Flavia Vignale Restoration Advice

[AndyofYork]

Hi there,
I am a new member, just enrolled.
I am fortunate enough to be just embarking on a '65 Vignale restoration.
The starting point isn't too bad at all.
Rhd, stored for a long time, some rot as you would expect, not too daunting - but a comprehensive restoration is required.
So many questions.
I am getting a lot of very professional and expert help with bodywork restoration, chrome, paint etc, but would greatly appreciate tapping in to members expertise and experience to help make some sensible.... and maybe a few not so sensible ones when appropriate!
Is there a one stop Vignale consultant around, or can I just throw this out there?
Parts - lord, I need a fair few of those! Including some which I am sure are hard to find and expensive. Example include - wheel embellishers, headlamp chrome, door seals, boot hydraulic strut, locks.....there is a pretty long list.  
The search begins.UK, Netherlands, Italy?
Paint - back to original (white), it's currently red, or choose the colour I like - which today is grigio York, but that will no doubt change tomorrow!
Upholstery - I  like the current period blue vinyl, but it has seen better days. A couple of splits etc. Does it repair OK?
The squabs and springs need doing for sure, so there is work to be done.
I am really fortunate to be working with some great people - we haven't done a Flavia before but are really looking forward to it. Such a beautiful car. I will put some pictures up when I get a handle on the website.
Thank you.
Andy



 
 

[Parisien]

Welcome again to the forum Andrew, lots of help and info on the forum already, a link below to TV programme SOS discussion, am sure it's on video somewhere on the net!

https://www.lancia.myzen.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=9053.0

Please put up as many pics as you can, just make sure they aren't too big!

Best of luck with restoration!

P

[DavidLaver]

Join the consortium.  Buy all the back issue newsletters on a USB stick.  Go to the next meeting.

http://www.flavia2000consortium.org.uk/home/

Where abouts in the country are you?

[DavidLaver]

What colour was it originally?   

Its interesting to see favoured colours come and go.  Once it was the dark blues that were sought after, greys popular at the moment (my daughter wanted grey walls in her bedroom which took me a while to understand).  There's a mustard yellow you'll see everywhere on the high street that is giving Harvest Gold MGs of the early 70s their moment (and early Range Rovers).  A few years back white was "in".  Orange looked very adventurous but came into fashion.

If you like the original colour enough, chances are its time will come and everyone else will also, for a few years at least.

[DavidLaver]

THE book is "Lancia Flavia 1960 - 1974, by Angela Verschoor".

There might still be copies via the consortium:

http://www.flavia2000consortium.org.uk/News/news3.html

If not well worth seeking out.  It comes with a CD in the back with high quality scans of handbooks, parts books, press photos and all sorts else.  That way the parts books are a luxury not necessity.  There's someone in Holland who sells the disks on their own.

https://assets.catawiki.nl/assets/2018/9/25/e/8/a/e8abd314-6879-4fcf-90f0-2fbf512e8b28.jpg

This "Collectors Guide" book is ok but "keep an eye out for" rather than pay those prices for one.  They come up on the club forum from time to time. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lancia-Fulvia-Flavia-collectors-guide/dp/090054970X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1543323536&sr=1-2&keywords=lancia+flavia

[Flamfan]

Hi Andy and welcome to the Lancia money pit 
As regards colour it's obviously a personal choice but there's a lot to be said for keeping it original.
I reckon white suits the Flavia with possibly a contrasting soft top matching the interior.
I've not seen Flavia Vignale road tests, but I would imagine they might echo the sentiments of the saloon and coupe.
Good luck with the resto and here's a couple of coupe contemporary road test comments.

[AndyofYork]

Thank you for the welcome and replies.
I will seek out some of those reference books and articles - very useful.
I am in York and the car is being worked on locally.
I have seen the Car SOS show - and by way of full disclosure,  I do work in TV (not that show!) though this car is
a personal project. I am going to spend hard-earned on it and enjoy!
Here it is - originally white - next colour, white or grigio York - to be discussed!

[Sliding Pillar]

I'm not sure where I got this info from, but this is the colour chart from Alperton for 1964, it shows the grey (silver) for the Flavia Vignale is either Newmarket or Auteuil. The white is Saratoga.
There is lots of useful information on colours on Geoff Goldberg's website http://www.lanciaaurelia.info/color.html

[AndyofYork]

SP - Thank you for all that information, really interesting chart on the sedan/coupe/vignale options.
So if I am being a purist, I put it back to Satatoga White. I like the grigio York - it's very retro classy, but it not a vignale colour. As I watch the news- I'm thinking Theresa May has a trickier problem!

I will get to the mechanics - but this does seem a more immediate decision.


Did they put the vinyls in some of the vignales because they stand ups to rain better?
Unusually practical thinking if so.
I do like the blue vinyl, it feels nicely period but I suspect it maybe shot...
Most seem to have been replaced with leather.
Any thoughts/persuasive arguments either way?

[ColinMarr]

Echoing those road test extracts, here are some photos to show that a Flavia Vignale can be a very rewarding car to own and drive – happy memories!

Colin

[DavidLaver]

Got mentioned for Fulvias today.  Not sure there's anything there not in the book, but others are likely to know better or for sure.

http://www.viva-lancia.com/specials/cd/flavia-cd.php

[rogerelias]

A classic Mr Marr pre digital photo one handed using a SLR   

[AndyofYork]

..and a very nicely framed shot too - using the left eye shut viewfinder  technique. Definitely a lost art.

[stanley sweet]

Yes, add a nice piece of text and you have a front cover for a contemporary brochure.

[ColinMarr]

Thank you for appreciative comments. I posted that photo mostly to show what a relaxing pleasure it was to drive that car at speed – so stable and un-fussed. I doubt if I would have the confidence to do the same now in my modern Fiat.

The camera wasn’t a SLR – it was an Olympus XA with rangefinder focussing set to infinity and very easy to use single-handed, even winding on by thumb.

Colin