Lancia Z20-CL 51
27 December 2012
http://www.heavymotorsmagazi=
ne.net/en/2012/12/27/lancia-z20-cl-51-2/
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The parties organized by the National Alpini always
offer a warm embrace, the inhabitants of the cities that host the event from
time to time, an embrace with enthusiasm and affection, which in some cases
involves hundreds of thousands of people. Recently, we have seen that the
opening of the show, is preceded by vintage vehicles, specifically selected=
by
ASI Automotoclub Italian Historical and Museum “Bonfanti-VIMAR”=
, to
which the Organizing Committee usually entrusted the task . Among immense
crowds of people can be seen parading, a rare Guzzi Trialce, a glorious FIAT
15b, a 18BL, a rare Ansaldo autocarretta of 1932, and other vehicles all
important from the point of view of history, for with regard to the military
history of motorization our country, but among all these relics, you often =
see
a Lancia CL51 1957, restored with which it is worth talking about not only
because the protagonist in these festive occasions, as well as for its
exceptional off-road, and refined as the futuristic mechanical.
The Italian army in 1948 is found to have a very o=
ld
fleet, consisting largely of vehicles that took part in the military
operations, for the most part left in our country by the allied armies. Bor=
n by
the operational departments demand to modernize the fleet, and in this resp=
ect
the military engineers devise several notices rich in details the
specifications to which the manufacturers must comply vehicle design.
The call for tenders for the award of the first batch of light trucks is re=
ady
at the beginning of 1951, it is customary to call the military the vehicles
with an acronym that includes the letters that identify the class and the
numbers that distinguish ‘ year in which it was started the construct=
ion.
Born the first CL 51, Carro Leggero 1951, the hous=
es
were awarded the supply were the OM, Lancia and Autobianchi.
But while the OM produced the Leoncino 4×4, clone of Leoncino with the
addition of front wheel drive and the adoption of a four-cylinder gasoline
engine of derivation “tractor market”, Autobianchi started the
production of Fiumaro, off-road truck with a frame and OM original engine a=
nd
bodywork derived dall’Autobianchi “Visconti” small road
product from the house of Desio, while the Lancia tried his hand in the des=
ign
and subsequent construction of a truck specifically for military use.
At the hands of the engineer. De Virgilio, already=
the
father of other important projects Lancia, born models already equipped with
Z20 and Z21 body frame to be allocated to external fitters. Signed Z20 or Z=
21,
if version truck or chassis intended for external body, was built more than
three thousand copies, all with walk-in metal production Lancia, Viberti or=
CAB
(Aeronautical Constructions Bergamo, ed.) From the Viberti are many project
proposals, and some prototype vehicles of support, such as ambulances,
reconnaissance vehicles, and tactical vehicles, all produced in single copy=
or
at least on a small scale. The only variant built in a large number of
vehicles, 868 units to be exact, was the model Z30, better known as TL 51.
Recognized the merits of this small Lancia, the army did indeed prepare a
specific version for the artillery actually called TL, different version of=
the
common axle ratio shorter than that jeopardized the maximum speed turning in
favor of the off-road capability, equipped with a pneumatic braking device =
for
the trailer, and of a powerful mechanical winch, essential accessories for
towing and the subsequent launch of the artillery pieces. Production starte=
d in
1951 and ended in 1963, models produced after 1959 were called
“200″ instead of “Z20″. The two strengths that decr=
eed
the success of Lancia were raised due to the characteristics of low power a=
nd
torque of the engine, a four-cylinder V-angle and narrow rods with dry sump
lubrication, from 2534 cc. capable of delivering 58 Hp to 3200 rev / min.,
coupled to a 5-speed gearbox with synchronized gearbox also synchronized, w=
ith
which it is possible to act even with the vehicle in motion. THE transmitti=
ng
the motion to change the transfer case that in the case of TL had two
take-offs, a compressor that supplied air to the brakes of the trailer, the
other to operate the winch needed for the launch of the guns. The ladder-fr=
ame
chassis and pressed steel sleepers supported the mechanical parts, the cab =
and
the body, as well as the anchors for the rear axle semi-elliptic leaf spring
suspension, and the group of front suspension, independent wishbone suspens=
ion
which is provided by springs coil. The bridge contained the rear rigid axle
differential with a locking device, while the front differential transmitti=
ng
motion to the wheels by means of two axle shafts with universal joints. Dri=
ving
on the road under normal conditions allowed to reach a top speed of nearly
eighty km / h for the wagon version and a little more than sixty artillery
tractor version with a decent ride comfort, thanks to the front suspension
independent . The mechanism was protected by guards and sleds were screened=
and
the electrical system is that this vehicle could move easily over any road
surface and deal smoothly fords up to eighty centimeters. Despite the refin=
ed
execution of the Z20 and mechanical versions similar displayed a high degre=
e of
robustness and reliability, only true handicapp, the consumption which in s=
ome
cases running in extreme conditions, reached values of 30/32 liters per 100=
km.
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