Mine is approximately 25-26 years with the same car, so not quite up to Joe’s history. I can date it back it’s history to 1983 because I found the guy I bought it off a few years back and he gave me his history of his ownership via email, as Peter is aware.
Here is the email he sent me!
Hello Tonyh
I can't tell you how pleased I am to hear that "Luigi" is still with us. I have often wondered what became of him as he was my first car.
I bought him in late 1983, I think, for the princely sum of £16, from the brother of a school friend of mine. He hadn't had the car long - he had bought it from a teacher friend of his mothers.
Conditionwise at that time, the 500 wasn't bad. The paint was very faded, it had gone a little "crispy" in the usual 500 places (bottom of the front wings, and back of the rear wings. I had those repaired and painted, and set about the rest of the bodywork with the T-cut and polish. It came up a treat. Mechanically the engine was tired - reluctant to start and smoky when it did run.
I seem to remember that I replaced the sunroof, and then I bough another 500 (a 500L) from the mother of another school friend of mine) for £10, which had a good engine and interior, but the body was pretty well shot. My dad and I swapped the engine into the blue 500 (as a 16 year old this was a major achievement for me) and I replaced the rubber mats with the fitted black carpets from the 500L I seem to remember though that I left the original flooring underneath. Thankfully i decided to keep the original red and white seats!!
Once that was done he was a pretty clean and tidy little 500, but I was itching to have something a bit "better" (oh the ignorance of youth!!) to have as my first car to drive on the road. So onto Autotrader he went (in those days it was the Thames Valley Trader) and I was delighted to get £250 for him. I then bought a Lancia Fulvia Coupe ready for my 17th birthday in July 1984.
He was sold to a lad called Scott Moy, who lived on Berry Hill in Taplow in Bucks.. I kept in touch with Scott whilst he had the 500. He didnt actually drive, just wanted a little car to play with. Sadly he didn't really know much about what he was doing, so a couple of years later I bought Luigi back from him, for £50, in a bit of a sorry state. It had lived outside for the entire time Scott had owned it and although still roadworthy (just about) there weren't many MOT's left in it!
So, I set too. I sourced new floorpans, front wings, front panel and a bonnet and had these professionally fitted and the car resprayed at the garage I worked in at the time - Courts Garage in Iver, Bucks. By the time this was done, I would think it was probably 1989 / 90..
After that was done, it really did look a smart car, and for 18 months or so I pottered around in him - probably as a 4th car I would think as I was accumulating Lancias back then too!
The engine gave up the ghost and he was taken off the road whilst a friend and I decided to rebuilt it - not a success as after the rebuilt it never ran as well as it had before!! Needs must then over took the situation, and very regrettably I had to sell him to fund other projects. A sale I have regretted to this day.
I remember that there was a sicker on the dashboard from the original supplying dear - Speedwell Garage, in Twickenham or Thames Ditton, I think.
I do have pictures of him during the rebuild, and afterwards.. Even pictures of him going round the Lancia Motor Club driving tests.. These are hard copy, but if of any interest to you I could scan them and email them to you. Somewhere I also have a copy of the ad from Autotrader! I also have his original owner's handbook.
I would love to see him again someday Whereabouts are you based?
Hope the above has been of some interest - oh and somewhere in the garage, I think I still have his original nuova500 alloy engine lid badge, which was never refitted after the respray! You are very welcome to that (conditional on a viewing!!)
Best wishes
Andy"
