Fulvia buying checklist

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veglia
Posts: 1
Joined: 22 Jan 2023, 11:50

Fulvia buying checklist

Unread post by veglia »

Good day everyone! This is my first post on the forum. Recently I saw a local car shop importing 1st series Fulvia in fantastic condition and immediately fell in love with the car. I never knew of existence of this model. I have been doing research and found lots of info around the web, to be honest there is so much.
I would like to know if there is on the forum, or somewhere else, a "to-go" checklist and cheat sheet for buying a Fulvia?
I understand that I should be checking the numbers (didn't find detailed guide on this one) and rust is one of the common problems which needs to be inspected properly.
I'm not planning to buy one until I am sure I have enough knowledge. I would be going for cheaper models like series 2 1.3s, Coupé 3 or one of the cheaper models from series 1. I'm located in Croatia and I would prefer searching for one nearby which means north of Italy so I can bring my mechanic for inspection (I can reach towns in north Italy in few hours of driving so it is practical for me to go there and drive back the car).
Appreciate all the points you can share for a beginner and apologies if I am asking for something already answered.
bmarler
Posts: 110
Joined: 22 Dec 2008, 17:33

Re: Fulvia buying checklist

Unread post by bmarler »

there doesn't seem to be much action here on the forum these days. i'm surprised that there's been no response at all to your question. i think you will find a fulvia is a fantastic choice if you find the right one. there are quite a few different variants so do some research to narrow down what you think suits you best. obviously rust is the biggest enemy of these cars, so finding one that's already been addressed might be what you should look for, even if you pay a little more.
they tend to rust in the sills and behind the front wheels. especially in the subframe mount area behind and inboard of the front wheels. look for cracking at the tops of the wheel arches too. those develop when the subframe mounts are failing. also look close at the rear spring mountings at the rear of the car. there could be rust issues there too. some cars may have aluminum opening panels, so be aware that there could be some corrosion issues where the alloy skin meets steel framing.
series one cars have a four speed gearbox, series two have a five. final drive is one to one regardless, so no overdrive, just closer ratio.
the car should accelerate well, be smooth all the way through the rpm range. they make good power in the upper rpm range as well as making lovely sound. braking should be very good, and track straight. there should be no torque steer, or pulling when on or off the throttle. if there is some pulling in those circumstances it's usually a sign of track rod wear, ball joint play, or steering box play. all of these are relatively easy to remedy, and parts are available from a few sources.
if the car is set up properly, the steering should be light and precise. too big of a tire size can cause heavy steering, and low profile tires make for a more harsh ride. incorrect shocks make a harsh ride as well. if you stick to the factory recommendations on tires and shocks, and the springs are in good condition, the car will be a delight to drive.
some series one cars had 13 inch wheels, and tires for those sizes are limited. the 14 inch on series two may be easier to get.
have patience when looking for the right car, and look closely at it for previous repairs. if repairs to the body have been done, ask to see documentation or pictures of the process so you see it was done right. many times people will try to hide a damaged car with shiny paint, or slathered on underseal.
good luck to you!
Huib
Site Admin
Posts: 1778
Joined: 17 Dec 2008, 10:12

Re: Fulvia buying checklist

Unread post by Huib »

Well, what you say is correct. Over the years some has to be added. The quality of the cars was (and is) so good that many could survive 50 years of neglect and still resemble a car. They even drive.

The crack over the front wheels is caused by metal fatigue as the steel may be bending and unbending. One of the causes is bad sills / bad outriggers of the subframe or bad subframe rubbers (or even worse: subframe rubbers not from the same batch). Even strong vibration of CVJ's / wheels etc may cause it. The inner wheel arch is not elastic. If the outer part has cracked the inner part has cracked too.

After 50 years the silent blocs and all rubber parts in the suspension have to be replaced. Usually they are still the original ones. Often the car is no longer straight. Driving it too long with bad sills causes it to warp, bend, twist (or whatever the english words are). It is a good idea to have a computer print out of the wheel geometry. Toe is adjustable on the car. Camber and caster are not adjustable. They must be within tolerances. Wheel base left and right must be equal within a mm.

If wheels and or steering wheel are not original, I become suspicious. It is often a sign that the owner was more busy with his ego than with the car. Same for other non original things.

Humans are unstable. They walk on two legs and the weight is over the pelvis. They need lots of computing power to stay up right and move quickly. The computing power is not only in the brain. Study the bones. The bones are function generators. The same is true for a Fulvia. The weight of the car is on the upper wishbone. That is unstable. The bottom wishbone is there to keep the swivel in position. The heart of the subframe is formed by the highly precise subframe towers, the three crossmembers, suspension, steering, engine, gearbox. The car is placed on top of the aluminium towers. That is also unstable. The large frame at the bottom is there to keep the towers upright. To me the whole Fulvia looks like a mechanical computer. The basic design was made by professor Antonio Fessia in 1946 / 1947. Top years for mechanical computers. Fire control and bomb aiming computers during WW2 were mechanical systems. High precision is the key.

https://youtu.be/wv2qwdq--Zw
Unstable but precise and fast.
Huib
Site Admin
Posts: 1778
Joined: 17 Dec 2008, 10:12

Re: Fulvia buying checklist

Unread post by Huib »

I do have one S2 coupé for sale. I restored it fully 20 years ago and did a full service job 3 years ago. The car is well taken care off. Just turn the key and drive anywhere.
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