Q: Hi Andrew,
I'm writing to you via the Lancia Fulvia Questions & Answers page on the internet and wonder if you could give me the benefit of your expertise ...
I'd like to mildly tune my Fulvia Coupe 1.3. An area that seems ripe for modification is in the area of the air filter which doesn't look like it can be that efficient. I've been in contact with K&N who can supply two bolt on air filters that can be slightly modified to fit the twin Solex carbs. Would you recommend this approach or is it going to be a complete waste of money? I've never seen alternative air filter kits for the Fulvia advertised anywhere and so I guess there must be a reason for this! Thanks very much, Scott.

A: Scott,
We never really liked K & N Filters or other foam type filters. They never look very nice on an Italian car.
We've built a number of high performance engines recently, with a number of different air filter assemblies.
Two have had just open trumpets with mesh to stop birds and gravel getting sucked in, you can get angled trumpets so they point to the rear of the engine and is less risky.
Another had individual foam filters stuck on the trumpets. These can melt if you are unlucky.
Another just had the existing air filter, sandwiched with a plate at each side . One of the plates has the holes for the trumpets cut in and has two threaded stems. The other has just some holes where the threaded stems would protude to firmly attach it using wing nuts. This would appear to be the best way of doing this.
- Andrew -