Someone had to save it- That Fulvia estate

[fay66]

My 2c is worth a lot less than I spent on restoring her, and what I've spent since, but to make money was never the intention.
And after 27 Years of ownership, I haven't changed my views.
You're very lucky if you can ever recover the cost of restoring a car, especially these days.
The only way is if you own something highly desirable, or buy a very good one very cheap.!
Brian
8227

[frankxhv773t]

It all comes down to the basic question of whether you are doing it as an investment or spending money on something you enjoy. I could spend £45,000 on a world cruise. I'd enjoy it but I wouldn't expect to get £45,000 back afterwards.

[Wangler]

I would to make it clear that I never bought my Fulvia expecting to make any money on it. It was never an investment.

I expected to spend money on it, and indeed have already spent a few thousand on what was a rust free example needing a bit of TLC and some new bits. There is no way I could recoup what I have spent so far, nor did I ever expect to. When I add in the number of hours I have spent on it, idea of it being investment is ridiculous. My payback is having a lovely looking, beautifully engineered car that looks and drives just as a Fulvia should. It’s also been a very satisfying process, although sometimes frustrating of course.

Nevertheless, everybody has their limits as to how much time and money they want to spend on something. I am happy to continue doing both, but my limits are nowhere near those required to successfully undertake the particular project in question.

[fay66]

I would to make it clear that I never bought my Fulvia expecting to make any money on it. It was never an investment.

I expected to spend money on it, and indeed have already spent a few thousand on what was a rust free example needing a bit of TLC and some new bits. There is no way I could recoup what I have spent so far, nor did I ever expect to. When I add in the number of hours I have spent on it, idea of it being investment is ridiculous. My payback is having a lovely looking, beautifully engineered car that looks and drives just as a Fulvia should. It’s also been a very satisfying process, although sometimes frustrating of course.

Nevertheless, everybody has their limits as to how much time and money they want to spend on something. I am happy to continue doing both, but my limits are nowhere near those required to successfully undertake the particular project in

 question.

Well said, and thank you for saving something of great interest to many,  a Fulvia Lancia failed to make.

Brian

8227

[DavidLaver]

The trouble with spending money on something that is then worth money is that - when you need money - it makes sense to sell it.  

I'm delighted the estate is being given another chance.  It might also be worthless enough to be actually used as intended, which is another issue with stuff that ends up with a big ticket on it.

[FulviaHPE]

Someone has to say it!

I wasn’t going to say anything as I don’t like knocking people’s dreams. But, lots of people are commenting (although mostly off topic) and I guess you must be expecting some brickbats!

It’s obviously a very personal decision to undertake this enormous restoration and I wonder what motivated you to do so. It was never a great car and it never can be. It will only ever be a quirky vehicle that someone many years ago with spare time and a welding torch once thought would be a good idea. I don’t think it ever was a good idea, but who knows the circumstances that gave rise to it.

The amount of time that will need to be spent on it is off the scale. I assume you must be a skilled welder or you wouldn’t have contemplated the project, but that’s only the start.

I’m sure all the parts (and you’ll need a heck of a lot of them) will be available from donor cars, eBay, Omicron, Tanc Barratt, Pieces Fulvia etc. but they won’t come cheap these days.

If you want a Fulvia (and why wouldn’t any classic car enthusiast, they are beautifully engineered) I think I would spend my time on one that will at least be worth something one day, thereby recouping a lot of what you are going to spend on time and components. It will also be guaranteed a great car to drive if done correctly. Some pretty rough ones are advertised from time to time, but they can make good long-term projects.

Sorry to be negative, but I’ve seen too many projects abandoned after spending an inordinate amount of time and money on them by the time the penny dropped.

Oh, I know that this makes very little sense for most people. But the strange nature of it is very appealing to me, obviously it's not for everyone! The parts certainly do add up though I would say pricing for most things is in line with what I would expect, and it's refreshing to be dealing with something where there is a plentiful supply of parts from many vendors. Not something I can say for my MR2s even though they are much newer.

[FulviaHPE]

The trouble with spending money on something that is then worth money is that - when you need money - it makes sense to sell it.  

I'm delighted the estate is being given another chance.  It might also be worthless enough to be actually used as intended, which is another issue with stuff that ends up with a big ticket on it.

Yes, it definitely will be. One if the first things I checked was would I be able to fit my bike in the back- it will with the front wheel off. The idea is to build something that is usable and be able to take it on long trips away.

[FulviaHPE]

That car of yours looks vaguely familiar, did you buy it from Bob Cuppage?    He certainly made a Fulvia estate by grafting on a citroen back end in the 70s.

It is. As far as I know it was on the road until the early 90s, that's when the last MOT I have expired. I know it went through a couple of owners in the past few years.

[davidwheeler]

Was one of them Robert Cuppage?

[DavidLaver]

On the subject of parts adding up on one project I kept a spreadsheet to learn from.  The biggest lesson was never to keep a spreadsheet.