Lancia Fulvia 1.3S Coupe Series 2

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Launched in 1965, the Lancia Fulvia Coupe is one of those beautiful little cars that the Italians do so well.

Dainty and chic from all angles, it also has a fabulously airy interior that is austerely yet elegantly trimmed. More than just a pretty face, it also went extremely well with superb handling and an amazingly willing 1,298cc V4 engine that pumped out 92bhp.

No wonder it did so well in competition – right from the start it became the car to beat in everything from rallying to circuit racing to hillclimbs to sprints. Works Fulvias were used for ten seasons between 1965 and 1974, racking up countless wins in events as diverse as the Daytona 24 Hours, the Safari Rally and the Targa Florio.

This particular car dates from June 1971 and is the 1.3S Series 2 model with a five-speed gearbox and improved brakes. Acquired from local Lancia specialist Tanc Barratt in 2002, it was treated to a partial restoration in 2001 when the bodywork was restored and the car repainted. Various bills on file show that it also had a new timing chain and tensioner, rocker cover gaskets, rebuilt steering box, brake overhaul, new fuel pump and four new tyres plus numerous other items at around the same time.

For the last six years the car has been kept in Carcoon storage as part of a private collection and has just been recommissioned for sale including a carburettor overhaul and the fitment of a new fuel tank supplied by Omicron at a cost of £500. Time permitting, the vendor will attempt to get a new MOT in time for the sale, the last having expired in June 2010.

Seven old MOTs on file from 1998 to 2010 show the mileage rising from 47,246 to 55,059 during this time – a total which may be genuine as there are also a couple of old adverts on file, one of which (sadly undated) says “very, very low mileage, looks almost like new” and the other, dated January 1999, says “low mileage, stored for many years”.

It comes with a V5, a fair amount of history from new including the original warranty from Lancia England (now sadly expired!), various bills for recent maintenance, the original owner’s handbook, a maintenance manual, a comprehensive factory workshop manual and other technical literature relating to the model.