1978 Lancia Beta 1300 Coupe
Discussion
Definitely leave it as a 1300! There is,I'm sure, an Italian saying that goes along the lines of the smaller the engine, the harder it's driven.
At various stages, we've had a Montecarlo, a Mirafiori Sport and a 132 1800 ES ( in tropical orange) with that wonderful twin cam too. Getting nostalgic now. Damn you all....
At various stages, we've had a Montecarlo, a Mirafiori Sport and a 132 1800 ES ( in tropical orange) with that wonderful twin cam too. Getting nostalgic now. Damn you all....
I had a 1300cc twin cam in 1987 it was a great little car (kept it for 2 year). My one started life as a 1980-V 2000 coupe which we bought with a broken oil pump and then fitted the engine and gearbox out of a low mileage 1300 beta saloon.
As a teenager it was great to have a Lancia twin cam with low insurance hence the engine swap. It was very low geared, nice revvy engine though not fast as the weight went against it (as an example my 1300-S Fiesta was probably faster!)
The Lancia felt like a luxury car back in 1987 with elec windows, sliding sunroof, 5 speed, PAS, disks all round, dash with all the extra dials, sports seats, alloys etc.
I had previously had a mk1 1600 HPE that was much quicker than the 1300 coupe, and later had an A reg Vx Coupe in silver (with recaro front seats) and a blue 2000ie HPE on a Y. At the time these cars had amazing spec compared to other cars of the day and cost peanuts to buy.
As a teenager it was great to have a Lancia twin cam with low insurance hence the engine swap. It was very low geared, nice revvy engine though not fast as the weight went against it (as an example my 1300-S Fiesta was probably faster!)
The Lancia felt like a luxury car back in 1987 with elec windows, sliding sunroof, 5 speed, PAS, disks all round, dash with all the extra dials, sports seats, alloys etc.
I had previously had a mk1 1600 HPE that was much quicker than the 1300 coupe, and later had an A reg Vx Coupe in silver (with recaro front seats) and a blue 2000ie HPE on a Y. At the time these cars had amazing spec compared to other cars of the day and cost peanuts to buy.
From memory I think I've had 2 Spyders (one which I did 30k in during my years at university) 2 2.0 Beta Coupes, a 2.0 HPE and a 1600 Coupe, never had a 1300 though, saw it on Ebay at £700 ish but definitely keep it as a 1300 it'll lose it's charm.
Surely the interiors a retrim, who'd have thought you could do worse than mustard cloth ha ha. The twin cams have a lovely rasp though.
I missed the Capri blue 2.0 Coupe that was recently being advertised which i'm more gutted about than a limp fish on a chef's chopping board. I really want another as I've owned Beta's since I was 17 and been tinkering with them since I was 8.
Loving the 1300 so keep the pics coming, come on give us some of the engine bay, I'll bet that's a looker
Surely the interiors a retrim, who'd have thought you could do worse than mustard cloth ha ha. The twin cams have a lovely rasp though.
I missed the Capri blue 2.0 Coupe that was recently being advertised which i'm more gutted about than a limp fish on a chef's chopping board. I really want another as I've owned Beta's since I was 17 and been tinkering with them since I was 8.
Loving the 1300 so keep the pics coming, come on give us some of the engine bay, I'll bet that's a looker
Edited by Evo on Thursday 15th May 13:18
People are beginning to realise that the Beta is a great car. Clarkson is a knob as always. Those so called petrolheads who think that Clarkson knows the slightest thing about cars should hand in their 'Ring stickers!
Do you want deets of the 2000 project oop north or do you only want a runner with a ticket?
More photos of the 1300 tomorrow.
I wonder what happened to the very early 1600 HPE in blue and mustard that was on eBay two months ago.
The interior on my 1300 is said to have been a dealer fit. It looks better in real life than it does in photos. Unlike the bodywork of the car, which looks absolutely terrible when you see it in real life.
Do you want deets of the 2000 project oop north or do you only want a runner with a ticket?
More photos of the 1300 tomorrow.
I wonder what happened to the very early 1600 HPE in blue and mustard that was on eBay two months ago.
The interior on my 1300 is said to have been a dealer fit. It looks better in real life than it does in photos. Unlike the bodywork of the car, which looks absolutely terrible when you see it in real life.
Breadvan72 said:
People are beginning to realise that the Beta is a great car. Clarkson is a knob as always. Those so called petrolheads who think that Clarkson knows the slightest thing about cars should hand in their 'Ring stickers!
Do you want deets of the 2000 project oop north or do you only want a runner with a ticket?
More photos of the 1300 tomorrow.
I wonder what happened to the very early 1600 HPE in blue and mustard that was on eBay two months ago.
The interior on my 1300 is said to have been a dealer fit. It looks better in real life than it does in photos. Unlike the bodywork of the car, which looks absolutely terrible when you see it in real life.
And the body / paint finnish (used very loosely) looked ropey enough in the photo's lolDo you want deets of the 2000 project oop north or do you only want a runner with a ticket?
More photos of the 1300 tomorrow.
I wonder what happened to the very early 1600 HPE in blue and mustard that was on eBay two months ago.
The interior on my 1300 is said to have been a dealer fit. It looks better in real life than it does in photos. Unlike the bodywork of the car, which looks absolutely terrible when you see it in real life.
I'd only be interested in a Capri blue car, sentimental reasons
I will deffo leave the car as a 1300. That is the whole point of it!
One thought. I have in my shed a factory new sliding metal sunroof from an HPE. Not sure if it's too big for a Coupe roof, but it probably would fit. Hmmmmm. OK, water trap, but I have to do the roof anyway. Headlining would be an issue.
On the HPE the quite large metal sunroof, when open, makes the car feel even more light and airy than it is anyway with its thin A pillars and pale interior. Noisy, of course, but who cares?
Just musing aloud. I will probably leave the 1300 as is in that respect, as original is good.
One thought. I have in my shed a factory new sliding metal sunroof from an HPE. Not sure if it's too big for a Coupe roof, but it probably would fit. Hmmmmm. OK, water trap, but I have to do the roof anyway. Headlining would be an issue.
On the HPE the quite large metal sunroof, when open, makes the car feel even more light and airy than it is anyway with its thin A pillars and pale interior. Noisy, of course, but who cares?
Just musing aloud. I will probably leave the 1300 as is in that respect, as original is good.
Breadvan72 said:
I will deffo leave the car as a 1300. That is the whole point of it!
One thought. I have in my shed a factory new sliding metal sunroof from an HPE. Not sure if it's too big for a Coupe roof, but it probably would fit. Hmmmmm. OK, water trap, but I have to do the roof anyway. Headlining would be an issue.
On the HPE the quite large metal sunroof, when open, makes the car feel even more light and airy than it is anyway with its thin A pillars and pale interior. Noisy, of course, but who cares?
Just musing aloud. I will probably leave the 1300 as is in that respect, as original is good.
Original is cool enough, the sunroof should be the same on the HPE to the Coupe, standard fit on the 2.0's? One thought. I have in my shed a factory new sliding metal sunroof from an HPE. Not sure if it's too big for a Coupe roof, but it probably would fit. Hmmmmm. OK, water trap, but I have to do the roof anyway. Headlining would be an issue.
On the HPE the quite large metal sunroof, when open, makes the car feel even more light and airy than it is anyway with its thin A pillars and pale interior. Noisy, of course, but who cares?
Just musing aloud. I will probably leave the 1300 as is in that respect, as original is good.
I prefer a Yamaha Fizzy. I have had two of those. Fine machines, but useless if you live out of town. Too tiny, no road presence, too slow, too scary on anything above a 40 limit. Superb for town riding, with the proper bikey handling of a much bigger bike. Any twist and go scooter can blow it away at the lights, but who cares? It ain't no step through, and it has a proper clutch.
I dont think there were every many UK 1300' coupe's sold as a fan of these cars at the time I only ever saw one or two 1300's, (then built my own 1300) it was not something that appealed to the UK market, most of them would have been Beta saloon 1300's but even these would have been a tiny number sold.
Your car has a mix of mk1 dash and seats but mk2 headlights.
Your car has a mix of mk1 dash and seats but mk2 headlights.
I have a copy of this book, now getting a bit expensive online, but I bought mine for just a few quid new about three years ago. Its description of the changes between different series of Beta is as clear as mud. Like most books of this kind, it gives the impression of having been written in about ten minutes by someone on a contract, but it has some useful info and photos.
Breadvan72 said:
I have a copy of this book, now getting a bit expensive online, but I bought mine for just a few quid new about three years ago. Its description of the changes between different series of Beta is as clear as mud. Like most books of this kind, it gives the impression of having been written in about ten minutes by someone on a contract, but it has some useful info and photos.
I think we all know that Lancia invented the Friday afternoon car, whada you got in ya parts bin Mario Cars of different series were sold out of sequence, with early 1600 Spyders alongside later 2000 versions on the same forecourts, or so I'm told. Dealers struggled with the UK's mid to late 1970s economic crisis (new Lancias were not cheap) and with Lancia's burgeoning reputation for rust. Someone in head office decided not to sue the papers that falsely alleged that engines fell out of new cars. Maybe that was an error. Anyway, the pub myth was born and lives on. No one seems to know if the Mafia and Russian steel story (also told about Alfa) is true or false. By the early 1980s the Beta was sold with a five year anti perforation warranty, but by then it was too late.
-hair of buying one many moons ago but ended up chickening out 
Breadvan72 said:
Cars of different series were sold out of sequence, with early 1600 Spyders alongside later 2000 versions on the same forecourts, or so I'm told. Dealers struggled with the UK's mid to late 1970s economic crisis (new Lancias were not cheap) and with Lancia's burgeoning reputation for rust. Someone in head office decided not to sue the papers that falsely alleged that engines fell out of new cars. Maybe that was an error. Anyway, the pub myth was born and lives on. No one seems to know if the Mafia and Russian steel story (also told about Alfa) is true or false. By the early 1980s the Beta was sold with a five year anti perforation warranty, but by then it was too late.
Yep even with the success of the 6 Rally championships back to back it wasn't enough, all cars in the 70's rusted like hell. The Beta in it's day was miles ahead, twin cam, disc brakes all round, independent suspension etc etc Fiat had made their decision to make Lancia their "luxury mass market brand" and just turned the product range into the rather bland platform sharing disaster, they have never recovered from that point. Sadly cars like Aurelia's, Fulvia's, Stratos let alone the more basic Montecarlo's and Beta's will never happen again. I remember being walked upto the local garage just so I could have a look at a red Montecarlo aged 8.
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