Selling my Flavia

[pbharcourt]

Time to sell my Flavia coupe and get on with repairing the Fulvia berlina!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LANCIA-FLAVIA-COUPE-FARINA-/290659337550?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item43aca5854e

[pbharcourt]

'The best laid plans of mice and men' and all that stuff!
After a number of enquires and false starts I have decided to keep my Flavia for a bit longer, I had a number of offers but only one viewer who was stunned at how original she was and made the best offer of £7500.
Unfortunately nowhere near what a 35,000 mile Flavia is worth, most people just assumed that it was a rust bucket because it hadn't already been restored!
I still hold by my opinion that good Flavia's should be around about the same price as good Fulvia's and not half the price, it just dosen't make sense to me (and thats not just because I am trying to sell mine :)).
I know that classic car prices are subjective and market driven, and that every Fulvia 1300 is a works Rally car! but I have been bowled over with how good the Flavia really is as a practicle smooth gentlemans GT.
Phew....glad I got that off my chest!
Now that I have made the decision I feel a lot better and can carry on with improving her, next on the list are all the anti-roll bar rubbers and as it has one front and back (unlike the cheaper Fulvia! :)) it could get expensive again.....oh well....lovely car though :)

[anglegrinder]

Good on you! I'm nearing the end (does it ever end) of my Flavia restoration and I wholly support your efforts to inflate the market value of Flavias. It would be nice to think that my project isn't already in negative equity! :)

[pbharcourt]

Ha, ha,ha ....I know what you mean Mike, not a cheap thing to restore.
I love the photos of her on your profile, does look fab in the Lancia blue and I just love the rear end without the bumpers (fenders!) and lights on. I was very tempted to french some flush rear lights in and do without the rear bumper just so that I could look at her rump every day (very feminine!).

[anglegrinder]

Our cars are of similar vintage. Mine is a 1967 model on an "F".

Whilst your car seems to have been relatively untouched over the years, mine has been in almost continual use and has had a small fortune spent on its upkeep. There are some nice modifications like a better electric fuel pump, stainless steel sleeves in the brake cylinders, stainless steel braided brake hoses, a modern master cylinder, an alternator in place of the original dynamo, new rear leaf springs and some nylatron suspension bushes.

The paintwork was, however, patchy and each corner appeared to have been repainted by different people with a variety of ideas about Lancia Blue. I've had each corner taken back to bare metal and all the nasty previous repairs replaced with lovely new metal so she is now looking the part.

I just need to get the clutch replaced and she's good for the summer. But this is where it gets a bit tricky as the clutch was modified to a stronger diaphragm type back in 1999 and I don't know quite what parts will be required. On that subject, when you had your engine out, did you replace the spigot bearing? If so, do you recall what bearing you used?

I hope you keep your Flavia long enough for us to meet up and compare notes!

Cheers
Mike

[pbharcourt]

Sounds nice and usable!
I must admit that I didn't take too much notice of the spigot bearing as it was in good condition but I do have a spare standard clutch pressure plate if you want it. I am not sure why you would need an uprated plate, does it reduces any judder on take up? maybe somebody can enlighten me?
My paintwork is a little patchy but that is due to the old chap scraping parked cars, walls, gatepost's.......etc etc :hopeless:
It's a long way from Southampton to Ayre but never say never..I may get carried away one Sunday and just not stop driving!

[anglegrinder]

Regarding the clutch, it was a mod done by Richard Thorne when they were preparing the car for Classic Rallies. I've always understood that diaphragm clutches were meant to be better than spring as they can apply more pressure than the spring systems. I guess it was a mod that they thought would be required for the longer rallies and Alpine passes.