Apr 30, 2024  •  For Sale  •  16 Comments

Original Paint Barn Find: 1963 Lancia Flavia

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When it comes to vintage Italian cars, there’s a wide variety of vehicles that fly under the radar and offer just as much style and panache as your 60s Lamborghini or Ferrari. You have to accept slightly less sporting performance and far less exotic styling, but there’s still a high degree of pedigree, given how connected many of the brands were in the 1960s and 70s. This 1963 Lancia Flavia listed here on eBay has an incredible patina and was discovered in a Sonoma barn, complete with graffiti on the side, and has been restored mechanically with faded original paint left in place.

The seller is asking $58,000 for the Lancia, which even has a hand-painted Ferrari badge on the trunk lid that has evidently been there for ages. While the graffiti has since been washed away, the rest of the beige paint remains in place, and no attempt has been made to buff it out. The Lancia must have some intriguing stories from its past because I frankly can’t imagine there being many vandals in Sonoma wine country interested in “tagging” an old Italian car that likely has little awareness among your garden variety deviant.

The Flavia was launched at the Turin Motor Show in 1960 with its subdued Pininfarina styling, front-wheel drive, and a horizontally-opposed “Boxer” engine under the hood. It’s a fascinating combination of features, and the body was hand-assembled around the aluminum, 1.5L power plant. As the model matured, it became mass-produced and lost some of the craftsmanship quality that’s likely evident in this model year. The interior is unrestored like the rest of the car, and the seller doesn’t mention if bits like the door panels are included.

Mechanically, it has been substantially refreshed. The seller highlights that the rejuvenation work has included “…replacing fuel lines, brake linings, Michelin tires, hoses and belts.” The photos of the car driving obviously suggest it’s healthy enough to take on the road, and I’m guessing the next owner will consider using it for vintage rallies and other events around the U.S. and beyond, where its weathered bodywork would obviously be appreciated. However, I wonder if it will sell at the current asking price.

Comments

  1. Jon Calderon
    Apr 30, 2024 at 3:41pm

    Eh….
    This one’s not for me.

    Like 2
  2. LD71
    Apr 30, 2024 at 7:02pm

    I love those switches at bottom of dash on left, could it be power windows?
    A bit rich, sad because it’s a very cool unique car

    Like 2
    • Martin Horrocks
      May 1, 2024 at 8:58am

      The best of these don’t usually make $58000.

      Fulvia Zagato which shares the barn is more interesting

      Like 4
  3. Beyfon
    Apr 30, 2024 at 8:47pm

    Wouldn’t $58k buy you the nicest Flavia Coupe in the world?

    Like 5
  4. 19Tiger65
    May 1, 2024 at 3:49am

    What’s that car next to it in the garage? More interested in that car than the FlavIa.

    Like 1
    • sisumanMember
      May 1, 2024 at 6:55am

      That’s a Fulvia Sport. For me, a much more interesting car than the Flavia.

      Like 6
      • Lotar Ziesing
        May 1, 2024 at 8:50am

        He probably wants $100k for that.

        Like 2
  5. Danger Dan
    May 1, 2024 at 8:38am

    I know that barn! Lots of goodies in there

    Like 1
  6. Dan1955
    May 1, 2024 at 9:29am

    Patina, a lazy man’s (or cheep) way of saying rust.

    Like 2
  7. Chopper John
    May 1, 2024 at 9:38am

    The 50’s movie star Frances Langford owned one of these. I looked at it for sale in south Florida many years ago – it was a handsome car, nice red paint, great leather interior, but hadn’t been started for some time as I recall. It was $5,900, which I thought was a little much for it at the time.
    Anyone know where that car is nowadays?

    Like 0
  8. scottymac
    May 1, 2024 at 10:49am

    I love the Fulvia, but I’ve never seen a model where Zagato improved the looks. I consider Zagato the Picasso of styling houses. not for me.

    I didn’t know the Flavia had a flat four; is that the same, problematic unit as installed in the beautiful Gamma coupe?

    Like 1
    • jwaltb
      May 1, 2024 at 11:40am

      Ever seen a Flaminia or Appia Sport?

      Like 1
    • Martin Horrocks
      May 1, 2024 at 12:13pm

      Have you seen the values of Picasso´s art? Maybe not your taste but it always sells. And compared with Zagato, Picasso was prolific.

      I´ve had Fulvia 1600HF and Fulvia Sport 1.3S. The Zagato was way more interesting.

      Being able to say “It´s Zagato” was beyond price. However, if we talk price, Zagato coachwork usually boosts price by a significant factor – a factor of 10 if you look at things like Lancia Flaminia or Aston Martin DB4…..

      My all-time favourite Zagato is the Flavia Sport, but I´d never buy one because I wouldn´t want the Flavia underpinnings. So the (affordable) Zagato I really crave is an Alfa Junior Z

      Like 2
    • Joe Elliott
      May 2, 2024 at 8:28am

      Short answer is ‘no,’ but the Gamma engine is technically an evolution of this one. Totally different heads and valvetrain. (No timing belts or power steering pump to interact in catastrophic ways here!)

      Like 0
  9. Araknid78
    May 1, 2024 at 2:31pm

    Located in: Sunnyvale, California

    Like 0
  10. Araknid78
    May 20, 2024 at 12:52pm

    This listing ended on Wed, May 8 at 3:51 PM. Unsold

    Like 0

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