Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Diamond Still Rough: 1967 Lancia Fulvia 1.2

This car just popped up on the radar, and the seller is still pondering his asking price. It comes from a self-described "hobby dealer" in Ontario, New York and was just moved from his "Restoration and Keepers" category to "Inventory" on his website to facilitate a sale.



First let me congratulate the seller on his transparency. The site description is remarkably candid in documenting the car's purchase and refurbishment from long storage (including a roadside breakdown!)  But I have a few more pointed questions for the seller:

Did you put new tires on the car? One photo shows the stock steel rims sandblasted and painted. Fulvias are finicky on tires and should wear nothing wider than a 165 Series tires to preserve their wonderful feel. These are now "vintage" size and would have to be ordered from a specialty tire house. Larger tires may also interfere with the Fulvia fender lips. Many cars have had their wheel openings tapped in to fit larger rubber. A side view leads me to believe that the tires might be a bit disproportionate.

The seller notes some brake work... typical of a sitting Fulvia. How well are they working now? Usually nothing short of brass or stainless re-lining of the cylinders will fix these Dunlop calipers once they have seized. I would be wary when testing the car. Brake work is not sexy.

There is nothing mentioned about the interior. Fulvia interiors are pretty straightforward, but I'd inquire about the dash veneer and wood steering wheel. Replacements are available for the dash panel but it is a time consuming project.

Relative to similar Italian cars, Fulvias in particular stand head and shoulders above. They are mechanically straightforward, do not rust as severely as their Alfa brothers, and are much rarer and exclusive. They can keep up with modern traffic and make great vintage daily drivers. In fact, of the few old cars still on the road in Italy, a great many are Fulvias...testimony to their legendary durability and craftsmanship.

I have a magic number in my head for this car that would surely disappoint the seller. It will be interesting to see what he comes back with on his asking price.

UPDATE: THE SELLER IS ASKING $5000 FIRM. I AM SURPRISED-THAT IS A VERY REASONABLE AMOUNT FOR THIS CAR IN THIS CONDITION. IT SHOULDN'T LAST LONG.

2 comments:

  1. Interesting post. You seem very knowledgable on european cars, which makes reading this blog a pleasure when living in Europe.
    Actually I don't know the Lancia Fulvia personally, but the other euro-odd boxes in your blog, I know well. Does these "stange" cars realy have a following in The States?

    Keep up the good work.

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  2. Hi Steen, thanks for the encouragement! This post has gotten a lot of attention. We do have lots of oddball cars here, and plenty of room to keep them it seems. Keep me posted if you see anything interesting on your side of the pond to contribute to the site.
    Cheers, Barnfinder

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