Description
1964 LANCIA FLAVIA SPORT 1, 8 VIN the details below
This long time neglected Flavia Sport - with a Dutch first owner - came to my workshop as a complete but challenging project. The engine and gearbox though were still in rotating condition with all hoses beyond use. Same for the spring leafs, the shock absorbers and brake system: complete but beyond use. There was no fuel tank installed and the original steel rims were unsafe.
The original Nardi steering wheel had it’s wooden parts all cracked into 4 bigger pieces that came loose from the aluminum center. It’s very special marbled blue center was overpainted in black.
In the workshop the car lost contact with it’s subframe and rear axle before being mounted to our very stiff repair frame that mimics the factory mounting points.
Secured like this major parts of the floors and the sills were removed and repaired without causing distortion to the cars body. No signs of any accident damage were found, no stress cracks were visible. During the renewal of the sills an extra stiffening plate was welded in along the full length of the cars sides. To this much stronger construction the lower ends of the A and B pillar were welded thus prohibiting the body from further flex.
With the car now structurally sound it was safe to remove the complete aluminum skin and send the car to the sandblaster whose work revealed some extra corrosion damage in the rear boot sections floor. Complete sections had to be reproduced and welded in. Now correct in all detail the steel structure was painted in 3 layers with the top one in black. All of the aluminum skin sections were externally and internally cleaned to bare and repaired where needed. Along the areas where the skin is mounted to the steel frame a grey paint and seam filler was used to keep the two metals – aluminum and steel - separated.
Putting the skin back onto it’s frame was then executed using aluminum rivets with additional welding along the door openings to correct the wide original gaps.
To complete the shape new panelling was made to cover the sills and some lower parts of the body. The thus corrected body was then send over to our paint shop that used as little as possible filler before giving her her period correct bright yellow protection.
While the body was repaired the complet subframe and rear axle were taken apart.
Parts like the wheel bearings, ball joints, silent bushes and engine mountings were all replaced by new original items. The shock absorbers are now of the Koni uprated type. All 5 rims – sandblasted and powder coated in black - are of the Berlina size 5, 5J allowing the use of slightly wider tyres. With the Berlina rims came the inox rim covers that match the other brightwork of the car beautifully.
All four Dunlop brakes with external hand brake were overhauled. The Super Duplex brake assistant and the main cylinder were overhauled and all function as new.
The original engine was opened but showed corrosion of the cylinder liners supports being beyond repair. A little used Flavia Sport 818. 500 engine of the same specification was then bought to replace her. Of this engine the bearings were checked and found to be in good order. Both heads then were reconditioned with new valves, seats and springs and mounted back on the engine using new stronger gaskets. Both Weber 40DCN double choke downdraft carburettors were completely overhauled, their manifolds flowed to the heads. The ignition was serviced but remained of the contact/ breaker type as standard.
The car comes with it’s complete new original exhaust system with an extra tube replacing the end silencer for a more sporty sound.
The original 4 speed gearbox was taken apart and examined in detail. Two synchromesh rings were replaced as were several ball bearings and all seals.
She now operates very smooth in all gears.
All steel parts that were re-usable were sandblasted and powder coated in matte black. All aluminium parts were cleaned manually and polished if needed. The brightwork was cleaned and reshaped where needed. The frontscreen was bought new from Pilkington GB, all other windows are the original Protex items with some light signs of use still visible.
All instruments and further electric equipment were overhauled with the center instrument having it’s facia painted black. The whole electric loom has been build new using the correct colour code and brass connectors. All lights and the electric motor of the rear window function as when new.
The original Sport interior was newly clothed using the correct shade of blue leather on all seats and on the side panelling. For the door panels the originally used pressed wood was replaced by moist resistant black plastic of the same thickness. Onto them all the original ornaments and brightwork were mounted. Along the whole roof a matching blue colored wool cloth was used, all four sun vizors being clothed in the same material. During the rebuild we tried to reproduce the car as much as she would have looked when finished by Zagato. We think Mr Spada will be pleased.
On the 26th of January 2023 Centro Storico FIAT notified us by letter that the Lancia Flavia Sport 1, 8 VIN * 15. 5321266 was produced by Lancia on Januari 23rd 1964 under bodycoach number 299.
On the 2nd of October 2023 the car was taken to the RDW – road registration and test center in Amsterdam to be tested and inspected in all detail. No faults were found and the inspector expressed his positive feel saying: if only all other cars came to us so well prepared.
The car now has a Dutch license plate numbered PM-68-46. She has only run short distances to test the engine and gearbox but likes to be taken for a longer run along boulevards, to be parked in front of fine dining restaurants.
The striking combination of the yellow exterior and the blue leather interior will attract many admirers, most of all those that do appreciate the late sixties design icons.
