Fanalone CUC 20H

[Dilambdaman]

History

CUC 20H came to England in 1969 as one of the 30 or so right hand drive Fulvia 1.6HF Fanalone. Others may be able to fill in it’s early history but by 1974 Lancia Club member and at that time Estate Agent, the late Barry Waterhouse, had converted it into a club rally car. The February edition of Cars and Car Conversions magazine carried a test of the Fanalone by international rally driver Colin Wilson. Wilson loved the car even if he felt that it needed a bit of a tidy up! The Lancia at that time was painted orange but the only colour photo I have so far come across shows Barry with his back to the camera talking to Harry Maning. Barry was shall we say an enthusiastic driver as the second photo attached shows and the car suffered more than it’s fair share of damage during his ownership. Scars it still carries!

Barry sold the Fanalone to one Derek Forrest who with Rhona Lomax rallied it under the Panda Print banner, Derek’s print company. It was a regular on Southern road rallies and Motoring News Championship events. Photo shows it at the 1988 LMC AGM in Norwich. I’ve attached a photo of my Ex-works, ex-Jolly Club1.3HF as in the back ground is the front wing of CUC 20H. Incidentally CJW 746H is I believe being rebuilt by a club member and I very much hope that we shall see it at Fulvia 50th.

I lost touch with CUC for 10 years or more until it turned up advertised in the Lancia Club magazine owned by Mr N. Constable-Berry who lived in Norfolk. Son, Jonathan, was running a very nice S3 Fulvia but wanted something a bit out of the ordinary and having turned down CJW 746H which was then for sale with Richard Thorne as too expensive, commenced negotiation on CUC. We went to view it in April 1996 and found it to be in a pretty poor state but by July a deal had been struck and it was home with Jonathan. It turned out to be a mammoth task but was duly finished in time for the LMC 50th Anniversary Celebrations in Cheltenham.

Arriving at the Castle Coombe track day imagine Barry’s surprise and enormous pleasure to see his old warhorse roadworthy once more. Something he never expected to witness knowing as he did what a hard life it had had! Jonathan had not had time and me not the funds to do much to the engine and it was smoking badly. Barry very kindly offered Jonathan to take the engine to his Peckham premises and rebuild it under his guidance. Jonathan accepted, learnt a great deal and the engine is untouched from that time.

During the next 10 years or so the Fanalone saw lots of use including at one time Jonathan’s daily commute from Sussex to Essex where he was working. It conveyed him to his wedding and a couple of Le Mans 24hr races. But, on the way to Classic Le Mans 1998 the gearbox inexplicably lost all it’s oil and seized at 85mph on the Autoroute. Fortunately we only brushed the crash barrier but the gearbox was completely wrecked. Being the early 5 speed piggy back box spares were not easy to come by but were eventually sourced, it just needs putting back together.

During this period you may remember that another ‘old lady’ was giving me a hard time and the Fanalone was shelved. Now, with Fulvia 50th fast approaching someone said that it would be nice to get CUC there. Close inspection revealed that more than a bit of spit and polish was needed and in early December last she was stripped down to a bare shell.

More photos in the next post.

To be continued…..

Robin.

[Dilambdaman]

Some more photos...

Robin.

[Dilambdaman]

Scan of the February 1974 CCC test of CUC 20H.

Robin.

[Jai Sharma]

Lovely history, I'm looking forward to reading more as progress takes place.

[bruciebonuz]

Seeing the first photo - has to be painted orange!

[fay66]

Seeing the first photo - has to be painted orange!

Does this help with the colour?
Robin intrigued to see your old 2c has clear indicator lenses at the front as mine are orange?

Brian
8227

[Dilambdaman]

Thanks Brian it will help as we have pretty well decided on orange.

Umm... my 2c indicator lenses were clear when I bought the car and I was the 3rd owner.

Robin.

[Richard Fridd]

Will the Orange be Rosso san Siro like my JLG65K in the Goodwood photo? Look forward to seeing the car again. Richard

[Dilambdaman]

Will the Orange be Rosso san Siro like my JLG65K in the Goodwood photo? Look forward to seeing the car again. Richard

Thanks Richard for the name of the colour, I'll add it to the list.

Robin.

[neil-yaj396]

Robin - you should send this to Jack to put in VL. One because it's so good and two we could use it to show the non Forum members what they are missing!

Articles like this are what being in a good car club is all about.

[ncundy]

Robin,

Great story and hopefully you'll make good progress. We might get our two cars together yet!!
Neil

[chriswgawne]

I met Derek Forrest and Rhona in 1973 I think at their property in Wokingham and at that time Derek told me he had more than one S1 Fanalone's!
Chris

[Dilambdaman]

I met Derek Forrest and Rhona in 1973 I think at their property in Wokingham and at that time Derek told me he had more than one S1 Fanalone's!
Chris

I think you could be right Chris as around that time I went to visit them as they were advertising one (CUC 20H I believe) for sale and did indeed have another.

Robin.

[Dilambdaman]

Catch up…..

Couple of months work on CUC 20H to catch you up on and by and large the pictures will tell all. The first set show what we started with and the shell ready to go to the paint strippers in early December.

[Dilambdaman]

Just before Christmas the shell came back from Cleaning Consultants (Contractors) Ltd who had done an amazing job which revealed the extent of the task that lay before us!