Lancia’s long relationship with Zagato began in the 1920s, documented by the coachbuilder’s work on the Lambda. But it was the postwar period that brought the most abundant set of models to market, built around the Appia, the Flaminia, the Flavia, and here on facebook Marketplace, the Fulvia. The Sport Zagato was a variant of the Fulvia coupe, designed in-house at Centro Stile Lancia. Given over to Ercole Spada at Zagato, the coupe’s original lines were transformed into a slippery fastback shape, suitable for road or track. This example, made in the last year of production, is located in Montréal, Quebec. It is priced at CA$25,000, or about US$18,000. Thanks once again to JDC for the great tip!
Early Sport Zagatos were made with aluminum panels and a side-opening hood. These Series I cars are quite rare. The cost of production and an interest in robust construction for racing provoked a switch to steel over time, and then regulations prevented the idiosyncratic hood. The cars became more conventional but retained Lancia’s differentiated mechanicals – the narrow-angle V4, inboard rear brakes, De Dion rear suspension. The Series II cars offered buyers a choice of 1.3 or 1.6-liter engines; this one is a 1.3. Both engines were mated to a five-speed transaxle driving the front wheels. This car is said to run and drive, but the condition of the engine bay implies some neglect.
Spacious, well-padded seats front and rear, carpet, a wood-trimmed dash, and a wood steering wheel are hallmarks of this upper-crust Fulvia. Design quirks included an electrically operated rear hatch, activated via a switch on the dash, that allowed for a slight lift for ventilation; and hexagonal lamp housings. This car’s new owner will be looking at a cabin refresh, unless he can live with the damage evident on the instrument panel.
Panel gaps here are not the best. The hood doesn’t appear to close tightly, the door gap at the rear is wide, and the notoriously finicky hatchback isn’t flush. But the expensive and rare trim around the windows, lamps, and inside is present – a big plus. Driving a Sport Zagato requires a workout to achieve the kind of performance that the sleek exterior implies. While the 1.6-liter will generate 115 hp, the 1.3 comes in at about 90. The five-speed helps, and the car handles well. A nice 1.3-liter Series II Fulvia Sport is worth about $23k in today’s market; a car with needs should sell for less, though whether a price of $18k is enough of a discount to entice a buyer remains to be seen.
You need parts for a what?