1981 Lancia Beta Spider 2000
Discussion
This car was built in 1979 or 1980, but not sold and registered until 1981 (when I was 19 and just about to start at university).
The car has not, as far as I know, ever been fully rebuilt. It has been patched up from time to time. I bought it in March 2012, and since then have had three majorish snags to deal with - failure of the clutch pedal, failure of an aftermarket immobiliser, and the dreaded OMGHGF. The car is currently running very well, and the only niggles are that the targa roof lets in water near the rear view mirror, and the grotbag OE radio is borked.
The two litre twin cam engine (with Webber twin choke carburetor) is a very splendid thing, and the five speed gearbox is fine, although not super quick. The car is FWD, but has that Lancia trick of feeling RWDish, and the steering and suspension are very nifty.
There is some flaky pastry showing at the valances, but no major rust issues. The car says that it has done about 79,000 miles, according to the odometer and some paperwork, and that figure may not be far off the truth.
These photos date from 2012 (and that's not my house!), but the car looks much the same now, save for a replacement rear hood, and new mats.
I like it.
PS Spider/Spyder? Even Lancia couldn't make up their minds about that one.
The car has not, as far as I know, ever been fully rebuilt. It has been patched up from time to time. I bought it in March 2012, and since then have had three majorish snags to deal with - failure of the clutch pedal, failure of an aftermarket immobiliser, and the dreaded OMGHGF. The car is currently running very well, and the only niggles are that the targa roof lets in water near the rear view mirror, and the grotbag OE radio is borked.
The two litre twin cam engine (with Webber twin choke carburetor) is a very splendid thing, and the five speed gearbox is fine, although not super quick. The car is FWD, but has that Lancia trick of feeling RWDish, and the steering and suspension are very nifty.
There is some flaky pastry showing at the valances, but no major rust issues. The car says that it has done about 79,000 miles, according to the odometer and some paperwork, and that figure may not be far off the truth.
These photos date from 2012 (and that's not my house!), but the car looks much the same now, save for a replacement rear hood, and new mats.
I like it.
PS Spider/Spyder? Even Lancia couldn't make up their minds about that one.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 15th January 21:53
Cheers.
Here is the over complicated dash display at night. The oil level indicator (bottom right) is knackered. The oil pressure gauge(upper centre) always sits thusly at idle. The reserve fuel light is on, showing about two gallons left. Mileage of 22 to 30 mg, depending on wahoo factor. 25mpg ish is pretty usual.
Here is the over complicated dash display at night. The oil level indicator (bottom right) is knackered. The oil pressure gauge(upper centre) always sits thusly at idle. The reserve fuel light is on, showing about two gallons left. Mileage of 22 to 30 mg, depending on wahoo factor. 25mpg ish is pretty usual.
My Beta was one of the later ones, and so was made with better steel and came with a five year anti perforation warranty. Lancia was, IIRC, the first manufacturer to offer this, but it was too late and the marque's reputation was already fatally damaged in northern Europe.
Here is a recent picture of two Italians and an Italian/Brit/Yank having a rust race outside my gaff. Apologies for lack of (Ford) focus. (The sharp eyed may spot another Italian and a Japanese in the background).
Here is a recent picture of two Italians and an Italian/Brit/Yank having a rust race outside my gaff. Apologies for lack of (Ford) focus. (The sharp eyed may spot another Italian and a Japanese in the background).
Many Betas were stored for extended periods before sale because of the disasters befalling the marque in the late 70s. There are all the rumours about Russian/Mafia deals for steel and so forth, but it's all a bit unclear. The rust protection was then drastically improved, and the warranty added, but, as noted above, it was too little, too late, and customer confidence had evaporated.
Thirty years on, you will still meet the standard pub bore here and elsewhere who will swear blind that all Italian cars still rust in seconds, despite never having been with a thousand yards of an Italian car. The reality is that all cars in the 70s rusted like crazy, but the Lancias were sometimes worse than the norm.
Thirty years on, you will still meet the standard pub bore here and elsewhere who will swear blind that all Italian cars still rust in seconds, despite never having been with a thousand yards of an Italian car. The reality is that all cars in the 70s rusted like crazy, but the Lancias were sometimes worse than the norm.
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 16th January 09:04
I forgot to add that the twin choke Webber is a bit like a poor man's turbocharger. At about 4000 RPM you get a whoosh, and the car will accelerate quite well even in fifth gear at a fast motorway speed.
The revvy twin cam engine is a fine unit. Variants of it were used by Lancia and Fiat in many cars, right up to the four cylinder versions of the Fiat Coupe.
The Montecarlo version had two carbs, but arguably that car needed a V6.
The Beta is reasonably well supported by companies including Betaboyz and Omicron, and there's a useful parts supplier in the Mid west of the USA, but some parts are now becoming hard to find.
I had a pleasant experience last year when a chap stopped to admire and discuss the car when it was parked at Highbury Fields in north London. He had owned a similar car in the 80s. He then went to his nearby house and produced two very rare tail lights in their original boxes, which he insisted on giving me. He would take nothing for them, but I dropped a decent Italian red off at his house the next day.
More recently, I got chatted up in a railway station car park (glamour!) by a hot MILF in an Evoque who had owned a red Spider in her younger days. Alas, I think that she was only into me for my wheels. Very PH.
A less pleasant experience involved Jim the Crim trying to make off with the alloys, but he failed, and I managed not to crash despite driving off with loose wheel bolts.
The revvy twin cam engine is a fine unit. Variants of it were used by Lancia and Fiat in many cars, right up to the four cylinder versions of the Fiat Coupe.
The Montecarlo version had two carbs, but arguably that car needed a V6.
The Beta is reasonably well supported by companies including Betaboyz and Omicron, and there's a useful parts supplier in the Mid west of the USA, but some parts are now becoming hard to find.
I had a pleasant experience last year when a chap stopped to admire and discuss the car when it was parked at Highbury Fields in north London. He had owned a similar car in the 80s. He then went to his nearby house and produced two very rare tail lights in their original boxes, which he insisted on giving me. He would take nothing for them, but I dropped a decent Italian red off at his house the next day.
More recently, I got chatted up in a railway station car park (glamour!) by a hot MILF in an Evoque who had owned a red Spider in her younger days. Alas, I think that she was only into me for my wheels. Very PH.
A less pleasant experience involved Jim the Crim trying to make off with the alloys, but he failed, and I managed not to crash despite driving off with loose wheel bolts.
Some photos taken today.
First, here's a couple of my old Italian bird. She's wet, a bit dirty, and a bit rusty around her tailpipe. She still goes quite well, and sometimes lets me take her top off in public.
Lastly, rust never sleeps! Another one of the two Italians and one Italian/Brit/Yank hybrid bitzer visibly falling to pieces. Yes, folks! It's a race to the bottom (of the boot falling out).
First, here's a couple of my old Italian bird. She's wet, a bit dirty, and a bit rusty around her tailpipe. She still goes quite well, and sometimes lets me take her top off in public.
Lastly, rust never sleeps! Another one of the two Italians and one Italian/Brit/Yank hybrid bitzer visibly falling to pieces. Yes, folks! It's a race to the bottom (of the boot falling out).
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 18th January 23:29
GC8 said:
Is the leather original? The instruments don't look nearly as modern to me now as I remember them being when I owned my Last Beta.
The front view is quite average and exactly the same as my own HPEs, but the rear three quarter is beautiful.
Looking under the bonnet takes me back. Chromed engine stay? That must be an upgrade. I remember that problems with my own oil level devices were cured by re-piping them. From memory the pipe hardened and split where it joined the dipstick top.
The seats are in fact trimmed with vinyl, which I believe to be original. To my eyes, having had several older cars, the instruments look hyper modern!The front view is quite average and exactly the same as my own HPEs, but the rear three quarter is beautiful.
Looking under the bonnet takes me back. Chromed engine stay? That must be an upgrade. I remember that problems with my own oil level devices were cured by re-piping them. From memory the pipe hardened and split where it joined the dipstick top.
The chrome bit is indeed an upgrade, placed there by I know not whom, along with the mildly blinged airbox, Thanks for the tip re the oil level piping - mine looks pretty knackered. I am still lusting after an HPE.
The car came with some rosettes from some comps in the noughties, and was featured in Practical Classic, but about ten years ago. It would not win any prizes now, but is mostly pretty OK.
I am wondering if I have the wrong oil in the car for the cold weather. It recently had an oil change and I can't remember what oil the dudes put in. I hope that it wasn't too thick (the bill is buried somewhere). The oil pressure reading when the engine is cold is fine - needle in the centre, but once the car has warmed up, the needle stays to the left, although not in the danger zone, even at high revs. Meanwhile, the oil temperature needle, once out of its cold zone, also stays close to the left, so it does not appear that the oil is getting unduly hot, if that needle is to be believed. The oil level is fine, and there are no apparent leaks.
Yup,I know about the oil level gauge not being meant to read when the engine is on. Mine is clonked. I will look at renewing the piping, but frankly CBA! I love poking the long stiff thing all the way in and getting the end a bit wet and slippery. This process sometimes results in me glugging some viscous fluid into the aperture.
One of the keep fit window winders ate itself, but has now been fixed.
One of the keep fit window winders ate itself, but has now been fixed.
Earths! At one point last year, if I honked the horn, the wipers would come on, and if I used the indicators, the radio would tune into Milan. Fixed now.
The voltmeter does always read a bit low, although battery and alternator are in fact OK. EDIT: Derr - is it an ammeter? It does not behave like one (eg no flicking when indicators on). Will check.
For another CSB, see shortly forthcoming update to the "What has your "Friend" been up to" thread.
The voltmeter does always read a bit low, although battery and alternator are in fact OK. EDIT: Derr - is it an ammeter? It does not behave like one (eg no flicking when indicators on). Will check.
For another CSB, see shortly forthcoming update to the "What has your "Friend" been up to" thread.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 22 January 04:51
Lancia-related CSB now up:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Have you ever seen the whacky panel on one of the Beta/Trevis, viz-
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Have you ever seen the whacky panel on one of the Beta/Trevis, viz-
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