1978 Lancia Beta 1600 Coupe

1978 Lancia Beta 1600 Coupe

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anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Wednesday 14th October 2020
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I have heard it said that Sid James was never acting. He just played Sid James.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Friday 16th October 2020
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GET YO 70S ON, MOFOS!




https://youtu.be/0n3OepDn5GU

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Saturday 17th October 2020
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The watch is an early 1970s Breitling Transocean.

Went for a drive.

Pint at Berrick Salome -




anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Saturday 17th October 2020
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I bought the Transocean for about 300 quid in 2010, from the little shop in Clerkenwell that specialises in selling and repairing old Omegas. They rarely sell Breitlings but had this watch in the window. In 2015, I lost it. Two weeks ago my mum found it. I wound it up. It works! I usually only have small watches, but this one is so 70s that I could not resist it.

I have seen this model advertised online recently for prices from £1800 to US $3000.

I had a very lovely Breitling dress watch from the mid 1950s. It was perfect for black tie, but its crystal fell off and then I lost one of its hands, alas. I have replaced it with a modern Longines Conquest automatic that has a vintage look, and which I got for a megabargain price in St Helier, Jersey.

I used to fly, but I could never afford a Navitimer, and they are in my view over featured for actual aviation use. You need a very plain and clear watch for flying. With a chart, a watch, and a compass, you can navigate anywhere by deduced reckoning - no GPS required. A pen is handy too, but optional.

Back to cars - guess who drove along for a short distance with the oil filler cap of his Lancia Beta left off? Dohh! Messy clean up job, but no other harm done, I think. Cap safely lodged near washer jets and not lost.

I did that once long ago, pre eBay, with a 1977 Alfa Romeo Spider. The cap stamped "Olio" was lost. No eBay! It took AGES to find another cap via Club magazines etc.



anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Saturday 17th October 2020
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I like it a lot. It is the biggest and heaviest watch that I have ever had. It keeps time well.

P5, buy the LHD Fulvia Berlina while I buy the RHD one.

A Gloster Meteor is a fine machine. At Chalgrove Airfield near my pad, on the battlefield where John Hampden was killed by Prince Rupert's troopers, Martin Baker Ltd used to have a Meteor used for ejector seat tests. I am not sure if it is still in use.

My Air Cadet Squadron in the 70s possessed a two seat Meteor, parked outside our Squadron hut. We loved it!

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Saturday 17th October 2020
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Here yer are, GC8 -


anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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Talking of colour, the OE tools match the car!


anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Sunday 18th October 2020
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I mistook it for a trendy protein smoothie and necked it.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Monday 19th October 2020
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WHAT??? A rechargeable torch???

Mine is missing. Car now scrapped.

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/arechive/articl...

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Monday 19th October 2020
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Oi! P5 bloke!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164369556622

Let me tell you (1) That Beta Berlinas have coooooooool instruments; and (2) that a 1300 Lancia Lampredi is a sweeeeeeeetie! It goes as well as any Ford 1600 that hasn't been hyper-Barried.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Monday 19th October 2020
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As you may know, the Fiat and the Lancia Lampredis have different heads, but both versions are fab. Alfa and Morgan used Lampredis too, IIRC.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Tuesday 20th October 2020
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I am tempted but will say no. I have owned a Beta Spider, an HPE, and two Beta Coupes, so a Berlina would be neat, especially in 1300 guise, but I doubt that I would drive the car much, AND I MUST FIX MY LOTUS!

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Tuesday 20th October 2020
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I used to know, but I have forgotten. I may have the answer in a book, but my books are mainly in boxes since a house move.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Tuesday 20th October 2020
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Bit of info, but not very (EDIT: not at all) techy -

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/still-the...


HOW MUCH???

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Twin-Cam-Italia-Lampredis...


Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 20th October 12:45

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Tuesday 20th October 2020
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I was reading "La Lancia" last night. It is PRON.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Tuesday 20th October 2020
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I am not sure but I think that Lancia may have done something different with the valves. I may have dreamed that. I am annoyed because I used to know but cannot now recall.

I am coming to the view that as between the Lancia and the Fiat, the Lancia is the better car, but I still like the Fiat a lot.

The Weber carbs are similar but not the same. In the Beta, you get a poor man's turbo effect very notably when the second choke gets going high up the rev range.

I have just touched in a couple of minor paint blemishes on the Beta, and painted the rear end of the exhaust, as that was showing rust. I have slapped some Hammerite on some crusty bits under the bonnet.

Seat covers arrive next week, says the helpful Katia in Turin.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Tuesday 20th October 2020
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Ooof. Bit of a scrape as barn door wedge moved by breeze. Paintwork blemish. Bum.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
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Thanks! Abe Books is indeed a useful site.

I will post up a pic of the scratch when it gets light. I am not emotional about it. I like cars lots, but they are only metal and they can be fixed.

The evil twin of my car above is beig sold for £0, so yaaay!

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
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Calm down, lovelies! Tis but a scratch!

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
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Ok, seems legit.