A shocking thing has happened. The previously disrespected Lancia Scorpion has begun to beguile collectors. Now I know I am going to hear some arguments about how great this car is/was, but I like to listen to markets, and frankly, the Scorpion simply did not set the barn on fire with its sales numbers. Introduced as the Montecarlo in Italy in 1975 and entirely designed by Pininfarina, the car was originally commissioned by Fiat. When Bertone stepped in with a cheaper alternative that became the X1/9, Lancia inherited the project. In the end, the Montecarlo was made in several series and exported to the US as the Scorpion until 1981 (with a one-year hiatus in 1979), but only 7575 cars were sold in six years. Far fewer survive. The car was more expensive than a Porsche, the S1’s brake design was poor, regulations slammed the engine’s power output, and the car’s areas of double-skinned sheet metal rusted with abandon. Yet, as time passes the heart grows fonder, and now good examples of these slightly odd Lancia’s are selling for nearly $30k. You can venture into Scorpion territory here on eBay where this 1976 example is bid to only $5150 with no reserve. Located in Concord, New Hampshire, it runs and drives.
The original engine was a wheezing rear-mounted 1.8-liter four-cylinder generating just 85 hp. This knowledgeable seller has upgraded his car in all the right ways, starting with a 2.0 liter breathing through a Weber DCD carburetor set on a custom manifold. The front brake servo has been removed, helping to balance the braking system front to rear. The car has electronic ignition and a recent clutch. The seller suggests replacing the timing belt due to the passage of time. One stud broke in the exhaust header so it’s wearing two gaskets for now.
The interior is faded, the original leather seats are worn, and apparently, a previous owner didn’t fix the driver’s seat recliner, so there is a dent in the rear panel. The recliner mechanisms do work now. The sheepskin seat covers could use a bath. The leather after-market steering wheel is cracked along the top (it would be worth sourcing the distinctive two-spoke factory wheel). The trunk still contains the original jack, but the carpet is torn. The folding top should slide to store under the rollbar/C pillar; the seller notes that the straps broke and were replaced with hinges.
The body was repainted from blue and has a few flaws as the seller points out, including rust bubbling here and there. The floor pans and the remainder of the underside are said to be in good shape; it’s hard to know given limited photos whether the crustiness above is truly troublesome or just dirt. While this car does pose a few challenges, help for new owners is available here and here. What do you think, is this Pininfarina-designed car a bargain, or a bust?
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