Hot Rod Appia – a V6?
Sometimes people do silly things. Sometimes they make us think.
Neal Van Ess has had many Italian cars, and still owns a Fulvia he got from me back c. 1980. He has a couple of Appias, and one not in good shape. He decided to make it into a project car, a fantasy-mobile. He shared his thoughts a couple of years ago, and frankly I was quite unsure. This year, he brought the finished project to Elkhart Lake, and while unusual, a number of Lancia fans there said they were surprised, and it was remarkable and well done.
Most Lancias were underpowered. We know that, and we have good reasons for supporting the marque regardless. But what if that wasn’t the case?
Neal did a deluxe interior for the car and upgraded its motor to a 6 cylinder Chevy Camaro engine (its a very tight fit). He upgraded the transmission and differential, modified the rear suspension, added some bigger wheels, and voila, a hot Appia. Never thought you’d hear those words? This one has around 300hp, and its loads cheaper than a B20, faster than blazes and unusual.
I’m still a bit unsure what to make of it all, but gee, life at the cutting edge is challenging. Of course, there are many dynamic issues still to be sorted out, such as cooling, braking, front suspension, etc., but he’s well on his way!
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