Lancia Beta Forum

Hi All

A subject which I have had in the back of my mind for some time and keep forgetting to bring up.

Out of interest when did the plastic/rubber wing liners start being installed?

How do they attach and is it possible to attach to earlier cars?

If it is possible, anyone have any for sale?

My thinking is that they probably eliminate a large amount of issues which the early cars had on the wings due to crud being retained in all the nooks and crannies.

Peter

They seem to have appeared first around 1979 as I have had three cars of this year, two spiders and a coupe.
My '78 car certainly doesn't have them so I think either they weren't refitted by whoever restored it, or they appeared on the facelift model.
They are a strange enough item being in two halves and pop riveted together at the point where they sit around the strut.
When I first saw this, I thought they had been the subject, or victim, of a half-assed repair but when they appeared on the coupe I'm currently dismantling in the same state, I can only surmise that this is the design of them.
I have both sets and now I know they are apparently not a patch-up, I'd like to retrofit a set on my '78.
you're welcome to a set if they are in good enough condition to make two full sets providing shipping isn't silly due to their size rather than weight.
I have a few things to do to the car over the upcoming bank holiday weekend so I'll see about fitting them and let you know the result, unless you can find a set more conveniently located closer to you.

I'm fairly sure they appeared with the facelift. My 78 Coupe didn't have them, whereas my 79 Coupe does.

Hi I have a pair in my shed which I never used, always had intention to fit them but never have, if you are going to Brooklands at weekend could bring them with me.
Franco

The best things invented since sliced bread! I think that the main reason for the high survival rate of facelift cars, and demise of earlier ones, are these. I've never studied them in detail but some one told me the ones from facelift 2 ( injection/vx) cars are the best design(??)

I presume that means they used stainless pop rivets (or are all of mine the result of similar repairs?)

Thanks for the offers, one quick question, how do they attach and do you need to modify an early car to fit them?

Peter

How early is your car?
I propose fitting a set to my '78 but as I said in the "cars wanted" section, what mine has and hasn't may not be an accurate reflection on what should be there so posibly mine has whatever mounting points are already required.

What I have noticed on both cars I've dismantled is that they don't seem to be attached to the actual wings, relying instead on being mounted to the inner wing/arch.

I'll take a look today at the coupe as it has the wings removed and the liners are still fitted so that should tell the story.

If possible, I'll take a couple of detailed photos and email them to you as often they won't attach to my posts due to the size.

Hi Frank

Thanks, my car is a very early S2 Spyder, it does not even have the two small dampers on the engine/gerabox, so suspect it is a modded left over S1 chassis.

Peter

One other question are they handed and is there a front/rear wing version?

Thanks

Peter

They are handed but mounting is simply four self tapping bolts with 8mm hex heads, similar to a lot of Beta trim fasteners, which attach to the inner wing, two in front and two behind the strut.

My '78 doesn't have the mounting holes but there are two easy options for mounting.
Either mark and drill 3mm diameter pilot holes after offering up the liner with the wheel removed, or use self drilling TEK screws which have an 8mm  hex head and a large diameter galvinised washer with a rubber face attached and simply run them in while your assistant (Well, you need someone to blame) holds the liner in position.
I suspect that when I remove the liners from the coupe that those square section plastic inserts which are another staple of lancia trim, will be present in factory-made holes but as I don't own a bit that'll drill square holes, I'll be using the TEK screws

There is no evidence of rear arche liners on either my coupe or '79 facelift spider so I assume they never had them.

When I get a chance, I'll get the pics off to you. I have to find my camera first as I live in chaos ;D

Hi Frank

Thanks, that does lead to another question, were there ever any rear wing liners (I had assumed there were) but your answer and Franco's lead me to think maybe there were not?

I have arranged to pickup a pair of liners from Franco, many thanks for the offer.

Peter

There were never any rear liners as far as I know. To be fair even modern front wheel drive cars don't usually have them.

When you get them, will you let me know if they're in one piece or joined in the centre with a patch and pop rivets?
I'm curious as both my sets have been joined this way.

Hi Frank

Sure, will do.

On the subject of rear liners, never gave it a thought that they would be front only, assumed that the rears would be just as bad for places for crud to build up, especially when you consider the damage done to rear turrets on the Betas by rust.

Peter

Volvos have :)
I am thinking of installing rear liners in my beta from any car that have such liners and will fit beta. Such a car should have similar wheel size and strut type suspension. I am afraid that there is no so many of those...