July 02, 2002,  Brian Hilton, UK

My name is Brian Hilton from England. I have a 1966 Fulvia 2C Berlina. Registration Number FAY 224D (Known as "FAY"). Chassis (vin) number 8181010-45617. Engine Number 46133. First Registered in UK January 1966 so year of manufacture is probably 1965. Colour Doncaster Grey. Owned by me since 1997 but first time back on the road November 1999

History
Owned from new by a solicitor and used until January 1976 then put away in a shed and left. In the early 1990's the owner died and the Fulvia was found in the shed which had partially collapsed on it. Sold to a local garage who eventually passed it on to a Lancia Motor Club UK Fulvia Advisor.

In 1997 while looking for a Fulvia Berlina I was told about "FAY" I went to have a look and decided to purchase her. Having been stood for so long it chickens had been kept in the boot and they had pecked all the material covering the panels and wheelarches to pieces. There were lots of dents, new sills, and other repairs required to front floor which had a hole due to heater radiator leaking, boot gutter holed, lots of surface rust. The interior apart from needing cleaning and the disintergrating foam in the crash padding was very near perfect and the speedometer showed only 27,000 miles.

Engine, brakes and all other mechanical components needed checking and rebuilding after standing for 21 years. The restoration work was put out to the person I bought the Fulvia from who promised the work would take 9 months, 2½ years later and at twice the original estimate I got her back! Because there were so many repaired patches on the body I had agreed to an exterior respray.

Because the Fulvia had been off the road for so long I had difficulty in getting the original registration FAY 224D back but eventually this was achieved.

On my way home for the first time (120 Miles) the engine developed a knock & I had a puncture that destroyed the brand new tyre, to add to my problems oil was leaking between the engine block and sump casting. When I got home I had to have engine stripped, rebored and fitted with new pistons and rings as a piston ring had broken and scored one of the bores, and the rest of the engine overhauled at the same time including modification to the oilway roll pin. The problem with the puncture turned out to be that the hole for the valve was worn oval and as wheel rotated the movement of the valve let out the air.

I have retrimmed the boot, stripped out the heater and had it's radiator rebuilt, cooling system radiator re-cored but had a bit of a problem as it is possible to put the header tank back on the wrong way around which caused a bit of head scratching when the radiator wouldn't fit back where it came from!! I had a cover made for the dash which isn't correct but will do for the time being, all the lower crash pads at knee level I took off, scraped out the remains of the rotted foam and carefully rebuilt with foam from a can. Repainted the silver facia & instrument assembly.

I have now fitted new Dellorto 32 DLH carbs, much better than the standard solex carbs.

The left hand side of the front bumper broke off as it had been damaged when I bought "FAY", Jack Romano the Editor of "Viva Lancia" our club magazine was going to Turin for a Gamma meeting, having already established that Cavallito had one in stock I asked Jack if he could collect it for me, it was only after he returned home I found out that he had flown to Turin! As it was wrapped up he told the airline that it was a pair of skis! I still have work to do including refitting the mouldings along the sides below the doors. I am reluctant to drill holes in my new sill panels but I shall have to put them back on soon.

 

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