International Lancia Forums

heh.

but I have to keep 4 Fulvia's and 1 Appia running, finish the restoration of a Fulvia 1C and start the restoration of a Flavia Vignale. And of course maintain this website.

Sometimes, in between black hands, I turn the following questions around:
1. How come Lancia still exists today after almost a century of never having been very succesful financially.
2. What makes a lancista a lancista?
3. I notice a strong "family feeling" among lancisti. More than with any other car make. Why?

I'll give it a quick try, and I'll try my best. :}

1. You Huib have mentioned before that Fiat has been a company that tries to
take as much money of the customers and put it in their pocket. This is more
so of how I feel of GM. I believe the original (pre-Fiat) Lancia was somewhat the opposite. The idea was to give the best to the customer possible, and perhaps
this conflicted with the accepted business norms. Perhaps if you are not greedy
enough, yes, you are not "very successful". For Lancia in the Fiat era.. I'm not sure...

2. A Lancista. I don't want to get to go deep into this, because otherwise I feel I
would be judging others. For me a Lancista is someone who has owned or
experienced a Lancia, and this experience has left some special feeling in the
heart.

3. Well, if we love Lancia, we might see that "family feeling" more than in other
situations. In that case we may believe it is more a strong situation. I think this
family feeling must exist strongly for other automobiles. Though, I must admit,
the "Lancia family" is a pleasant one, where I've very rarely seen family
members cutting down each other for lack of knowledge, etc. I've seen some such 'families' where it seems each wants to shows who is the one on top.

Ok.. that's it for now then. :>
Ryan

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, what makes Lancista.
Why do people fall in love with Lancia, who knows who cares, I just love owning and driving mine.

I have to say that for me all this stated when I have seen Beta Coupe rally car dismantled in the pieces in one shed in Yugoslavia. Despite of its appearance it had poise and beauty shinning from all parts spread around the floor. I never get to the restoring that car (war) I hope that one day I will find it in the same shed and in same state.

When I moved to Australia I was looking to by Coupe for 3 years, people where telling me here LA-what (not very popular in Australia). Now I own 77 Beta Coupe for 8 years.

For me Lancia is more then a car, it is one-man vision and dedication in creating something that stands above others. I also feel great appreciation in Lancia's need to make something unique to brake new grounds with new technology and innovations, even if that will cost them money. They did not make money, but if they did would we still drive and love Lancia?

If they where money preoccupied company would they make Lambda, D50, Aurelia B20 GT, Stratos, Stradale, Delta, just to mention few. Even after Fiat takeover they where trying to brake mould and think of the driver and person who will by and enjoy their CAR.

Well to cut it short, I could keep writing for a while.
Yes, my Coupe requires attention (read cash or charge) a loot of it, check this and that, change oil every 3.000km spray everything electrical with WD40 every few months, and so on.

But the pleasure of driving along the coast or on the remote mountain road pays for all that time and money invested.

Huib, you are right Lancia have special breed of followers unlike other carmakers, people do love Ferrari to but majority of them will never own one.

Regards

Playing devil's advocate, one could argue easily that the Stratos, Beta, and Delta were all
FIATs.

In fact the majority of your message was about FIATs. :>

Seriously though, I hope that Beta Coupe rally car is indeed where you left it. :<

Ryan

What on earth are you reffering to...
Startos, Beta and Delta Fiat cars, get real or keep quiet.

WoW WoW, angry Yugoslavian! Instead of being quiet, I'll tell you Peter, why don't
you relax....

You don't realize that the Beta Rally was actually an Abarth Fiat with Lancia bodywork?
Fiat took over Lancia in '69, the Beta, Beta 037, Delta, Stratos were all essentially
Fiats. What is the problem, can't deal with this? I still love these cars.. but you can't
imagine what is not true...

The Delta was originally based on the Fiat Ritmo!!! The Prisma was based on
the Fiat Regatta mechanicals, just as today the Lancia Lybra is based on Alfa Romeo
156 mechanicals, which are in turn based on the Fiat Tipo...

Cars such as the Fulvia can be argued as the last Lancias. I don't care one minute
about what is real Lancia or not real Lancia arguments.. but all the Lancias you
referred to are Fiat's Lancias... They are all amazing machines nevertheless...

Even your Zastava/Yugo is based on the great little Fiat 127!! (though I think I
would take a Fiat 127 Sport instead of the Yugo..heh.)

Somehow, Ryan, I don't think that's going to calm things down.

heh, yeah, you are probably right. I don't know what to say when someone gets irritated
because I politely commented that those cars "could" be referred to as Fiats.

He must have had a bad day...

Ryan, it's not that I'm angry or anything similar, what does bother me is when someone makes strong statements on light facts.
I'm not saying that your are altogether wrong (most of it).
When Lancia decided to build new range in '69 '70 they did consider building new engine, they also considered what FIAT had to offer at that time. Decision was based on the facts that budget was limited and that FIAT twin cam (designed by Lamperdi ex Ferrari engine designer) was best designed engine at that time, so they opted for TC, excellent choice.
Although is worth mentioning that Lancia did not just take engine from Fiat and fitted it in, they did put some effort in the engines to produce more power then equivalent Fiat powered cars, Lancia 2l head is perfect example( I have 2l beta and 2l 124 head on the bench).

At that time Fiat did not have much experience in the front wheel drive cars to give to Lancia (that year they released FIAT first FWD car 128, Lancia has been making FWD cars since 1957), Lancia designed subframe (modified from Fulvia range) and drivetrain for the hole range including rear suspension for which they where considering putting patent on it at that time.

Beta manual gearbox was designed by Lancia and built in Verrone, (apparently Citroen contributed to it), while Automatic was joint project with AP (UK) and Lancia, again built in Verrone. Also consider that for Ritmo, Ritmo used ZF manual gbox and automatic came from VW.

Considering the above, your statement that Beta Coupe Rally is just FIAT does not stand much ground. Fiat 131 rally car where rear wheel drive. Abarth did preparation for almost all Lancia racecars, they built 16v head, built for Lancia adopted by Fiat.

Then question would be how did Fiat built Ritmo and, did they used Beta experience in front wheel drive design????


Yes, Lancia did take lot of parts from FIAT but Lancia engineers should be given some credit for the job they have done at that time.

Ryan all my statements are based on the written facts widely published, if I am wrong on any of them please correct me with substantiated facts.

P.S.
My anger management is very low since the war.