1978 Lancia Beta 1600 Coupe
Discussion
Breadvan72 said:
I can speak opera Italian (which is all "traditore!", "scellerato!" and "perfido!") so I get about half of this. There is too much of him and not enough of the car. Hey, dude, you're a good looking guy, but not as good looking as the car, so get out of the way!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJVfM8cgKzA
This one is about a resto -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbNhrqUkPfI
In that first link I did a bit of a double take when the film started, it looks like the Beta's wearing a set of Maserati Biturbo alloys, it's amazing how different a car can look overall just by the choice of wheels. Are they Lancia alloys though.... or maybe Alfa....?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJVfM8cgKzA
This one is about a resto -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbNhrqUkPfI
Optimism as ever - having been swizzed on the headrests (the fabric covering of which is too badly damaged and stained to be used for patching the driver's seat), I have spaffed for a seat cushion located in Italy which is covered in what looks like the correct fabric but in better condition. A bit risky, as the fabric was, I reckon, pretty thin and delicate when new, and may be super delicate now, but I shall see.
70s and 80s Lancia had a thing for choosing lovely cloth that did not wear all that well. The groovy Zegna cloth in HPE Volumexes is very prone to falling to bits, especially on the driver's side
70s and 80s Lancia had a thing for choosing lovely cloth that did not wear all that well. The groovy Zegna cloth in HPE Volumexes is very prone to falling to bits, especially on the driver's side
So I got two badges from the Italian Bay of E (thank you for pointing me in that direction 
)
But the finish is not identical. The 2000 is matte (which I like the best), and the Lancia B is shiny. Which one is the original finish?
I could ask my dad of course, but these are a surprise for him, so I could not ask him without spoiling the surprise.
Breadvan, what is the finish on the badges on back of your car?
)But the finish is not identical. The 2000 is matte (which I like the best), and the Lancia B is shiny. Which one is the original finish?
I could ask my dad of course, but these are a surprise for him, so I could not ask him without spoiling the surprise.
Breadvan, what is the finish on the badges on back of your car?
Matte, I think, but the badges are in a box somewhere waiting to go on. I think but am not sure that shiny may be more 80s. What year is your dad's Beta?
EDIT: I may have that the wrong way around, and shiny may be earlier and matte may be later. I have the Lancia Beta book by Brian Long, but the pics in there are too small and too black and white to see the details of the badging.
EDIT: I may have that the wrong way around, and shiny may be earlier and matte may be later. I have the Lancia Beta book by Brian Long, but the pics in there are too small and too black and white to see the details of the badging.
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 18th July 06:32
The magazine firmly disapproves of the Hi-fi edition, on the basis that it took the Beta down market. The Lancia Club is all about Lancias being posh cars!
It is remarkable how partisan press, Clarksonisation, and pub rumour can trash a brand, and the poor old Beta itself, which I think is one of the best mid-priced sporty cars of its era, has got a rotten reputation even with people who claim to be petrolheads. The myths about mafia-sourced steel and what not just won't go away.
It is remarkable how partisan press, Clarksonisation, and pub rumour can trash a brand, and the poor old Beta itself, which I think is one of the best mid-priced sporty cars of its era, has got a rotten reputation even with people who claim to be petrolheads. The myths about mafia-sourced steel and what not just won't go away.
The Daily Mirror was was really did it for Lancia in the UK as far as I am aware. "Rust riddle in luxury cars", the Mirror said, and went on to print some fibs about engines falling out. Early Berlinas did indeed have dodgy engine mounts, but once that was fixed, it appears that most Betas may have rusted as much or as little as any 1970s to 80s car did. If you had one ziebarted or waxoyled when new, and then garaged it, sprayed off the salt etc, it would be no or more less claggy than a similarly cared for Ford etc. If you left it out in the rain, drove it on salty roads and then didn't wash it etc, then it would fall to bits, much as a BMW treated in the same way would.
Lancia's PR and /or legal teams appear to have screwed the pooch by not staging an effective fight back.
See also BL and reliability - truth and falsehood intertwined, and then pub mythology steps in.
Lancia's PR and /or legal teams appear to have screwed the pooch by not staging an effective fight back.
See also BL and reliability - truth and falsehood intertwined, and then pub mythology steps in.
I'd have to agree that the slagging Italian cars got in the 70s for rust seemed unjustified in my (albeit limited) experience.
My 1st car in 1976 was a 1967 MK2 Cortina and it had rust in the rear arches, front inner wings, bonnet slam panel, tops of the front wings and probably plenty of other places I can't remember now!
My next car was a 1970 Fiat 125 that had some rust in the front inner wings, but very little anywhere else even when I sold it in 1979.
Only to replace it with a 1973 Rover P6B - because V8 and manual seemed like fun! But it had rust on the wings, outer sills, inner sills and floorplan. It was far worse than the Fiat even though it was younger.
In the 60s and 70s it didn't matter where the car was built, rust was a standard feature!
My 1st car in 1976 was a 1967 MK2 Cortina and it had rust in the rear arches, front inner wings, bonnet slam panel, tops of the front wings and probably plenty of other places I can't remember now!
My next car was a 1970 Fiat 125 that had some rust in the front inner wings, but very little anywhere else even when I sold it in 1979.
Only to replace it with a 1973 Rover P6B - because V8 and manual seemed like fun! But it had rust on the wings, outer sills, inner sills and floorplan. It was far worse than the Fiat even though it was younger.
In the 60s and 70s it didn't matter where the car was built, rust was a standard feature!
With apologies to the Evangelist:
"The car that slept in darkness hath seen a great light"
After two years em-barned, the Lancia awaits towing outside, ready for a low loader to the clutch place next week.
The cover that had been on the car since 2018 was moved off the front of the car some weeks ago for some reason that I now forget, and not put back on properly - hence the dust!
Tow truck (UMM, just been sold - this is its last gig here before it moves on).
"The car that slept in darkness hath seen a great light"
After two years em-barned, the Lancia awaits towing outside, ready for a low loader to the clutch place next week.
The cover that had been on the car since 2018 was moved off the front of the car some weeks ago for some reason that I now forget, and not put back on properly - hence the dust!
Tow truck (UMM, just been sold - this is its last gig here before it moves on).
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 25th July 14:19
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff