1978 Lancia Beta 1300 Coupe

[anonymous-user]

I passed the flagship Fiat dealership in Mayfair yesterday. Big Fiat, Alfa and Abarth badges on the wall. On sale? Fiat 500s. That was all.

The current Fiat bosses seem intent on killing both Fiat and Alfa. As for their Lancia brand, in Italy it sells boring limos for Italian politicians to ride around in and a boring family hatch that calls itself a Delta.

[Chris944_S2]

Breadvan72 said:

As for their Lancia brand, in Italy it sells boring limos for Italian politicians to ride around in and a boring family hatch that calls itself a Delta.

They're also pulling out of the rest of Europe, so it will only be Italy that gets Lancias rebadged Chrysler cars

[soxboy]

Is that car from Walkers of Northallerton? Pretty sure AJ is the suffix for that part of North Yorkshire. You never know, they may be able to shed light on the Thriller basque interior.

[anonymous-user]

There's a pigeon lives locally to me that eats a bit heavily and fancies itself as a bit of a car critic. It went out for a heavy lunch and then did one of its reviews of the Betakoop. I mean, all over it. Off down to the local jet wash for me.

Well, you know how before careful jet washing the car looked incredibly st?

Here it is after careful jet washing. Hey! Looks incredibly st, eh?

[mybrainhurts]

Are you sure it's safe to apply pressure...?

[anonymous-user]

I did wonder if the doors might fall off, and was pretty amazed that any paint stayed on.

[mybrainhurts]

I admire your courage, mon brave....

[Mighty Flex]

mmm. that really does look pleasingly sheddy.

[GC8]

Registered number reminds me of my first one: MAB 387T. Im not sure that the 1.3l is great though. A friend had one and it was a little disappointing compared to my heavier 1.6l.

Of course, neither would be quick cars now (although my 1.6l was as quick as an XR3i and kept a new Corrado honest too), so it might be fun.

[POORCARDEALER]

I like that, and I really like the HPE....

Couldnt resist this, picked up last saturday, so far.....brakes failed on way home at Cheltenham so that was fun using handbrake 155 miles home, then yesterday it stranded me when aux belt broke that drives alternator and water pump, But its a lovely car thats got a sports exhaust so im hooked


http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/uploads/cars/fiat/4...

[soxboy]

POORCARDEALER said:

I like that, and I really like the HPE....

Couldnt resist this, picked up last saturday, so far.....brakes failed on way home at Cheltenham so that was fun using handbrake 155 miles home, then yesterday it stranded me when aux belt broke that drives alternator and water pump, But its a lovely car thats got a sports exhaust so im hooked


http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/uploads/cars/fiat/4...

Ahhhh, Little Ron.

Looks great fun but please please please change the plate!

[POORCARDEALER]

soxboy said:

POORCARDEALER said:

I like that, and I really like the HPE....

Couldnt resist this, picked up last saturday, so far.....brakes failed on way home at Cheltenham so that was fun using handbrake 155 miles home, then yesterday it stranded me when aux belt broke that drives alternator and water pump, But its a lovely car thats got a sports exhaust so im hooked


http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/uploads/cars/fiat/4...

Ahhhh, Little Ron.

Looks great fun but please please please change the plate!

plate retention forms gone off today, just need a Ron to sell it to!

[anonymous-user]

You legend PCD. I was a tad tempted by that Ronmobile, I must say.

[GC8]

Midnight Blue?

[carinaman]

OK. Not a patch on the delightfully rumped HPE though.

Being a poverty spec. 1.3 there's no sunroof? I wasn't aware they did a bench rear seat.

That red interior is a bit...when I visited Milan with a previous job the hosts took as to see the San Sero stadium. Along the side of one of the roads in a built up, urban area there were some ladies stood beside the road, even though it was getting near bed time. The interior reminds me of them a bit.

If the eBay seller of that matt grey 1500 X1/9 with the 1300 bumpers retrofitted in Somerset was more forthcoming when answering questions I may have been more tempted.

Edited by carinaman on Friday 16th May 04:39

[anonymous-user]

I have a factory new metal sunroof in a box in my shed (it came with the HPE), so there are options.

The sunroof was a cost option on the 1300, which was indeed the povvo edition. Interesting to see what they skimped on. No clock, for example.

Most Coupes had two buckety seats in the back with a reading lamp in between them. The thickly bolstered bench seat was a 1300 thing. See also the groovy rear seat of the early HPE, with the wrap around sides. The later HPE lacks that, but compensates by having the best rear seat headrests ever.

Check out this midnight blue and mustard and brown combo on an early Coupe. Ooooohya.

[anonymous-user]

From ye internetz:

Lancia Beta Coupé 1300 information summary

What body style?
fixed-head coupé with 2+2 seats
How long?
3993 mm
How heavy?
1000 kg (book says 980 kg)
What size engine?
1.3 litre, 1297 cm3
How many cylinders?
4, Straight
How much power?
83 PS / 82 bhp / 61 kW @ 5800 rpm
How much torque?
108 Nm / 80 ft.lb / 11 kgm @ 3300 rpm
How quick?
0-60 mph: 13.00 s
How fast?
164 km/h, 102 mph (book says, gasp, 103 mph)

Lancia MPG claim urban 25.2, 56 mph cruise 42.2, 75 mph cruise 32.5. The latter seems about right.

Fuelling via Weber 32 DATR 3/250 (22 mm chokes)

Lancia was conservative with performance figures, so a new and fresh one of these would probably be a little it faster than 13 secs 0 to 6 and might perhaps top out at OMG 105 ish.

The car is not fast by the standards of PH, but it feels zippy, if you know what I mean. Ace at 50 to 60 mph on the twisties. Going up a long hill on a motorway is fun as you need lots of revs to keep at the indicated 80 mph of the surrounding traffic. A chap in a DB4 (I think it was) passed me on the upgrade going through the Stokenchurch gap on the M40 last night, so lots of noise was happening.

Very different to the HPE, which is smooth, a bit grown up and civilised, albeit a tad noisy, and can be Warp Factor kaboom when you let the blower have a blow. Its gearing is noticeably different.

I am a bit worried about the amount of thumping and bumping coming from the front offside of the Coupe. Checking this out later.

[Lowtimer]

YAJ is officially a Middlesborough reg, which I do think would probably take in Walkers. I'll ask them if they remember it, as I shall be there at the weekend.

[Lowtimer]

Breadvan72 said:

Check out this midnight blue and mustard and brown combo on an early Coupe. Ooooohya.

Uuurgh. Looks like something off a certain '70s kids' TV show

[truck71]

That's a very rare engine, does it rev as freely as I'd imagine it would?