1978 Lancia Beta 1600 Coupe

1978 Lancia Beta 1600 Coupe

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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
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ABRAHAM
Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

SAMPSON
I do bite my thumb, sir.

ABRAHAM
Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

SAMPSON
[Aside to GREGORY] Is the law of our side, if I say
ay?

GREGORY
No.

SAMPSON
No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I
bite my thumb, sir.


Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 1.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Wednesday 21st October 2020
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GPWM.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Thursday 22nd October 2020
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anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
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Am cross at myself, but hey ho. There are some other areas that need paint top ups. I will get the lot done.

In other news, Marco il Mechanico marveloso tells me he has pro valeting gear. Time to get shinaaaaayyy.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Friday 23rd October 2020
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Both are lovely. The Beta is loveliest. The Fiat is fasterer.

Seat covers arrived today. They look well made. I will fit them on Sunday. I may now need door card inserts.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Saturday 24th October 2020
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The Alfa twin cam engine is indeed good. I have tried it in 1300, 1800, and 2000 versions. All fun.

The Beta has had some mild tweaking from the mech. Tomorrow I will fit the seat covers and go for a blat.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Sunday 25th October 2020
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Dunk130TC said:
That's my old Fiat Coupe 16v Turbo on the front cover, I lent them the car for the photo shoot in 2001.
I didn't think it unreasonable that they might let me have a copy of the book. The reality was not even a gritted thank you and a flat refusal to a copy of the book even at a discount.
I reluctantly bought one, cancelled my AutoItalia subscription and haven't attended one of their days since.
Can't believe you've undone nearly 20 years of counselling by resurrecting this.

(If you want a pricey book, look for a copy of the Guy Croft Twin Cam bible)
No good deed can go unpunished! I LOVED my sprint blue 1997 20v Coupe Turbo. Selling it in 2002 was a dumbass move. The only five cylinder engine that I have ever owned. it WHOOOSHED like Thunderbird One. 220 lag-free BHP with FWD and still no torque-steer. I have never tried the 16v version. Any good?

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Sunday 25th October 2020
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The 20 valve Turbo seemed to me full of WHOOSH. My father, an automotive engineer, thought it the best engineered car that he had ever driven. It lacked only the sixth gear which Fiat added to the model some months after I bought mine. Very sadly, after I sold the car, it surfaced on the internet having been horribly Barried with lowering, terrible wheels, and a truly dire bodykit. Now it would be a classic car, but I doubt that it survived the Barrying. It shows online as untaxed since 2010 and minus MOT since 2012. Maybe it is someone's project, but it probably died the death. Poor old P58 GWL.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Sunday 25th October 2020
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As with many internet car gurus, he is ill informed on details. He is wrong about the instruments in a Beta. The ones in the car in the video are the third version of Beta instruments, and not those adopted "within a year" of the Beta's introduction, as he mistakenly suggests.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Monday 26th October 2020
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The warranty stapled to the service booklet, which is only filled in as far as the 12,000 mile service. The pur chaser was a married lady who lived near Aberdeen in 1979.





anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Tuesday 27th October 2020
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Thanks, I have a brochure.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Tuesday 27th October 2020
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Because I am a saddo, when I buy an old car, I buy a handbook for it if it does not already have one, a factory workshop book if available, and also buy any brochures or posters for it that I can find on eBay. I often buy a model of the car too, although in general I am not into model cars. When I sell the car I usually keep the model but put the other stuff with the car.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Monday 23rd November 2020
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My 1978 1300 Coupe was a wreck, but a hilarious one. My 1600 is a 1979 car (the thread title incorrectly says 1978, although on reflection the car must have been built in 1978 - it was registered in February 1979), and is not a wreck, but bear in mind that these cars were expected to last 10 to 15 years, not 40 years plus.

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 23 November 10:55

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Monday 23rd November 2020
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Breadvan72 said:
Nov 2020: What THE HELL is that weird looking building with a sign outside it?


anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Sunday 29th November 2020
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Breadvan72 said:
Same seller as in August. Claimed sold back then.

Still does not answer emails.

I may ring tomorrow.

I smell fish.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Sunday 29th November 2020
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Yes. The coupe was first sold by a dealership in Aberdeen. It may have been on order for a while, or standing in a stock yard somewhere. The Ziebarting was I assume done when the car was new.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Sunday 29th November 2020
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A well sorted Beta coupe is one of the best small sporty cars of the 70s to early 80s, with performance and handling comparable to hot hatches but much more style.
Like all old cars they can be cantankerous.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

56 months

Friday 11th December 2020
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Boring update is boring: new battery fitted. Yawnsville!

This weekend: new seat covers. If I CBA.