Its that truck again - and it needs saving...

[St Volumex]

I suppose I could go and have a look at it, where is it, Stafford?
Ade.

Thanks Ade!

[DavidLaver]

Whoever "owns" it I'm still good for a donation.  One person, three, thirty three, part the club, whatever...

David

[Kevin MacBride]

I decided against, as the cost of resto plus transportation etc, makes it a bit uneconomical. This photo attached is kinda what I had in mind.
Where in Italy, would you find restored examples for sale.

[hyena1]

Down-plating apparently not viable due to sheer size and scale - 10.5 litres for a start!! Although ad's gone from Pistonheads I have seller's email address if Ade will go and have a look. Risk here is time - seller running out of options and will scrap eventually...
Mark

[HF_Dave]

Kevin, the Ferrari transporter is or sale at Talacrest, I reckion that it would get you the best poisition in the paddock

[Martin D]

In case anyone hasn't seen it, I don't think you can get onto the Pistonheads listing directly anymore but if you google this you should get 4 images;

www.pistonheads.com/sales/1920656.htm

If you also google "Lancia Esagamma" and then view images you'll find some older stuff from when it was previously for sale etc in amongst pages of (mostly) Esagamma images. Look for it on a low loader around page 7/8/9 or so.

Martin.

[Sliding Pillar]

I will contact the seller and make an appointment to view.  Re down plating, I think as Mark said this is a non starter, mainly due to the fact that it probably weighs more than 7.5 tonnes unladen!!

[Harvey]

I must confess I haven't even looked at a picture, so have no idea what an Esagamma truly is... :-)

[lee69]

I must confess I haven't even looked at a picture, so have no idea what an Esagamma truly is... :-)

Here's a great pic of an Esgamma - love the quote about it being the Rolls Royce of trucks. http://www.flickr.com/photos/30797788@N03/4473085852/

And this is the one in question http://www.flickr.com/photos/38118841@N08/4098467823/

Would it be worth approaching Iveco here in the UK? The Esagamma is essentially the ancestor of the current Stralis and I believe the ex-Lancia truck factory in Bolzano is where the heavy Ivecos are built. Perhaps we could ask them to support the restoration (it'd be a good project for their apprentices) with a view to Iveco getting some use of it for PR at truck shows. Just a thought.....

The chap I sort of bought the Ypsilon from runs a commercial vehicle bodybuilders here in Telford (Ingimex official partners with Iveco). I believe he may be a current LMC member and perhaps a source of advice/support. I love the idea of a transporter, but that could prove expensive (it's also a fair bit shorter in the chassis than many other classic transporters that I've seen). I think the easiest conversion would be a simple flatbed or maybe a dropside like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/13142169@N03/2678760053/

[Harvey]

Thank you. Was browsing from my phone previously as the LMC forum is on the IT ban list at work. (I think they clocked how long I had the page open daily...)

It wouldn't be a practical transporter, as it would cost more per mile than the car it would carry! Still, it's rare and somewhat unusual so I'm willing to chip in for the sheer fun of seeing it within the Club.

[DavidLaver]

Lee....   Do I like the way you're thinking?

As for being "a transporter" I think we all really mean "show piece" with an Aurelia or an Appia Zagato on the roof and the real business of dispensing premium coffee and swapping of tall tales going on inside.

They'd almost be an argument for getting the cosmetics right first and moving it between shows on a low loader like a traction engine might be treated.

As for "next steps" surely the next is to spread the word via Viva and see who else has ideas, contacts, whatever.

David

[Sliding Pillar]

Sorry to put a damper on all your ideas..... but there is a roadworthy Esagamma with a flatbed body and hydraulic ramps for sale in Italy and it is 9,000euro. (asking price)  How you could possibly get the one in the UK up to that condition and put a body on it for that amount of money is beyond comprehension.

I apologise again, but we have to be realistic.

[JohnMillham]

Thanks Ade. That makes sense. I hope someone takes it on, but I think I'll opt out. 

[lee69]

Sorry to put a damper on all your ideas..... but there is a roadworthy Esagamma with a flatbed body and hydraulic ramps for sale in Italy and it is 9,000euro. (asking price)  How you could possibly get the one in the UK up to that condition and put a body on it for that amount of money is beyond comprehension.

I apologise again, but we have to be realistic.

I agree that on our own, ongoing costs could be a real issue, hence why I think approaching a more affluent potential partner like Iveco would be mutually beneficial. If it were handled correctly there's a significant PR opportunity in it for them and a rare piece of Lancia history, that's right here and now in the UK, would be preserved.

[Martin D]

I must confess I haven't even looked at a picture, so have no idea what an Esagamma truly is... :-)

Harvey, there's also more photos of 'our' Esagamma from the link in my last post above.

As a general comment, if this whole thing were to be undertaken it makes sense to me that it ends up as a corporate hospitality base primarily, perhaps in the guise of a transporter not sure.

Martin.