harsh reality slaps me into action.
I've been "given an opportunity" to buy yet another (old) Lancia...considered by some (experts?) to be the best of this Model in Europe; at a price I have been asked to never disclose. I like the price !!; I don't 'need the car'; but at that pricee...why not ???
The reason for that Lancias sale is that its owner has had it wrapped in plastic in a climate controlled storge facility in the last 2+ years & dislikes unwrapping it -every 3 months- to drive it on trips to his "in restauration" wooden-sailing-boat; just to prevent it (the Lancia) from dying of neglect.
He has explained to me that the "unwrap & wrap procedure takes 2 persons up to 6 hours & his Dad hasn't the time nor the nerves (at 80+ years) to spend 24 hours per year wrapping & unwrapping his sons toy...
I guess that he (the seller) is too smart to ask his wife !!
I will admit that I have no real idea what the seller is talking about...unless the car is wrapped in swaddles of virgin olive-oil drenched plastic lined cotton; but I will discover what is meant in Spring 2010.
2 of Europes best "Model-Experts" are willing to accompany me to get it...if I cover travel expenses; so I can't go wrong with them on hand & they get a free-vacation .. other than flying here; which Ryanair can handle.
For tax reasons ( I don't want to know the real details); the vehicle must be legally removed from its country of residence; where I believe, it has never been officially imported nor registered.
Since I drove my Fulvia
1x in 09, other than on short little trips in my region & since I have been driving Gamma #2 daily (next week to Bologna; if the Gotthard Route is not buried) as a Company-Car & still have 2 Gamma more for "private-fun" I don't see being able to enjoy the Zagato any more.
With new offices in cities too far away to sensibly drive a Fulvia Z; the 3 Gamma will be rotated in & out of long - haul service. + Gamma have big boots (trunks).
We will not exhibit the Z at trade-fairs as an "attraction" in future; since we will not exhibit at trade fairs in the future; it, the Z, has lost its
Bridget Bardot in the spotlights role. & I save a lot of expenses.
PS: A friend called from the Nord-Germany today, 2 days after I wrote this blog; he was exhibiting at a major trade-fair -as a guest-exhibitor- meaning that his company paid zero to exhibit; because this previously important expo was so poorly booked. In any case he departed lock stock & barrel with his sales crew after 1.5 days...he said "no visitors came thru the doors; so we went home". Ouch !!
My Z is too nice to
just look at; I won't drive it in the rain (& it rains alot on this plain);
unless I am with the Benelux / USA / UK "Gruppo Fulvia Nutso" again in 2010 (if so, probably again in a bigger Lance) ...
A Z should not really be driven in salty snow & itsa been snowing alot here (too); it will not be used any more as a fun-delivery-truck (yes, it has done this too!) & simply, there is no sane reason to have 5 older Lancia.
4, yes...that makes sense (right?) but 5 ???
I would want it to go to a good owner !!
Thus far; I've not announced anywhere else it as possibly being "available"; but will do so at the Retro-Classic Show in March (Stuttgart); since I will (again) park it at the front door ´with all the other attractive old cars; with decently small signs announcing that it
'may be for sale'.