1969 Lancia Fulvia

Lancia introduced the Fulvia salon in 1963, and it remained in production through 1976. It was named after Via Fulvia, the Roman road leading from Tortona to Turin, and designed by Antonio Fessia. It was a replacement for the rear-wheel-drive Appia and shared almost no components with its predecessor. Like the Flavia, the Fulvia received a front-wheel drive configuration along with an all-new, narrow-angle, overhead-camshaft V4 engine. Both the Flavia and the Fulvia shared many similar engineering designs, with the major exception being the engine. The Flavia employed a four-cylinder horizontally opposed engine and the Fulvia a 'Narrow Angle' vee configuration used on most production Lancias from the Lambda. It had an unusually narrow 12-degree V which allowed a single cylinder head to cover all the cylinders, with one cam each for exhaust and intake valves. The DOHC unit initially displaced 1,091cc with a 72mm bore and a 67mm stroke. With the help of a single carburetor, it developed 57 horsepower. With higher compression and twin Solex carburetors, output rose to 70 hp.

Three displacement sizes of the engine were ultimately developed, including a 1199cc, 1231cc, and 1298cc version. The 1199cc engine was only installed in the Berlina sold in Greece. In 1967, the engine was reworked with a slightly narrower bank angle and longer 69.7mm stroke. The 1298cc engine was built in two versions, including the Type 818.302 with 87 horsepower and the Type 8183.03 rated at 91 horsepower. This version was installed in the first series Coupé Rallye S and Sport S.

The engine was mounted longitudinally in front of its transaxle and suspended in the front by an independent suspension that used wishbones and a single leaf spring. In the back was a beam axle with a Panhard rod and leaf springs. Tour wheel Dunlop disc brakes were fitted to first series Fulvia's. The second series, introduced in 1970, received larger Girling calipers all round and a brake servo. Additional changes included a redesigned body resting on a 20 mm longer wheelbase. The roofline was altered to allow additional interior room for the rear-seat passengers, and various other updates were made to the interior. The handbrake design was also changed - using separate drums and brake shoes operating on the rear wheels.

The Fulvia was built as a Berlina 4-door saloon, 2-door Coupe, and Sport. A fastback coupe designed and built by Zagato was also available and built atop the coupe floorpan. The Coupe version proved most popular and earned numerous racing accolades in motorsports competition, including winning the International Rally Championship in 1972.

The 2+2 coupe was introduced two years after the arrival of the Fulvia saloon and built atop a shorter wheelbase but remained mechanically similar. Tuned 'HF' versions provided increased performance, while the Sport Zagato wore lightweight and aerodynamic bodies. Introduced in 1965 with the 1,216cc engine, the Sport Zagato was later offered with the 1,231cc, 1,298cc, and eventually the 1,584cc HF unit. A five-speed gearbox was standard equipment from 1971. Production ceased in 1972.

The works team campaigned the Fulvia in 1.2- and 1.3-litre forms, before the arrival of the 1.6-litre, five-speed HF1600 for 1969, giving them the means to mount a more serious challenge. The Rallye 1.6 HF was known as the 'Fanalone' due to its large inner headlamps. Power was sourced from a 1,584 cubic centimeter V-4 engine delivering 115 horsepower in road trim with up to 165 bhp in rally guise. The works team used the HF1600 consistently between 1969 and 1974, securing seven European Championship wins in 1970, six in 1971, and seven the following year to take the World Rally Championship for Makes in 1972. Alpine-Renault's A110 took the title for the French manufacturer in 1973, but the HF1600 was not done yet, helping Lancia to a second Makes championship in 1974 together with the Stratos and Beta Coupé, while Harry Kallström (1969) and Sandro Munari (1972) became European Rally Champions driving the HF1600.

The Fulvia HF1600 effectively established Lancia's reputation on the World Rallying stage and paved the way for the Stratos, Rally 037, and Delta Integrale models. When production ceased in 1973, a total of 3,690 Stradale (road-going) HF1600s had been produced, with a further 1,258 being built to 'Rallye' specification.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe

This car was built new in August 1969 with a Tipo 1016 'Corse Clienti' 132 horsepower engine including higher lift camshafts, higher compression pistons, Solex 45 carburetors, a larger 90-liter alloy tank, 13-inch Cromodora wheels, blue and red cam cover, shorter gearbox ratios and a racing fuel filler. Only 610 cars with the Tipo 1016 engine were built, but only a few cars were delivered with the full rally specs, such as the period Halda rally instruments.

It was sold new in 1969 in Tenerife, the main city in the Spanish-run Canary Islands, to Dr. Luis Carrasco Casanova. The car was in storage from 1976 to 2003 in Tenerife. A restoration was done in 2004 by M. Santana in Spain. There have been several owners over the years, and it has an extensive racing career. The current owner purchased the car in 2014. It arrived at F.A.I. in Costa Mesa for repairs and restoration. In November 2013, it was accepted for entry into the 2014 Tour Auto by Patrick Peter.

The engine is a V4 of 1584cc displacement. This car is equipped with a set of shorter gearbox ratios suited to rally competition, a set of 13-inch Cromodora wheels, a larger 90-liter alloy fuel tank, and the racing-style fuel filler.

Coupe
Chassis number: 818360006406

This 1969 Lancia Fulvia is equipped with a 1,298cc four-cylinder engine with twin Solex C35 carburetors backed by a four-speed transmission. It has aluminum doors, trunk lid and hood lid, and a functional air scoop on the hood. It has a wood dash, wood steering wheel, and full instrumentation, including an in-dash clock, rocker and toggle switches. There is a passenger grab rail, a new headliner, sun visors, and a new rear-window package tray.

This Lancia spent the majority of its life in Italy

by Dan Vaughan

In 1963 Lancia introduced the Fulvia at the Geneva Motor Show. It was designed by Antonio Fessia and intended as a replacement for the Lancia Appia. The Fulvia was a front-wheel-drive vehicle, whereas its predecessor, the Appia, used a rear-wheel-drive configuration. The longitudinal engine was mounted in the front. The suspension in the rear was a solid axle with a Panhard rod and leaf springs, while the front was independent with wishbones and leaf springs. Disc brakes were placed on all four corners of the car.

The DOHC V4 engine was designed by Zaccone Mina and mounted forward at a 45-degree angle. The 1091 cc engine was capable of producing between 59 and 71 horsepower, depending on the configuration and compression ratio. The HF model had a 1216 cc engine and produced between 80 and 88 horsepower.

In 1969, Fiat took over the production of the vehicle.

In 1972, a Fulvia was victorious in winning the International Rally Championship.

Throughout its life span, the vehicle could be had in a number of body styles and configurations. In 1963 a compact four-door was introduced and dubbed the Berlina. In 1967, a GT version of the Berlina was available and featured a more powerful 1216 cc. engine. The GTE soon followed in 1968 with a 1298 cc engine. A shorter version was available in 1965 and dubbed the Coupe. The rally version Coupe HF was introduced in 1965 and featured a 1.2 and 1.3 engine. Later, a 1.6HF became available, as did a sport version which was a 2-seater sports car.

Both on the track and on the streets, the Fulvia had a successful career.

by Dan Vaughan

Many carmakers stand out in the collective memory of vintage auto enthusiasts as having built exceptionally well-engineered cars. Porsche and Lotus, for instance, each built cars not just with passion but also with mathematical precision and distinct purpose. One of the best-engineered marques of automotive history has often been forgotten, though.

It was the carmaker that made pioneering advances in technologies that have today become ubiquitous, including the 'V' engine configuration and unitized body construction. It was the carmaker so concerned with building cars to its own high standards that it ignored the principles of cost-effectiveness and doomed itself to financial ruin and a takeover by Fiat. It was the carmaker that, even under Fiat's control, realized sparkling rally success with a car that would have looked at home on Mars. The name of this carmaker, once Italy's most technically advanced brand, is Lancia.

Established in 1906, Lancia quickly earned a reputation for being one of the most innovative carmakers in the world. In 1922 the radical Lancia Lambda was introduced, powered by a V4 and built using unitized construction. Decades later, Lancia's innovative spirit was still alive in the company's products, proven by the Aurelia of 1950 that featured the world's first mass-produced V6 as well as a rear transaxle and rear inboard brakes.

Lancia's expensive pursuit of engineering excellence ended when Fiat took over the debt-laden company in 1969. Before the Fiat takeover, though, Lancia was able to introduce a model that combined crisp Italian styling, capable performance, and advanced technology in a light and lithe package. That model, the Fulvia, was introduced in 1963 and continued in production for years after Fiat took control of ailing Lancia.

The Fulvia was a small, front-wheel-drive Lancia powered by a V4. With sales that surpassed 300,000 units, the Fulvia sold in great numbers for a Lancia yet still was not a financial success. It was produced in several variations until 1976.

The first Fulvia, introduced in 1963, was a sedan with styling by Pietro Castagnero. Its tight, boxy shape exemplified the typically clean lines of small Italian sedans from the 1960's. For 1965, a Fulvia coupe was released. The coupe's styling was every bit as pure as the sedan's, yet the Fulvia coupe's shape was more interesting and unique than was the sedan's somewhat anonymous profile. The coupe was also styled by Castagnero, but was an altogether more successful design than the sedan. The Fulvia sedan was produced until 1972, while the coupe remained in production until 1976.

The V4 that powered the first of the Fulvia sedans displaced only 1,091cc, good for a modest 58bhp. By 1964, power was up to 71bhp from the same displacement in the 2C sedan. This added power was by no means overwhelming, but it was a very impressive figure for such an engine of such diminutive displacement. The high specific output of Lancia's V4 was just one example of the high quality of the Fulvia's engineering. The later Fulvia GT (available with 1,216cc or 1,231cc motors) and GTE (1,298cc) were the most powerful Fulvia sedans.

When the coupe appeared in 1965, it used a V4 with displacement increased to 1,216cc. Output was at a hearty 80bhp. As the coupe aged, Lancia continued to provide sportier trim levels with even more powerful engines. Of these sportier trims, the 1.6 HF was the most impressive. It made 115bhp out of 1,584cc and, thanks in part to its 5-speed gearbox, could reach 112mph.

Another Fulvia coupe variant was the Fulvia Sport. This model was built by Zagato between 1965 and 1972 and featured aerodynamic styling by Ercole Spada coupled with powerful 1,216cc, 1,298cc, and 1,584cc engines. Aluminum alloy was used in the construction of Fulvia Zagato bodies (though only early models featured all-alloy bodies), resulting in a lighter car than the Fulvia coupe.

The Lancia Fulvia, in sedan, coupe, and Sport forms, was successful in motor racing. The most notable racing achievements of the Fulvia range were accomplished by coupe models, which were used extensively in rallies. The highlight of the Fulvia's racing career came in 1972 when a Fulvia Rallye 1.6 HF won the International Championship for Manufacturers rally series.

The Fulvia was arguably the last true Lancia. Though Lancia produced some incredible vehicles while under Fiat control, none of them had the classic combination of refinement and innovation that characterized pre-Fiat models. The Fulvia remains an excellent choice for buyers looking to discover the Lancia mystique at an affordable price.

Sources:

Vanzetti, Piero. 'Lancia Fulvia.' Piero Vanzetti's Lancia Fulvia Site n. pag. Web. 15 Jun 2010. http://www.alma.it/vanzettip/fulvia/fulviae.html.

Wood, Jonathan. Great Marques of Italy. London: Octopus Books Limited, 1987. 151-183. Print.

by Evan Acuña