Lancia Motor Club

It was 30 years ago today that I bought my first Lancia. A Fulvia S3 Coupe for £795! It didn't take long before it was joined by a Fulvia 1600HF Lusso with MOT and tax for £250..........happy days! When and what was your first Lancia? (S3 pic below)

My first was a Beta HPE  MSP666Y purchased in 1987 after Alfas BMW etc.

March 1989, my first car - a Fulvia S2 Berlina HAC461K from fellow LMC member Ivan Rhodes. Here having its handbrake adjusted prior to MOT.

Followed by an S2 1300 Coupe, a 16V integrale, S3 Thema Turbo.

S2 Monte in c 1979 then sold after too many scrary crashes loosing the front end (and martial cashflow issues!!!). Effectively swopped for 1971 Mendoza Blue 1.3 S1.5 coupe.....in 1981.

Tim

I bought my first Lancia, a 1990 Dedra 2.0iese in 1994, the first of 5 and probably the best, certainly as far as specification went.

Shown here in a holiday mood! getting ready for a run to and down the Dordogne.



Brian,
8227 8)

Good thread!

My first was a 1988 Thema 8v ie LX. Bought in 1992 at 55k miles. Sold 18 months later with 90k odd on it - and that was all private motoring. I was 23 when I bought it. Took it to Budapest and back without a single mishap. Happy happy days.

My first "new" car was a Lancia, a Y10 Fila, F368 YRP, bought on 10th June 1989 from W Ganderton & Son in Buckingham. I drove it for 120,000 with just a replacement clutch at 88k, although plenty of suspension bushes (usually around MOT time). Sadly I had to scrap it in 2002 after it sat for some years, the final straw being when some scroat smashed the rear window and nicked the badges.

My first Lancia was the one I still have, and my only one, bought in 2003 from a dealer in County Durham.  That's probably the least interesting answer you'll get on this thread...

No, 'cos I can match it with mine bought in 2004 : the first and only

My first Lancia was a Fulvia 3, JVC721N, in mirabello beige, bought in June 1984. The month before my 17th birthday. When birthday arrived, L plates were already on, and I took to the road in it at 0.10hrs.  The first family Lancia was an S1 Beta 1600 Coupe. HUB734N, bought from my dads cousin in Sept 78.

My first was a Beta HPE, I think pre F/L, Red with the funky mustard colour seats (not technically mine as a company car, hand me down from one of the directors) in 1980. Only had it for around 6-9 months, but managed a holiday down to South West France and even slept in it overnight the first night in France as we had underestimated the distance we had to travel......

Given I was travelling all over the country for work, I would have covered around 15K miles whilst I had it and only one problem from memory which was corrosion in the fuse leading to the radiator fan.

Very happy experience.

Peter

Everything comes to he who waits..... This is just the beginning.... Speaking from a bit of experience... but still in the minor leagues compared with some LMC members (ask our treasurer...)

Tim

I bought a Gamma sedan, my first Lancia except those driven while in the trade, in the rain under a street lamp in Pershore around 1989 for £300. It misfired, the paint was peeling, one wheel bearing was knackered and the clutch slipped. But it had 12 months MOT/Tax and four new tyres. The Sports Car Centre at Drakes Broughton adjusted the clutch, I poured something from Halfords down the carb throat which cleared the misfire. I never changed the w/b but had the roof sprayed and used it for ten months. A week after selling, the new owner rang me, could he borrow the workshop manual as the cam belt had gone. That was the first of four Gammas thus far.

I bought my first Lancia, a Series 1 Aprilia, in November 1960 from Danny Margulies when he had his mews garage in Earls Court.  Cost £160

Peter

tricky one this, my dad was given my S3 appia when i was 7yrs old ish, i claimed it and said it was mine (told you i was brain washed from an early age) and at 11 learnt to drive in it on my mum and dads field, 1st lancia on the road was a 1990 thema 16v auto in about 2001 i think, this was part ex'd for an integrale evo and then dozens of lancias started flowing my way  :D

My first Lancia was also my first car at the age of 17.  It was a 1989 Y10 Fila with the white bodywork and sky blue interior.  Unfortunately, it went to the big scrapyard in the sky after 12 months ownership  :(  I was then Lancia-less for three years until I bought my Fulvia as a 21st birthday present to myself  ;D

£160 in 1960 is £2745 in today's money.  £300 in 1989 equates to £556.

My answer has to be in fractions - age 17 I bought a Beta 2000 subframe with engine, box etc to build into a self designed mid engined special - thankfully time and space killed it before it killed me but it went up and down the drive a few times.   I loved a friend's string of Fulvias and Flavias but stuck to Alfas and Fiats as I didn't have space for the private scrap yard I thought I'd need to keep spares cars to hand. 

Next bit of Lancia was an Aprilia engine and box, age about 28, to put into an Austin 7 special.  That project was swapped for the Augusta chassis. 

A year or so later J 182GMM, a mighty fine Dedra Turbo in dark blue.  To start with I missed the Fiat twincam top end but grew to understand its depths.  Alas fatherhood proved incompatible with BWE and it went.   

...and then the Aurelia...much missed...but better to see the Kennedy's enjoying it than have it sit idle.

David

My first Lancia, bought 30 years ago, march 1981, BETA BERLINA reg, 90 OZA Bright yellow, a complete  rust bucket ! I bought it in the dark, lashing rain, I Did erything you are not supposed to do, but I just loved the way it drove.

Memories trickle back - there was the Aprilia engine and box to go into the Austin special I'd built. 

With all that torque a late type axle with longer tapers seemed sensible. 

Then I thought proper brakes would be handy so I aquired an Augusta front axle and steering box. 

I then realised with just a chassis, rear springs, and a the new prop I'd need anyway and it could be "as well as" rather than an upgrade so I got those bits as well and started bolting it togeather.  An Augusta bonnet and rad shell found their way to me, and a steering wheel, and another couple of Aprilia boxes and another engine or two...  It occured to be this could hold the road and cruise well and make quite a decent little road car.

Meanwhile I'd talked a friend into the Augusta chassis at Ron's that I'd rather taken a fancy to when hunting for an Aurelia.  He wanted to chop the wheelbase, thought it a bit heavy to be competitive, wasn't happy with such a tall scuttle.  He needed a rad shell, bonnet, steering box and wheel.  I'd keep telling him of its virtues and chivvy him along. 

One day on the phone talking through how to stiffen the Austin chassis and get some luggage capacity (he chivvying ME along) it occured to us that as each saw more virtue in the others project the answer was to swap.  I dug out a spare front axle for a "pure and simple" Austin chassis for him and of course the Augusta bits I had finished that jigsaw so the trade was done.  I got the longer wheelbase for seats and/or luggage, space for a long range tank, wider cockpit, proper seats, and something a bit more imposing for road use.  He got an ultra-light and compact chassis that would "build itself".

Of course both projects aren't yet finished, but at least neither now dare nag the other about progress.

David
 

My first was A104LSH, a red 1600 HPE in 1989 and sold a year later. First of many!!

White 1989 Dedra 1.8ie registration G105 XTC bought in 1991 and kept for 6 year before changing to the Delta HPE HF.

Regards

Simon Davis
8477

Its also thirty years since my Father stuffed his Lancia Beta Berlina in to the back of a Mk 3 Cortina :o The same car I am restoring at the moment, it hasen't turned a wheel under it's own power since. :) David.

My first Lancia was an Aprilia, FYK 475 - a 1939 Lusso fitted with a 1500 cc Series 2 engine. It was advertised in Motor Sport and I bought if from its then owner in Bournemouth in November 1963 – see receipt for £100 below. The first photo I have of FYK 475 was taken at Easter 1964 in Cornwall (Mousehole?) – see photo below.

I sold FYK in 1969 (also for £100 I think?) to the man who still owns it and I still have first option on buying it, if and when he chooses to sell it.

Happy days!

Colin

lovely stuff colin ,i often think i would like to see a collection of your pics in a future book .i particularly like the one in the snow of that flavia touring convertible with the 'washing machine remains'residing in the engine bay story.best regards richard

My first Lancia was bought in 1972, a 1965 S1 1200cc Fulvia Coupe in very dark red my first love having been MG and the second Alfa Romeo. Can't remember it's registration number but must have a photo of it somewhere.

Subsequently sold it to my father to fund the purchase of a 1969 Fulvia S1 1.3HF ex-works rally car.

Robin.

correction -i got muddled up-that 'touring in the snow' picture and story i had in mind was vignale not touring styled i now realise.richard

Richard,

Thanks for saying nice things about my old pics. The funny thing is that it’s easier for me to dip into the chaos of my old Lancia stuff than it is to find the documents I need to file my tax return for last year!

Just because you reminded me, here are two photos from January 1985 of my Flavia Vignale. One is in the snow outside Tony Amato’s Deptford workshop, having just survived after being transported there after being abandoned in the open for the previous five or more years. The other is of the engine bay, which did indeed look like the remains of a washing machine. It was a daunting start, but the Flavia went on to give me lots of fun.

Colin 

the epitome of a classic car photograph in my opinion.certainly not over- restored at that stage.how is it looking now i wonder?please post more pics if you have any[any lancias]best regards richard

£100 in 1964 is £1511 now.  From 1969 its £1227.   I wonder if even Chugga could winkle one from a shed somewhere for that...

David

Richard,

I am not sure about it being the “epitome of a classic car photograph”, but it was a great car. I forget what photos I have posted elsewhere, so maybe there is some duplication, but here are some of when it was well sorted and looking good – 1988/89 I think.

Colin

And some more!

Colin.

I agree with sentiments raised earlier in this thread. It would be really good to know more about the Lancias you have had over the years and your experiences with them. The cars that we now think of as rare and specialist, yet it seems that you happily used them as everyday vehicles before they became too rare. Probably like most reading this thread, I'm very envious!

Any chance you would have the time to put fingers to keyboard for a VL article (or series) or even a specific thread with pics on here that we can then move to VL too?

I'll keep fingers crossed.

Best wishes

Andy.

Bought my Aprilia in Sept 64. She is now on her third engine and wearing her third coat of paint and seriously in need of a fourth on both counts but is nevertheless out in the shed ready to go if needed.

KYH 15P as posted in the fulvia section by FAY 66[thanks Brian]was my first lancia back in 1988-300 pounds from a friend and in need of work to say the least!anyhow found a donor car for 100 quid which turned out to be better than KYH-lancia blue/pro-rebuilt engine[the best i have had]excellent subframe etc[both cars found very locally]so put the donor parts in,put the surplus parts to one side+found out through experience how the car was put together during the reassembly,plus added plastic bonnet +boot lid+ally doors /tank /neg front suspension /sparco replica HF-stratos seats [i wish i still had those works of art]etc with the help of day and shindler at druid st SE1[many thanks to John Day] and drove to LMC goodwood trackday for another experience.a few laps with john day in his racer and a few with richard thorne in his quattro and lancia 037![5 quid in the charity box per session]showed me the way round a lot faster than i realised cars could travel!after that i added perspex windows and the campagnolos at 50 pounds each-[nice wheels!]+lowered the springs/fitted konis+plastic arches.the photo featured was taken at valence hillclimb which formed part of the local sprint and hillclimb championship.i had one class win trophy at lydden circuit in the following period which i still treasure-the same venue where that car was written off 3 years later!thats another story.best regards richard