While the Lancia Fulvia Coupe was out racking up rally victories, it's four-door counterpart went rather unnoticed throughout its production run. Perhaps it was the Fulvia Berlina's homely yet tailored looks, but beneath lied advanced technology for the age. The engine was a narrow angle V4, mounted at a 45° angle. One camshaft operated all intake valves and another operated the exhaust valves. The use of a narrow angle allowed Lancia to package the engine with one cylinder head. Add to this engine four-wheel disc brakes, front-wheel drive and front independent suspension and you had a formula for fun. This Fulvia Berlina for sale in Maryland is a little rough but is perfect for someone looking for a collectible to tinker with and improve this winter.

Year: 1972
Model: Fulvia Berlina
Engine: 1.3 liter V-4
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 52,000 mi
Price: Reserve auction

CLICK FOR DETAILS:1972 Lancia Fulvia Berlina

Need a last minute gift for that incorrigible Italian car enthusiast in the family? Look no further!

Here is one of the last TRUE Lancia automobiles. That illustrious company was bought by Fiat in 1969, and built their last Fulvia Berlina in 1972. Though a few Fulvia Coupes were built until 1976, the rest of the line was converted to Fiat-designed vehicles (of much lower quality).

The Fulvia probably killed Lancia because it cost too much to produce. Though it was only a small-displacement car, it was engineered with the same high standards as the more expensive Lancias. Many details of these last Lancias show amazing attention to detail, and extraordinary engineering creativity. Many parts are cast, not stamped steel.

I imported this car from the Venice area of Italy in November 2004. It has been a wonderful car to own and drive and even enjoy as garage-art. But it does very few miles and needs attention in a number of areas, and it is time for someone with fewer vehicles (or more resources!) to bring it back to its former glory.

Pros

- Original engine/trans/rear work well and this is a wonderful driving car. Bend it through a corner and it will track like an arrow through the apex.
- The body is fundamentally solid. There have been a few body repairs done, and it does show some rust damage around the windshield, but this is not one of those Italian cars that swam through salt water to get here!
- All electrical systems/lights work
- Great color combo
- All original down to the hubcaps with their beautiful cast centers
- Shortly after the car landed, we dropped the front sub-frame and did an extensive update, including clutch, rear main seal, steering box bushings, axle boots and all rubber bushings that mount the sub-frame to the body. We painted the body mount boxes with anti-rust paint to assure future integrity.

Cons

- The car needs minor body work and paint. Ideally, you'd have a body shop do all the minor imperfections, including removing the windshield to repair the rust there, then paint the same solid dark blue color it is now.
- It needs tires. The Fulvia still has the European tires I bought it with and I hate to replace them if the next owner wants a wider tire or different wheel.
- There are a number of small projects to be done (it is a 1972!) including aligning the steering wheel, new weatherstripping, and gaskets in the gauges.
- There is a slight exhaust leak. It sounds lovely going through the gears, but I now hear a slight leak closer to the manifold.

Btw, parts for this car are not hard to find. Not necessarily cheap, but they are available. I understand that this is an odd time to list a car (Christmas week), so if you cover the deposit, you are welcome to pick up the car anytime in January. Please call for more detail as required.

Al
410-353-3896

A show quality Fulvia Berlina will currently run you somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000 to $15,000. Given the amount of work needed on this example, I would peg this car somewhere in the $6,500 to $8,500 range. This is a very complete example that could be run on a daily basis with a little TLC or prove a solid base for a concours restoration project.

-Paul