Lancia Beta Forum

It has been a while since I last posted on this site. I had been restoring a Lancia beta coupe for quite a number of years and was so near to completion. Then what they call 'black Saturday' come along. My car or cars were engulfed by one of the worst bushfires Australia has ever seen. Little was left. I felt uncomfortable to speak of it earlier as many lives and houses have been lost including our own. Luckily my family, including my dog are okay. To be honest it is something that has been bugging me to this day and may for many years to come. All that passionate work I put into that car and the prospect of driving it that first time (registered mind you), or just washing it. Hard to explain, but I'm sure some of you understand. The problem is I still love lancia betas and have this urge to finish what I started, some sort of fulfillment, but I feel that part of my life is gone.
I would like to post some before and after photos just to try and show the level of devastation, hard to depict unless you are there. Unfortunately I think I have lost many of the before images I posted here due to the new betaboyz location.
Jeremy.

Jeremy,

Having restored a number of Lancias I can understand the feeling of excitement and enjoyment of actually getting to drive and enjoy the cars (legally)for the first time, what I cannot even begin to imagine is the sense of loss when so close to completion. You must have been devastated.  The main thing is that you, your family and your dog are all safe and sound.  The car, well - this was mother nature doing what she does, albeit on a grand scale this time, there was no malice intended, just unfortunate that things which mean a lot to us and put our hearts and soul into were lost as a result.

By the sounds of it, despite what has happened it sounds to me like there is still enough passion to warrant another Beta Coupe!  OK, it's not going to be quite the same but at least something positive will rise Phoenix-like from the ashes. 

Maybe another Beta to devote some TLC to will help focus the mind on the future rather that what happened in the past and could not be controlled.

Wishing you the best of luck whatever you decide to do, keep us posted

Matt



   

Thanks Matt, maybe you're right. Hopefully I stumble on one better than the last. I know I would do a few differently. I'll post some photos as soon as I find my usb cable for my camera just to show the full force of a fire.
Jeremy.