Lancia 2000 HF Pininfarina?
Discussion
Anybody have any knowledge/own one of these beauties?
Flicking around Car & Classic and they still seem to be reasonably priced compared to a lot of '60s/70s cool Italian stuff.
Thinking of something that being LHD won't be a problem with an eventual retirement in France, and are today's love.
Always thought the Ferrari 330 was a great looking thing, and love the similarities to this. At a far more affordable price.
Flicking around Car & Classic and they still seem to be reasonably priced compared to a lot of '60s/70s cool Italian stuff.
Thinking of something that being LHD won't be a problem with an eventual retirement in France, and are today's love.
Always thought the Ferrari 330 was a great looking thing, and love the similarities to this. At a far more affordable price.
Have never owned one but this one has been absolutely top of my wish list for a long time. If I could find a decent HF (that's the fuel-injected version) in navy blue, I would find it hard to resist.
Why - partly because I think it is such an elegant design, inside and out, but probably also because I have such vivid memories from when they were nearly new:-
1. the headmaster at my school had what must have been one of the last carburettor versions (N-reg, in a deep maroon) and I can still remember the rasp of the exhaust as he started it up and gunned it down the road;
2. a few years later on the way to the bus stop each morning used to see a dark brown HF coming out of a side turning and accelerating up the hill - again what a sound !
Nearly bought one a couple of times:-
1. probably 35 years ago, a friend of a friend (who was a real Lancia fan, driving a Gamma Coupe) had a navy HF but even at that stage - when the car was about 10 years old - he couldn't sort out problems with the fuel injection system and the car was languishing in a barn somewhere near Henley-on-Thames; wasn't brave enough to take that one on...
2. about 10 years ago, looked at a navy HF with a really nice interior retrimmed in red leather - it was in good nick and drove very well but if I am being completely honest I didn't find it as much fun to drive as its Italian competitors (Fiat 124 Coupe and Alfa 105); still regret not going for it though because it looked fantastic.
Having since seen a few in this country and a few more online (LHD ones for sale on the continent) I think I would probably go for one of the LHD ones. Others would have more information about what they are like to own, parts availability etc. I imagine the fuel injection system is manageable nowadays if you can find a decent specialist. Seem to recall reading somewhere that the Flavia range had some kind of weakness with the braking system (master cylinder ?) but not sure if that is true or if it affects the HF.
Why - partly because I think it is such an elegant design, inside and out, but probably also because I have such vivid memories from when they were nearly new:-
1. the headmaster at my school had what must have been one of the last carburettor versions (N-reg, in a deep maroon) and I can still remember the rasp of the exhaust as he started it up and gunned it down the road;
2. a few years later on the way to the bus stop each morning used to see a dark brown HF coming out of a side turning and accelerating up the hill - again what a sound !
Nearly bought one a couple of times:-
1. probably 35 years ago, a friend of a friend (who was a real Lancia fan, driving a Gamma Coupe) had a navy HF but even at that stage - when the car was about 10 years old - he couldn't sort out problems with the fuel injection system and the car was languishing in a barn somewhere near Henley-on-Thames; wasn't brave enough to take that one on...
2. about 10 years ago, looked at a navy HF with a really nice interior retrimmed in red leather - it was in good nick and drove very well but if I am being completely honest I didn't find it as much fun to drive as its Italian competitors (Fiat 124 Coupe and Alfa 105); still regret not going for it though because it looked fantastic.
Having since seen a few in this country and a few more online (LHD ones for sale on the continent) I think I would probably go for one of the LHD ones. Others would have more information about what they are like to own, parts availability etc. I imagine the fuel injection system is manageable nowadays if you can find a decent specialist. Seem to recall reading somewhere that the Flavia range had some kind of weakness with the braking system (master cylinder ?) but not sure if that is true or if it affects the HF.
Suggestion....one of the things I learnt early on with my Alfa was the best source of info for buying, maintaining etc is the relevant Facebook group. I see there is a Lancia 2000 Coupe group with 400+ members and a Dutch moderator (same as my 105 Giulia/Berlina group) which I’d wager if you get to know, along with the other continental members will be an excellent way of finding your dream HF. Almost certainly a network like that will know who’s got what and potentially side step a costly commission based importing service, perhaps also help you at source inspecting a potential purchase.
At risk of showing my age I can offer some info as I used to sell these back in the day!
As mentioned these are really elegant cars, a proper Gentleman's Grand Tourer. Lovely smooth flat four motor, 1.8 litre and 2 litre at the end, I think very early ones were slightly smaller capacity, very good steering and handling, decent gearbox, just a very nice, satisfying car to be in and drive. Tin worm is a problem as are spares although I believe there is a Dutch specialist who is good. Beware of core plugs popping and dumping all the coolant, enthusiasts will tell you this is just a fable but I have had this happen to me. Nothing is standard, everything is idiosyncratic and unique to Lancia which is why you really do need someone who is familiar to the marque and knows where to find parts. The coupe was Farina bodied and the convertible was by Vignale and nowhere as nice to look at. Performance was good for the time if not outstanding so by today's standards they are quite sedate. The interior was very restrained but very nicely done, cloth upholstery and wood dash with that long wandy gear lever vanishing through the toe board.
If you can find a sound one and you are prepared to spend the time and money on it that it will demand then go for it, they are a car to cherish!
As mentioned these are really elegant cars, a proper Gentleman's Grand Tourer. Lovely smooth flat four motor, 1.8 litre and 2 litre at the end, I think very early ones were slightly smaller capacity, very good steering and handling, decent gearbox, just a very nice, satisfying car to be in and drive. Tin worm is a problem as are spares although I believe there is a Dutch specialist who is good. Beware of core plugs popping and dumping all the coolant, enthusiasts will tell you this is just a fable but I have had this happen to me. Nothing is standard, everything is idiosyncratic and unique to Lancia which is why you really do need someone who is familiar to the marque and knows where to find parts. The coupe was Farina bodied and the convertible was by Vignale and nowhere as nice to look at. Performance was good for the time if not outstanding so by today's standards they are quite sedate. The interior was very restrained but very nicely done, cloth upholstery and wood dash with that long wandy gear lever vanishing through the toe board.
If you can find a sound one and you are prepared to spend the time and money on it that it will demand then go for it, they are a car to cherish!
Edited by Mike-tf3n0 on Monday 17th February 23:54
Mike-tf3n0 said:
Tin worm is a problem as are spares although I believe there is a Dutch specialist who is good.
This one ?http://www.martinwillems.nl/
Cheers people!
All food for thought, as mentioned, for something to smoke around France stylishly in.
This is what initially caught my eye, and for what could be easily haggled down to £13.5k, seems great value.
https://www.vida-motors.com/auto/lancia-2-0-coupe-...
All food for thought, as mentioned, for something to smoke around France stylishly in.
This is what initially caught my eye, and for what could be easily haggled down to £13.5k, seems great value.
https://www.vida-motors.com/auto/lancia-2-0-coupe-...
All to do with quality, I think. Italian cars always had a bit of a reputation for rusting, not helped by the inferior quality steel that Fiat were buying from the Russians as part of the Fiat 124 / Lada licence arrangements. That all came to a head in the Lancia Beta Coupe scandal with cars falling apart when the bulkhead crossmember rusted through because there were no drain holes for water to escape through. After that Lancia withdrew from the UK market sales having fallen through the floor. Vincenzo Lancia must have been turning in his grave. A very sad demise when you think back not many years to great cars such as the D50 GP car which was good enough for Ferrari to rename as Ferraris when they bought them from Lancia, the B20, the Aprillia, the Fulvia, the Asturia, the Flavia, the Flaminia etc etc, the list is almost endless.
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