1978 Lancia Beta 1600 Coupe
Discussion
AW111 said:
deltaS4 said:
Ref the Hi Fi edition. I had no 151, it literally rusted before my eyes, anything metal failed, even the seat spings rusted & collapsed at three years old.
That's possible if they were stored outdoors too close to the sea.I lived right on the coast for around 10 years, and the rate of rottage on everything was appalling.
I moved the Ducati indoors, but still rusted (like the fridge). I ended up keeping it on a friend's farm 20 km inland.
The car just rotted to death.
Breadvan72 said:
Maybe better to regret not buying than to buy and then regret that.
Never a truer statement. Or, as Mrs. Heaveho likes to say, always better to have the money in the bank!She however, also coined the phrase, "maintained regardless of common sense" at point of sale over my Corrado VR6. We've continued to regard each other suspiciously for two decades!
Edited by Heaveho on Saturday 8th August 01:23
I continue not to regret buying that Alfetta. I currently regret buying another Lancia, but my feelings on that may alter with time.
As for my Lancia Beta, a car I like, three weeks have gone by while it sits in a local garage not getting worked on. I will give them one more week and then get it sent somewhere else if it has not been done by then.
The somewhere else is about a mile away from where the car is at present. That will cost me wonga, because although my brother has a large and powerful truck with a tow bar, he does not like to to tow cars, and attempts by me to encourage him to learn the useful skill of towing cars have not been fruitful. I do not altogether blame him, as towing an old car on the road is not always fun, but this gig is only a mile. Oh well, put it on the bill!
As for my Lancia Beta, a car I like, three weeks have gone by while it sits in a local garage not getting worked on. I will give them one more week and then get it sent somewhere else if it has not been done by then.
The somewhere else is about a mile away from where the car is at present. That will cost me wonga, because although my brother has a large and powerful truck with a tow bar, he does not like to to tow cars, and attempts by me to encourage him to learn the useful skill of towing cars have not been fruitful. I do not altogether blame him, as towing an old car on the road is not always fun, but this gig is only a mile. Oh well, put it on the bill!
To my eyes these have lost none of their appeal over the years.
I know BV has had one (or two?) of them before but it can't hurt any of us to look at this.
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1238663
I know BV has had one (or two?) of them before but it can't hurt any of us to look at this.
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1238663
Breadvan72 said:
A wise friend points out that indecision is a decision. Because, as he rightly says, there is a default state.
So..., no.
If anyone might be interested in an interesting mid 70s small Alfa that has many plus points but (of course) some bad ones, PM me and I can point you towards the advert that drew my attention (but not my wallet on this occasion).
Would be interested - please PM me - have a number of classic Alfa’s - where are you based if you want to try out some? So..., no.
If anyone might be interested in an interesting mid 70s small Alfa that has many plus points but (of course) some bad ones, PM me and I can point you towards the advert that drew my attention (but not my wallet on this occasion).
gforceg said:
To my eyes these have lost none of their appeal over the years.
I know BV has had one (or two?) of them before but it can't hurt any of us to look at this.
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1238663
That looks very good and is on sale at what seems to me a very good price. I know BV has had one (or two?) of them before but it can't hurt any of us to look at this.
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1238663
I have no room!
Breadvan72 said:
gforceg said:
To my eyes these have lost none of their appeal over the years.
I know BV has had one (or two?) of them before but it can't hurt any of us to look at this.
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1238663
That looks very good and is on sale at what seems to me a very good price. I know BV has had one (or two?) of them before but it can't hurt any of us to look at this.
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1238663
I have no room!
CharlesdeGaulle said:
I'm fond of these but, in white, there's too much Allegro in it for me.
There is a decent looking dark green 1600 HPE on sale in the LMC magazine. I have the owner's deets if interested. He is I am told the second owner of the car and has reportedly had it in since the 80s. I think that it may be from circa 1978 and have the rather groovier pre facelift interior. News at last - the clutch has been done and the car is running. It now needs an MOT so that I can transfer it from the IOM register to the UK register, although I have a vague notion that, if I keep the car, I may place it on the island of Jersey, as one of my three jobs takes me there for about a week each month. As Jersey is a tiny place and the roads are for slow driving, perhaps my Lancia Appia would be the better choice as the island car, but I shall ponder this.
As for keeping the car or selling it, I shall run it for a while and compare it against my Fiat 124 Sport. I might keep both, or I might decide that the two cars are too similar to one another and sell one of them. The Fiat may be a more exciting drive, but it has more rust and a higher mileage engine, so tricky choices....
I have my eye on a Flavia Coupe that is for sale, but the dealer selling it does not answer the phone or reply to emails.
As for keeping the car or selling it, I shall run it for a while and compare it against my Fiat 124 Sport. I might keep both, or I might decide that the two cars are too similar to one another and sell one of them. The Fiat may be a more exciting drive, but it has more rust and a higher mileage engine, so tricky choices....
I have my eye on a Flavia Coupe that is for sale, but the dealer selling it does not answer the phone or reply to emails.
PS: Sweden did actually switch over from left to right one day in the 1960s, IIRC, but I suppose that Sweden having a population of about ten people made that easier.
PPS: In Gerry Anderson's TV 21 universe, the UK has switched to driving on the right by some time in the mid twenty first century. I know this because Captain Scarlet.
PPS: In Gerry Anderson's TV 21 universe, the UK has switched to driving on the right by some time in the mid twenty first century. I know this because Captain Scarlet.
Breadvan72 said:
I have never owned anything that had a boxer engine. I drove a friend's scruffy but fun Subaru Outback the other week, and boxer engine me likee.
If I remember I will send you a picture of my gently crumbling alfa that is slowly returning to its elemental form, it used to make a lovely noise on over run. My wife keeps on at me to get it scrapped but I just can't bare to part with it even though it has been off the road for over twenty years and in bits almost as long.
It feels like putting a favourite dog to sleep or parting with a first love.
Writing that has made me realise just how attached I am to it, damn silly really.
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