Description:

The Lancia Fulvia first appeared at the Geneva Motor Show of March 1963 as a three-box saloon.

Drive was via the front wheels, front suspension was by tranverse leaf spring and brakes were Dunlop discs all round. The 1,091cc V4 engine was mounted at 45 degrees and featured two chain-driven overhead camshafts, one for exhaust valves, the other for inlets. The gearbox was operated by a steering-column-mounted lever.

A year later the elegant Fulvia Coupe was launched. Styled by an inhouse design team on a shortened Fulvia saloon platform the sporty Coupe had an uprated engine, rear anti-roll bar, floor-mounted gearchange and was significantly lighter than the saloon weighing in at only 960kg.

In 1966 a high-performance version of the Fulvia Coupe appeared called the 1.3 HF Coupe. The new model had a more powerful 101bhp engine thanks to larger carburettors, higher compression and reprofiled camshafts.

The ultimate Fulvia, the 1.6 HF appeared at the 1968 Turin Motor Show. Engine capacity was increased by larger bores and a longer stroke and larger 42mm Solex carburettors helped to produce 114 bhp. A new engine block (designated 540) was required and featured a yellow and blue valve-gear cover, the colours of Turin.

The factory also offered a competition option (Variante 1016) with more drastic camshaft profiles and larger 45mm Solex carburettors plus an even higher compression ratio which raised power output to 132 bhp. A five-speed gearbox was also specified, at first with an additional housing at the rear of the casing that housed the fifth gear but later a new five-speed gearbox was produced. The body was lightened and front track widened, 13-inch wheels (with 6-inch wide light-alloy rims) wer fitted along with an uprated steering box. Plastic flared wheelarch extensions were standard on the 1.6 HF and options included limited slip differential, a transistorised ignition system and a wide range of final-drive ratios. Finally large headlamps were fitted and the Fanalone (big lights) nickname was born.

Lancia created HF Squadra Corse in 1965 as the official factory competition team and was managed by the legendary Cesare Fiorio. The sporting debut of the Fulvia Coupe came with the Tour de Corse of that year where Lancia entered a lightweight Fulvia driven by Leo Cella who finished in eighth place.

From 1966 the official Lancia works competition car was the Fulvia HF Coupe and the 1.3 HF achieved its first win at the 1966 Rallye di Fiori driven again by Cella and co-driver Luciano Lombardini.

The HF Coupe was continually developed and more successes followed including Sandro Munari’s victory at the 1967 Tour de Corse driving one of six factory-entered Fulvia HFs.

Production of the 1.6 HF took longer than expected and consequently homologation was delayed until mid-1969. However, the Rallye Mediterranee allowed prototypes to race so Lancia entered Harry Kallstrom in the prototype category and achieved the first win for the 1.6 HF.

For the 1970 season, factory competition 1.6 HFs produced some 152 bhp at 7000 rpm to counter the additional weight of the rally equipment, total weight now being 920 kg. The bodies were lightened through the use of aluminium panels and plexiglass windows. The rally cars now featured 90-litre fuel tanks and Weber 45 DCOE carburettors.

Chassis 818.540 001411 is a genuine 1970 Lancia factory team car with number plate (targa) TO B98534. This 1.6 HF Fulvia achieved multiple successes in the 1970 season, the undoubted highlight being its outright win of the RAC Rally.

Its first competitive event was the Rally Della Svezia (Rally Sweden) held in February 1970. The factory Fulvias featured various upgrades including reinforced chassis and suspension plus Teflon protection for the rear shock absorbers. A kerosene heater was also used to warm the car whilst it stood in Parc Ferme before the start. In the rally itself Harry Kallstrom was running in second place in TO B98534 but was forced to retire only 250 km from the finish with differential failure.

Next up was the legendary Targa Florio which formed part of the 1970 Italian Grand Turismo Championship. TO B98534 was one of two works Group 4 Fulvias entered in the GT category and was driven by Claudio Maglioli and Sandro Munari to 1st place in the GT class and 9th position overall, beating an Alfa Romeo T33/3, two Ferrari 206 Ss and a Porsche 908.

Sergio Barbasio and Mario Manucci drove TO B98534 in The Rally del Friuli e delle Alpi Orientali to 2nd place overall in June.

Ex-Lancia Sporting Director Gianni Tonti states in his book Reparto Corse Lancia (Lancia Racing Department) that TO B98534 was damaged at this point and had to be re-shelled. He recorded in his notes that he received the new body from Lancia’s Chivasso plant on the 2nd July 1970 and that the car was sent to the body shop for preparation for Group 4 with more reinforced parts and the installation of a roll bar.

Following a rebuild TO B98534 was entered in the Rally San Martino di Castrozza driven by Amilcare Ballestrieri and co-driver (and future Lancia and Ferrari team manager) Daniele Audetto. Unfortunately the pair failed to finish.

In October Harry Kallstrom and Gunnar Haggbom competed in the Rallye der 1000 Minuten finishing a creditable 4th overall.

Next came the most prestigious achievement for TO B98534, outright victory in the RAC Rally.

Held in November 1970, three factory team Fulvias were entered, to be driven by Munari, Lampinen and Kallstrom. The route of the RAC consisted of 2,484 gruelling miles and 82 special stages. During the rally Kallstrom was leading in the second stage in TO B98534 but a problem developed with the conrod bearings. However, Lampinen arrived at the same service area with a faulty transmission so Lancia team boss Cesare Fiorio instructed the service crew to replace the faulty parts on Kallstrom’s car with those of Lampinen’s. The hard work paid off and Kallstrom drove on to victory.

Subsequent to its front line competition career the Fulvia was raced in Italian hillclimb events and passed through a number of private Italian enthusiast hands before being purchased in 1985 by a noted Italian collector and major force in the ASI.

The body and interior remain as purchased but the mechanicals, engine, gearbox and suspension were rebuilt between 2016 and 2019 by well-known Italian engineer Ezio Campoli. Photographs of the work are on file. Custom pistons manufactured from works drawings were installed along with new cams. Very rare Dellorto 48mm carburettors are fitted.

The car has since been enjoyed by father and son in various Italian historic events.

With the passing of its owner this important and historic ex-works Group 4 Lancia Fulvia 1.6 HF is now offered for sale.

Coming from nearly forty years of single-family ownership the car is in excellent condition, on the button and ready to deliver excitement and an assault on the senses to anyone fortunate enough to drive it.

Subject of a five-page feature in the September 2024 edition of Auto Italia magazine.

Period works competition history:

11-15 February 1970, Rally Della Svezia, car no. 5, Harry Kallstrom/Gunnar Haggbom, DNF.

03 May 1970, Targa Florio, car no. 174, Claudio Maglioli/Sandro Munari, 1st in GT class, 9th overall.

02-04/April 1970, Rally dell’Isola d’Elba, car no. 2, Sergio Barbasio/Mario Manucci, DNF.

28-29 June 1970, Rally del Friuli e delle Alpi Orientali, car no. 1, Sergio Barbasio/Mario Manucci, 2nd overall

19 July 1970, Gran Premio del Mugello, car no. 135, Raffaelle Pinto, 1st in GT class

27-29 August 1970, Rally San Martino di Castrozza, car no. 4, Amilcare Ballestrieri/Daniele Audetto, DNF

16-18 October 1970, Rallye der 1000 Minuten, car no. 12, Harry Kallstrom/Gunnar Haggbom, 4th overall

13-18 November 1970, RAC Rally GB, car no. 14, Harry Kallstrom/Gunnar Haggbom, 1st overall

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