My next project - Lombardi 850

[Vin]

Before Christmas a friend offered me a Francis Lombardi Grand Prix, which due to a change in circumstances she needed to find a new home for. Initially I declined, as I still have to finish the van and until then I would have nowhere to keep it. I went away though and had a little think and was able to find some storage, courtesy of a mate, that would allow me to take up the offer.

 

I had known about the car for many years and knew it was in a bit of a state, but my friend offered it to me FOC, so there was no harm in taking it on and trying to do something with it when the van is finished.

 

So this morning my mate and I took his transit and trailer to Sleaford to collect it.

 

It's a 1969 Fiat 850 - Francis Lombardi Grand Prix....but it's a Right Hand Drive version The majority of the Grand Prix that survive are LHD although there a couple of RHD ones in Australia. As it is RHD I believe it to be one of the cars that came to the UK as part of the venture by Frixos Demetriou (here are some links to the Demetriou story)

 

http://www.mixe.demon.nl/gamine/gamine_cyprus_mail.htm

 

http://www.mixe.demon.nl/gamine/gamine_uk_history.htm

 

 

It's a right old mess, but me and my mate both think it is do-able. His comment when he saw it was "I've always wanted an English Wheel..." There is a spare floor pan and some sills, the doors are GRP, but the rest will have to be fabricated (the bonnet was in the transit). There is a lot of work, but I think it will be worth it, as it's very rare and probably really is the only RHD one in the UK. The fact it probably is a Demetriou car is also a good reason to make the effort.

 

 

It will certainly be taking my panel beating skills to the next level and upwards

 

Ultimately though if it all proves too much, it will provide some useful spares for the van.

[Cavcraft]

Just 'WOWED' out loud, that is something else. I hope you can restore it, never even heard of one before let alone seen one.

[dollywobbler]

Good grief. That's quite rotten! Good luck with it.

[Cheggers]

That is awesome in every way

 

Just curious like, if it's too far gone what spares can it provide for the van??

[RedSparrow]

That will be a lot of work but these things are super cool and I wish you all the best with it.

I hope to read about progress on here.

[eddyramrod]

That's going to be so worthwhile! Best of luck with it.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

BLIMEY, now that is a project and a half!

 

The floorpan, sills and tunnel etc are quite interesting, they look a bit like a DIY effort already! I imagine these to be pretty much 100% hand made by italian tinbashers, although presumably more complicated stuff like the bulkheads and what have you are Fiat-made pressings.

 

Great work Vin, i reckon once you've done that you'll be right at the top end of my imaginary welding premiership league table! to be fair you're already higher up on it than me, having seen your travails on the van.

[peter9000uk]

You sir, have balls of steel

 

I doff my hat to you

 

As an aside a mate has just started restoring/rebuilding a 1946 Chevy pick up truck and the only welding required on the body when back from bead blasting were 2 50p size

holes!

[Pete-M]

That is a spectacular amount of rot, but I look forward to seeing what you can do with it.

 

Best of British.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Well, at least it came with the keys. That'll save you a bit of work.

[catsinthewelder]

WOW

 

That should test your skills to the max.

 

A more worthwhile use of time than restoring a Sherpa coupe from a similar state though.

[M'coli]

Awsome rareness in the vehicle itself, and the structural integrity stakes therein; good luck with it Vin!

[Amazo]

Also known as the Abarth 1300 Scorpione SS:

 

 

Good luck with the restoration, that's gonna need a ton of work, but then you don't need me to tell you that.

[boobydoo]

Never heard of it!

 

What's your timescale? Easter?

 

I will set up a little shrine to you in my house if you get that sorted and worship you thrice weekly.

[Vin]

Thanks for the comments guys. I will certainly keep the world of shite informed of what happens with this.

 

@Cheggers - the van shares some of the rear running gear plus the engines and gearboxes, so that increase my spares supply.

 

@Amazo - This example is just the bog standard version - 843cc, Fiat 850 chassis and running gear. That Scorpione has a 1300 engine out the 124 and a different front and rear suspension and brake set up to cope That Scorpione does look amazing though

[scooters]

fuggin hell vin - you nutter - best of luck with it

[Station]

 

Wow, that doesn't look too ba ...

 

 

Ohhhhh JEEEZZZZUUUSSSS!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yo Vin!!! PM me your address and i'll doneate a reel of mig wire to you. Its like buying a pint for a fellow shiter.

[lovejoy]

As Peter9000UK says - mucho cohonas, senor Vin, I wish you all the luck in sorting that lot of Italian pasta out !

 

I also just forwarded the link to Goran Crvcevksi ( in Macedonia) who is a fountain of knowledge on Fiat 850 /900 T/E 's.................

 

(AND ..... ZASTAVA AK 900 's )

[michiel]

Brave, very brave. And a very nice car!

[AnthonyG]

You are a brave man!

 

Like Mr B says, the floorpan looks a bit homemade already. I can just imagine some Italian bloke doing that in the workshop, a fag in mouth and his mind focused on something other than welding floorpans, like the bird who walked past him that morning who looked a bit like Sophia Loren...

[pompei]

That is fuggin amazing - have you got anything to work off when fabricating panels?

[RoadworkUK]

That is fuggin amazing - have you got anything to work off when fabricating panels?

 

Yeah... like a plentiful supply of very powerful drugs?

 

Vin:

 

That's.

 

Amazing.

[Vin]

You are a brave man!

 

Like Mr B says, the floorpan looks a bit homemade already. I can just imagine some Italian bloke doing that in the workshop, a fag in mouth and his mind focused on something other than welding floorpans, like the bird who walked past him that morning who looked a bit like Sophia Loren...

 

It looks homemade because it is Somebody has already fabricated and welded in a new right hand inner sill and floor pan. I don't know when they did it. 1982 maybe who knows... It's probably been rusting since 1970 anyway. It's actually not a bad job and is the likely reason the shell still has a semblance of rigidity and hasn't 'yet' broken in two....

 

 

That is fuggin amazing - have you got anything to work off when fabricating panels?

 

I'll see how things go and if I decide it's a go-er the base of everthing is all there to fabricate and take measurements from. Plus, there are photo references and people to ask for specific measurements and references, all out there on the web...

 

http://www.francislombardi.org/

[Vin]

This update has absolutely nothing to do with any work being done on the car. It's sat in dry storage until the van is done (I will do an update of the van thread in the next few weeks)

 

This update is an article from a copy of CAR magazine from January 1969, that has an article about Frixos Demetriou, his venture and the Lombardi Grand-Prix.

 

I got the copy of the mag in February but have only just got round to scanning and uplodaing it to photobucket.

 

The cover of CAR, January 1969

 

 

The main article.

 

 

 

 

 

 

An advert from the back of the magazine.

 

 

If they are too small, you should be able to click and enlarge them in photobucket.

[pompei]

That's got to be some kind of inspiration

[barrett]

Great stuff Vin, I'll have a proper read of that tomorrow. Any chance you can give us an 'actual size' version of the photograph on the first page of the article proper? I looks like there are a couple of Vignale 850 coupes in there (on the right, behind the red Gamine) and I had no idea he brought some of those over here too. I know of surviving UK Samanthas, Evelines, Gamines and now your GP but I've never seen or heard of a Vignale 850 coupe over here.

 

Glad this has bumped this topic back to page one too, because I get to do a second round of OMG'ing at the photos of your GP. It's gonna look incredible when it's done. When, not If.

[Vin]

They're deffo 850 vignales and I've never seen any UK ones either Barrett...

 

 

I'm not up the know how of posting bigger versions so I'll PM you Barrett. I can then mail the original scans and you can enlarge them to your hearts content

 

EDIT; I have had a look at the original with a magnifying glass and I think the green one, third 850 along is possibly a 850 Vignale Cabriolet...I assumed that the 850 Vignales Demetriou brought over were all coupes...

[Vin]

Bit of an update on this one. Nothing really spectacular, just that I've been to Sleaford today to collect all the rest of the Lombardi...

 

It all went in the back of the Brava, with the 2 engines, petrol tank and a dustbin full of assorted bits such as alternators, starter motors and springs all in the trailer

 

 

Heres a few snaps of 'dial porn' for those who are that way inclined...with these being in english and MPH they are up there with black budgies, hens teeth, and rocking horse excrement...

 

 

And here's where they live - the dash is another part that I have to be careful with, as the chance of ever getting another RHD one is a BIG FAT ZERO...

 

 

Seats - Like everything else, shagged, but at least it's all there...

 

 

Anyway, this has all been safely stashed away, ready for the day (if it ever comes...) there is a body to fit it all into...

[michiel]

Those dials are ACE!