Hello Ricardo,
If you were on the 2001 trip we must have met, simon and myself flew over for the meeting as "Fay" wasn't ready yet for her first big Continental tour, a Lancia was arranged for us and we borrowed a 1.6 Lybra Estate from a young lady who worked for Fiat.
Never actually worked out the average speed as we stopped at places of interest, but pushed on at a brisk pace while on the move, off the Motorways we were usually running at 60mph-70 mph depending on the roads, many of which as is usual in France were straight, so you could get a move on if you wanted to, and on motorways 70-80mph.
Probably the best run was from Salamanca right across Spain in 30c heat, it was so hot we were sitting on towels, and I had to hang one on my door window as my right was burning as it was so hot, the drive up over the Pyrenees then down the other side to St jean Pied de Port was also very memorable, the longest drive was the 490 miles home on the last day, all the actual running days were long days with up to 10-11 hours a day driving.
My comments regarding overheating was more due to the gauge reading high than an actual problem, something that I've only manage to sort out in the last couple of years.
I have a similar problem as yourself with hill climbing as everyone on the 'Fulvia Knights Rallye' in 2013 can testify, but she goes like the clappers down the other side
You're a bit worse off than I am as I've got best part of a 20BHP advantage over your Normale, coming back over the Alps from Turin in 2006 to Grenoble my fuel consumption was something like 14mpg on the climb due to the low gearing, and the fact that she weighs about a tonne in weight doesn't help.
Your Normale looks lovely, did you have it in 2001 as I don't recollect seeing it? any chance of emailing me more photos, and email me if you have anything I can help you with.
As long as you prepare yourself and your Fulvia properly you shouldn't have any problems with extended touring distances, I always carry a lot of spares, working on the principle if you've got it with you the chances are you won't need it, but if you do, you've got it anyway!
Breakdown and recovery insurance is a must, at least that way if you do break down, you can get home
in 1999 the mileage on the clock was 27.000 miles, recently I've doubled that mileage in my ownership, and more than 1/3rd has been covered on trips to France,Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium & Holland.
When you meet up on the 25th please give everyone my best regards.
Brian
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Hello Brian, in 2001 I was just a little boy, but you must have met my father, I went with him and my mother on a white 2nd series Fulvia Coupe. I dont know if you have crossed this video already:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrrRvr3MdswThe fulvia was at the time only accompanied by the Thema 16V, then my father's everyday car. The collection has grown a bit since then (the white coupe was sold), mostly by my influence and passion on Lancias
On my berlina I tend to stay at 70mph on motorways, I dont have a rev counter so dont know the revs, but I only recently discovered the previous owner fitted a 2C gearbox as I noticed the 818.100 on the blue lancia plate! This way I think it is even slower accelerating and climbing but keeps a good pace when cruising.
The only trip I made was to Italy two years ago on the Beta Berlina, I know the feeling of crossing spain in a hot summer day by classic car
we also took some spares and only had to replace the fuel pump as it was still the original unit working! We did 3450miles in 10 days, not bad!
I will give them your regards
Please see the topic I just opened about the berlina, I'll e-mail you some pictures tonight when I get home.
Ricardo
