Lancia Beta Forum

Hi all,
Well, I've gone and done it. I've bought a 45DCOE for my HPE VX. An impulse purchase on ebay... and just after I'd spent a few hours cleaning up my radiator... which is now useless...
So- I've read various things about what radiators 'kind of' fit etc but I'd really like to know the definitive answer to this one. I haven't got the carb in my hands yet but I believe that once the DCOE is in place on the required inlet manifold it is impossible to use the original rad, correct? So what fits? Anyone got first hand experience of this?
Also, mentioning inlet manifolds there, is the Guy Croft one the only one that's available? Anyone got one laying around...?

Andrew.

Andrew

I suggest you also ask the radiator question on GC's website as that is where most people who have done this can be found. I will be having a radiator made in aluminium 1 core thicker and with both water connections on the left so there is lots of room at the oil take off. I can tell you an Integrale radiator does NOT fit.

as far as I know GC is the only one making those adaptor manifolds and you would advertise with a wanted ad on his site to find one going spare, but i do not think you will find one as people do not convert back.

Eric

Hi,

I guess you're referring to a special manifold to fit a single 45DCOE to a VX? I know that GC has just had a new batch of manifolds made up to fit twin 45 DCOEs to a standard (i.e. non-VX) Beta lump, as I've just spent 260 drinking vouchers on one.

Sorry if this hasn't been much help...

Graham

I think the rad in the car I had was from a VW possibly Passat but it was done some years ago so no idea which generation, you will definitely need a new rad the standard one takes up too much space for this configuration. I sold the adaptor off that car it wasn't made by guy Croft but the guy who owned the car worked at Rolls Royce aero engines  so had access to some fancy machining facility it was machined from an alloy billet. 

Wow. What a handy job to have!

Yes, single carb to VX. Yours will be, I'm sure, money well spent; I've no doubt the design and quality of machining/materials will be top drawer.

Thanks Eric, I will do that. Good info regarding the Integrale, thank you. Saves me considering that one.

Andrew.

I think? you can move the stock rad over to the Left hand side a little to allow the DCOE inlet to fit if memory serves. It may have been the rad from an AC equiped car, I can't recall. I'm pretty sure it was a Beta piece though. I too have the GC inlet manifold. It is a nice piece. There may have been others but I don't know of them at the moment. Good luck and enjoy.

Dave Decker
Oregon, USA

Yep you will need a new/replacement radiator ideally not so wide as OE but a little thicker in core to make up for reduced width and increased demands of your engine. In fitting the radiator you will have to move it as far to the left as possible to make way for the DCOE and air box. Having inlet and outlet on the same side (left) is a good idea if you want more space for a remote oil filter take off. I didn't but still managed. Changing the filter is now a bit tight. You will also need a throttle linkage kit for the carb which is not cheap which I installed underneath the carb as it looks neater this way and of course jetting and setting of the carb. Guy Croft might help if you bought the carb from him. I think he would jet it up for you.

Have you done or are you planning to do anything else to your engine than just bolt the Weber 45 DCOE? If this is the case I have the feeling you will be some what disappointed as you really need to have the head 'worked' on and a higher lift inlet cam installed plus a much more free flowing exhaust. Then there is the fuel line and fitting a fuel regulator so you don't flood the carb. You will need to sort out a take off for the brake servo and contain vapours from the sump breather which will prevously have gone into the OE filter box. Then there's blocking off the water feed to the carb from the cylinder head. There is a little more to the conversion than simply bolting on a DCOE which I am sure you know.

HTH.

Andybeta