Lancia Report - in Pieces

[fulvia a.i.]

After not getting hit for writing Pert 1 - I submit:

Pert II - Fulvia Coupe
as commented on by our Super-Heroes from Got Ham City


Oh Hey!! JeepersGollyKazammm Batman - look !!!!!

There really is a long low sleek spiffy less-intelligent Fulvia, the Fulvia Coupe !!!

Every nice „on the road“ Fulvia Coupe has a Story.
Some Stories are known, from Day 1 to Day Now, Some Stories are Murky, some Stories are Total-Fiction & some Stories are Totally Unknown; the latter of which is understandable so many years after production-end.

me says, as do many Fulvisti !!!
Q: why would someone pay more money for a smaller (than Berlina) Fulvia ?
A: see below

„Fulvia C“ - probably most desirable & affordable small GT on World Market, both back when & today !;
with „super-special-benefits“ in an already overall superb Fulvia Packet … honestly.; for a smallish Coupe anyway !!! No Matter what John Bond of Road & Track said in the early 70’s !

*Fulvia C can (in a pinch) carry 4 persons + bitta luggage … but please don’t !

Therefore there is at least a SLIGHT degree of practical praticality in owning a tiny Fulvia C; in case you need an excuse !!! Don't forget ... good Gas-Mileage ... obviously Great-Owner-Intelligence & Class !!!

& besides – Fulvia C has not aged in the last 30+ years – at all !!

Fulvia C was & still remains „cutting-edge“ beautiful, sharp & modern - in spite of tiny white wheels with skinny tires on earlier models! – which may add to its charm ?

Fulvia C have Vino-Rosso Blood & Benzina-Fueled Italo-Pedigree; a Mystical Historical Aura, an very honorable Race & Ralley Historica & besides, are Cute to Boot !!

Still, relatively few Fulvia C have survived the ravages of years, road, sun, salt, snow….but why are there not more survivors ?

Once Again it is DayJayVuTimeAllOverAgain - i.e. - you may have read this somewhere else before !!

Cost to restore a Fulvia C too often would have exceeded – back-then - & still would exceed - back-now – any realistic market value - by an extra Xtra-Large Factor !

Cost to restore a Fulvia C to Pristine-Condition - nowadays - could be 3 or 4x (or more) than anyone anywhere would be willing to pay for it... after the restoration. Wholly Yikes Batman; I’ll walk !!

I therefore assume that many Fulvia C were – back then - driven until they simply fell apart; which in wet climates, could have been rather quickly & no one thought about saving them. I understand !

SIDE-NOTE: Some Auto-Restorations are Sometimes Just-Amazingly-Senseless-Projects !
OK, you already knew that !
Many Austin / Inno Mini, 2CV, Fiat 500/600, VW Beetle et al are being restored these days…for Big Money … far exceeding value of finished project !!!
However, if those involved in these Projects are happy, in spite of divorce, overdrawn bank-accounts, cost-overruns, (often) shabby work, it is fine with me! Yikes Robin, where are our Roller-Skates !

in qualsiasi situazione: some nice Fulvia B & many nice Fulvia C are findable at affordable prices.
More (I think) are findable in O'rrible-Condition; often with rust-related problems-zones hidden under shiny paint & tons of black tar.
Not four-getting other hidden-death-traps common to 60s Lancia ! Yikes Batman, lets take a Bus !!

Fulvia C is the Fulvia everyone (who cares about such things) remembers.
STILL, there is not really a great demand for „standard / everyday“ Fulvia C; since (I guess) they are ... what ???... still too-available ??? to be Rare Precious Beautiful ???

I know that it is quite a different situation for the much more rare 1.6, Rallye, HF, MC Models. Yes, a Fulvia C with a real „Historical-Record“ can be ‚mighty-expensive“ to buy, maintain, drive.

However, I’d guess the demand isn’t very high; since for that money... ahem…perhaps some other Italo GT, with a bit more uuummmpppfff, could be an option ????? & 1/2 as much fun !

As I've said before....
I feel that S1 Fulvia C might be the „1 to buy“, if a Buyer takes time to find the right S1; but - I also feel that it would be a mistake for a buyer to not buy a good S2 or S3, if a S2 or S3 was found at the right price prior to finding the right S1 ! Do you follow me ? Not, that I am looking for a S1, S2 or S3, myself !

S1 – skinny little white steel wheels with chrome hub-caps, highlighting the lovely chrome-trim-package
Very narrow tires; which I’ve been told „work-well“ !!
S2 / S3 – nicer ? fatter larger styled-steel wheels:light-metal wheel option; far less chrome; sits higher than S1 ? According to some sources - the Fiat Fulvia C S3 was an "improved-Model". I don't know !
In any case it had white dials & rugs ! Yipeee Batman !!

As in 60’s & 70’s, the Fulvia C Market enywhere / everywhere is limited to those persons who appreciate what they receive for money invested. Demand may be low because there have been so so / too too many hidden-rust Fulvia C „pawned-off on unsuspecting-buyers“, so that almost any potential buyer would be / is afraid to even look at or look for a Fulvia C.

I'd love to have a Fulvia C, but (the question is) which other of my non-Fulvia Lancia would I sacrifice to justify owning still another Fulvia ? Answer: ask Batman & Robin ha ha ha laffs the Joker

Would I ever go down that road I'd only buy a "rare Fulvia C" from someone I know, not from some Joker that I do not know !!

E' Basta Batmanno !!

If you know John S. - newish Fulvia Owner - read his recent reports of the thrills of buying a Fulvia C; rejoice with him & weep for him too .
I have done both when reading reports of "Imported from Italy perfect - belonged to a fine old Gent wearing suspensers - brokered by a real Fulvia-A'ianado" - reports from German Buyers over the last several years.
Poor Trusting Fuels !!!

I also smiled when reading (in Viva Lancia) reports of a "putty-colored Fulvia C bought on blind-trust in Italy for USA Import, by a Buyer in USA & the many follow-up glowing reports about the Fulvia C that, yes, did arrive (in Texas?) & made the Buyer SMILE !!

Now Robin, it has been proven that there are Saints & there are Sinners, even in World of Fulvia C.

End of Parto II

[Philip]

our '911' is still running and looks as good as it did then...the Fulvias sadly are not...

[Randy Adams]

Just to put my two cents worth in, I remember thinking the Fulvia Berlina was boxy and dull-looking. Well, just imagine . . . . some years later Toyota comes out with its first XB which I thought was a brilliant piece of packaging and a coherent pure aesthetic idea. And what did it make me think of more than any other car? Of course, our wonderful Fulvia Berlina. Today I think the Fulvia Berlina is a brilliant-looking car. Seriously.

And tomorrow I'll drive my befinned Flaminia berlina to be admired--or passed over--by onlookers at a car show.

[fulvia a.i.]

I'll weigh in, wearing the redwhiteblue, in the outer-corner of the ring. voting for the
best looking "everyday" Lancia (what else?) ever is (not was) the -ex-Flavia-

Lancia 2000 Berlina

Both inside & outside

Yes, a rather "inflated Fulvia Berlina" - but a Deluxe Version

2d choice; 2000 predecessor - S2 Flavia Berlina LX

no fins, running boards, flash, flab or excess; a truly maximum-auto in miniest-dimension

sort of the antithesis of the Flaminia Berlina ? certainly lovely in many ways in its own right (I assume?)

2000 = georgeous velour interior, sumptious carpets, huge "storage area" & thrill for "motoring sedately"; handling a dream, almost totally "silent-running"...........

unfortunately very prone to rust...very quickly !

The poor Gamma Berlina, it just didn't compare (stylewise), says me !

ps: I'd still certainly fancy owning a fancy Gamma Berlina -velour or leather, a/c etc any day:)

[Philip]

I loved these 2nd series Flavia berlinas as well; the LX versions were very elegant and delivered more than the sum of their parts...the 2000 was also a very balanced shape.

[Ed Levin]

Randy Adams Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>...
>
> And tomorrow I'll drive my befinned Flaminia
> berlina to be admired--or passed over--by
> onlookers at a car show.


Admired, as it turned out.

[fulvia a.i.]

goes to show that there is some intelligence on planet earth B)-; sorry I wasn't there !

where was it that I wasn't ? What show ? where ? & photos pls

of course I also won't be at NEC Birmingham next w'end to visit Pininafarina 80 Party-Booth, where a Gamma Cpe (aha!) will be on display sharing a presence of the Monte Carlo & Beta Boys Consortia.

Poor me, I will be at IL Bonta Cremona Fine-Food Trade Fair with fine-partners. I hope there is nothing for me to do there, so I can drive home without staying full 4 days eating fine food & drinking the finest of wines.

Most poorly, I am driving down in a Fiat Scudo Transporter & not a Lancia Gamma; however, there are stops to be made enroute to Cremona that require a turbo-D Fiat Scudo. Things could be worse, I could be going in our 70HP 1965 Ford (ex) Fire-Truck; which hasn't moved a wheel in 10+ years but still has all the extra seats, lights & ladders (dismounted & stored in the Barn it lives in ...or...maybe recycled yrs ago ? Who Knows ? ).

My, that Van was a) slow b) slower c) uncomfortable d) thirsty etc...but it was free & it was the very 1st Van we ever had ! It went to Italy at least 25 times, slowly !!!

It ain't pretty, but it is red ! It now it is plastic-covered in a dry-storage barn

[fulvia a.i.]

you do not have to go run & hide !

OK, run & hide if you insist !!

I won't try to stop you.

I don't want to leave everyone hanging, awating the final chapter of this unfinished Story; I will now not yet post the Final-Countdown of my multi-part Fulvia Saga.
Here goes .... da dum da dum da dum "it he the final-countdown" da dum da dum da dum ! ... do you remember this song from Rocky 5, or was it 6, 7 ?:

May I repeat some old text, a shortened version of what has been written above ? Thank You.

Every „on the road“ Fulvia Sport has a Story. Some are known from Day 1 right up to present & some are very murky or totally lost; quite understandable so many years after production-end. Perhaps some stories are murky / lost because a Fulvia Sport "Seller" does not wish a Buyer to know the real (horror) Story… You may have read in Viva-Lancia (website & magazine) some of the 'just bought a Fulvia" stories that I have read … . sometimes rather unamusing...sometimes a major tragedy...however, I will have to add "sometimes a Fulvia Sport Buyer knows what is being bought & looks forward to a long tedious, expnsive "restoration-process". Not to Include "ME" !!! No Thank You !!!!!!!!!!

Moving right along:
Fulvia Sport: is the not-very-practical Fulvia, at least compared to its 2 siblings. It was Never Cheap to buy & own - new or now. In " 4 cylinder Sporty-Car Terms" that is
It is a rather low & long little-car, It was not designed for overly-big-persons. The Raked-Windshield almost lies on top of the dash-cover, which causes strange reflections, day & night. Still, la ong-nosed Pinocchio-Nose-Person would have no trouble driving a Z; since the drivers-seat is quite low to floor & far back from windshield. This is not a good seating situation for short-legged persons, unless they wish to cramp-bend their arms, with their chin resting on the steering wheel.
Sitting so low does not improve seeing-out of the smallish-cockpit, but the vauuted roof allows for rather unexpected / amazing headroom. Vision to the rear ? ha ha - ho ho

The Sport is longer & lower than the Fulvia Coupe. The Sport has a slightly higher top speed than a similarly powered Fulvoa Coupe. It shouldn't be slower "on the uptake", but it is; something to do with gearing ratios !
It should, due to its shark-like shape, get better gas mileage than other Fulvia. Models; several confirmations of which I have read in various magazine articles written years ago.
OK, no one really buys a Sports-Car for the mileage, but Sport owners probaly don't mind better mileage...especially in light of a very-small-fuel-tank !!! If you own or wish to won a Sport, be prepared to plan all of your your trip with frequent stops

The Sport does have a vastly longer "coast-down distance"; putting the gearbox in neutral at, lets say, 50mph & coasting to a stop than the Cpe ... as shown in road tests of the 60's / 70's. I'd guess about double the 'coast-down distance' of the boxy Berlina. = which is all proof of its great cw value.

Fulvia Sport: = Rather Rare
Fulvia Sport[/i ]Rather Ageless - in Visual & Engineering Design !
HEY OK; the Fulvia Sport is not Everybodys-Darling - you like it or you don’t.
Boring in Appearance it is not. To each his (her) own opinion; like in all Artistic-Matters.

The lift-hatch rear-window is great for loading surprising amounts of 'whatever', as long as the whatever is flat & flexible.
The hatch is fun to play with while on the move too ! Open the hatch via the electric-motor to max-height & you get to breath-in choking exhaust fumes. Open it 'just a crack' & get great flow-through -ventilation with no fumes.
No one can get their 'sticky-fingers" in far enough to open the hatch if it is only partially opened; although a crowbar would do the trick ! Forget to close the hatch at least 75% when parking in a Public-Place & you may lose all of your in-car belongings & perhaps the entire Fulvia Sport" ! Yikes !!!

The Fulvia Sport[/i ia a] Hand-Crafted "Work of Heart". Dedicated Skilled Artists built one Sport at a time, in a go-slow-assembly-line process!
It must have been very expensive to build each Sport in Milano ! I wonder if any profit was made by anyone ?
Perhaps the Monetary Exchange-Rate favored Italian-Exports at the time, with the Lire no doubt being very weak !

The Sport has a rather-ridiculous rear-seat of sorts (USA - carpeted shelf); that swallows small luggage or small animals better than it swallows humans of any size. Impossible to enter, ever more difficult to exit ! The entry in my own "Sports" Vehicle-Title states that it is a 4 seater !! Previous titles from Switzerland also indicate this ! Perhaps 4 seater-vehicles registered in these countries qualified for lower insurance rates that 2 seaters???? A Sport is absolutely not a 2+2; no matter what was written the (horrible/cheap/innacutate / Black&white) German Language Sport Sales-Brochure . It isn't even a 2 + 1 !

However, is a Sport an Incredible-Sports-Package ? Ahem, I rest my case!! Zoom Zoom...even when parked !

I am almost finished writing this & am ready to Zoom Zoom (safely) home x factor of 10 !! OK, a rip-roaring beast the Sport is not (at least in 1.3S guise), but it can keep up with modern traffic quite easily...until the windy roads are reached Zoom Zoom...then it is gone ..................

Rallye History ? I think it had very little !
Endurance Racing History - ABSOLUTELY !! Read the History !

I’ve read that build-quality improved with the Fiat-influenced S2 Sport Series. I do not know if this is / was true, but I hope so / I do hope so. For my own S2 sake . I am certainly impressed with the fit & finish of only S2 that I have been known to drive ... weather permitting !!!

Be all that as it all may be - would I 'fancy' owning a thinny-smally-tire - thinny-smally-wheeledAluminum Light-Weight S1 Sport ? Ummm aaahh, no thanks As it is, ! I have no more-space to park another Lancia in my Lancia-Museum:), but if I did B).............. Yipeeee !!

I 100% agree that a Sport l really looks better when wearing wind-cheating headlight-eyeglasses, which is high on my wish-list of "I wanna"; where it will probably stay.

That is all; I will enjoy my Fulvia Sport, as other Fulvisti will enjoy their (whatever) Fulvia....long may they live.

have I forgot anything ? You know, this could just go on on on en on........

Johnny as in .....