Lancia Beta Forum

I picked up a Lancia Beta HPE this weekend, which I got given as a project.
I have no history with working on Lancia's at all but have rebuilt a few land rovers before, so at least thats a start!
The car runs and stops and has a clutch which is a bonus and it seems all there although there are a few pipes and stuff missing.
Bodywork is fair with a couple of really rotten bits such as drivers side sill from the door to the back wheel totaly gone, Bonnet has seen better days too. Most of the rust is bubble spots as far as I can tell.

I have no clue where to start yet on this project but going to give it my best shot, at least its more practice for work as I am still an apprentice mechanic although been working on cars now for about 7 years ::)

Where would anybody suggest as a good starting point on one of these?

Chris

What year and spec ?

You'll need to ascertain just how rusty it is - which will probably be a sobering experience ! I'd suggest gutting the inside and leave just the dash in place. that'll allow you to see the floorpan, rear wings and rear struts clearly and make a list of what needs replacing. Do the same for the engine bay (should be easy to spot) and the outer panels. Sadly bubbling is almost always a symptom of more serious rust underneath and you're best to assume any areas of bubling need serious work.

Then see what bits are available (this site can help with the suplliers) The good news is that some panels are still available through specialists scatered around the world. Wings, bonnet come up fairly often on fleabay.

Mechanically there shouldn't be too many worries and just about everything is still available so I'd concentrate on the body for now even if the greasy bits are more fun.

Good choice BTW and welcome to the club.

Its a 1984 HPE VX if that means much to you? I know its not got aircon but thats what windows are for!

Thanks for the advice, i know it had welding done previously but seems a good place to start as any!!

hmmm...why don't I ever get given a volumex?? worst areas to repair for rust are under the front screen corners, around the sunroof and the area in the rear wheelarch below the strut mounts especially where it meets the floor. Research the volumex  engine well,particularly the supercharger, before you attempt anything. There was a decent vx bonnet (with the extra bulge for the carb) on ebay recently and they are difficult to find so if you are serious snap it up quick if it is still on there seller ID was 'davikiman' he's a real Lancia fanatic . Your experience with British metal is, on the whole, best forgotten  Italian logic is totally different if you apply old tricks to your first Italian car it'll end in confusion, I find it difficult the other way around as, having run almost exclusively Lancias since 1983 except for maybe the last 4 years, I have a MG TF 135 as an everyday car the design thought process appears to have been quite different. In general the engineering in the Lancia is much better incidentally  

Certainly does ! 3 litre performance from a 2.0. loads of lovely torque. One only 186 (allegedly) imported into the UK.

You might also consider a couple of books. Lancia Beta by Brian Long would be a good place to start - that's where the production figure came from. Amazon will have it if eBay don't. A haynes is available too though I don't think it covers the VX specifically.

Good call about the italian logic. For example there are two fuses for the lights front and rear is the way every other car does it. On the Beta it's front left + rear right and front right + rear left ! Sounds stupid but makes sense  - a fuse blows and you've still got some lights front and back

I will look for that book sounds a good point to start from. I also got given with the car A Service manual which is quite thick, also a Smaller book that has loads of values and speacial tool numbers, wiring diagrams etc which is interesting plus another thin one from it. All from the lancia motor club libary. I have Haynes here too.

The rust on the front screen corners is that on the outside? I noticed a fair bit around the sunroof! Pulling out the interior out this Thursday!!

I will look up the bonnet this eve, thanks...

With regards to italian metal any tricks or stuff you recomend using? its all alien to me bodywork. I am used to heavy plates and plenty of underseal and bodywork is a big hammer and heat as brimabright doesn't rust thankfully!

Mmmmmmmmm.....  Volumex

sorry dreaming again, small point but LMC library books are normally lent rather than given.

make a great car that, and it'll take a nine foot christmas tree.

Geoff

lmc library used to  produce photocopies of lancia publications for sale to members (or still do?? don't know as no longer a member can't stand the cobwebs any more) it's probably one of those from the days of Paul Mayo. reckon you could get longer than 9ft in .....using the sunroof as well ::)  

just another thought you need to be careful when obtaining spare parts Italian logic is such that they often seemed to change some parts for no apparent reason sometimes when they look almost identical, factors part listings are almost always inaccurate and confusing as well particularly for the volumex, so if you are unsure ask on here first!!

These look to be all photocopies of manuals as some of the pictures are rather unclear but make for interesting reading nevertheless.

As it happens you can still buy the scanned versions of those (and the parts books) from the Viva Lancia website. The parts books are for earlier cars than yours but they're still pretty usefull.

hi

congrats on the volumex i am restoring a coupe version also in the gray and on a b plate.
in fact its went to the painters yesterday and i will get back in 6 weeks.

i'm sure you have checked but keep an eye on the oil feed to the supercharger and keep the level topped up cos if you run it dry it will be expensive.
i also have a 83  red coupe that i will be breaking once i have completed my gray one.
so if you want spares let us kmow. i would rather not strip it yet because it is outside but you are more then welcome to reserve parts including a bonnet i have which i am sure is in good condition.
i am based in carlisle i you want to visit.
again welcome to us small group of nutters who seem to be the only ones with good taste!!! ;D

another grey one! mine is/was grey can't decide but I'm thinking that I might repaint a different colour when it's finished any suggestions??

I've always thought that the pale metallic blue suited Betas realy well.

had thought about blue as it matches the cloth interior well having said that our MG is light blue maybe two blue cars is too much.......I'll probably chicken out and go with grey again less to paint but i know if i do i might regret it

i think the gray is still the best colour passed a mazda 3 today in grey with black trim and smiled.

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hopefully this also shows a good pic of a gray vx

simon

That'd be your pic in the new Practical Classics then ?

What ???

Tell me Neil Campbell didn't just 'give' you that car for nowt?

I'd been in conversation with him about getting hold of it and he said many people had come forward offering good money

Yes that would be me.. and yes Neil did give me the car, I did have a helping hand as my best friend works alongside him on Land Rover Owner, suppose I got to do a good job now people know who I am.

Also alot of people offered him good money for the car for the supercharger rather than the car.

good job it's saved from the jaws of death of the MG nasties then ;D

Just to add some more info. for this car. Neil also approached me at an action day i did at castle combe, he saw me going round and walked over for quite a lengthy chat, and then told me he had a vx hpe he was looking to off load for next to no money, he said to me that if i was interested i could have it on the basis i fitted the supercharger etc to my car :D I didn't take him up on the offer but did say i might have someone interested that would keep the car together, and to email me some pics of the car for me to pass on, but it never happened. Anyway, i'm glad it looks like it'll live again ;)

Hmm well I expressed an interest in thre whole car and Neil told me he had someone look at it a few days before, who was 'dead keen'.  So I waited for the outcome.

I heard nothing so I thought it had sold.