Sandwiched between Lancia’s fabulously competitive Stratos and its rules-orphaned Delta S4 was one of the maker’s more successful efforts in Group B: the project known as SE037. Representing a fusion of ideas from Lancia, Abarth, Pininfarina, and chassis constructor Dallara, the first 037s began their careers in 1982 as rear-engined, featherweight rally cars. That initial season was less than successful, but under FIA “Evolution” rules, manufacturers were encouraged toward continued development, with a scant requirement of only 20 homologated examples (stradale, or street), cars per “evo”. Lancia wasted no time enlarging the supercharged four-cylinder Abarth/Lampredi engine, fitting it with a new intake manifold, and improving the supercharger housing. The car – already weighing less than a ton – was put on another diet. The efforts paid off, as Lancia won the constructor’s championship in 1983. Today’s featured car exited the factory as a stradale, ordered new by Spaniard José Bernardo Cardín and fitted with a race engine from the outset. The car was rallied extensively into the 1980s, then converted in 1986 to Evo II specifications by Lancia’s Rally Service Department. Serious racing reconvened until 1989, when it was retired. Cardin began to use the car again in 2014, participating in historic rallies. He sold it to its second owner in 2021. Gooding Christie’s will auction this well-prepared, well-documented historic rally car on August 14th, at its Pebble Beach event. The estimate is $900,000 to $1.2 million. Araknid78, you’re on my wavelength – thanks for the tip!
The first 037 engines were based on Aurelio Lampredi’s 2.0-liter iron block/alloy head Tipo 232 AR4 four-cylinder. Conformed for dry-sump lubrication and supplied with a single twin-choke Weber, Marelli electronic ignition, and an Abarth R10 Roots Volumetric supercharger, this engine produced about 205 hp. It was mounted longitudinally in the car’s rear, flanked by two gas tanks, with power brought to the rear wheels by a ZF five-speed transaxle. Brembo brake discs were fitted at all four corners. The later Evo II saw displacement enlarged to 2.1 liters; coupled with the aforementioned technical improvements, the engine’s output jumped to 325 hp.
Lancia was rarely flush with cash, even after its acquisition by Fiat. Consequently, the car’s interior was made of cloth and plastic, with no concession to luxury whatsoever. The footprint of this car’s serious racing history is evident from the instrumentation available to the pilot and co-pilot. A few interesting details stand out – the odd holder for the single pencil still present in front of the navigator’s seat, the Abarth-labelled steering wheel decked with a Lancia center badge, the very original handbrake.
The easiest way to tell an Evo II from its older sibling is the lack of a rear bumper – part of the weight-saving measures that deposited the 037 onto the podium so many times in 1983. The body itself was designed by Pininfarina and fabricated from composite materials; the chassis was tubular aluminum. Pepperpot wheels, a staggered stance, and eight headlamps – could it be anything but a rally car? A surprising number of 037s have found their way to market over the last few years. The bona fide race cars have rarely found homes, while the stradale versions – innocent of ice, mud, or gravel – typically sell in the $500k area. I’m in Monterey for the auctions this week; I’ll post a follow-up once I lay my own eyes on this beast.
Well, since my grandpa didn’t invent the safety pin, good ol’ lottery,,,here goes,,,1 Liberty Bell,,,2 Liberty Bells,,looking good,, oh, oh, I mean, 3 Liberty Bells, whoo-hoo, clerk: congratulations Mr. Howard, now can I just see the ticket,,me: um,,no.
As I near the end, lived a pretty good life. Adequate income, but nothing ever given to me. The “other half”, that are attracted to these items, I’m sorry, I( and many others) worked our fool heads off, and could never afford this. Somewhere down the line these folks received a windfall of money, and this is what they do with it. Would I be any different? Probably not.
In my old age, I’d much prefer that money to go to a Lear Jet, which they probably already have, and kicks is kicks, none more evident than right here. I think this thing would be exhilarating, to say the least. Never been on an actual race track, and looks like I never will, except, wait,,,1 Liberty Bell,,,
Beautifully executed , post world rally champions , Lancia! Viva Italia! The Lampredi engine was well ahead of its time with Lancia in competition with its main competitor, Ferrari ….not Audi , Subaru or other rally companies. Ferrari should have purchased Lancia ! Enzo knew they had Lampredi ; keen engine competitor! Just more great history demanding market pricing!
Beautifully executed , post world rally champions , Lancia! Viva Italia! The Lampredi engine was well ahead of its time with Lancia in competition with its main competitor, Ferrari ….not Audi , Subaru or other rally companies. Ferrari should have purchased Lancia ! Enzo knew they had Lampredi ; keen engine competitor! Just more great history demanding market pricing!
I’m lucky in that I got to see Group B in the flesh – in the forests.
I think that Lancia started off with the Beta Montecarlo, but by this point there was very little of it left.
Really the only thing left from a stock Montecarlo was the passenger cell and doors; everything fore and aft of that in any 037 was completely custom-fabricated and different from any Montecarlo on the street.
The 037 is basically what ultimately became of the original X1/8 project that Fiat had commissioned from Pininfarina, after it got forked into the X1/20 project when Fiat decided to market it as a Lancia and give it the Lancia Beta’s transverse FWD powertrain mounted in the rear (same trick they’d pulled with the Bertone-commissioned X1/9 using the 128 powertrain).
The X1/8 project had a longitudinal powertrain and effectively continued under Abarth in parallel with the X1/20 under Lancia; this evolved into the Fiat Abarth 030 using a longitudinal V6 derived from the Fiat 130, of which two were built to compete in the Giro d’Italia (one actually raced, the other was a backup/display car), which in turn ultimately evolved further into the 037.
American enthusiasts have little knowledge of Lancia, which hasn’t sold cars in America for about half a century. Europeans are more aware of the make and its competition success. Seeing one of these or a Stratos in this country is remarkably rare. When I joined the American Lancia Club, they sent me a member directory with a list by state. In Colorado, I was the only member!
George Petito and doc18015
Are y’all clones, making the same comments at 7:24 AM?
@BarnFinds guys, do you have bots as members?
Beautiful cars, it would be fantastic to rip around the backroads in something like this. Check out “Kimera” for restomods and their own interpretation of what the 037 would have become. Stellar stuff, at a stellar price.
Love these Lancia’s just wish i had the money to buy it.as it stans i have to make do with my Zagato.lol
the days of the kiler bees monsters the best time in rally
As an owner of a GP4 bodied Lister Bell Lancia Stratos, I APPROVE! The 037 may not have had a sexy name, but it is one hell of a thing. Man, I’d love to add this to the stable.
This must be a real hoot to drive in anger on a track. I don’t think I would try that on the street; cops would see and hear this thing a mile away lol.
more sentiments in the later : Delta Integrale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UD_X5uS22I
NOW that wasa rally car (record breaker)
You could drive down the st. Designed as a world car (dodge Omni in merica, the rabbit for germany, etc) it changed a race category forever (well the ford RS200 did so to an even greater extent w/all the deaths).
I was in front of this car today over at Gooding. It is smaller than I thought! Here’s a couple more photos, one proving the enduring usefulness of zip ties.
Good grief. A hinge pin could not be sourced or made, for a car of this potential value?
Interior
And engine. Two gas filler necks, one under the engine lid the other outside, no idea if they both work.
Nice write-up Michelle. As usual, I learned a few things. And thanks for the acknowledgement
Did not sell at auction
Asking Price
$950,000