Here’s a Lancia Stratos like no other. ‘The Duck’, as it became affectionately known, boasts an extraordinary period American road-racing competition history, comprising multiple entries in the Daytona 24 Hours, 12 Hours of Sebring and 6 Hours of Watkins Glen. It was campaigned in the FIA World Sportscar Championship, IMSA GT Championship and SCCA Trans-Am Championship. And it has the very best Stratos history file we have ever encountered, including original invoices from its conversion to Group IV specification in 1977 and Arutunoff’s handwritten notes from throughout its competition career.

After falling into a sad state of disrepair in recent decades, we were entrusted by the Lancia’s new owner with overseeing a long-overdue restoration to its former competition glory. We’re thrilled to report the project is progressing at a satisfying rate of knots. In our last update we reported on the milestone moment when the comprehensively rebuilt engine was fired for the first time and tested on the dyno. Since then, preparations have been made primarily to the chassis and bodyshell in advance of receiving the engine.

The next stage was to send the chassis for cataphoresis. This electrochemical surface treatment is carried out to protect the metal. While it would not have been applied in period, it will be entirely undetectable after the car has been painted and effectively prevent any future corrosion. Following the cataphoresis, the Stratos’ chassis was sent to the body-shop for a final fit, before primer and paint. After the correct base layer of black, the particular shade of yellow was colour matched using period paint unearthed when the chassis was stripped.

A raft of the car’s refurbed systems have been installed including the complete suspension assembly, the steering rack, the pedal box, the brakes, the radiator and cooling fans. Next step: install the engine and resuscitate ‘The Duck’ for good.

It’s important to note the brief for this project is not to restore ‘The Duck’ to ‘as-new’ condition. This Lancia’s storied racing history is so fundamental to its identity that to wipe all signs of its use would, we feel, be misjudged. As such, the plan is to maintain these benign signs of use while comprehensively overhauling the mechanical condition of the car, safeguarding its future for years to come.

Photos: Gabriele Natalini for Girardo & Co.