Lancia has always been one of those exciting and innovative brands, provoking sweaty palms and twinkly eyes from enthusiasts who grew up watching the spaceship-like Stratos bouncing through gravelly forests, lusted after the Delta S4 in the Group B era, or marvelled at the real-world ballistics of the Delta Integrale as the Italian Cosworth-beater of choice.
Any petrolhead worth their salt treats the Lancia name with the reverence it deserves. You know that hackneyed old expression about how you’re not a true car enthusiast until you’ve owned an Alfa Romeo? Well, Lancia can be a few notches further up the scale of desirability for the discerning retro connoisseur.
The Fulvia coupe is unquestionably one of the manufacturer’s high points. Launched in 1965, this sylph-like two-door shared its underpinnings with the Fulvia Berlina saloon that had launched a couple of years before. With favourable power-to-weight ratios from the various iterations’ buzzy little motors, the model evolved over three generations with the Coupe 3 (as we have here) being built from 1974-76.
This built upon the improvements of the Series II (including the 5-speed gearbox and larger Girling brakes) and added emission control to the Solex carburettors, improved seats with integrated headrests, white dials and a matte black grille. Power came from the characterful 1.3-litre V4, with the ‘S’ model serving up an entertaining 89bhp, along with a simply glorious soundtrack. Style, flair, mechanical genius, surprising practicality – could this be the perfect usable classic?
There’s a pattern of ownership in Italy with cars like this. It’s so often the case that a pretty little classic like a Fulvia will be run by an old boy who’s had it for many years, taking it for servicing and maintenance at the same village garage that he’s been going to since the seventies. We can’t prove such a provenance with this particular Fulvia, but this combination of rustic everyday life and la dolce vita is an intrinsic part of the ideal.
The current owner bought the car three years ago, which is when it first arrived in the UK; an Italian-market car, it had lived there until 2018 when it was imported, and he bought it from the chap who drove it to the UK, making him the car’s first and only UK owner.
It’s been driven sparingly since and, with regret, it’s time to sell simply because there are other cars in the collection that are demanding his time and money – there’s a Scirocco having a nut-and-bolt rebuild and a Merc SEC waiting in the wings, so sadly the Lancia needs to make way.
The correct V5 is present, showing the Fulvia to be a 1974 car that was first registered in the UK on June 8th 2018. The original Fulvia 3 manual is here, artfully weathered and carrying handwritten annotations from former Italian keepers, along with a period Lancia brochure. The 2018 bill of sale shows it was bought for £13,250, and a subsequent insurance valuation certificate put the value at £15,000 in 2020, which demonstrates a clear trajectory.
There’s also a receipt from December 2020 showing some work that was carried out by the Lancia specialist A A Automotive of Surrey, including rectifying a fuel leak by draining the tank and renewing pipes and seals, ultrasonically cleaning and rebuilding the carburettors, replacing the spark plugs and giving the engine an oil service among other bits and bobs, which amounted to £761.90.
And while the car is MOT exempt, it does have a current MOT which runs to May 2022 – a small plate was welded into one sill, along with new CV boots being fitted and the windscreen washers’ operation attended to, and following this it passed with no advisories.
Light, airy and surprisingly spacious, the interior of a Fulvia Coupe is a thoroughly pleasant place to be, and this one is in really lovely condition. It’s all original, with the comfy and ergonomically designed S3 seats in tasteful brown leatherette, and the seats are free from marks, tears, burns or stains.
The fronts tilt forward properly to allow access to the tidy rear bench, and the carpets are in very good order throughout, save for some very minor cigarette burn marks behind the centre console. Indeed, they’re a very desirable feature, as a lot of owners over the years have swapped out the green carpets for more traditional black ones, but we reckon the green looks far more interesting. The original headlining is in place, slightly discoloured but all complete with no rips or sagging.
The dash is in very decent condition, with the model-correct white dials and attractive wood inlay which is free from marks or damage. The passenger-side fascia had been cut at some point in the past to fit the period radio-cassette, and the black plastic inlay to its left is cracked, although replacement pieces are readily available. It’s an unrestored original interior, which is actually quite remarkable when you see the splendid condition of i
Inside the boot it’s all dry and tidy, with no signs of water ingress or corrosion in the boot floor. The car comes with a spare steel wheel with good tyre, along with the toolkit and the original Battaini jack – itself a very desirable item, as these were also original-equipment in Ferraris of the 1960s and ’70s, and change hands for more than a few quid among the Tifosi!
You’ll also spot the presence of an LPG tank in the boot. This was fitted while the car was still in Italy, and is a very neat and largely reversible install, with the LPG filler hidden alongside the petrol filler under the stock fuel flap. Aside from a couple of holes made for bolts and hoses – and, crucially, no modification whatsoever to any exterior panels – it could all be removed quite easily, or it could be hooked up to the engine and used to save some pennies on running costs. (The current owner has never used the LPG system, and recommends recommissioning by a professional to ensure safety.)
Leave those cliches about rusty Lancias at the door: this is an impressively solid and complete car, with the only noticeable area of corrosion being a bit about the size of a £1 coin on one corner of the bootlid, which should be a very easy thing to remedy.
The car has evidently had the odd area resprayed over the years, but on the whole it’s wearing its original dark blue paint with panache. All of the correct chrome trim and badging are in place and in good condition, and the light lenses and window glass are in good order. The window rubbers and door seals are all complete and unperished, which is a very good thing as the seal kits can be quite expensive!
The front quarter lights and pop-out rear windows all open and close like they should, and the door windows wind up and down smoothly. The door handles and latches are good, and the panel fit is even throughout with everything lining up nicely.
The driver’s-side door hinge was recently replaced, which caused no end of entertainment as it took months to source the part and, with no two Fulvias really being the same, getting it fitting well was a challenge – you can’t tell now though, can you? It hangs well and closes with a reassuring thunk.
The scuttle is solid with no corrosion, and the underside all appears to be solid too. In place of the standard-issue steel wheels, this car wears the prettier 14” alloy wheels from the Safari (a limited edition built by Lancia to celebrate the marque’s entry in the Safari Rally); these are in excellent condition, and wear quality Goodyear rubber with plenty of tread.
The yellow and white number plates are in the boot, as the owner has fitted a set of attractive enamelled pressed-steel black-and-silvers.
Lancia engines are renowned for their alluring soundtrack, and you can take it from us that the characterful rasp of this little V4 is utterly beguiling. It’s clearly a happy engine in fine fettle too; prior to our photoshoot, the car had been sitting unused under a cover for a number of weeks, and yet it instantly fired up on the first turn of the key, and settled into a perfect idle once warmed through.
With a recent service and the carbs recently professionally cleaned, it’s all humming just as it should with no unsettling noises or fluid leaks. The gearbox is slick and friendly, with every ratio slotting cleanly and not jumping out; 2nd gear is a common problem with the Fulvia, but that’s not the case with this car, it’s all working sweetly.
The owner reports no issues with the steering, brakes or suspension, it’s all as it should be. A joyful little thing to drive.
There are few classics which offer such a pleasing sports car package.
The tasteful interior has a real cocooning effect on the driver, shrink-wrapping you in pleasingly minimalist Italian design while also feeling light and airy thanks to the large glasshouse and slender pillars; it all helps you to feel very much a part of the performance as you thread the nimble Fulvia balletically down your favourite B-roads.
The format is sublime; zingy and rev-hungry motor, perfectly poised chassis, endless tactility and feedback – and it’s all wrapped up in a magnificently stylish package. And this particular example of the Fulvia Coupe 3 really is a lovely one: straight and solid body, eminently usable and dependable mechanicals, every box ticked and ready to roll. It’s not a project, or a car that’s going to present you with a to-do list, before heading out on the road – this pretty Lancia is ready and waiting for summertime adventures.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
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1974 Lancia Fulvia Coupe 3
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