Buying Advice

[Vive les Fulvia]

Hi Guys,

I was pointed in this direction for some advice on buying a Fulvia Coupe. I live in Germany and have found a Series 1 Coupe. I have attached some pictures. The interior looks in good shape but my main interest is the structural integrity. Obviously corrosion can be a problem, like most car from this era, and that the rear subframe and chassis legs, the space between the front panel and the wing, sills and floor pan need to be checked.

The dealer bought it at an auction so has no information on the cars history etc. I want to ask the seller for some photos and would like your advice on any other points.

Thank you in advance and looking forward becoming more involved in the forum.

[bmarler]

hello and welcome.
the car looks very tidy in the pictures. the s1 cars are so nice when they haven't been modified, and this one seems to fit that description. of course, without good underside or engine pictures it is impossible to tell if there's any issues. and there's no substitute for a pre-purchase inspection either by yourself or someone familiar with fulvia. the vin plate should match the number stamped in the bonnet gutter, so check that.
all of the usual old car things apply, smoky exhaust, pulling to the side during braking, hard starting, etc are things to be investigated before buying so you know what to expect going forward. too bad there are no records, as the car has certainly seen some maintenance.
if the car has been sitting for a while, it may take a little cranking to get the carb bowls full of fuel, so don't be surprised about that.
a good set of pictures with the car on a lift would be a good place to start. as well as the numbers of the engine.
good luck,

[Huib]

I agree with bmarler.

Nice car with the original combination of body colour and interior.

The VIN is from 1966. I notice the wheel caps are 1969 but that is small beer.

[Vive les Fulvia]

Thank you both for your responses. I viewed the car and decided against taking the plunge. The pictures did flatter it a little, especially the interior. The door panels were saggy and will need renovating at some point. The heater levers had evidence of coolant around them. I do take into consideration that these are 50yr old cars.

The exterior paint was in the main good but there was a slight rust bubble on the rear nearside wheel arch and one forming around the corner of the rear window. The rubbers around the front and rear windows were splitting slightly. Managed to poke around the underside and there were a few areas around the bulkhead and floor pan that felt a little soft. The car started and sounded like it had a slight miss fire, didn't get to drive because the dealer mentioned that the head gasket was replaced in Feb.

[Huib]

Understandable. Some work is unavoidable on a car over 50 years old but sometimes it adds up.

[Fvfrancisco]

Looking for a Lancia Fulvia 1.3 S engine