RE: PH Heroes: Lancia Delta Integrale
Discussion
The only Audi s the Delta Integrale competed against were the 200 Turbo Quattros, which I think were a little too heavy to be any good as rally cars, and the Audi 90 Quattro which I think did quite well in some far off rallies such as the Ivory Coast.
The main rivals for the Delta were.
Mazda 323 turbo, started as 1.6, grew to 1.8 but always down on power compared to the delta, did okay in the snow rallies
Ford Xr4x4 and then the 2wd cosworth, Ford were caught on the hop by group A, the old XR had the drive train, but not the engine, the group A regs stopping boreham getting great power out of the V6. The 2wd cosworth was all powerful, matching the Delta for grunt, but their 2wd status saw them suffer on loose stages.
BMW M3, run by Pro drive, handed the delta its arse on a plate on tarmac in Corsica, but again lack of 4wd saw it struggle on the loose.
Toyota Celica GT4, was fast from the out set, but its complicated drive train and cooling issues meant that it was a while before it was a real heads up rival. Carlos sainz did however win well and from then on the Delta was struggling.
The Mits Galant saw notable success on the RAC rally and was scary fast on its debut in K. Erriksons hands, but I think lack of budget for the full rally championship starved the team of lots of success.
The Delta was the Hot Ticket until 91, when its rivals caught up and started beating it.
The main rivals for the Delta were.
Mazda 323 turbo, started as 1.6, grew to 1.8 but always down on power compared to the delta, did okay in the snow rallies
Ford Xr4x4 and then the 2wd cosworth, Ford were caught on the hop by group A, the old XR had the drive train, but not the engine, the group A regs stopping boreham getting great power out of the V6. The 2wd cosworth was all powerful, matching the Delta for grunt, but their 2wd status saw them suffer on loose stages.
BMW M3, run by Pro drive, handed the delta its arse on a plate on tarmac in Corsica, but again lack of 4wd saw it struggle on the loose.
Toyota Celica GT4, was fast from the out set, but its complicated drive train and cooling issues meant that it was a while before it was a real heads up rival. Carlos sainz did however win well and from then on the Delta was struggling.
The Mits Galant saw notable success on the RAC rally and was scary fast on its debut in K. Erriksons hands, but I think lack of budget for the full rally championship starved the team of lots of success.
The Delta was the Hot Ticket until 91, when its rivals caught up and started beating it.
For all you people thinking of buying one - "Evo" magazine did a very good buyers guide in the back of an early issue - A hunt on ebay will prob find the mag, or they will prob sell you a back issue if you contact them - Love the car and it doesn't seem to suffer the stereo typical Italian reliability issues of most Fiat/alfa/lancia products of the time - My friend recently sold his Giallo Fly Integrale 16v - a geniune Italian import with just 41k kms on the clock - it was part of his car collection and despite him having various other beauties ranging from E30 M3's, Aston Martin Virages to even a Rolls Royce Phantom. He said the Lancia was the best drivers car he had owned and it wasn't even an Evo Model!
proud owner of a black 92 EVO1,
i dreamt of owning one from a kid, while watching them on the stages during the eighties.
finally bought mine on Valentines Day 2007!!
a real thrill to drive fast, loads of turbo lag, which isn't for everyone, but i love.
its great to see fans give smiles and nods as you pass by, the delta seems to rekindle something inside of everyone who knows what they are.
IMO one of the greatest cars ever made
i dreamt of owning one from a kid, while watching them on the stages during the eighties.
finally bought mine on Valentines Day 2007!!
a real thrill to drive fast, loads of turbo lag, which isn't for everyone, but i love.
its great to see fans give smiles and nods as you pass by, the delta seems to rekindle something inside of everyone who knows what they are.
IMO one of the greatest cars ever made
DeltaEvo2 said:
The best thing is that it started as a normal, unassuming, hatchback in 1979. A friend of mine had one the 1.3 LX and it was great in the early 80s.
More modest than that; the Delta was a Lancia tart-up (albeit designed by Guigiaro) based on the 70's Fiat Ritmo/Strada hatchback. That's why there was no room in the wheel arches for bigger wheels and longer travel suspension.SS7
It's never too late to buy a Delta integrale. It doesn't have to cost a fortune either. And as an owner of a 190000km car, show me another 1994 car that isn't hyper exotic with comparable "fun to drive". If you're between Kidderminster, Reading and Brands Hatch, you're also not going to be far away from a garage for the non-diy jobs.
Here's a recent one of mine. It's never too late... do it...!!! Remember, it's a 5-door hatchback, a "sensible" and useful nutters car.
Here's a recent one of mine. It's never too late... do it...!!! Remember, it's a 5-door hatchback, a "sensible" and useful nutters car.
Edited by Club LanciaSport on Wednesday 28th May 21:11
That is awesome! Evo1?
I have always wanted one and one day I will!
When at college I remember a friend of a friend (with lots of cash) had a white 16V bought for him by his dad, he was 18 years old. I was driving a Fiat 131 Supermirafiori (another World Rally Car Champion for 3 years?!) and he had an Integrale 16V...so jealous.
I grew up with the Delta winning and whipping the competition's arse, a truly magnificient machine!
Forgot to say...the Delta is also a very useful car, it can sit 5 and has a boot, quite safe (ABS and permanent 4WD) and 5.6 secs 0-60mph.
I know of cars that have been pushed from 215 to 250 then 280, 240, 750 and 1000BHP...but I would be happy with an Evo 1 or 2
I have always wanted one and one day I will!
When at college I remember a friend of a friend (with lots of cash) had a white 16V bought for him by his dad, he was 18 years old. I was driving a Fiat 131 Supermirafiori (another World Rally Car Champion for 3 years?!) and he had an Integrale 16V...so jealous.
I grew up with the Delta winning and whipping the competition's arse, a truly magnificient machine!
Forgot to say...the Delta is also a very useful car, it can sit 5 and has a boot, quite safe (ABS and permanent 4WD) and 5.6 secs 0-60mph.
I know of cars that have been pushed from 215 to 250 then 280, 240, 750 and 1000BHP...but I would be happy with an Evo 1 or 2
Edited by DeltaEvo2 on Wednesday 28th May 18:49
Hi
It's an Evo 2. The difference between Evo 2 and Evo 1 is
Evo 2 has:
smaller turbo - but most people retrofit Evo 1 or bigger turbo ;-) ;-)
blue tint "solextra" glass (Evo 1 brown tint)
highback Recaro "Speed" seats
Aircon std (Evo 1 option)
ABS std (Evo 1 option)
Window edge trim (smaller and black on Evo 1)
Fancy fuel filler
16" wheels (Evo 1 15" - but a lot of us fit 17" - all interchangeable)
Catalyst standard
But to be honest, these differences are all retro fittable - the term "upgrade" not being really fair. The Evo 2 was a car made to keep Euro homologated - hence catalyst, window edge trim (sharp edge rules). It was never rallied unlike the Evo 1. The other bits most people retro fit.
You can upgrade (and I don't mean make rock solid) the suspension, longer-lasting brakes, turbo, manifolds, engine to 275hp "easy", 350 "expensive", over 400 "buy something else" or have lots and lots of money.
Mine is currently around 275, but I would say a professionally built low boost 350 is totally OK. You cna do more, but the quality of work and cost needed goes up faster than it would with the Far East cars.
It's an Evo 2. The difference between Evo 2 and Evo 1 is
Evo 2 has:
smaller turbo - but most people retrofit Evo 1 or bigger turbo ;-) ;-)
blue tint "solextra" glass (Evo 1 brown tint)
highback Recaro "Speed" seats
Aircon std (Evo 1 option)
ABS std (Evo 1 option)
Window edge trim (smaller and black on Evo 1)
Fancy fuel filler
16" wheels (Evo 1 15" - but a lot of us fit 17" - all interchangeable)
Catalyst standard
But to be honest, these differences are all retro fittable - the term "upgrade" not being really fair. The Evo 2 was a car made to keep Euro homologated - hence catalyst, window edge trim (sharp edge rules). It was never rallied unlike the Evo 1. The other bits most people retro fit.
You can upgrade (and I don't mean make rock solid) the suspension, longer-lasting brakes, turbo, manifolds, engine to 275hp "easy", 350 "expensive", over 400 "buy something else" or have lots and lots of money.
Mine is currently around 275, but I would say a professionally built low boost 350 is totally OK. You cna do more, but the quality of work and cost needed goes up faster than it would with the Far East cars.
Edited by Club LanciaSport on Wednesday 28th May 19:07
I love my delta 
To anybody that's considering buying one; do it! Obviously a little, well a lot of care is required when buying one, but they're not as bad as people make out. Yes, they are expensive to run/maintain but then so is any other 20yr old sports car.
Great write up! Been meaning to contact Richard Thorne, as it appears mine has been on his forecourt a couple of times. Anyways, here she is:
To anybody that's considering buying one; do it! Obviously a little, well a lot of care is required when buying one, but they're not as bad as people make out. Yes, they are expensive to run/maintain but then so is any other 20yr old sports car.
Great write up! Been meaning to contact Richard Thorne, as it appears mine has been on his forecourt a couple of times. Anyways, here she is:
Pretty much my favourite road car of all time!
Back in the 90's a 'Grale was way out of reach for me financially, so I bought a 2WD Delta HF Turbo. I was lucky with it, reliability-wise, most of the electrics even worked... Most of my mates wondered why I seemed to have bought a pensioner-special hatchback, but it felt quicker than it was, 'only' 140 bhp & 141 lbft was quite a bit back then when the car only weighed a tonne. It had the same overboost facility as the Integrale, giving an additional 20 lbft or so for a few seconds at a time. The steering was quite low-geared, but the feedback was excellent, very granular through the wheel. A forgotten hot-hatch even back then, I reckoned it was easily a match for the Mk2 Golf GTI or Pug GTi 1.9s, both of which I subsequently owned.
But it was no Integrale! I've never quite been brave enough to bite the bullet, put off by 1st-hand stories of cracked shells and lots of remedial suspension work. I'd want one to use as Lancia intended, but I knew someone who used to track their Evo and had to get something or other rebuilt after practically every outing.
I still feel like a 6 year-old whenever I see one though, and having Auto Integrale just 5 miles down the road doesn't help (I keep thinking that if I were to own one, now would be the time as I could get it fixed on my doorstep).
Back in the 90's a 'Grale was way out of reach for me financially, so I bought a 2WD Delta HF Turbo. I was lucky with it, reliability-wise, most of the electrics even worked... Most of my mates wondered why I seemed to have bought a pensioner-special hatchback, but it felt quicker than it was, 'only' 140 bhp & 141 lbft was quite a bit back then when the car only weighed a tonne. It had the same overboost facility as the Integrale, giving an additional 20 lbft or so for a few seconds at a time. The steering was quite low-geared, but the feedback was excellent, very granular through the wheel. A forgotten hot-hatch even back then, I reckoned it was easily a match for the Mk2 Golf GTI or Pug GTi 1.9s, both of which I subsequently owned.
But it was no Integrale! I've never quite been brave enough to bite the bullet, put off by 1st-hand stories of cracked shells and lots of remedial suspension work. I'd want one to use as Lancia intended, but I knew someone who used to track their Evo and had to get something or other rebuilt after practically every outing.
I still feel like a 6 year-old whenever I see one though, and having Auto Integrale just 5 miles down the road doesn't help (I keep thinking that if I were to own one, now would be the time as I could get it fixed on my doorstep).
>>The only Audi s the Delta Integrale competed against were the 200 Turbo Quattros, which I think were a little too heavy to be any good as rally cars, and the Audi 90 Quattro which I think did quite well in some far off rallies such as the Ivory Coast.
I knew at least a quattro competed aginst the Integrale, thanks!
I knew at least a quattro competed aginst the Integrale, thanks!
speedtwelve said:
Back in the 90's a 'Grale was way out of reach for me financially, so I bought a 2WD Delta HF Turbo. I was lucky with it, reliability-wise, most of the electrics even worked.
I owe the fact that i still possess the four fingers on my left hand to the shonky build quality of the HF Turbo after my sister slammed the front door closed on them as I grasped the B pillar while sat in the back seat. Ooo ya, that smarted a bit.Am surprised it's been so long before it got it's own PH Hero status.
Evo says it best: One of the finest cars ever built
....It really is that simple.
I really really didn't understand the whole "soul, communication, involvement" thing til I'd driven an integrale and always thought it was b
ks. But get it right (not an easy feat in itself, to be honest) and it genuinely feels like you are the car.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff