Our Cars: 1988 Lancia Delta Integrale 8V
28 April 2014: Lancia gets ready for a summer of action
I've finally pulled out the Lancia from its winter hibernation, and broken it in to the 2014 classic car season. The event was the rather enjoyable Hagerty Drive it Day run, which took us from Silverstone to Gaydon, via Bicester Heritage. It was lovely to back back into the classic car saddle with a car that's great to drive, and gets us access into all of the best events - despite being an absolute bargain at today's prices.
During the winter I'd planned to overhaul several parts of the Integrale, but instead while it was in Richard Kilpatrick's barn, it received little more than new coolant, engine oil and transmission fluid, while the erratic electrics were hopefully sorted once and for all. In the days leading up to its first outing, I promised to get some new tyres - but in the end, found myself rushing round local tyre fitters searching in vain for a set of good tyres on a Friday afternoon.
In the end, I found a set at Central Tyres in Wellingborough, who managed to get me a set of four 205/45 WR16s at the drop of a hat and for a very reasonable £230 fitted - and fit them there and then, throwing in a set of nice dust caps as well as filling them up with nitrogen instead of plain old air. I'm guessing they liked my car. Watching the fitters sitting in it, taking pictures of each other in it, certainly gave me that impression.
With the car now driveable, it was time to give it a proper clean before heading off for the run first thing on Sundary morning. Of course, knowing my luck it rained on and off all day, but it still proved great fun. The morning, I spent chasing a 1990 BMW M3 through the lanes, whie in convoy with a Triumph 2000, Lotus Elan and Porsche 911. Lovely stuff.
The Integrale acquitted itself perfectly, not missing a beat all day, although the sometimes-erratic idle could be an annoyance, along with the slight bearing noise from the front end. Getting the car home that evening, and pressure washing off all the mud, I found a load of new stonechips af the bottom of the front passenger's door - which had me ranting for a while. But after I'd calmed down, I realised that this could be an excuse to get some paintwork down here and there.
Annoyingly, the day after the run, the MoT ran out - so now I'm awaiting to see what fun awaits at the behest of the tester. I suspect it'll be just fine. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?
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