1978 Lancia Beta 1600 Coupe
Discussion
The Beta is almost ready for an MoT and transfer back from the IOM register to the UK register. It needs a tune up, and my mechanic is fabricating a new wiper stalk. It may become my main car for a bit, especially if I sell my SD1 (a bloke came up to me the other day and made me an offer while I was loading the car with cheap tat furniture from a junk shop).
New cam belt fitted as a precaution, although the old one didn't look very old. The wipers are currently run off a switch on the dashboard. They have two speeds: slow and extra slow. Now only the horn needs fixing to make the car ready for an MoT and re-registering. To celebrate all this I reversed the car into my neighbour's wheelie bin, but, hey, it's got bumpers.
ken shed. Breadvan72 said:
....mech is indoors using his 3D printer to make a gear wheel for the window winder.
3D printer tech is a boon for classic cars I reckon.
For decorative, non-load-bearing parts, it's certainly got a lot going for it.3D printer tech is a boon for classic cars I reckon.
For working parts such your window winding gear, not sure. I suppose it depends what grade of material is being used. Some of the stuff on offer (see Shapeways, etc.) can in my experience turn quite brittle after a while.
Mechanic reports -
No need for a new horn, turned out the earth was missing a connection near the front headlight. Air horn now works fine. Have oiled the motor as it must be due some!
Carb linkage found to be missing two crucial bushes. Someone has left them out & the linkage was seriously floppy & preventing a steady progression of the carb butterflies.
Air filter missing completely!
Stripped carburettor & cleaned up. Found accelerator pump diaphragm completely broken inside - causing air to enter carb circuits & main venturi is dripping extra fuel into manifold. This is needed before car can be driven, explains the problem restarting the other day. Carb service kit is on order.
A few coolant hoses need new hose clips.
Checked points, gap fine & no oversized spark so condensor appear to be fine. Rotor arm good condition, distributor cap cleaned.
Checked ignition timing, runs at 7ºBTDC which is fine.
So, I shall return next week to service the carb, fit an air filter, fit a new fuel filter, fit new hose clips. Looking like Tuesday as long as parts arrive by then, otherwise will be Thursday. Car should then be fine to drive & no reason to be unreliable.
No need for a new horn, turned out the earth was missing a connection near the front headlight. Air horn now works fine. Have oiled the motor as it must be due some!
Carb linkage found to be missing two crucial bushes. Someone has left them out & the linkage was seriously floppy & preventing a steady progression of the carb butterflies.
Air filter missing completely!
Stripped carburettor & cleaned up. Found accelerator pump diaphragm completely broken inside - causing air to enter carb circuits & main venturi is dripping extra fuel into manifold. This is needed before car can be driven, explains the problem restarting the other day. Carb service kit is on order.
A few coolant hoses need new hose clips.
Checked points, gap fine & no oversized spark so condensor appear to be fine. Rotor arm good condition, distributor cap cleaned.
Checked ignition timing, runs at 7ºBTDC which is fine.
So, I shall return next week to service the carb, fit an air filter, fit a new fuel filter, fit new hose clips. Looking like Tuesday as long as parts arrive by then, otherwise will be Thursday. Car should then be fine to drive & no reason to be unreliable.
Saw an even rarer Beta saloon, marketed as the "Berlina", this summer at a classic(ish) car show, Festival of the Unexceptional, at Stowe House. The festival organisers joked over the PA system that they admired his courage for taking it out in the rain. Got talking to the guy, nice bloke, and he explained to me that by the late 70s Lancia had actually substantially improved the rust proofing, but by then the reputation had set in and buyers had become wary. His was blessedly free of rust, and he hadn't had to do much to it to make it excellent, a late seventies model. Might even have been around 1978 like yours, so it sounds like that could have been a good period for them.
Latest mech report:-
Carb serviced - new accelerator pump diaphragm, top gasket, pump jet 'o'
ring (had been siliconed instead)!!!, float valve, seat & washer.
New fuel filter, air filter, carb linkage bushes trial fit. Linkage adjusted to give proper pedal freeplay & max throttle with foot down.
Replaced 2 coolant hose clips as originals were likely to leak. 1 left to replace but drizzle most of day made it too wet to get to it easily.
Exhaust silencer rear pipe holed/leaking, also mid pipe joint slight leak. Both sealed using galvanised sheet steel clamped over hole using exhaust paste. Should be fine for MOT.
Gave car 3 times round the block in village, did about 2 miles. Found only slight uneven acceleration but good response on full throttle.
Brakes feel very good, suspension not so comfy but perhaps meant to be that way for handling. Need to look next visit at that.
Carb serviced - new accelerator pump diaphragm, top gasket, pump jet 'o'
ring (had been siliconed instead)!!!, float valve, seat & washer.
New fuel filter, air filter, carb linkage bushes trial fit. Linkage adjusted to give proper pedal freeplay & max throttle with foot down.
Replaced 2 coolant hose clips as originals were likely to leak. 1 left to replace but drizzle most of day made it too wet to get to it easily.
Exhaust silencer rear pipe holed/leaking, also mid pipe joint slight leak. Both sealed using galvanised sheet steel clamped over hole using exhaust paste. Should be fine for MOT.
Gave car 3 times round the block in village, did about 2 miles. Found only slight uneven acceleration but good response on full throttle.
Brakes feel very good, suspension not so comfy but perhaps meant to be that way for handling. Need to look next visit at that.
- Work remaining*: 2nd edition throttle bushes to be fitted (ones on the car are fine but I need to make them a slightly better fit). Wiper stalk design still ongoing. Winder mech gear fits a treat, teeth slightly too short so back to re-design longer teeth, original gear was so worn it was impossible to tell the correct size.
I drove the Beta from South Oxon to London and it went well. The oil temp gauge is inop but I am not much bothered.
I was just parking outside my London flat when a dude in a cool black Lancia Montecarlo pulled out of a space a bit down the road and thrumbled past, but he didn't seem to see the Beta.
I was just parking outside my London flat when a dude in a cool black Lancia Montecarlo pulled out of a space a bit down the road and thrumbled past, but he didn't seem to see the Beta.
Arses. The car has decided to get stuck in reverse. I hope it's just something silly like a bush or whatever. Luckily this happened while parked.
http://www.betaboyz.co.uk/BBGB02.htm
http://www.betaboyz.co.uk/BBGB02.htm
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff