1978 Lancia Beta 1600 Coupe
Discussion
EDIT 16 12 2020 : a car formerly owned by a decorated WW2 soldier, pilot, POW, escaper, and partisan.
Knowing as any sensible petrolhead does that J Clarkson knows something between Jack s
t and fk all about cars, I have long been a fan of the Lancia Beta, a much maligned car that is in fact one of the best things to come from Italy in the 1970s. I have previously owned a Beta Spider 2000, an HPE Volumex, and a 1300 Coupe (and also an HPE ie donor car). I have had a hankering to own a 1600, and was glad when this 1978 car (complete with the funky early interior) came up at a price that although not a mega bargain was a reasonable price. The car had been on the Isle of Man since the early 80s. Maritime climate and no MoT test ....hmmmm, but in fact the car only needed £1500 of welding. Now it needs a new wiper relay for an MoT and a return to the UK register. The car starts and goes well, although there is a small fuel leak from the carb that needs attending to. It looks very seventies-tabulous in metallic bronze with mustardy yellow interior. It is sitting a bit high at the front, perhaps. The Pirelli Cinturatos look OK - not unduly aged.
A Lampredi twin cam with a twin choke Weber carb is a glorious thing, and just as the 1300 version feels like someone else's 1600, this 1600 feels like someone else's 1800, at least (a Volumex makes two litres feel like three).. Five speeds,discs all round, and Cromadora alloys are as standard. Nine clocks on the panel, all except the fuel gauge working. The window winder on the driver's side is knackered, as on my last Beta.
So, there we are - the only FWD car in my lineup of otherwise mostly British 70s to 90s tat.
Now I can once again get used to Clarkson-idiots at filling stations saying "They all rusted in the showroom, mate", while standing next to a visibly present and quite solid 39 year old car. Who cares? It goes vrooooom.
Knowing as any sensible petrolhead does that J Clarkson knows something between Jack s
t and fk all about cars, I have long been a fan of the Lancia Beta, a much maligned car that is in fact one of the best things to come from Italy in the 1970s. I have previously owned a Beta Spider 2000, an HPE Volumex, and a 1300 Coupe (and also an HPE ie donor car). I have had a hankering to own a 1600, and was glad when this 1978 car (complete with the funky early interior) came up at a price that although not a mega bargain was a reasonable price. The car had been on the Isle of Man since the early 80s. Maritime climate and no MoT test ....hmmmm, but in fact the car only needed £1500 of welding. Now it needs a new wiper relay for an MoT and a return to the UK register. The car starts and goes well, although there is a small fuel leak from the carb that needs attending to. It looks very seventies-tabulous in metallic bronze with mustardy yellow interior. It is sitting a bit high at the front, perhaps. The Pirelli Cinturatos look OK - not unduly aged. A Lampredi twin cam with a twin choke Weber carb is a glorious thing, and just as the 1300 version feels like someone else's 1600, this 1600 feels like someone else's 1800, at least (a Volumex makes two litres feel like three).. Five speeds,discs all round, and Cromadora alloys are as standard. Nine clocks on the panel, all except the fuel gauge working. The window winder on the driver's side is knackered, as on my last Beta.
So, there we are - the only FWD car in my lineup of otherwise mostly British 70s to 90s tat.
Now I can once again get used to Clarkson-idiots at filling stations saying "They all rusted in the showroom, mate", while standing next to a visibly present and quite solid 39 year old car. Who cares? It goes vrooooom.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 16th December 04:29
I love 70s Alfas and have owned one and driven a few more, but now they are way too expensive for me. Lancia Fulvias ditto, but Betas are still affordable. Not for long, however - as Clarkson fades thankfully into memory, people are starting to realise that a good Beta is a good car indeed.
Jimmy Recard said:
Talking of Jeremy Clarkson, the one he drove in Africa on Top Gear also had a broken window winder as I recall. Common problem?
Probz. The mechanism is made of some rather frangible plastic.I may have dodged a Beta bullet a month or so before I bought the 1600. Some bloke in Wales had for sale what looked to be an OK late model 2000 Coupe. But the guy was very cagey about answering questions about the car and would not even tell me his name. By contrast the bloke who sold me the 1600 was a straight dealing and reasonable person. The dude who welded it for me reckons it is an OK car, as does the classic car transporter specialist bloke who dropped it off at my place. My mechanic has not yet seen the car to deliver his opinion. So far the car seems a lot better than the fun but really very knackered and borderline* dangerous 1300 that I had a while back.
* That is "borderline" as in "way across the Rio Grande and escaped into deepest Mexico".
Jimmy Recard said:
Talking of Jeremy Clarkson, the one he drove in Africa on Top Gear also had a broken window winder as I recall. Common problem?
Mine went on what turned out to be a not so romantic weekend in the Cotswolds due to the several hours spent trying to force the drivers window closed in torrential rain when I should have been having dinner...Top buy Breadvan - so underrated, very fine motor carriage
arguti said:
Column stalks? the repro ones are readily available and even a new original one here!
http://www.ebay.it/itm/LANCIA-BETA-COUPE-SPYDER-DE...
Thanks but that is LHD. http://www.ebay.it/itm/LANCIA-BETA-COUPE-SPYDER-DE...
I have been busy and so have not had time to contact the South African Lancia place but now will do so. Betaboyz appear to be a lost cause, which is a shame because of the good stock holdings there. Maybe someone should persuade the bloke who runs it to sell the stock to someone who has enough time to run an old car spares business, but as I suppose the bloke has almost got a UK monopoly on Beta spares he can just carry on ignoring customers until he can be arsed to respond to them, if that day ever comes.
Er, no. Apparently it involved some bloke in a mask waving a scary melty fire stick thing at the car while it was in a shed.. I am afraid that is all I know.
PS: if you meant pictures of what happened after the fire brigade had doused the flames, you can't see, really. There are a couple of small bits where the car is grey rather than bronze but they are hardly noticeable.
PS: if you meant pictures of what happened after the fire brigade had doused the flames, you can't see, really. There are a couple of small bits where the car is grey rather than bronze but they are hardly noticeable.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 11th September 22:14
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