1978 Lancia Beta 1600 Coupe
Discussion
Breadvan72 said:
I honestly cannot decide which of the Beta and the 124 I like most. The Beta is more of a GT, whilst the Fiat is more of a sports car. The Beta is rare, the Fiat is super-rare. The Beta needs a retrim, the Fiat needs welding. The Beta is posh, the Fiat is a bit Barry*. They are both great to look at. I think that, for now at least, I shall keep them both, unless anyone wants to offer me a bundle of cash for one or the other.
* Bari
I hope you keep them both, and add an Alfa GTV for an Italian Trinity!* Bari
Mr Tidy said:
Breadvan72 said:
I honestly cannot decide which of the Beta and the 124 I like most. The Beta is more of a GT, whilst the Fiat is more of a sports car. The Beta is rare, the Fiat is super-rare. The Beta needs a retrim, the Fiat needs welding. The Beta is posh, the Fiat is a bit Barry*. They are both great to look at. I think that, for now at least, I shall keep them both, unless anyone wants to offer me a bundle of cash for one or the other.
* Bari
I hope you keep them both, and add an Alfa GTV for an Italian Trinity!* Bari
If I was forced to choose between the Beta and the 124 I'd choose the one with the best condition body. The seats are an easier fix I think and once you get into welding in a big way, then paint then .... how far does one go?
Fessia fancier said:
Mr Tidy has the best solution, of course.
If I was forced to choose between the Beta and the 124 I'd choose the one with the best condition body. The seats are an easier fix I think and once you get into welding in a big way, then paint then .... how far does one go?
All else being equal, I'd go the other way.If I was forced to choose between the Beta and the 124 I'd choose the one with the best condition body. The seats are an easier fix I think and once you get into welding in a big way, then paint then .... how far does one go?
Bodywork is just welding & paint, but sourcing good interior parts for an older car can be a nightmare.
I turned down a mid 70s Alfetta GT two months ago, and spent the money on an Appia instead.
The Fiat presents the most challenge in terms of body and paint, and has a few interior bits missing. The Fiat has got lots of bleb in its arches, and one of the sills looks dodgy. It had a cheap blow over a couple of years ago, I reckon. It is having an advisory MOT next week - I expect that it might fail on crusty bits, and I am not doing any more big hoons in it for the time being.
The Beta has an MOT. It has been welded a bit (bootlid before I had it, front turrets and sills after I bought it), but is very solid overall. Its interior is complete, but the seat fabric is on the way out.
The Fiat presents the most challenge in terms of body and paint, and has a few interior bits missing. The Fiat has got lots of bleb in its arches, and one of the sills looks dodgy. It had a cheap blow over a couple of years ago, I reckon. It is having an advisory MOT next week - I expect that it might fail on crusty bits, and I am not doing any more big hoons in it for the time being.
The Beta has an MOT. It has been welded a bit (bootlid before I had it, front turrets and sills after I bought it), but is very solid overall. Its interior is complete, but the seat fabric is on the way out.
AW111 said:
Fessia fancier said:
Mr Tidy has the best solution, of course.
If I was forced to choose between the Beta and the 124 I'd choose the one with the best condition body. The seats are an easier fix I think and once you get into welding in a big way, then paint then .... how far does one go?
All else being equal, I'd go the other way.If I was forced to choose between the Beta and the 124 I'd choose the one with the best condition body. The seats are an easier fix I think and once you get into welding in a big way, then paint then .... how far does one go?
Bodywork is just welding & paint, but sourcing good interior parts for an older car can be a nightmare.
Either way we'll be on the edge of our seats for the next few months !
Fessia fancier said:
True enough, though he already has the cloth which is probably one of the trickiest bits.
Either way we'll be on the edge of our seats for the next few months !
Yes, I'm looking forward to seeing how it all pans out - probably not at all as we might expect, but that's more fun for us. Either way we'll be on the edge of our seats for the next few months !
I just hope BV keeps off the Vauxhalls - well unless they are Chevette HSRs!
I am over the Vauxhall thing, it was just a moment of madness.
For the Beta, I bought from some crook in Slovenia two headsets that have the same fabric as the seats, but they arrived very dirty and the fabric on them may not be usable. I then bought from some non-crook in Italy a rear seat cushion that has a complete cover. This could in theory be used to patch the driver's set, but it is not on the face if it a straightforward job. Perhaps I should bite the bullet and pay for a full recover in either a similar fabric or in a pale leather. I emailed a couple of trim shops but nether replied.
I think I had better first of all get the Beta a set of matching tyres. I am surprised that I didn't do that when I bought it, as I usually do when I buy a car.
For the Beta, I bought from some crook in Slovenia two headsets that have the same fabric as the seats, but they arrived very dirty and the fabric on them may not be usable. I then bought from some non-crook in Italy a rear seat cushion that has a complete cover. This could in theory be used to patch the driver's set, but it is not on the face if it a straightforward job. Perhaps I should bite the bullet and pay for a full recover in either a similar fabric or in a pale leather. I emailed a couple of trim shops but nether replied.
I think I had better first of all get the Beta a set of matching tyres. I am surprised that I didn't do that when I bought it, as I usually do when I buy a car.
Bobberoo99 said:
Breadvan72 said:
Katia, who runs a car seat cover firm in Turin, has emailed me to say that she can make bespoke seat covers in beige vinyl with brown piping. Yellow is not available.
I have ordered a set of covers and they should be here by the end of the month.
Excellent!! I have ordered a set of covers and they should be here by the end of the month.
Bobberoo99 said:
Breadvan72 said:
Katia, who runs a car seat cover firm in Turin, has emailed me to say that she can make bespoke seat covers in beige vinyl with brown piping. Yellow is not available.
I have ordered a set of covers and they should be here by the end of the month.
Excellent!! I have ordered a set of covers and they should be here by the end of the month.
I hope that he was always a gent and paid up front.
My ancient Nonna ended up below stairs back home in Dublin, having persuaded some Sergeant Farrier from Liverpool to make an honest woman of her. He got a gig as groom and farrier to some toffs in St Stephens' Green, while she did the ironing.
PS: Anyone who does not agree that "Carry On Up The Khyber" is the greatest achievement in all of Western art will have to fight me.
"Where's the Memsahib?"
"She's with the Khazi. He's taken her up t' Jacksi."
My ancient Nonna ended up below stairs back home in Dublin, having persuaded some Sergeant Farrier from Liverpool to make an honest woman of her. He got a gig as groom and farrier to some toffs in St Stephens' Green, while she did the ironing.
PS: Anyone who does not agree that "Carry On Up The Khyber" is the greatest achievement in all of Western art will have to fight me.
"Where's the Memsahib?"
"She's with the Khazi. He's taken her up t' Jacksi."
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