1962 Lancia Appia Series 3
Discussion
TL/DR : I bought a weird old Italian car. It's the same age as I am, and (right now) almost as knackered and unreliable. EDIT: Now not knackered and now reliable.
I was born in 1962. My motoring interests mainly involve the 1970s, because of happy childhood and teenage years during that decade. I tend to buy variously ropey 1970s cars and drive them around a lot, and also quite fast, so they break. I keep forgetting that the 70s, so fresh in my memory, are now almost half a century away, and that those cars are oooooold.
How about older? I have a Series III Land Rover that was made in the early 80s but is equipped as standard with a 1950s Rover saloon car engine, but what about something really 50s/early 60s? I have often thought of getting a car from 1962, but haven't seen anything that grabbed me, or that I could afford (a 1962 Maserati 3500 GT would be a Lottery Dream Car), but, I like, among other things -
1. Italian cars in general;
2. Lancias in particular;
3. Rarity and quirkiness; and
4. Good engineering.
Sooooo..., this car, located just a few miles from where I live, seemed like a fun punt, although the car is currently in a bit of a state.
It's a recently imported and UK registered left hand drive Lancia Appia Berlina, Series III. Lancia sold the Appia as a small family saloon car, probably aimed at middle class urbanites, and in particular at the sort of Italian ladies of the 1950s and early 1960s who wore gloves most of the time.
It was one of the cheaper Lancias at the time, but in those days Lancia rarely skimped on design, engineering, and build quality, and this car has a tech level and a quality feel that puts it some way ahead of most small British cars from 1962 that I can think of.
The car has a tiny V4 1100 cc engine, fueled by a single Solex carburetor. It has a four speed manual gearbox, with synchromesh on second to fourth, operated by a column shifter, and driving the rear wheels. The suspension includes Lancia's sliding pillars - this was I think the last Lancia to use that system. A splurge device in the engine bay encourages you to pump oil for the pillars every 2000 kilometres. The electrics are powered by a dynamo.
The car's funky instruments show oil pressure, coolant temperature, and fuel level. The speedo claims a kilometrage below 40,000. Veracity unknown.
A rev counter was never an option on these cars, although it was thought to have sporty ish handling in its day. The claimed top speed is 80 mph ish, but I do not plan to test that claim.
The styling and coachbuilding houses Pininfarina, Vignale, and Zagato all did coupe and/or cabriolet versions of the car.
This one has the structurally clever Berlina body, with no B pillar, and doors that can be described as "clap hands" doors, or as "suicide doors" if your prefer your espresso Dark.
The dashboard and the area underneath the dashboard are festooned with buttons, knobs, levers, and switches, the purpose of many of which will remain obscure until I obtain an owner's handbook.
The bodywork, chassis, and interior of the car appear to be in good condition. It is hard to say whether the car is original, or whether it has had a restoration at some time in, perhaps, the 1980s or 1990s. The body has a few blemishes, but the overall state of the paint and the interior are very good.
The engine runs, shows good oil pressure, and is smooth, but the car is quite a long way off being roadworthy. It has issues with ignition, and maybe fuelling. The car appears to have been neglected for the last several years, and is in quite poor condition from the point of view of driveability. Its spark plug and dizzy leads are shot. The drum brakes are pulling to one side and need attention, as will no doubt other things. The lights work, but the horn doesn't. The Michelin tyres are ancient and perished.
I shall NOT treat this as I do my other old cars. I shall not bang around in it in all weathers. I shall not use it to take stuff to the tip. I shall not drive the car fast.
Once my mobile mech has made the car usable (this may take a while), I shall keep it in a quiet and secure spot, and only bring it out every now and then for sedate trips. I shall ask a bloke who goes by the wonderful handle of Carrozzeria Dave to make the paint perfect. I shall ask old Lancia experts whether it is possible to fit Fulvia disc brakes to the car. I shall drive it sloooooowly. It has, by the way, no seatbelts of any kind.
So, hello 1962 baby Lancia, from this 1962 baby.
I was born in 1962. My motoring interests mainly involve the 1970s, because of happy childhood and teenage years during that decade. I tend to buy variously ropey 1970s cars and drive them around a lot, and also quite fast, so they break. I keep forgetting that the 70s, so fresh in my memory, are now almost half a century away, and that those cars are oooooold.
How about older? I have a Series III Land Rover that was made in the early 80s but is equipped as standard with a 1950s Rover saloon car engine, but what about something really 50s/early 60s? I have often thought of getting a car from 1962, but haven't seen anything that grabbed me, or that I could afford (a 1962 Maserati 3500 GT would be a Lottery Dream Car), but, I like, among other things -
1. Italian cars in general;
2. Lancias in particular;
3. Rarity and quirkiness; and
4. Good engineering.
Sooooo..., this car, located just a few miles from where I live, seemed like a fun punt, although the car is currently in a bit of a state.
It's a recently imported and UK registered left hand drive Lancia Appia Berlina, Series III. Lancia sold the Appia as a small family saloon car, probably aimed at middle class urbanites, and in particular at the sort of Italian ladies of the 1950s and early 1960s who wore gloves most of the time.
It was one of the cheaper Lancias at the time, but in those days Lancia rarely skimped on design, engineering, and build quality, and this car has a tech level and a quality feel that puts it some way ahead of most small British cars from 1962 that I can think of.
The car has a tiny V4 1100 cc engine, fueled by a single Solex carburetor. It has a four speed manual gearbox, with synchromesh on second to fourth, operated by a column shifter, and driving the rear wheels. The suspension includes Lancia's sliding pillars - this was I think the last Lancia to use that system. A splurge device in the engine bay encourages you to pump oil for the pillars every 2000 kilometres. The electrics are powered by a dynamo.
The car's funky instruments show oil pressure, coolant temperature, and fuel level. The speedo claims a kilometrage below 40,000. Veracity unknown.
A rev counter was never an option on these cars, although it was thought to have sporty ish handling in its day. The claimed top speed is 80 mph ish, but I do not plan to test that claim.
The styling and coachbuilding houses Pininfarina, Vignale, and Zagato all did coupe and/or cabriolet versions of the car.
This one has the structurally clever Berlina body, with no B pillar, and doors that can be described as "clap hands" doors, or as "suicide doors" if your prefer your espresso Dark.
The dashboard and the area underneath the dashboard are festooned with buttons, knobs, levers, and switches, the purpose of many of which will remain obscure until I obtain an owner's handbook.
The bodywork, chassis, and interior of the car appear to be in good condition. It is hard to say whether the car is original, or whether it has had a restoration at some time in, perhaps, the 1980s or 1990s. The body has a few blemishes, but the overall state of the paint and the interior are very good.
The engine runs, shows good oil pressure, and is smooth, but the car is quite a long way off being roadworthy. It has issues with ignition, and maybe fuelling. The car appears to have been neglected for the last several years, and is in quite poor condition from the point of view of driveability. Its spark plug and dizzy leads are shot. The drum brakes are pulling to one side and need attention, as will no doubt other things. The lights work, but the horn doesn't. The Michelin tyres are ancient and perished.
I shall NOT treat this as I do my other old cars. I shall not bang around in it in all weathers. I shall not use it to take stuff to the tip. I shall not drive the car fast.
Once my mobile mech has made the car usable (this may take a while), I shall keep it in a quiet and secure spot, and only bring it out every now and then for sedate trips. I shall ask a bloke who goes by the wonderful handle of Carrozzeria Dave to make the paint perfect. I shall ask old Lancia experts whether it is possible to fit Fulvia disc brakes to the car. I shall drive it sloooooowly. It has, by the way, no seatbelts of any kind.
So, hello 1962 baby Lancia, from this 1962 baby.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 6th October 20:31
I will not restore. The interior is almost perfect as it is. The paint has just a few chips and one area of cracking. There are only minimal signs of rust, and filler in only a few places as far as I can tell.
Longstone have Pirelli Cinturatos in 145 HR 14.
Longstone have Pirelli Cinturatos in 145 HR 14.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 12th August 23:08
Breadvan72 said:
I have often thought of getting a car from 1962
I was born in 1960 and I had similar thoughts 10 years ago but went for 2 wheels not 4 and procured a 1960 Matchless G5. Still have it, it was the first bike I rode post-lockdown, and I suppose given it's more recent provenance I can't really part with it, so someone else will have to deal with it's disposal along with that of what's left of me.I don't imagine it was ever touted as being capable of 80 but chuffs along happily enough at about half that.
Nice car and nice backstory BV.
psi310398 said:
How lovely!
And such a sad reminder of what a fabulous heritage Fiat Chrysler have been spitting on with their ghastly badge engineered s
tboxes over the past twenty years.
I agree. Last weekend I was parked by an Ypsilon in Ludlow. Even though it was just a Fiat Panda in a sharp suit and had been defiled by a Chrysler badge, it still looked good enough in black over red to have me looking up the buyers guide when we got back. Unfortunately it is sAnd such a sad reminder of what a fabulous heritage Fiat Chrysler have been spitting on with their ghastly badge engineered s
tboxes over the past twenty years.t 
psi310398 said:
How lovely!
And such a sad reminder of what a fabulous heritage Fiat Chrysler have been spitting on with their ghastly badge engineered stboxes over the past twenty years.
Lancia was dead before they got to it. And such a sad reminder of what a fabulous heritage Fiat Chrysler have been spitting on with their ghastly badge engineered s
tboxes over the past twenty years.Anybody who appreciates pioneering engineering and old cars appreciates Lancia. But they all know the damage was done long before the Fiat/Chrysler days.
I was born in '65. The Gordon Keeble was born in '64, but I'm not of such a small mind that I would allow that to interfere with my pursuit of such a wonderful thing.
Sadly, my wallet has no such breadth of character, nor depth of capacity to match my cravings, and they remain unfulfilled.
That looks like a very pleasant preoccupation, BV. Not my thing, terrified as I am of the vagaries anything of Italian persuasion can generally provide, but nevertheless, bravo.
Sadly, my wallet has no such breadth of character, nor depth of capacity to match my cravings, and they remain unfulfilled.
That looks like a very pleasant preoccupation, BV. Not my thing, terrified as I am of the vagaries anything of Italian persuasion can generally provide, but nevertheless, bravo.
Lovely, I've a lot of time for old Lancias. My grandfather bought an Augusta new in 1934, and an Aprilia at some point too. This was long before my dad was born, though something rubbed off as he had a Beta when I was small. The Augusta survives in Belgium and we met the owner and car a few years ago on a Sliding Pillar Rally.
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