New Fulvia owner

[jogo48]

I'll keep this reply short.

I was 'given' a wonderful Lancia 2000 in the late 70's, for $ 600 because a friend, a Gypsy Band Leader
(RIP) hated it. By the way, he had fantastic Band, now lead by his Grandson !!!

He had to have the motor rebuilt (probably very poorly) 2 x under-guarantee in his 1st year of ownership.

Then he had to pay for the 3d rebuild himself. I got a copy of the paid-invoice when I bought the car; it was 4x what I was to pay. That was on the same day he picked it up from the shop !!!

He wasn't very happy, but he had to get rid of it before he set it on fire.
He told me it was the only one in Germany, since Lancia 2000's weren't sold in Germany.
How, why or where he bought it, I can't remember.
It was a dream. It drove like a dream. I looked very dowdy & not many of my friends liked it ! I didn't care.

I drove it only in-sunshine, on short-trips, no in-town traffic jams etc - just like it was made of diamonds & gold - for years & never had a problem. For years I wondered why so much luxury had no a/c.

Then I sold it to a friend, because he insisted I sell it to him, He was the only friend who always loved it.
He took it to the shop that had done the rebuild & had it serviced.
I had done no maintenance, not ever even changing the oil since I bought (stole) it.
Total km in the ytime I owned it - perhaps 6,000.
My now ex-friend had pto have the motor rebuild; 1 month later.
As Lancia Flaminia & Gamma owners will attest to, the Lancia flat 4 is/was a very sensitive motor & never never should be be driven hard when cold.
He must have driven hard cold.
Some years later I saw it on a flat-bed going to a recycle-yard; the motors / trans were worth a lot of $ because they were aluminum.

By then the car had developed (what else could be expected in N. Europa) major-rust-cancer & was beyond saving. I never saw 200er in Germany until 2006 (Lancia Club Meeting) & have never even seen one on the road in Italy.

The ones that pop-up for sale in Italy seem to all be low mileage "old-man" cars & are not expensive

Part 2: 20 sumthin years later. I , driving on a country road north of Treviso, enroute to (USAF) Aviano Airbase, passed a car-dealership. "Oh my God I said loudly, what is this? " A stunning exhibition of Gulietta Spyders parked under circus-tent-like roofs in the middle of nowhere. Anthony, my co-driver woke up thinking something terrible had occured !
I turned around, parked & we went through the gate to oogle. Anthony passed out !

The Boss came out of his office & we all proceeded to converse - in many languages - for several hours.
He explained everything about every car, opened every car, showed us literally pounds of service records for each & every car. Every minute of every cars life was documented..
We (having, by now, forgotten we had a contract to fulfill at the Airbase) - Anthony the American & John the American - were in Heaven.
We were sad to hear that the only owner of these cars had recently died. We were told "old Italians never sell their cars & young Italians think that 'old cars' are 'only old cars'.

But, someday they will wish they didn't sell them all to foreigners ! In the meantime I have family to feed

The next afternoon we were back (Airbase contract completed) with an Italian friend (Fabio) - who had just said - in a loud voice - "what do you want me to do this morning ? ; go look at a bunch of old cars ? Don't you think I should stay in my factory & work etc etc "
Soon, he was saying things like, I'll talk to my father & my banker .. I'll put them (2 Alfas) on the company books, depreciate them off, over 5 years; & then by them cheap from my company & save a lot of tax.
He did. We didn't.

The Dealer showed A & J 2 far less expensive Lancia 2000 Quattroporte, from the same collection.

"Buy the silver 1 or buy the white 1 - they are 20 + years old & still 100% new. They have 1 year guarantee - for the right buyer - someone who knows how to take care of them.
They are the best Lancia 2000 in the world.

Pay 50% when you buy; bring hundreds of extra dollars (in Lire) & some days of patience, because the paperwork is a nightmare.
Pay the rest when you want to, but pay. Total cost for both is 25% higher then for one.

Buy both; collect them with a big trailer. Drive them back here when you need a service. Decide quickly".

Fabio said, "I'll give him the Lire tomorrow if you want, because you are not carrying around so much cash.
My father can handle the rest, he is a Judge.

At the time the price was about $ 4000 ! For both !!!!! + the money needed to transfer the titles..

I said; I'll call you from Brescia...we got to get to Gheddi (US Airbase), near Brescia today, Vicenza (US Army) tomorrow & then Livorno (US Army / Navy) in 2 days.1 day in the Brescia office, before we go to Napoli (Navy). By the time we return to Brescia we will know what to do & how to schedule getting back here quickly to sign, transport etc etc.

The next day I stopped into see my friends at Luzzago. The were going to shoot me, for me, if I went back to (a competitor) Battiglia to buy 1 or 2 Lancia 2000.
That is when I was offered the Alfa 200, which I still have, in Brescia.

I went past Battiglia some month later - once again enroute to Aviano.

I had the money, in Lire. I didn't stop. I was really waffeling ! I didn't look back ,more than 25 times.

Part 3: To this day I am glad I didn't stop & mad that I didn't stop .

Had I bought them, I'm sure I wouldn't own 2 flat four Gamma's today...which are wonderful.
Nor a Fulvia Zagato S2, which I hope to not see again until spring 2008.
It is still sitting inside, in a dry corner of the shop that recently installed the 'very-narrow' sports seats, because the original seats didn't seem very safe to me (nor comfortable), nor compatible to harness belts.

When I was there last Satúrday, I couldn't get near it. The shop had just been given a project to restore
dozens of old motorcycles & my car was trapped. They said, 'come back in a few months'; we will wash & wax it for you before you drive it away ...but don't bother us until spring !!! I said 'OK !'

Had I bought the Lancia 2000's I'd have saved a lot of $, because they were so so so cheap.
& because I wouldn't have bought 3 (1 has been stripped for parts, for the other 2) Gamma's.

Over 1 year after not buyíng them, I stopped in BAAattiglia again - to see what was what.

1 Lancia had been sold locally & the Dealer decided to keep the 2d one himself.

Funny, I was there again last week. We chatted !

He now sells 50's/ 60's / 70's Caddilacs; Buicks, Lincons, Galaxie 500's etc - that all look absolutely new: They were imported to Italy & sold when new.
Plus RR / Jags & many fancy old English Cars I've never seen before.

He told me that he can't find any good older Italian cars anymore...they are all sold 5 minutes after they are put on Internet. Mostly to Holland !

He also said " yes, I still have the Lancia 2000 - at home in the Garage" . I was happy for him & the car !


Randy Adams wrote:
>
> Terrific, and very funny, story. By "Lancia 2000," do
> you mean the final Flavia model? Was it so bad? We never
> got it here in the States.

[jogo48]

o' yes, your question: The last & least weird looking Flavia wasn't called Flavia any longer. It was the 2000.

Glad you liked the story.

Sorry for the bad spleeing. I know that 'buy' isn't 'by' & visa-versa.

& That BAAattiglia has too many AAA's. It is late & night & I am tired. Good Night

[Randy Adams]

And yet another excellent story. I am glad to hear that there's nothing wrong with the 2000. Yes, the aluminum engines like to warm up to their correct shape before you ask them to do much.

[tim]

Jojo

Where can I get the pills you are on......

Tim