Lancia Fulvia

Infobox Automobile


name=Lancia Fulvia
manufacturer=Lancia
parent_company = Fiat Group (since 1969)
production=1963–1976
predecessor=Lancia Appia
class=Compact car
platform=FF layout
engine=1091 cc Lancia V4
1216 cc Lancia V4
1199 cc Lancia V4
1231 cc Lancia V4
1298 cc Lancia V4
1584 cc Lancia V4

The Lancia Fulvia is an Italian car introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1963 by Lancia. It was produced by that company, and later by FIAT, through 1976. Fulvias are notable for their role in automobile racing history, including winning the International Rally Championship in 1972. On testing it in 1967, "Road & Track" summed up the Fulvia as "a precision motorcar, an engineering tour de force". [Road & Track, September 1967, page 66]

Models

The Fulvia was available in three variants:- 'Berlina' (4 door saloon) 'Coupe' and 'Sport' an alternative coupe designed and built by Zagato on the Coupe floorpan.
* "Berlina" - A compact four-door saloon introduced in 1963 with 1098 cc engine producing Auto bhp|58|0 at 5800 rpm.
* "Berlina 2C" - An updated Berlina launched late 1963 with Auto bhp|71|0 engine fitted with twin Solex carburettors. The body shell also had revised front subframe mountings.
* "Berlina GT" - Introduced in 1967 with the 1216 cc or 1231 cc engine producing Auto bhp|80|0 at 6000 rpm and 1199 cc Auto bhp|79|0 for Greece.
* "Berlina GTE" - Introduced in 1968 with a new 1298 cc (818.302) engine with Auto bhp|87|0 at 6000 rpm. In addition the brakes were uprated with a brake servo.
* "Berlina 'S2" - Series 2 introduced for 1969 with the 1298 cc (and 1199 cc engine for Greece) and restyled body with a longer wheel base.
* "Berlina 'S2" - Berlina Series 2 update introduced 1970 with the 1298 cc (818.302) engine and 5 speed gearbox. Larger Girling calipers and pads replaced the Dunlop system fitted to 1st series cars.
* "Coupe" - A compact two-door introduced in 1965, the coupe uses a Auto mm|150|1 shorter wheelbase along with the larger (1216 cc) or 1231 cc engine producing Auto bhp|80|0 at 6000 rpm.
* "Coupe HF" - Considered one of the most elegant small coupés ever designed. A competition version of the coupe introduced later in 1965, fitted with a tuned vesion of the 1216 cc engine producing Auto bhp|88|0 at 6000 rpm, and fitted with aluminium bonnet, doors and bootlid together with plexiglass side and rear windows.
* "Rallye 1.3 HF" - An updated HF with a new 1298 cc engine with Auto bhp|101|0 at 6400 rpm..
* "Rallye 1.3" - An updated coupe with the 1298 cc (818.302) engine with Convert|87|hp|kW|0|abbr=on at 6000 rpm.
* "Rallye 1.3S" - An updated Rallye 1.3 with a new 1298 cc (818.303) engine producing Convert|92|hp|kW|0|abbr=on at 6000 rpm.
* "Rallye 1.6 HF" - The evoution of Rallye 1.3 HF with a 1584 cc engine producing Convert|115|hp|kW|0|abbr=on at 6000 rpm. Other changes included negative camber front suspension geometry with light alloy 13 inch 6J wheels and the close ratio 5 speed gearbox and wheel arch extensions.
* "Rallye 1.6 HF Variante 1016" - The most-powerful Fulvia with a 1584 cc engine producing up toConvert|132|hp|kW|0|abbr=on depending on tune. This was the version used by the works rally team until 1974 when it was superseded in competition by the Stratos.
* "Coupe 1.3s" - 2nd Series - Face-lifted body and new 5 speed gearbox with 1298 cc (818.303) engine producing Convert|90|hp|kW|0|abbr=on at 6000 rpm. Larger Girling calipers and pads replaced the Dunlop system fitted to 1st series cars.
* "Coupe 1600HF" - 2nd Series - Face-lifted all steel body with 1584 cc engine producing Convert|115|hp|kW|0|abbr=on at 6000 rpm. The body work was changed from the standard 1.3 Coupe to incorporate 'flared' whell arches (replacing the extensions used on 1st series HFs). 'Lusso' versions had extra trim and were fitted with bumbers and were mostly produced for export.
* "Coupe 1.3s Montecarlo" - Replica of 1972 Montecarlo Rally works car livery with 1298 cc producing Convert|90|hp|kW|0|abbr=on at 6000 rpm. This version used the 1600HF bodyshell and interior fittings (bucket seats etc), fitted with front fog lamps and no bumbers but were fitted with the standard 4.5J steel wheels of the standard 1.3 Coupe.
* "Coupe 1.3s Safari" - A special edition of the standard Coupe with 4.5J light alloy wheels, special trim and exterior badges.
* "Coupe Fulvia 3" - Updated Coupe introduced 1974 with a new design of seats incorporating headrests and new white faced instrument dials with an updated range of trim colours, materials and options. Mechanically the same as the earlier 1.3s S2 Coupes except for the addition of emission control on the solex carburettors.
* "Sport" - a 2-seat Zagato rebody of Coupe with aluminium bodyshell and 1216 cc engine.
* "Sport 1.3" - An updated Sport with 1298 cc (818.302) engine producing Convert|87|hp|kW|0|abbr=on at 6000 rpm. Early versions still have all aluminium bodyshells (700 were produced with both 1216 cc & 1298 cc engines), but later ones were fitted with steel bodyshells with an aluminium bonnet and doors.
* "Sport 1.3s" - An updated Sport 1.3 with 1298 cc (818.303) engine producing Convert|92|hp|kW|0|abbr=on at 6000 rpm. These sports were normally fitted with brake servos.
* "Sport 1.3s 2nd series" - An updated Sport 1.3 with 5 speed gearbox. Very early versions of these Series 2 cars were fitted with Series 1 'type' bodyshells with a separate spare wheel hatch and smaller rear lights and aluminium bonnet and doors. Later versions has all steel bodyshells and no spare wheel hatch and larger rear lights.
* "Sport 1600" - An updated Sport with 1584 cc engine producing Convert|115|hp|kW|0|abbr=on. This version had electric front windows and was the fastest production Fulvia produced, with a top speed of convert|118|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on.

The Fulvia saloon was updated for 1969 with a Auto mm|20|1 longer wheelbase, new styling, and an updated interior.The Fulvia Coupe and Sport were updated in mechanics and styling in 1970.

Chassis

The Fulvia was designed by Antonio Fessia to replace the Lancia Appia, with which it shared almost no components. The Appia was a rear wheel drive car, however, while the Fulvia moved to front wheel drive like the Flavia; the general engineering design of the Fulvia was identical to that of the Flavia with the major exception of the engine, the Flavia having a four cylinder horizontally opposed engine and the Fulvia a 'Narrow Angle' vee configuration as featured on most production Lancias from the Lambda. The Fulvia used a longitudinal engine mounted in front of its transaxle. An independent suspension in front used wishbones and a single leaf spring, while a solid axle with a panhard rod and leaf springs was used in back. Four wheel Dunlop disc brakes were fitted to 1st series Fulvias. With the introduction of the 2nd Series in 1970 the brakes were uprated with larger Girling calipers all round and a brake servo. The handbrake design was also changed - using separate drums and brake-shoes operating on the rear wheels.

Engine

One element that was new was the narrow-angle V4 engine. Designed by Zaccone Mina, it used a narrow angle (12°53'28") and was mounted well forward at a 45° angle. The engine is a DOHC design with a one camshaft operating all intake valves and another operating all exhaust valves. The very narrow angle of the cylinders allowed for use of a single cylinder head.

Displacement began at just 1091 cc with 58 bhp (44 kW) with a 72 mm bore and 67 mm stroke. A higher (9.0:1) compression ratio and the fitment of twin solex carburettors raised power to 71 bhp (53 kW) soon after.

The engine was bored to 6 mm to enlarge displacement to 1216 cc for the "HF" model. This, and some tuning, raised output to 80 to 88 bhp (60 to 66 kW).

The engine was reengineered with a slightly narrower bank angle (12°45'28") and longer (69.7 mm) stroke for 1967. Three displacements were produced: 1199 cc (74 mm bore), 1231 cc (75 mm bore), and 1298 cc (77 mm bore). The new 1298 cc engine was produced in two versions; the type 818.302 produced Auto bhp|87|0 at 6000 rpm and was fitted to 1st series Coupes, Sports and Berlina GTE and later to the 2nd Series Berlina. The Type 818.303 was first produced with Convert|92|hp|kW|0|abbr=on and was fitted to the 1st series Coupe Rallye S and Sport S. For the 2nd Series Coupe and Sport power was slightly reduced to Convert|90|hp|kW|0|abbr=on at 6000 rpm. The 1199 cc engine was only fitted to the Berlina sold in Greece.

The engine was completely reworked for the new "1.6 HF" with an even-narrower angle (11°20' now) and longer 75 mm stroke combined with a bore of 82 mm gave it a displacement of 1584 cc, and power ranged from 115 to 132 bhp (85 to 98 kW) depending on tune.

References

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External links

* [http://www.lancisti.net/ Lancisti.net - An Information Exchange and Support Community for Lancia Owners and Enthusiasts]
* [http://www.lanciamotorclub.co.uk Lancia Motor Club (UK)]