Fulvia fast road engine

[bruciebonuz]

If you live anywhere near Harpenden in Herts you are welcome to come and see mine which is fully race prepared with race cams and twin webers, stripped out, extinguisher, roll cage etc.  I am very glad I bought it and the recent blast round Goodwood vaildated the decision but it is not too much fun on the road as you would expect.  I intended to buy a standard HF but this one came along and was too good to pass up and I do hope to race it when my kids are older.  It wasn't cheap but you gets what you pays for I guess and the previous owners had spent a lot on it (all documented in some eye watering invoices).  I reckon Davids suggestion is very good and gives most options.  Like I said, by all means let me know if you want to take a look at mine if it will help.   

[rodney3010]

What a great offer. i will take you up on that. My work takes me down to Surrey quite often so can come back that way. I'll contact you nearer the time.

[rodney3010]

I'm aware that I've probably got too much time on my hands (only currently able to think about working on the car rather than actually doing it) but had a thought. My Fulvia has a very rough roof and the idea was to replace with a webasto. However, I recall a few mentions and photos of a Fulvia Barchetta. I don't want to do a complete and accurate replica but it may make a very nice track day car.
Has anybody had any experience of building one of these/know of any reference material kicking around?

[thecolonel]

I toyed with the idea, a few years back, worked out a few structural changes,
this may help you.......

http://bringatrailer.com/2008/07/25/sicilian-privateer-racer-75-lancia-fulvia-barchetta/

Geoff

[rodney3010]

Hmmmm. Thank you. Article suggests that the roll bar gives back the lost structual support. In your workings out did you feel that more were needed? There's also a bar in the bonnet bay, presuming structual but seems a tad thin?

[thecolonel]

my theory was to cut away the lower half of the inner door skin, just leaving the
outer skin for looks, then install a new box section attached to lower "A" pillar, 
lower "B" pillar and original sill, basically giving me an 18 inch deep sill which should
remove any flexing but still give limited use of the doors.

Alternatively just seam weld the doors shut.

[ncundy]

The roll bar will not give back the lost strength as it's attached in completely the wrong places to do it. The roof is fundamental to the strength of the shell and the only way you could replicate that in an open Fulvia is to run the roll bar right through the bulkhead at scuttle height and connect to the back of where the chassis legs attach to the bodyshell structure above the wheel arches.
Running that close would be Geoff's take on a deep sill or preferably welding the doors shut.

Personally I wouldn't contemplate it, especially as a track car - it'll be like jelly.

[zagatoboy]

Oh this brings back memories! I DID chop the roof off my Fulvia many years ago, after we (Nigel Hargreaves and myself) fell about laughing and picked ourselves up off the floor we scrapped what was left, trust me, it can't be done, not using a production car anyway.

[DavidLaver]

...sounds like you'd need to think more in terms of building a spaceframe than hanging some Fulvia panels on it...   

Its a Chugga sort of project, not something you'd see Clarkson get away with using a chainsaw and some screwjacks.

David

[rodney3010]

Thanks the advice gents.
I'll put my chainsaw away then!

[thecolonel]

anything is possible........

[jimb]

It is possible as can be seen in this picture of the S2 converted by Peter Immleman in Cape Town over 20 years ago.

He fitted a simple X brace under the car and a couple of extra braces inside.

The car is still in the club but unfortunately Peter is no longer with us.

The doors are still opening without any signs of sagging and there are no stress cracks visible on the body.

Jimb

[fay66]

Looks good Jim.

Brian

[DavidLaver]

"Simple" x-brace...   To me that would be like saying someone "just" made up a new chassis for a Lambda.  Did he ever write up the story of what was involved?   

Now the Fulvia version I'd like to see is an HPE.  When the pickup truck (there is just the one out there?) was on the market I gave it some serious (as serious as these things ever are) thought.

Maybe we'll get Chugga started on the "model line up Lancia would have had if they hadn't had to share the Fiat parts bin" when he's done with the post war pickups - but that may have to wait until NOW (why did I let that cat out the bag...) he's tracked down the Fulvia pickup and turned it into something the factory would have been proud of.

David

[jimb]

Hi David

Unfortunately Peter did not document how it was done. Haven't been able to study it in detail but there appears to be two lengths of 1" tubing going from corner to corner of the floor plan with a short pylon in the cetre of the X. Not sure how these are fixed.

Will see if we can get the car on our lift and will take some pictures. Unfortunately it is off the road at the moment with water in the oil so it may take some time to sort this out.

There is a picture of a one off Sport convertable in Wim's Fulvia & Flavia collectors guide. Does anyone know what has happened to this?

Jimb