Vehicle Description
Since the earliest days of Lancia, the Torino-based car builder
took an innovative and ingenious approach in their quest to produce
some of the finest cars available. Lancia competed for buyers with
the likes of Alfa Romeo in the pre-war era, and while Alfas were
fast, flamboyant and exotic, Lancias were the Thinking Man's sports
car; more measured and conservatively styled, yet always
exquisitely engineered, beautifully constructed and highly
advanced. In the post-war years, both Alfa Romeo and Lancia
drastically shifted focus from limited production luxury cars to
mid-priced, mass-produced GT cars and saloons. Also like their
neighbors at Alfa Romeo, most Lancia models were available in
Berlina, Coupe or Cabriolet form, designed and built by a variety
of preferred Italian coachbuilders. With the V6-powered, monocoque
Aurelia leading the range into the 1950s, Lancia required more
entry-level models to stay afloat and compete with Alfa's new
Giulietta. The Aurelia was joined by the V4-powered Appia, an entry
level car in terms of price but still built with the same high
standard of engineering excellence and quality ingrained into every
Lancia product. Following in the footsteps of the Appia, came an
all-new car for 1963: The narrow-angle V4-powered, front-drive
Fulvia. Lancia's baby Fulvia borrowed its layout from the larger
executive-class Flavia, but in a tidy and compact package.
Initially offered only as a four-door Berlina, the line was
supplemented by the Lancia-styled Coupe and lightweight
Zagato-bodied Sport in 1965. The Fulvia's elegantly simple
monocoque chassis featured independent wishbone front suspension
with a single transverse leaf spring, backed by a beam rear axle
located by a Panhard rod. Four-wheel disc brakes were standard from
the onset, and Lancias typically precise build quality made for a
car that felt far more expensive than it was. The Berlina was
certainly a capable and stylish little car, but it was the crisp
and elegant coupe that captured the most attention, and has since
become a true icon among enthusiasts. While the Fulvia coupe's
rallying exploits have certainly cemented its legendary status
among hardcore enthusiasts, the road going Fulvia is no less
brilliant. The simple and elegant styling was executed in-house
rather than by an outside coachbuilder. By the time the series II
had arrived, the styling had been tweaked (though remaining no less
beautiful) and the mechanical spec updated with a 90 hp 1.3 liter
engine, larger Girling disc brakes and a 5-speed transaxle.
Collectors have caught on to these brilliant little cars and as
such, values have been steadily on the rise, with the rally-bred
1.6HF topping the charts. The second series 1.3S may lack the grunt
of its bigger sibling, but it is no less joyful and beautifully
delicate to drive. Lancia's exquisite Fulvia truly is one of the
greatest driver's cars of all time. This handsome 1971 Fulvia 1.3S
presents in lovely condition, following a sympathetic restoration
to original specification. A recent Italian import, this Fulvia was
originally purchased as a graduation gift for a young Italian
lawyer, Avocat Chimenti, by his family. Chimenti enjoyed his Fulvia
for many years before handing the car over to his family mechanic
for careful storage and maintenance. It remained in Chimenti's
ownership until 2012. �In 2013, the Fulvia arrived in the USA where
it was treated to a no-expense-spared mechanical and cosmetic
refurbishment, with great care given to preserve its exceptional
originality. Today, it remains a beautifully honest example
finished in the original and attractive combination of dark blue
over dark tan upholstery. The body is straight and tidy with very
good older paint and nice, factory precise panel gaps. Some light
texture is evident in the paint in places but it is overall a very
presentable and imminently attractive car. The sparse and delicate
brightwork presents in very good condition, a mix of carefully
selected originals, restored pieces and correct replacements. The
restorer resisted the urge to fit larger wheels, instead restoring
the correct originals which are wrapped in proper Michelin XAS
rubber. The car sits proudly, looking proper and light on its feet,
the correct wheels and tires retain the Fulvia's delicacy and
communicative feedback. OEM headlamps with distinctive yellow bulbs
add yet another layer of appeal. The simple yet stylish cabin is
trimmed in caramel tan upholstery with black carpets, trim and
correct rubber mats. Front and rear, the seats are in fine order
and complement the matching door cards. Rubber mats and other soft
trim are in excellent condition, and the dash panel is free of
cracks or fading. The original fiberboard fascia has been replaced
with a gorgeous, glossy wood piece and the original Jaeger
instruments have been carefully and thoroughly restored. The
original shift knob remains in place and a period correct Nardi
steering wheel dresses up the cabin nicely. Original touches such
as Lancia dealer decals in the quarter windows and a very cool
dealer-accessory service calendar add to the delightful period
charm of this fine Fulvia. Lifting the bonnet reveals a very
correct and well detailed engine bay. The narrow-angle 1.3 liter V4
engine is very tidy and honestly presented with correct wiring and
hardware, proper finishes on the ancillaries and factory-correct
decals and markings. The undercarriage is similarly tidy, with
factory assembly marks present on the subframes. The chassis was
refurbished with fresh and correct DeCarbon shocks and the tricky
front axle CV joint boots replaced. The original jack, vinyl spare
wheel cover, and Lancia tool kit remain in place. With just one
owner over a span of four decades, this lovely Lancia has clearly
been cherished since the day it left the dealership floor. Thanks
to the careful and sympathetic work it received from its most
recent keeper, it remains fresh and ready for enjoyment, certain to
capture the heart of its next owner.