No, not the "Black Beauty"
I'm doing up a dedra (almost as I type, please excuse the oily prints on the keyboard)
It's red with grey suede interior.
Bloody quick. I'm sure it's quicker than my other one, despite being the later model with a catalyst. The engine sounds a LOT better too.
Spoke to the previous owner (bought the car from a dealer who didn't know what it was) - in the last year he had treated it to a new clutch, wheel bearing and wishbone. He also fitted a boost guage.
I'm fitting Monroe front shocks and Gabriel rear shocks, wing mirror, foglight, ABS sensors.. the list goes on.
The bodywork is nice and the alloys are in good nick (look reconditioned) and it has four good tyres. The exhaust looks pretty new too.
Bad points - the driver's seat trim isn't great. Despite having a new clutch less than a year ago, the release bearing is occasionally noisy (the previous owner said he did fit a new bearing at the time). There's a dent (almost totally un-noticeable) on the N/S rear door. The paint isn't great on the rear spoiler, or the wing mirrors (mustn't go well onto plastic)
It's in red - not many red dedras around. Makes it look a bit like an Alfa if you see it from the back. It's a late 1993 model on a UEU plate - which I am told means it is an ex FIAT Group fleet car. Lancia pulled out of the UK market shortly after this car was registered, so it's one of the very last RHD Lancias ever...
Why not keep this red one and sell the Black Beauty? I must admit I'm tempted, but "better the devil you know" and the black one has sentimental value. This red one is a project to sell on. I don't want to get attached.
This is a great stealth performer. Parts aren't such a pain to get hold of as people think, and you tap into a great community of Lancia owners who are only too happy to help you out with anything Lancia. You get real exclusivity (stand on a motorway bridge and count the number of Lancias - you'll be lucky to see one), whilst benefiting from anominity - a car nobody knows can't really have an image problem can it? Oh - and 1990s Lancias don't have a rust problem. A company who suffered so badly with the rusty reputation have pulled out all the stops to prevent rust on their newer vehicles.
So how about becoming a "Lancisti"? I'm looking for OIRO £1500. I met someone who sold an almost identical car for £1700 so you're looking at a bargain.