B20GT Outlaw

"Fuorilegge" 1954 Lancia GT20 custom rebuilt by Thornley Kelham

Lancia’s ground-breaking B20GT was launched in 1951 and was full of engineering innovation, later to be dubbed the world’s first Gran Turismo. Over the following 7 years, Lancia produced 6 series, the first two being two litre cars and subsequent versions 2.5 litres. Within weeks of launch, the car showed its prowess on the toughest competitive events such as Le Mans, the Mille Miglia and the Carrera Panamericana. A total of just over 3800 examples were produced. Thornley spent 3 years restoring the most famous Lancia Aurelia of all, Giovanni Bracco’s Mille Miglia / Le Mans Series 1, chassis B20-1010, to its authentic original specification. The car was meticulously researched and painstakingly restored by a dedicated team to its original specification as it appeared at the start of the 1951 Carrera Panamericana, and ways on stage at Pebble Beach in 2014. Along the way Thornley learnt a huge amount about Lancia’s innovation and development programme which included lowering the roofline of the Bracco car in June 1951. When Thornley was approached to develop an ‘Outlaw’ Aurelia, bringing together all his Lancia experience with a new set of ideas to create a unique interpretation of one of the world’s great cars, he jumped at the chance. That car became the inspiration and the Godfather of the Outlaw project, incorporating the innovative features adopted by the ex-Bracco Aurelia, and applied to the 21st century Outlaw. A combination of the owner’s vision and Thornley Kelham’s experience and creativity. This kind of job can be well considered a blasphemy by a lot of classic car estimators, but the result is definitely something really cool… Giovanni de Virgilio, son of Francesco de Virgilio who designed the Aurelia V6 engine, married into the Lancia family and often regarded as the father of the Aurelia project, had the following to say about the ‘Outlaw’: “In summary it's a very purposeful and realistic car that Gianni Lancia could have built for a friend”… 

Main specs - BODYWORK: Front and rear wings widened. 'Nardi' bonnet scoop. Roof line lowered c. 3 inches. Roof ‘deguttered’. Front indicators eliminated (incorporated into headlamps). External Monza style fuel filler cap (FIA approved). Rear lamps B20GT Series 2 style, incorporating indicators. Internal body stiffening to rear arches, B-post, seat bulkheads and parcel shelf. MECHANICAL: Rear and front axles altered to gain negative camber for better handling. Custom made 'sleeve in sleeve' propshaft (Aston Martin style) - no vibration. Lancia Flaminia 2.5 3C engine and transaxle used, replacing original Aurelia drive train. Engine bored to 2.8 litres + fuel injection conversion. Cylinder heads ported and polished, lightly skimmed. Hotter camshaft. Bespoke design free-flowing exhaust manifolds and exhaust system with Lambda sensors. Bespoke aluminium air box. Disc brakes all round (inboard at rear) - billet callipers and vented disc conversion. Left hand drive conversion with optional rack + pinion conversion to steering. Underslung bespoke 'Tilton' pedal assembly. Dual circuit hydraulic brakes, adjustable brake bias to rear. Modified pedal box Bespoke aluminium radiator incorporating oil cooler. Bespoke aluminium competition fuel tank with fuel injection pumps. Electric water pump. Hydraulic clutch conversion with full hydraulic clutch release bearing. Lowered suspension. Revised damping. INTERIOR: Full Connolly aniline leather interior with bespoke quilting. Alcantara headlining. Extensive sound deadening throughout cabin. Wood rimmed competition steering wheel. Fully built in bespoke roll cage. FIA approved four point safety harnesses. Porsche 356 Speedster aluminium front seats.

Thornley Kelham - South Cerney (Gloucestershire), UK