Lancia Beta Coupe
Discussion
As well as a Fiat Coupe I own a Lancia Beta Coupe restoration project. The original plan was to get the car finished and compare it to the newer Fiat for a car mag' I've contributed to before. Now however I'm having other ideas.
Original restoration?
Show chrome and leather?
Fiat Coupe Turbo powered track day/rally car?
Maserati Shamal wide arch kit and nineteens (only joking)?
What do you lot think? The car has the two litre twin cam' and webber carb'd engine. Great engine, good box, good suspension, tidy body (few holes in the boot floor but I don't have to sweep my drive every day) and rusty brakes.
Original restoration?
Show chrome and leather?
Fiat Coupe Turbo powered track day/rally car?
Maserati Shamal wide arch kit and nineteens (only joking)?
What do you lot think? The car has the two litre twin cam' and webber carb'd engine. Great engine, good box, good suspension, tidy body (few holes in the boot floor but I don't have to sweep my drive every day) and rusty brakes.
You'll never get the 5 cylinder engine in there surely?
maybe get one of the 4 pots integrale / fiat coupe engines in, but you'll need some creative plumbing as the ports are reversed to the original engine.
Torque steer may become a bigger issue with a more powerful motor as well as it was very noticable in my hpe VX. part of the charm mind.
maybe get one of the 4 pots integrale / fiat coupe engines in, but you'll need some creative plumbing as the ports are reversed to the original engine.
Torque steer may become a bigger issue with a more powerful motor as well as it was very noticable in my hpe VX. part of the charm mind.
... well more or less, perhaps uprade suspension and brakes and stuff, nothing major.Wouldn't use the five pot I like to be able to change belts without having to take the engine out. I was considering a sleeper, original looking with a bit of poke "Retro Car" territory only without the obligitory VW badge. Love the idea of twin webbers but for the £500 or so that conversion would cost I can get a complete 16V Turbo Fiat and sell off the bits I don't use. My next move will be dictated by the pay day fairies and how much I can get for my Fiat Coupe (non-turbo profile pic so click on my name and have a look).
Probably weighs in about the same-ish as the original twink, but Lancia plug cover isn't available for the five pot where as the 16V lump is the same as the Delta (post 'grale Italian market only one) just a small detail that would make it better in the end. Also the 16V engine is better in my opinion. Price+weight+hastle/Power= Worth while or not?
Robert060379 said:
Got the old girl going today. The "non-runner" was due to the timing being about 270 degrees out, now purring like a asmatic (webber) kitten. No longer broken so won't need fixing/replacing. Clutch and box are fine and dandy just the brakes, suspension and boot floor for M.O.T
Lets see some pics then!Keep an eye on Beta Boyz for polyurethane suspension bushings and strut inserts.
Had two days off this month and it rained on both of them so no progress to report I'm affraid. Had a proper look roung the old girl and new disks+pads and a couple of holes in the boot floor and she should be back on the road.
There's a spares or repair Delta on Ebay for £250 I temped by the four wheel drive bits off that for my Beta if they'll fit. My daily driver has a "prodrive" button and I like what it does. Beta Intergalle? Keeping the carb'd engine for the sound of it.
Haven't been able to upload pictures to the thread so click on my name to see the ebay picture of the car. I'll put a better one up as soon as.
There's a spares or repair Delta on Ebay for £250 I temped by the four wheel drive bits off that for my Beta if they'll fit. My daily driver has a "prodrive" button and I like what it does. Beta Intergalle? Keeping the carb'd engine for the sound of it.
Haven't been able to upload pictures to the thread so click on my name to see the ebay picture of the car. I'll put a better one up as soon as.
Edited by Robert060379 on Sunday 2nd August 01:53
If you do go down the route of fitting a modern 16v engine, make sure to heed ShouldB's advice. As I remarked in the Montecarlo thread in the Classics group, Fiat reversed the port flow in the mid '80s. This means that any 16v engine is going to need some very 'creative plumbing'. Unless you're on first name terms with Mike The Pipe, you're likely to have a lot of work making an effective exhaust system. If you're a real engine geek you can try and mate the 16v head with the old block, but that requires serious machining and engine know-how (the cooling channels will need re-machining, aside from reversing the head flow).
Do your home work if you're going to fit a modern engine. I've seen Betas with fibreglass bodywork and tuned 8v engines lap faster than 911s and Ferraris - I kid not (although driver skill / balls were a big factor).
Do your home work if you're going to fit a modern engine. I've seen Betas with fibreglass bodywork and tuned 8v engines lap faster than 911s and Ferraris - I kid not (although driver skill / balls were a big factor).
I like the way the engine sounds now and the old it isn't broken (any more) don't fix it rule applies. The only change I'm planning is a posher metalic dark green and better brakes for now. The 'gralle four wheel drive was a pipe dream (typical night shift stuff). I make all my own exhausts when I can (I live up the road from a hot rod builders). We'll see how it goes if I get enough time off to do anything.
There are three on ebay at the moment, two spiders and a tin top. I'm tempted to buy one for the missing headlight trim, but can't afford a divorce right now.
The green I'm thinking about is similar to Lotus Carlton green, almost black until the Sun (if we get any more this year) hits it then Bam! Peacock feathers colour refracts off. My old racing colours were violet with daytona yellow bumpers so be happy with green ok?
The green I'm thinking about is similar to Lotus Carlton green, almost black until the Sun (if we get any more this year) hits it then Bam! Peacock feathers colour refracts off. My old racing colours were violet with daytona yellow bumpers so be happy with green ok?
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