Although Lancia barely registers in the new car landscape, the company once produced some giant-killing models for the World Rally Championship. They included the Fulvia, the 037, and the Delta Integrale. The Stratos carried all before it from 1974 until 1976, winning the World Rally Championship and the 1974 Targa Florio. This 2012 Hawk HF3000 is a fitting tribute from the Kit Car world. It presents exceptionally well and has a genuine 1,531 miles on the clock. It is ready to head to a new home with someone who enjoys genuine driving machines. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Araknid78 for spotting the Hawk listed here at Car & Classic in Northwood, Greater London, UK. The bidding has reached £25,000, which is below the reserve.
Lancia followed a different path when developing the Stratos. It traditionally contracted Pininfarina for the design and styling, but Bertone approached the company with a proposal to replace the aging Fulvia in the World Rally Championship. Lancia liked what it saw, and the first cars left the factory in 1973. Original examples command healthy six-figure prices, which is where Hawk stepped into the frame. Located in Frant, East Sussex, the company produces replicas of the Cobra in 289 and 427 form, and developed an accurate kit for the Stratos. It adopted a “total” approach, delivering a bespoke chassis, a complete body tub, and the suspension and other components so buyers could build a roller. The builder could choose from kits for five “standard” engines, although Hawk offers a tailoring service if a customer wants something unique. The original owner built this HF3000 in 2012, with the seller as its third owner. It presents nicely in dazzling Giallo Yellow, featuring spoilers and scoops designed to provide downforce and feed cold air to the motor. The paint retains a healthy shine, with no evidence of significant cosmetic shortcomings. The image gallery paints a positive picture, confirming that the car is rust-free. The glass is clear, and the Campagnolo alloy wheels have only a few light marks.
The original Stratos featured a mid-mounted 2.4-liter Lancia V6, delivering a relatively modest 190hp. That doesn’t sound spectacular, but the car’s diminutive dimensions and low curb weight made it an effective rally weapon that humbled some pretty potent opposition. This Hawk stays true to the original design philosophy, though its 3.0-liter V6 is an Alfa Romeo powerplant. It sends its power to the road via a five-speed manual transaxle, while the four-wheel independent suspension and four-wheel disc brakes provide a “total” driving experience. The seller says this classic has covered only 1,531 miles since the build ended, and I suspect the included comprehensive documentation can confirm that. It recently received new clutch master and slave cylinders, new fuel hoses, and has covered only forty miles since a complete service. It is a turnkey proposition that should be a blast to drive on twisting roads.
Trimmed in two-tone Blue Alcantara, the Hawk’s interior is tidy, without being remarkable. The seats have no significant outer bolster wear, and the dash is excellent. The seller notes a dirty mark on the passenger seat and general carpet dirtiness, and it is unclear whether a deep clean would address these shortcomings. A few loose wires also need attention, but the leather Lancia wheel is in good condition. The interior is purposeful, with some luxury touches. The air conditioning needs a recharge, but the power windows and power mirrors appear to work as they should.
The Lancia Stratos proved that cars don’t need mountains of power and torque to taste motorsport success. It scored its three WRC titles while powered by a 2.4-liter V6, which only needed to move around 2,000 lbs. This 2012 Hawk HF3000 is a fitting tribute to one of rallying’s most iconic models and, as the seller rightly states, a genuine Stratos would lighten your wallet by around £500,000. This Hawk will recreate the driving experience for a fraction of that figure, and has already attracted eight bids. It will be fascinating to monitor the listing to see whether it finds a new home, and what someone is willing to pay for this sweet little classic.
Stance is all wrong. Fix that and it’s much more appealing. Bad stance is like poor curb appeal in real estate. Immediate turn off
Drive it fast enough and the back end will squat-not that you’d really care inside at that speed, though.
Very nice “kit” car; with the Alfa V-6 (read-more power) it’d be as much fun to drive as the original.
“Giallo Yellow”
Yellow with a blue interior. Even Mother Mopar was never that bold.
The Stratos is another on of my top ten favourite designs, would be great for ripping around on teh gravel & dirt roads. If I was building a kit, I think I’d try and use a K24 drivetrain.
AWD?
The originals were RWD, TMK. AWD would make it a better rally car, if one were rallying with it. I think I’d be driving it for the fishtails & humps, not the trophies, so would stick to RWD. Would be cool to stuff a Quattro platform under one though…
As big a fan as I am of the K-series, it would ruin a Stratos. The Stratos is about the sound. Here is mine at full chat…
https://youtube.com/shorts/TLTSstRNrr0?si=2tG9bEXTxEbbbyE_
Sweet! Thanks for sharing that.
I wouldn’t commit such savagery to a genuine Stratos, for sure, but we’re talking about a kit car here. IIRC, the Lister Bell even offers the Ferrari 308’s V8 as a “factory” option.
Personally, I am not a fan of the V6 engine design, even one that sounds as sweet as the Stratos or NSX. IMO a V6 is more about packaging than performance, feel like a K24 turbo would offer a more thrilling ride.
This one is on my bucket list…just not ready to pull the trigger…yet! The glorious sound of the Busso V6 is something to behold. If it was LHD, I could almost be tempted to bid, pay whatever import fees there might be, and realize the dream.
Or you can buy one stateside. Montane Motors is now importing them into the U.S. https://montanemotors.com/turin-corsica-specs
You can buy a full assembled STR, yes. For like $225 k. Yikes!
The STR is more of a restomod- it looks like the original car, but a lot of liberties taken with the chassis and suspension which probably make it a better car.
The Hawk is virtually identical to the original.
A year or so ago, they started reproducing the center section in sheet metal, exactly like the original. The Hawk WAS available as a kit, but now only as a complete car.
There is now another company prodding a nice kit you can import for abort $36k.
It may be a stunning exotic, but IMO not a very attractive exotic. At least this kit car uses a real engine and not a flat 4 VW (which I acknowledge can be pumped up to be exciting, but usually is not).
Original Stratos had evil handling. This repop is said to be demonic.
The original car was twitchy, no doubt.
But it did dominate its way to 3 WRCs.
The Hawk is a very, very good replica, but one thing they have done is change the rear suspension geometry to make the car much more stable.
The engine in the Stratos was not a Lancia, it was the Ferrari Dino v6.
Ive been privileged to drive many rally cars, racecars, exotics and antiques that the vast majority of were not mine.
Lancia Stratos is still at the top of my “I wanna list”.
Does anyone know why, after getting an email notifying you that a comment has been posted, when you go to Barn Finds through the link, the comment is not present? Not your own comment, but the notification that someone else has commented.
Perhaps you need to do a hard refresh the page? In Firefox, I hold the -shift- button and click reload.
Refresh? When I click on the email link, it brings up a brand new browser window. Why would I have to refresh a refreshed browser window? Most other times, it jumps right to the person’s comment. When I click on another notification of someone else’s comment, it brings up that comment, and when I look for the other one, it’s not there. The point is that some comments seem to NOT get posted, despite the notification.
And you got 2 recs for that?
-shrug- just trying to offer a bit of help/suggestion Eric_13cars. I’ll refrain from now on.
Your browser is probably showing you an old copy of the page that it cached from a prior visit, even when you visit a link from the notification email.
Doing a hard refresh (force reload) of the page should bypass the cache and redownload everything on the page completely fresh — hold the Ctrl key (on PC) or Shift key (on Mac) while you click the Reload icon, or pressing Ctrl-F5 does the same thing on PC.
This is a Stratos tribute. It doesn’t closely resemble the real thing.
Hawk and Lister Bell parts are used by owners of authentic Lancia Strati to restore their cars. Everything from the seats to the dash binnacle to the clamshells are identical to the real thing. Wheelbase and track are identical. And while this particular car has taken some liberty with its appearance, a Hawk or Lister Bell can be made to look identical to the real thing… including Ferrari Dino 2.4L power.
I own one of these here in central Oregon… a Lister Bell Lancia Stratos Gp4 Marlboro livery. It is powered by esentially the same 24V Busso V6 as in this Hawk but the build quality of the Lister Bell’s is far superior to the Hawk cars. The term “kit” doesn’t really apply as easily to these cars as they can be ordered as a near turn key complete car, even here in the U.S. Montane Motors is the official U.S. distributor for the Lister Bell Stratos ($260k – $300k) and offers the cars with more then 400hp if desired. Personally, I feel, if the goal is to experience what the original Lancia Stratos was like, you want the Italian, Alfa Busso V6! The sound is mesmerizing. I have no association with Hawk, Lister Bell or Montane. Just passing on what I know. Only about 10 of these cars exist in the United States as of this writing so being part of the Stratos replica community is a unique and special thing.
https://montanemotors.com/turin-corsica-specs
Duckncover. If you and your car ever come to road america. I hope we can meet.
What do you refer to your car as? Copy replica?
The supreme court should decide…I haven’t found detailed list of what makes a:
Tribute
Copy
Replica
Clone
Reproduction
Continuation
A term that I’ve used a lot that few others use is “rebodied”. Mostly for ferrari 250s and 330s that were rebodied as 250GTOs, 330gtos and 250 SWBs. They retained the donar car’s vin, were titled as Ferraris with alloy bodies to appear as GTOs and SWBs. Most ways they were like the competition cars, drove like them except some times they were better. Modern cams, bigger engines and modern brake pads and fluid is much better.
There was one Testa Rosa. TR61 I cant remember if it used a Ferrari chassis and number. There were 3 of the original 4 remaining. Fortunately a friendly customer cared for one of the originals and supplied me with the details to make a wiring harness fromscratch.
35-40 years ago, $500k or more was the cost. I thought it was a lot. Some of those cars have brought more than a million since. Drive, race and turn a handsome profit is a much better deal than I thought it would be.
Replica, Kit or Tribute…? That’s a good question. I myself struggle with what to call it. A Stratos is so iconic that I jokingly refer to it as a “noun”. It is just: “Stratos”. And that is what I call it, especially since the general public has no idea what it is (“Is that a Corvette?”) and telling people it is a Kit, Replica or Tribute just confuses them further.
The car originally arrived in Troy Michigan as an unassembled “kit”, and was constructed by it’s owner, a Future Design and Development engineer working for General Motors. It was built to a very high standard and almost looks like a production car up close. In some ways that is not a good thing. The original Stratos was famous for it’s poor build quality and I argue that if you are chasing the Stratos experience, you want ALL of it. The sound, poor build quality, evil handling and that iconic Marcello Gandini styling. So, yea, the instrument binnacle is bolted to the dash haphazardly, just like the real thing. And the guillotine slide windows work exactly the same as the real deal. I personally love that. Every time I come home alive after driving it, I celebrate! It’s a life experience and BY FAR to sketchiest thing I have ever piloted. It has 335mm rear Michelin TB15 rear tires and a front/rear track difference of probably 10 inches. So the thing tracks down the road like a cat hunting a mouse. It wanders constantly. It’s probably akin to flying a modern fighter jet with all the digital assistants turned off. It always takes me a couple hours of driving it just to acclimate to its inputs and get in the groove. And when I get out of it and drive something else, it inevitably feels like I just transferred from a ground squirrel to an elephant. My Renault R5 Turbo feels positively tame compared to the Stratos. Here is a pic:
https://www.reddit.com/r/spotted/comments/1m3xyqq/i_screamed_1975_lancia_stratos/
Duckncover
I just got a notice from bring a trailer for a Ferrari 250 TR recreation.
Recreation might be correct for Stratos?Recreation should be on my list? Glanced at the listing…”based on a 250GTE chassis with Colombo v12″. That’s what the cars i worked on were that I called rebodied.
Several were 250 GTEs, a most unloved 12 cylinder.
Your description of driving Stratos reminded me of a magazine article that I saw back in my stage rallying days. US or euro mag? It was a 2 page spread and accross the upper portion there was a series of drawings depicting a rally car 4 wheels from above with the front wheels steering and showing opposite lock before entering, entering, apexing and exiting a corner. I dont remember if it was a rally driving, Lancia Stratos, or Sandro Munari article. Sandro did the illustrations and in the text, he mentioned having preferred to be able to show the rear wheels steering as well as the
front.
Stratos is still on the top of my wanna list.
That’s amazing the work you once did rebodying/re-imaging the unloved Farrari’s into some thing more. Maybe that’s the term you are looking for? “Reimagined”.
If you do get a chance to drive a Stratos, just know it doesn’t matter if it is an authentic original or a more modern replica, that 85 inch wheelbase. poor outward visibility and quick steering will give you the authentic experience either way because those 3 aspects can’t be changed. The Stratos is like a bicycle. Doesn’t matter if it is a bicycle from the 50’s or the 90’s… it’s still a bicycle and they all behave relatively the same when you get right down to it.
Thanks for the kind invite out to Road America… hopefully someday I will make it out there. Never been to that track!
Where in CO? Any chance we can see you at Cars and Coffee in Bend some day? Or the Trinity Luthern Car Show?
I attend Bend Wild Root and or Dilly Dally C&C almost every week in something. I bring the Stratos on occasion. I have not brought it to Trinity yet just because that gathering is a bit more domestic iron and the Stratos belongs there like Sputnik belongs as a Flat Earth convention. Ha ha…
Duckncover
Oh no! There’s no bozos or BS here!
Sorry if I mislead you.
I’m not a coachbuilder, I don’t form aluminum car bodies. I’m more of a laborer than artist…in my opinion. Fabricating, engine building and assorted other things I do/did.
There was this restoration shop that recommended me to a coachbuilder to do the wiring on the SWB rebodies. The first shop was in Manitowoc and later moved to Two Rivers. I’d pack up my wiring supplies and tools and make house/shop calls. I drove there, worked there and invoiced them my shop rate. When we were established, I’d go there during business hours but stay till way after the owner and help left so I could get more done without distractions or interference ie can you do this, can you help. One time he caught me sharpening a drill. “when we get this project done can you come back for a day and sharpen every drill here. I’ll give you $10 an hour.” I laughed.
Photo is from Road America. Academy for Art of Metal Shaping had metal shaping and other equipment there. GTO was one he had done years before (its based on a 330GTC). I wore his shirts there but wasn’t an employee. Here I’m doing the brakes and billed the owner of the car. Master cylinder is under the floor and removing the left side exhaust was necessary. “I never met a 12 cylinder exhaust system that I liked”.
That’s a fantastic picture. I saw a GTO recreation at a high-end event in Sun Valley Idaho about 5 years ago. It was also based on a 330GTC if I remember correctly. It was a remarkably correct copy.
Apologies, I re-read your prior messages and realized I read them incorrectly. I mistakenly thought you had said you helped rebody some of these creations. So I assume you specialize in vehicle electrics or are you a jack of all trades? It sounds like you are a track rat, just enjoying being in and around historic race cars… If you have not yet been to Goodwood Revival, you need to go.
I’ve been watching that Ferrari 250 TR recreation on BAT. The Columbo used in that particular build is SUCH a fantastic powerplant! I once drove a 72″ Daytona, at speed, down the Silver Strand in Coronado California. Running a Columbo up near redline in 4th gear is an experience I can barely describe.
One funny observation I have noticed with the Lister Bell Stratos is the public’s response to the car is very different then is typical of other “kit cars”. Normally, with the typical kit car such as a Cobra kit car, the public will inevitably ask its owner: “Is that a real Cobra”? This is true of almost any iconic car pretending to be real. Somehow the public knows it’s a imposter and their reaction can be less then enthusiastic. But with the fake Stratos, nobody cares. They are just so shocked to see one in the flesh they react much like someone who sees a president or head of state. Doesn’t matter if they are a current head of state or president… just seeing one is a big deal. That’s the same for the Stratos. It is such an iconic Gandini design that it’s kinda stands on it’s own as an object onto itself. The Riva Aquarama speed boat is like that. Real or fake does not matter. It is a design icon. Nobody, not ONCE, has ever asked me “Is that a real Stratos”? Instead they just stand there in amazement OR they ask me “Is that a Toyota MR2”? Ha Ha
Wow!! I’ve never heard of this kit before. The Stratos is one of the coolest cars ever produced. And a legendary rally championship machine. The real deal brings crazy money.
AC needs a recharge is code for “AC doesn’t work”..
It looks to be nicely done and it is a ‘tribute’ car. The person who buys it at this price will mostly likely be the last buyer at those numbers. I can’t see this increasing in value. I may be wrong, though…………
It won’t sell at this price.
Hawk replicas sell for well over $100k.
Numerous errors in this article.
First, only Stradale versions had 190 hp. Rally versions had from 280-320hp. Second, NO Stratos (even the Hawk kit) have power windows or mirrors. In fact, the windows don’t even roll up. Third, while the Hawk WAS available as a kit (now only available as a fully built car), it is more a replica than just a kit. Body pieces and front suspension are all identical (original car owns buy spares from Hawk).
This car will end up well over $100,000.
The side windows sort-of roll up and down. They pivot at the rear end allowing the pane forward of that to swing down, just not completely out of view.
In interior photos showing the door trim, you can see the curved track with a knob that slides along it, so you’d just loosen or tighten that knob to free or fix the glass position.
Than you for the Acknowledgment, Adam
WINNING BID
£54,500
Sold
Auction ended: 9 October, 09:58
36 bids