Stratos v Dino

That is a great video, Stratos! Wonderful sounds, complete with that characteristic high-pitched whine. You are using the car as it should be used.

Happy New Year, Fred!

Thanks for the tip, Hyenahf.

Andres

 

Nothing new on the Stratos. It's in the service bay now for regular maintenance. Mine has no undercoating at all, so I need to check the underneath, spray an anti-rust film inside crevices, seams, and so forth. I used to do this on my back with the Stratos on stands. The lift will make the job much more pleasant.

Andres
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oh my!

 

Andres, what a delight of a car!
One day....

Regards, Alberto

 

Thanks, Alberto. Andres

 

Mobile phone pictures are getting better. I took this photo this morning of the Stratos after an early morning run, clicking as it cooled in the driveway. Driving the Stratos always raises my heartbeat a little more than usual.

Andres
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Andres, I'm always blown away by your Stratos photos! Thanks for sharing the exhilaration of a fast outing with us all. Regards, Fred

 

Many thanks, Fred. The new phones make it so easy to capture a moment. It is good we have our cars that continue to excite us.

Warm regards,

Andres

 

There should be an apostrophe after "o."

Andres
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Also, 539 looks slightly different (rims, mirrors, stickers, air vent, spoiler etc.)

 

Would anyone have a photo of the original Stratos toolkit? Mine came with a plastic Lancia box with tools that I don't think is original.

Many thanks, and best regards,

Andy

 

I have a NOS toolbox for the Stratos. Will get a pic today.

 

Here is the NOS toolbox for the Stratos. Pretty much the same as the Lancia Fulvia but the jack handle is shorter. The jack shown in the parts manual is not correct and doesn't work on the Stratos.
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Ah, thanks very much, Racerboy! My first time to see one. And this is stored in the front compartment? I have the jack, but not the tools.

Best regards,

Andres

 

My friend Ardie was over to take photos for a local magazine. He tooks some interesting shots, and I'll share some when the article is published.

Andy
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Not my ohoto, but Ardie Lopez's.
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fyi, i have a NOS toolkit and jack if anyone is interested.

 

PM'd you, Edward.

 

Here is the tool kit I bought, packed appropriately in Italian newspaper. The jack had been repainted in the wrong colour, so I sanded it down. The original deep blue paint showed, which matched the original jack that came with the car. Luckily, I found enamel paint in a spray can that was a close match.

Andres
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Quoting from the current (November) issue of C! Magazine, a local magazine.

“Somebody wrote in a magazine, perhaps Road & Track, that many good cars are like the girl next door, very nice and pleasant and cooks well, too. We buy those cars because they are safe and practical.

But once in a while, a stunningly beautiful, schizophrenic taxi dancer walks into the room, raising temperatures all around. She has never been in a kitchen and is useless for small talk, but the Trojan War probably started because of someone like her. That is the Stratos.

[The Stratos] doesn’t care about you or that you love it. Its purpose is not to ensure that you re comfortable or safe, or that you look good around corners. It has only one purpose, shed everything not essential to that purpose, and delivered in spades. It says ‘if you’re not willing to put up with that, then stop wasting my time and go back to your practical car.’ That’s the Stratos.”

(Photo Ardie Lopez)
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You should paint the roof and rear spoilers to the original matte black Anders.

 

Yes, I know, Stratos. I've always struggled with that decision. One day ,,,

Andres

 

I took the Stratos for a run very early this morning, not having driven it for a while. I had been driving the new Italia. What an incredible difference.
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Andres,

Out of curiosity, how drivable is the Stratos vs. the same vintage Dino?

Does the race set up make it difficult to start up and drive?

Shawn

 

It's as drivable as a Dino, Shawn. i have the "straddle" version. The difference is the Stratos feels lighter and more nimble. It has no sound deadening, too, and is a race car actually, so one hears the suspension, stones kicked up underneath, the carbs sucking loudly. It handles very differently, too, and accelerates more urgently.

You can use it to the grocery quite easily. A nice companion car to the Dino. Similar but different.

Andy