Lancia Beta Volumex
Discussion
MarshPhantom said:
bob1179 said:
Breadvan72 said:
I want that.So very much.
Damn you man.
Still, you can never have too many old cars lying around the place can you?
The IE is less rorty than the Volumex, but it is a very capable, smooth and refined sort of machine, with the tendency to low rev lumpiness of a carbed Lampredi twin cam eliminated. An IE HPE is fairly quick and nimble, although perhaps a bit less nimble than the shorter wheelbase Coupe and Spyder.
My HPE handles differently to my old Spyder (carb, normal aspiration), which sometimes felt a tad understeery. I am not getting much or any understeer in the HPE, but am detecting some incipient oversteer if I really push it. This may partly reflect the added weight at the front provided by the supercharger, and may partly reflect the fact that the car is just plain faster, thereby prompting me with my average numptie skills to overcook it in some corners.
As for the supercharger, Fiat called it the Volumetrico and used it on quite a few 124s and other hot ships, IIRC. Here is a 131 Volumetrico at an asking price of nearly ten bags. See what a difference a reputation for rust can make! The supercharged Lancias are more stylish and have a better sporty pedigree than the Fiats (assuming that you don't buy the argument that Betas are Fiats in drag), but you won't see one with an asking price of nearly 10K.
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C476568
My HPE handles differently to my old Spyder (carb, normal aspiration), which sometimes felt a tad understeery. I am not getting much or any understeer in the HPE, but am detecting some incipient oversteer if I really push it. This may partly reflect the added weight at the front provided by the supercharger, and may partly reflect the fact that the car is just plain faster, thereby prompting me with my average numptie skills to overcook it in some corners.
As for the supercharger, Fiat called it the Volumetrico and used it on quite a few 124s and other hot ships, IIRC. Here is a 131 Volumetrico at an asking price of nearly ten bags. See what a difference a reputation for rust can make! The supercharged Lancias are more stylish and have a better sporty pedigree than the Fiats (assuming that you don't buy the argument that Betas are Fiats in drag), but you won't see one with an asking price of nearly 10K.
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C476568
As for twin carbs, the Beta's engine is mounted transversely and canted rearwards to bring the weight aft of the front wheels. The engine bay is crowded, and I think there may be problems fitting a pair of side draft carbs in there. In the Montecarlo, the same engine was mounted in the middle of the car and there was room for a couple of Dellortos, although in my opinion what the Montecarlo really needed was a high revving V6.
Here are a couple more shots of the Volumex engine bay. Compare and contrast the tidier and spiffier set up in my old Spyder, below, which had had its engine painted red and some chromey bits and a sporty air box fitted.
Here are a couple more shots of the Volumex engine bay. Compare and contrast the tidier and spiffier set up in my old Spyder, below, which had had its engine painted red and some chromey bits and a sporty air box fitted.
I always got the impression from the design of the fuel system that the vx was meant to have fuel injection, but for whatever reason they had to change plans, leaving most of the fuel injection requirements there but swapping out a single point injection unit with the carb.
Trying to remember what people tended to swap the carb for.. 40 dca? something like that.
Trying to remember what people tended to swap the carb for.. 40 dca? something like that.
GC8 said:
A sealed 'blow through' carb is far easier to set up than new fangled fuel injection.
I suspect old and now dodgy sealing on mine! You get a good waft of petrol fumeage when you give it the beans. No biggie, and even rather appropriate for an old, red, rorty Italian motor, but it's on the list of things to look at. I have been browsing Mr Croft's forum. I think I'd rather join the Army - fewer rules and more jokes!
http://www.guy-croft.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3...
http://www.guy-croft.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3...
gforceg said:
hahahha
1. This is an elite site
I'm ooot. Or as someone once said; I wouldn't want to be a member of any club that would have me.
To be fair to Guy Croft, if you have ever spoken to the man, you will realise that it was the only way he saw fit to keep the "How come you can't give us 500bhp from me cinquequento for £250 quid like in FastCar, innit?" brigade from joining the forum or calling him constantly with ridiculous requests. 1. This is an elite site
I'm ooot. Or as someone once said; I wouldn't want to be a member of any club that would have me.
Nice chap, does not tolerate fools in the least but when you know what he knows, I would probably feel the same.
arguti said:
To be fair to Guy Croft, if you have ever spoken to the man, you will realise that it was the only way he saw fit to keep the "How come you can't give us 500bhp from me cinquequento for £250 quid like in FastCar, innit?" brigade from joining the forum or calling him constantly with ridiculous requests.
Nice chap, does not tolerate fools in the least but when you know what he knows, I would probably feel the same.
Fair comment, and I have no right or basis to doubt the man. It was more the presentation that was worth a quick laff.Nice chap, does not tolerate fools in the least but when you know what he knows, I would probably feel the same.
I think that you can be a mega expert on a subject without coming across like you are wearing a very big and important hat.
I have no interest in modifying cars or tuning them up much, so I won't be troubling Mr Croft. The HPE Volumex in boggo spec is lightning fast enough for use on UK roads. The only problem with the car is that it wants you to stay in third gear all day, which is fun but naughty and expensive.
I have no interest in modifying cars or tuning them up much, so I won't be troubling Mr Croft. The HPE Volumex in boggo spec is lightning fast enough for use on UK roads. The only problem with the car is that it wants you to stay in third gear all day, which is fun but naughty and expensive.
Breadvan72 said:
I have no interest in modifying cars or tuning them up.....
ok so then definitely don't look at this thread ... Be warned it had me up in tears for quite a while!http://www.lancerregister.com/showthread.php?t=224...
Second and last warning. Do not click on the link!
Breadvan72 said:
The only problem with the car is that it wants you to stay in third gear all day, which is fun but naughty and expensive.
Heh. I can happily relate to that. I don't quite think the green zone on the rev counter is anywhere near as appealing as winding it out towards the red. The twin cam really is a cracker of an engine, happy to rev even in supercharged guise.Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff