Lancia Lambda 'Julian Jane Special'

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This fascinating car will forever be linked to the man who conceived it, modified it, competed in it and drove it and then drove it some more – Julian Jane.

The son of a Professor and the pretty, successful, film actress Sybil Jane, his family was well connected to the point that his uncle started the ‘Janes Fighting Ships’ dynasty.

He was extremely dashing by all accounts, but was diagnosed with diabetes at an early age, fortunately for him shortly after the discovery of the positive affects of insulin. His illness prevented a war-time career – much to his disgust, Jane working as Personal manager for Lancia in Alperton during hostilities which kindled his love for the marque.

He decided to go it alone shortly after the war, although he was no natural businessman, setting up with Bob West Lancia fettler and Guy Griffiths, the well-known photographer. It was not a great success.

By this time, he had come across CUL 636, a short-chassis 1924 3rd Series Lambda which had been modified (cut ‘n shut being the standard Lambda term) by well-known fettlers Fotheringham-Parker in about 1929.

By 1948, Jane had fitted a special cross-flow cylinder head, designed and cast by the Brooklands Engineering co. They had made a batch of three, the other two having been damaged beyond repair by an air-raid in the Blitz. This special head differed from the normal European offerings, in that it had a flat face for high compression and extreme porting which included the mounting or two SU carburettors, one either sale of the engine. It also had direct outlets for the four exhaust ports, requiring the sporty twin-two-into-one systems that the car still wears to this day.

A detailed write-up in The Autocar ‘Talking of Sports Cars’ Series, outlines how the engine was modified with a Laystall crank with a shorter stroke and new pistons, which took the engine to under two-litres. In the sub-two-litre class, the car was extremely successful.

Between 1947 and 1952, Jane competed remorselessly, entering every event he could including Hill Climbs, Sprints, Track races and Trials of all varieties, in 1949 winning over 30 trophies and taking the VSCC Lycett Trophy that year.

Its career included racing at Goodwood in 1949 and later at Silverstone, as well as the full Hill Climb seasons at Bo’Ness, Prescott et al.

The only Lambda (that we know of-Ed) good for 100mph, development was constant, with the car changing from event to event depending on what was needed for the best result.

During this period, Jane and his wife had moved to a large rented house in Surrey, which they ran as a form of hotel, although it really doubled as a ‘party venue’ for the motoring set. Their regulars included all the great and the good, with notables such as Stirling Moss, Dudley Gahagan, Ivor Beub, Duncan Hamilton, George Abecassis, Mike Hawthorn and Colin Chapman becoming regular visitors to join in the fun and see the latest developments on the Lambda.

During this five or six years of constant activity, CUL 636 racked up more than 200,000 miles, but sadly the fun came to an untimely end following a freak accident while marshalling, Jane getting hit by a car which broke his leg. Complications bought on by his diabetes prevented it healing properly and it was not long before his exuberant driving style was curtailed and the Lambda fell into disuse.

Jane sold the car, which passed through the hands of Lancia’s Peterborough dealer. It then resurfaced in 1968 in a scrapyard in Ascot – discovered as a burnt-out wreck with the engine in the back. Lancia exponents Peter Wigglesworth and Gerald Batt were instrumental in saving it, the car changing hands a few times more before Gerald took it back under his wing, restoring it to Jane’s original specification, in which form you see it today.

Universally known within Lancia Motor Club circles, with Goodwood history, period photos, detailed write-ups in The Autocar, the inaugural edition of Auto Italia magazine and the recent publication called 'Lancias in Britain', this highly important Lancia is part of Britain’s motorsport heritage and as such, deserves to be seen out and about once more.

Plans for the Lambda’s 100th Anniversary run to Fobello in 2021 are well underway and those lovely people at Goodwood are always especially pleased to see a car that raced there in period, all of which will ensure that the lucky new owner of CUL 636 will never get bored!

AMENDMENT: Bidders are advised that the car has been running and driving nicely since its arrival onsite.