia GTL 3C Touring Superleggera | Vintage
OF NOBLE LEGACY, ELEGANTLY DRESSED SUPERLEGGERA
Words by Remigio Camilla / Photo by Alessandro Marrone
We meet the protagonist of the following article on a wonderful day on early autumn in front of the majestic and elegant castle of the Principi Acaja, built in the mid-1300s, in the town of Fossano.
On the square at the beginning of summer the “Palio dei Borghi” takes place with horse archers, flag-wavers and noble characters strictly dressed in 1500s costumes and where for over ten years classic cars enthusiasts have been meeting for the “Premio Castello degli Acaja”.
Here, the protagonist, a Lancia Flaminia GTL 3C fits perfectly into this environment as it has noble automotive origins, elegantly dressed by Touring Superleggera, 2.8-Liters displacement with left-hand drive, in the classic Blue Lancia livery with interior in dark red leather.
The body draws its great charm from the taut lines of the design, with the smooth and slender sides traveled in the sill by a chromed molding that tends to lighten and further enhance the horizontal line of the side itself. The turret cabin transmits a feeling of great sportiness, inserted almost symmetrically between the generous engine compartment and the third volume. The front is characterized by the new horizontal grille, introduced by Lancia with the Flaminia model, in the middle of the bonnet a dynamic air intake, not only aesthetically beautiful, but also functional for containing the voluminous air filter. The most prominent element compared to the coupe cousins is the use of double headlights, a solution adopted, not only innovative and advantageous for night driving, but which gives it determination and a sportier look. The front fender line joins the bonnet forming an almost trapezoidal compartment with the double headlights, which do not follow this inclination, but are perfectly horizontal and tend to visually enlarge the front. The bumper guards follow the same philosophy, they are not vertical, but horizontal. The tail is defined with just as much personality and elegance, characterized by large trapezoidal shaped flat headlights, stylistically reconnecting to the front and symmetrically subdivided with the reversing lights in the center, indicators in the upper part and night lights and braking lights in the lower part. Alongside, in compliance with the new road code, there are two reflectors. The solution of using large flat lights tends to mitigate at the back with a much more sober use of fins, still very popular in that period and more noticeable with the use of a vertical and narrow lighting, such as on the Alfa 2000/2600 Spyder Superleggera of the same period.
An interesting detail is to note that stylists typically put the logo on the sides of their cars, Touring positions the splendid emblem formed by two unfolded wings (to remind us of the construction technique borrowed from airplanes) with the white and blue shield on the rear hood, but the Superleggera signature is skillfully and splendidly positioned on the two long sides of the front bonnet, characteristic of all the Superleggera models. The interior appears elegant and sporty at the same time, in tune with the exterior, above all by observing the layout of the dashboard, in the lower center with a chrome band in which the Blaupunkt radio with preselection buttons finds place, under it the various control knobs of the various functions and the classic Lancia key for starting the engine. On the sides the dashboard forms two perfectly equal and symmetrical parts as if to remind the front fenders, where instead of the headlights, the odometer and the circular rev counter are housed, together with oil temperature, water, oil pressure gauges, alongside with the clock and fuel indicator. The equipment is really complete, as only the high-level cars of those were possessing. The steering wheel has three flat spokes and is of large diameter, with wooden crown, while the object compartment in front of the passenger has the same dimensions as the instrument panel. Thanks to this symmetry it was possible to realize the positioning of the steering on the right or on the left without problems. The front seats are large and very comfortable, with a shape that expresses comfort, more like a sedan than a sports car. In the GT two-seater model the seats have a shaped side restraining backrest, but this model, being a GT 2+2, had to guarantee sportiness combined with good habitability and comfort. Even the rear seats are well shaped and comfortable, unfortunately the space there is more suitable for children and not for tall people. The materials used are of great quality and refinement, the leather is soft for the seats and the side panels of the doors and rear sides, carpet on the floor, details in chromed steel.
This Flaminia model is the latest version produced by Touring, through the contribution of important adjustments to the engine and above all to the bodywork. Lancia likes to call it GT 3C 2+2, but among collectors and enthusiasts it is undoubtedly better known as GTL, where the “L” stands for Long, a long wheelbase compared to the GT model. That’s in fact increased by 8 cm and at the same time the rear pavilion is changed as well, now less inclined and leaning forward. Furthermore, the same rear pillars are enlarged and slightly vertical. Through these devices the Touring gets a coupe in the much requested formula of the mid-60s, the GT 2+2. The engine and the mechanics remain the same as the two-seater GT 2.8, the same numerical code 828.100, the power delivered is always 150 hp, the speed is slightly lower: 191 kph compared to the 194 of the two seats.
The search for this Flaminia Superleggera by its current owner, was not at all easy, many were the cars examined, of different years and versions, in every part of Italy from North to South, until he met this GTL in 2010, put on sale by the then President of Confindustria of Avellino. Taking into account the general conditions of the car, the presence of the original stickers on the air filter, the aluminum plates bearing the various codes on the electrical system and positioned in other parts of the engine and of the mechanics, of the original carpet in the passenger compartment, of the state of the upholstery of the interior linings, this had been judged by the current owner a good “preserved” and therefore responding to the research parameters that he set to himself. To this day the car has not received any restoration work on the bodywork or mechanics, but only routine maintenance combined with all the love that one grants to a vintage car, especially if of such rank and rarity.
It is interesting to note the incorrect transcription of the car model on the vehicle registration document, which appeared as “Flaminia GT 4 3C”, corresponding as GT 2+2 3C (carburetors), the current owner has personally taken care correcting this discrepancy (the error seems to be due to the fact that “at that time” cars documents were filled in by hand by the employees of the motoring offices, often also at home, where family members occasionally participated in this work). But let’s continue to examine our protagonist, as we raise the bonnet and find the compact 6-cylinder with the huge air filter under which the three majestic Weber double-body carburetors breathe, on the two sides the oil cooler in vertical position and the brake servo. The two oil caps in chrome-plated steel are beautiful, one per bank, with the blue aluminum plate to remind us that every 6-7,000 km the oil and cartridge have to be changed. The engine compartment is large, everything is arranged in great order, thus making clear where every component can be easily identified and reached in normal maintenance operations.
The gearbox we are used to see directly connected to the powertrain, obviously is not visible as it is positioned at the back in a single block with the differential and the rear brakes, a refined technical device for a better weight distribution, grip and braking. In fact, looking inside the cockpit, it is impossible not to notice how the gear lever does not have the usual position on the tunnel, but is vertical almost to the side of the driver’s seat and in the lower part towards the floor forming an S to obtain an almost central position.
Driving involvement is very pleasant as confirmed by the owner.
“The engine is powerful with a warm and full sound typical of this 6-cylinder, on the other hand you can really enjoy the 150 horsepower delivered with the three Weber double-body carburetors. The gearbox is precise, it works well, at high rpm you can even feel the lack of a fifth gear. The grunt is brilliant, even uphill. Performances of the disc brakes are very good, the front ones on the wheels, the rear ones on the axle shafts of the gearbox/differential unit. Grip is excellent too, although not comparable to modern cars. Driving comfort is accentuated by excellent habitability, especially in height (the choice of the GTL was made precisely because of this feature). Visibility is good both front and rear with a clear definition of the dimensions in width and length, the seats with their shape look like armchairs, very different from those of the GT with a more sporty back. The steering is precise through curves, but a bit heavy at low speeds, where in fact the weight of the Flaminia (almost 14 quintals) comes into play, as the lack of power steering. It’s definitely not a car to use for mountain races, but a real grand tourer that makes you grind kilometers in full comfort.”
Properly correct is this last observation, as the Flaminia Superleggera was scarcely used in racing, compared to other coupes or even sedan versions. In 1961 in the Trieste Opicina, uphill race, the racing driver Bertoia defends himself well with his GT, but can’t overcome the Flaminia Zagatos and in 1964 at the Avezzano Monte Salviano uphill race, reporters of the time mention Pica’s race with the GT as an “opaque performance”.
The Flaminia Touring, in effect, was a more exclusive and luxurious coupe, which diversified precisely because of these characteristics from the Zagato models designed to race and from the Pininfarina coupes, very elegant and comfortable, but that looks more like a reduction in length of the sedan.
How to recognize the differences between the two Superleggera models? It is not difficult, in the GT, the interior has only two seats without a rear bench and from an external side view of the passenger compartment, it can be seen how the rear window is more inclined and the pillars narrower, moreover the rear lights of the first models have a reflector in the center, then replaced with reversing lights. The GTL model, very rare, was built in only 300 units with a 2.8 engine and 2 or 3 models with a 140 hp 2.5 engine, probably due to the engines left available. This model has been produced from 1963 to 1965, but continues to remain in the Lancia price list until 1968. The GT model was built starting from 1959 with a narrow 2.500 cc V6-cylinder engine with a single inverted twin-body carburetor, in 1962 the engine adopt a power supply consisting of 3 reversed double-body carburetors and from autumn 1963 as on all the Flaminia the new 2.8 V6 cylinder engine is fitted with 3 double inverted carburetors.
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