BaT Auction Success Story: bmguzzi’s Lancia Fulvia and the Ed_L Effect

BaT member bmguzzi recently wrote in to us about his 1967 Lancia Fulvia Rallye 1.3, sold by argosy in Italy, that he won in a January 2025 BaT auction:

It was April 24, 2022. I was visiting Cars & Coffee Los Angeles at Griffith Park, held on the last Sunday of every month, and had driven there in my Giallo Positano 1971 Fiat 500L. I parked the Fiat, exchanged the usual chit-chat with my fellow car enthusiasts, and made my way around to see what other classics were there. A few short minutes later, I came upon a little two-door car—an unmistakably Italian coupè that for some reason I had never seen before. And I thought I knew cars…

It was finished in a bright orange(ish) color. I could not walk away or take my eyes off this beautiful piece of art on wheels. It had unusually large headlights for its size and gracious stripes all in the right places, and not garish. As I stood there staring at the car, a gentleman (an architect type) quietly walked up and asked if he could answer any questions about the car. I asked why don’t you start from the beginning. We both laughed, and he started from the beginning. He opened the hood and showed me yet another thing I had not seen before: a small V4 with dual oversized carburetors. Some 15 to 20 minutes passed, and it was time for him to go. He started the car, and it was evident that this “little” thing was very “mighty.”

I came home that afternoon and went straight to BaT. There they were—the Lancia Fulvias. I was hooked and could not stop looking and reading about them. A photo of one became my laptop screensaver, and my YouTube searches became all about Fulvias.

Throughout my searches on BaT, I realized that there was a Lancia Guru amongst the community. A go-to guy with unparalleled encyclopedic knowledge. His kindness was evident, and his willingness to offer advice was encouraging. I never got to ask him any questions on BaT, but I soon realized that this Guru was none other than the person that I had the lucky chance to speak to in person on that April morning in Griffith Park—it was @Ed_L.

I came to respect him a lot, and in many ways, I attribute my love and passion for Lancias, particularly the Fulvia, to him. I was deeply saddened by his untimely passing. To this day, I find myself visiting old Lancia auctions just to read some of his comments.

In the following months, I even started following some Fulvia auctions and began making some cautious bids. Owning one was still a bit intimidating to me. I then came across @argosy on BaT. I realized that the gentlemen behind the username were knowledgeable, honest, and willing to help with transportation and paperwork. I had never purchased a vehicle from overseas. But in early 2025, I received a notification from BaT that a Fulvia, offered from Rome, Italy, by argosy, had gone live.

The auction was slated to close on January 18, 2025, and following a few nerve-wracking minutes, I ended up the winning bidder. WOW! I could hardly contain my excitement. The next morning, I received a phone call from Claudio in Rome (one of the gentlemen behind argosy) congratulating me and calmly telling me about the process ahead. His calmness was reassuring, and I realized that I was not alone in this transaction. I had a person on the other side of the world who I could trust. I asked him to keep the car for two to three months before shipping it over to LA. He graciously agreed and stayed in contact with me throughout the following weeks. Claudio was instrumental in transporting the car to Genoa and placing it on the ship to Los Angeles. When the car finally arrived, it was all I could hope for and more. After giving it a wash and charging its battery, the car started after three or four tries.

Over a year has passed, and I could not have found better partners than Claudio and Miran of argosy. My wife and I have driven the Fulvia from Mulholland to the PCH several times, as well as up the Angeles Crest to Newcomb’s Ranch for a picnic and to the Best of Italy and France show at Woodley Park.

My 1967 Fulvia Rallye 1.3 has been a joyous addition to our garage, and in the process, I have gained two new friends whom I have never met in person (yet). Thank you, @argosy! Thank you, BaT!

And most importantly, thank you @Ed_L! We miss you, buddy.

If you have a Success Story about a car you’ve bought or sold on BaT, please send a few lines and pictures (or a video) to community.content@bringatrailer.com, and we’ll send you a $50 credit to the BaT Gear Store when your story posts to the site.

We love to hear from satisfied BaT buyers and sellers, and a Success Story feature is a great addition to any car’s history when you’re ready to sell.