International Lancia Forums

Hi Claire, I looked for the old posting in which I believe I made some fussy-noises about giving a mere Automobile a name of a beautiful, desirable Woman. I (now) assume that these names are not the names of a past or current lovers of the cars owner. I wasn't able to locate that particular posting because (here we go again, another list): a) there seem to be thousands of postings on this wensire; which could be remaned "Viva Fulvia". b) I didn't get past late 2007; having read almost every posting (some for the 10x time) & star-gazing at the photos c) now, on the way to the hospital (I split all of my sides laughing & my face smiling) I realize that ..........oops sorry !

I have to leave finishing this posting until some time next year; I now have to drive a (another, lesser*) Lancia to the "Value Estimators Shop" in order to get it (what else) valued, in order to get it insured, in order to get it registered (1st time since 1984!!!), in order to be able to drive it (legally) for the 1st time since 1984. The several times I have driven it on the street , since I've owned it have not met all of the above "perameters of legality".
If you don't report me to the local law enforcement officials, I won't either.

I won't bother to mention what *Lancia model it is, but it has been described by various Euro Gamma Club Members as being - "the Fulvia for Grown-Ups" or "the modern version of a Fulvia" .

In any case, I will drive it in the rain.........which is something I (seldom, if ever) will do with my "Claire".

Never rush a message herein while: running out the door, with fone ringing, roof blowing off in a tornado and not even self-correcting the texr...as I did earler today. Corrected version below

Hi Claire,
I looked for the old posting in which I believe I made some fussy-noises about giving a mere Automobile a name of a beautiful, desirable Woman. I (now) assume that these names are not the names of a past or current lover of the cars owner. I wasn't able to locate that particular posting because (here we go again, another list):
a) there seem to be thousands of postings on this website; which could be renamed "Viva Fulvia".
b) I didn't get past late 2007 today; having re-read almost every posting (some for the 10x time) & star- gazing at the photos
c) I am now, on the way to the hospital (I split all of my sides laughing & split my face smiling)... I realize that ..........oops sorry !

I have to leave finishing this posting until some time next year; I now have to drive a (another, lesser*) Lancia to the "Value Estimators Shop" in order to get it (what else) valued, in order to get it insured, in order to get it registered (1st time since 1984!!!), in order to be able to drive it (legally) for the 1st time since 1984.
The several times I have driven it on the street , since I've owned it have not met all of the above "perameters of legality".

If you don't report me to the local law enforcement officials, I won't either.

I won't bother to mention what *Lancia model it is, but it has been described by various Euro Gamma Club Members as being - "the Fulvia for Grown-Ups" or "the modern version of a Fulvia" .

In any case, I will drive it in the rain.........which is something I (seldom, if ever) will do with my "Claire".

Reply To This Message

John,
If your name her 'Claire', then you should drive her in the rain once and a while. It can be very beautiful out there on these moments. A beautiful sky, dark clouds, shimmering raindrops on the windows... Yes, I'm sure; a 'Claire' should be driven in rainy, snowy, stormy and sunny weather.

John,

Stop searching. This might be what you're looking for: http://www.viva-lancia.com/lancia_fora/ ... 237&t=4218

Nespresso? What else?!

If you are familiar with the T.V. comercial you'll know what I mean.

sorry Lucas. I am sure you meant your message as a compliment, but the lady in the coffee-commericial is in no way 1/2 as attractive as Claire !!!
& I am better looking than George whats-his-face (can you imagine how much he got / gets püaid for this 2 minute film ?; if he collects a % of sales he is making zillions of $) or Tom Cruise-Control or those other Hollywood guys?
I tell that to my mirror everyday, but it still cracks !
Maybe I look more like Michael Jaxsun in the Thriller film !!!
Do you know that the Nespresso machine is made in China ? & it doesn't even make milk foam ?
or that it is not guaranteed if used in Gasrto applications ? Still, hats off to the Nespresso people, they are selling millions of "Swath-Stlye" hot water cookers. & those umwelt unfreundlich capsules. !

as posted on 28 Apr by the real Claire @ 23:11.
oui mon ami, that is the message I was looking for & couldn't find. Merci !
I hope you have approved of my choice of names. If not, it is too late ! Ha ! Basta !
Actually, there was no other choice considered! If I was going to (feeling foolish) & call my Z a female- persons-name, it could only be ...what it is ! Ha ! Basta !
If I named it Evita, I'd have to start singing "don't cry for me etc" & everyone would move to another town.
If I named it Maria, Id have to start singing. "I just met a etc" ...........& I'd be shot !

The only Claire song I know is sung by Gilbert O'Sullivan & I will not sing that (silly? imbecilic ?, but rather nice, in a geriatric old-folks-home-sort-of-way) song, even for a Camel !

Claire, you are known for exposing yourself to dangerous & insane situations (why not?) but you are made of hardened steel. So, I reply to your recommendation No ! Ha ! Basta !
There is no way I am gonna expose Z-Claire to the whims of the winter weather gods.

It (sorry, I can't call a car "she") is made of low-grade recycled Russian Volga (the car, not the river) steel, that has the structual-fortitude of a match-box. I think, sometimes, the paint is the most crash-worthy component ! & - of course - the new (old, narrow) seats

I started driving my Gamma #1 on a daily basis recently. (OK all you irate Fulvisti, please settle down. ! Driving a Gamma is better than walking to work every day)
Actually I did this only a few weeks ago because only parking it in a dehumidified vault (actually an airy warehouse) -out of the rain, sun & smog & driving it 5x a year was...welll...DUMB !

I figured " I didn't buy it to just push from 1 side of the warehouse to the other side of the warehouse"
"& it certainly isn't worth keeping if I never drive it"
"& no matter where I push it, it is still in the way"
so I started using it as it was intended to be used.....as a car and not the Royal Crown Jewels.

Still, no snow for it! I can only go so far !! I tink (many/some) will agree ?

As for "Fulvia as in Claire" .......... no sun / I don't need more cracks on the dash; no rain (don't forget...it has that extremely robust (cough) & long life (if measured against the life expectancy of a butterfly) toughness that made the Casa de la Zagato famous; no mud (I hate laying on my back swabbing out the mud all the hidden cracks(in the frame) &all the corners where mud enters, drys, becomes moist 1 more time & the car falls apart) ; no "S & G traffic" (I hope) because shifting from 1st to 2d gear or 2 dto 3d is not fun.

It gets better as the oils warm up, after 30km or so!

Shall I go on about "investing at least 6 months of my total 2004, 2005 & 2006 income & always praying that the fiscal authorities don't make me eat these expenses - come the next audit ?
No, I am not going to go on & on.......... about such a can of worms late at night.

Can you imagine if they asked "can we see your rolling Bill-Board"? & it was rusty in all the corners ?

Oh, no - it has to stay (close to) perfect ! New seats and all !

What is the purpose of owning this Fulvia - that I haven't even seen for months (it is in a well ventilated garage, courtesy of my neighbor) ?
Well, I'll tell you !
Not to drive to drinks-business-trade-shows or old car - in the Winter, nor even to trailer it anymore to shows (my car- trailer is opened) ... it is just too much hassle getting there & back !

The purpose is:
I didn't know this when I bought my 1.3 S Z-Fulvia - in its pre-Claire days - as a business investment / tax-write-down ... but the real reason is... as i have since discovered...to my great delight...is being one of the priviledged few - IN THE ENTIRE WORLD - who can legitimately call themselves "Fulvisti".

What a small group we are !

I wish I knew more of you, in many countries...but since I can't even find the time to attend (semi) local Fulvia Club events in other parts of Germany ( a pretty big place; with very crowded roads), not to mention not being in a position to attend many of the spring-thru-fall Euro-Lancia-Club-Meetings in other Euro Countries; where I surely would meet other Fulvisti... many of you - in Europe or elsewhere - will only remain viva-lancia friends. Nice to know you !!

Of course.... getting semi-lost in France in late 2007 with the real Claire....well, what should I say ?
That was - thanks to the organizers - the best weekend I spent in the entire year 2007.
That weekend... alone & connected to no other event that I have experienced in my years on this planet ... that is the best reason to own a Fulvia named Claire