1978 Lancia Beta 1300 Coupe
Discussion
I already have a Lancia HPE Volumex with a two litre supercharged Lampredi that is in good nick, but I have always liked lightweight sporty cars with small engines. These days I can't afford old Lotuses or Alfa GT Juniors, so I was pleased when one of the very, very few remaining 1300 versions of the Beta Coupe came up for £cheapo.
Lancia introduced this variant in Italy for tax reasons, and sold about 10,000 of them (but far fewer in RHD), presumably selling to UK people thinking of fuel economy or something.
This 1978 car has under 47,000 possibly genuine miles and drives very sweetly, subject to a problem with the steering knocking at low speed, and the Firestone tyres which pre date the invention of wheels.
The bodywork is dog rough, and I mean rough, rough, rough. The photos fail to show how scabby and scuzzy the panels are, with the worst rust located around the screen and on the driver's door. There is a new door skin in the boot, but the door bottom needs doing before that can go on. The sub frames are OK. The wings and arches are fine, inner and outer.
The interior was fitted by some crazed Lancia dealer, apparently, and looks like it comes from the Ann Summers bargain basement sex knickers range. I like it.
Pre facelift dash in the front, rare bench seat in the back. To show this to be the pov spec model, the car has skinny steely wheels and lacks intermittent wipers, a clock, an oil temperature gauge and a dashboard old level reader (those plus alloys are standard on larger engined Beta Coupes). It has the same great disc brakes all round as other Betas, and a lovely five speed box with lower ratios than the larger cars. Best door mirrors in EVAH.
The Lampredi twin cam has a single twin choke Weber, and a car magazine writer might use the word "lusty" to describe its performance.
The best thing about the car is the horn,which makes a proper Italian blaaaaaaart noise.
The radio/cassette is original, as far as I can tell, and is utterly rubbish. The heater is stuck on. There is an oil leak from the sump gasket.
In other words: World of WIN.
Lancia introduced this variant in Italy for tax reasons, and sold about 10,000 of them (but far fewer in RHD), presumably selling to UK people thinking of fuel economy or something.
This 1978 car has under 47,000 possibly genuine miles and drives very sweetly, subject to a problem with the steering knocking at low speed, and the Firestone tyres which pre date the invention of wheels.
The bodywork is dog rough, and I mean rough, rough, rough. The photos fail to show how scabby and scuzzy the panels are, with the worst rust located around the screen and on the driver's door. There is a new door skin in the boot, but the door bottom needs doing before that can go on. The sub frames are OK. The wings and arches are fine, inner and outer.
The interior was fitted by some crazed Lancia dealer, apparently, and looks like it comes from the Ann Summers bargain basement sex knickers range. I like it.
Pre facelift dash in the front, rare bench seat in the back. To show this to be the pov spec model, the car has skinny steely wheels and lacks intermittent wipers, a clock, an oil temperature gauge and a dashboard old level reader (those plus alloys are standard on larger engined Beta Coupes). It has the same great disc brakes all round as other Betas, and a lovely five speed box with lower ratios than the larger cars. Best door mirrors in EVAH.
The Lampredi twin cam has a single twin choke Weber, and a car magazine writer might use the word "lusty" to describe its performance.
The best thing about the car is the horn,which makes a proper Italian blaaaaaaart noise.
The radio/cassette is original, as far as I can tell, and is utterly rubbish. The heater is stuck on. There is an oil leak from the sump gasket.
In other words: World of WIN.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 21st May 10:04
Cheers!
One hubcap rattling like Hell. Sounds like it may be bent rather than a trapped pebble. Driver's door window winder about to expire (plastic cog teeth no doubt worn off). Electrics all working. Headlining fine, carpets OK ish. Door cards are from a post facelift car and don't fit very well. Boot floor solid.
Plan: keep it OMG RATLUK for a while, then slowly bring it up to a prettier condition, but I'm not aiming for prizes. The problem is that once I get someone to start on the bodywork there might be no stopping. Nothing manifestly structural just yet, but scuttle and screen surround are the priority for attention. Those ancient tyres have gotta go. They grip better than they have any right to do, but they gotta go.
Inferred history of car - never fully restored, has lived outdoors a lot. Four owners. Last one had it a month, the one before him had it from 2007 to 2014. People have kept it alive by general maintenance, waxoyl, and some panel swap outs and fillage over the years. MoTs in file suggest mileage is valid, but engine tappetiness and slightly lowish oil pressure may suggest otherwise. Sun damage to dashboard top and (foam) steering wheel rim.
One hubcap rattling like Hell. Sounds like it may be bent rather than a trapped pebble. Driver's door window winder about to expire (plastic cog teeth no doubt worn off). Electrics all working. Headlining fine, carpets OK ish. Door cards are from a post facelift car and don't fit very well. Boot floor solid.
Plan: keep it OMG RATLUK for a while, then slowly bring it up to a prettier condition, but I'm not aiming for prizes. The problem is that once I get someone to start on the bodywork there might be no stopping. Nothing manifestly structural just yet, but scuttle and screen surround are the priority for attention. Those ancient tyres have gotta go. They grip better than they have any right to do, but they gotta go.
Inferred history of car - never fully restored, has lived outdoors a lot. Four owners. Last one had it a month, the one before him had it from 2007 to 2014. People have kept it alive by general maintenance, waxoyl, and some panel swap outs and fillage over the years. MoTs in file suggest mileage is valid, but engine tappetiness and slightly lowish oil pressure may suggest otherwise. Sun damage to dashboard top and (foam) steering wheel rim.
82 BHP, allegedly, torque figures I forget.
The Lampredi Fiat block has a Lancia head and Lancia pistons, IIRC. Lancia versions of the Lampredi are arguably better than Fiat versions. The engine was stroked to gain displacement, so a 2000 is taller than a 1300 by some margin.
Engine pic tomorrow when back from London frolics. Are you in Town, Lowtimer? Will PM you re lunch and/or Martinis.
The Lampredi Fiat block has a Lancia head and Lancia pistons, IIRC. Lancia versions of the Lampredi are arguably better than Fiat versions. The engine was stroked to gain displacement, so a 2000 is taller than a 1300 by some margin.
Engine pic tomorrow when back from London frolics. Are you in Town, Lowtimer? Will PM you re lunch and/or Martinis.
It so happens that I already own a working Lancia two litre engine with fuel injection and a matching gearbox that are in a non roadworthy donor car (bought to help my HPE). The donor car also has five good Beta alloys. I'm just saying....
Actually, I won't. The whole point is to have a 1300 with low ratio box and skinny tyres.
OK, not that skinny. 155T14 limits me to Toyo or Nankw
k. Go to 175/70T14 and I can haz PIRELLEEZE.
"Oi Mistah, your tyres iz worth more than your car, Mistah".
Actually, I won't. The whole point is to have a 1300 with low ratio box and skinny tyres.
OK, not that skinny. 155T14 limits me to Toyo or Nankw
k. Go to 175/70T14 and I can haz PIRELLEEZE."Oi Mistah, your tyres iz worth more than your car, Mistah".
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.
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.
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 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.
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