Lancia Beta Forum

Well, it's come to this.

My last project was a 1999 BMW 323i. I had the delusion that it would make a nice daily driver to get me back and forth to work.

Two tow truck bills later I had had enough. I decided that if I were to own a car that can only be driven under the proper circumstances, it should have the following attributes:

- Open air: Convertible, T-Tops, or Targa.
- Pretty
- Fun to drive when it runs

Going through the classifieds, I found a gentleman selling some Beta Spyders. The looks of the car grabbed me immediately. I waited nearly a week before I reached out to him, hoping that the itch would go away. I even went as far as to re-watch the Top Gear Botswana Special, hoping that Clarkson's experience might shake some sense into my skull.

To no avail.

I went and looked at the vehicles last night, and will be giving all three (yes 3) a new home.

I have a few general question regarding the Special Editions that maybe someone here can answer. One of these vehicles is one of the 75 SEs imported into the US. It currently has no engine, but looks mostly complete otherwise. The current owner told me that one of the other two might also be an SE, but it had been repainted blue by an owner before him (Seemingly with a roller and brush  ::) ).

So the questions:
- What are the chances that I now own two of the 75 SEs that were imported into the United States?
- Is there any way to tell if a car is a Special Edition other than the paint?
- What other features did the SEs have?

Thanks in advance, This looks like a really fantastic site and I'm looking forward to talking to all of you about my lack of mental health!

Hi Eric?

Welcome to the forum. There are a few US based folk on here who may/will be more familiar with the US versions of the Zagato and any Specials. Are they the gold and black paintwork ones which I have seen photos of?

As to what is special about them, no specific knowledge myself, however I suspect it was trim, paintwork and probably interior which were special and not engine related as the engines tended to be pretty consistent for each series.

Peter

Hi Peter- Thanks for the welcome!

Yes, the car(s) in question would be the black with gold stripe paint scheme. I wasn't aware that was a US only option.

Does anyone have any US sales literature for 1979/1980?

Thanks!
Eric

https://www.dropbox.com/s/h4hk8xahabr4w16/217674417_10158375233636545_7835112747532961619_n.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/h4hk8xahabr4w16/217674417_10158375233636545_7835112747532961619_n.jpg?dl=0)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/45nhiw8nm32ixiz/218076583_10158375234686545_978539704405366338_n.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/45nhiw8nm32ixiz/218076583_10158375234686545_978539704405366338_n.jpg?dl=0)


https://www.dropbox.com/s/y289p5qzkx02q6j/218224310_10158375234796545_1269159456376367158_n.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/y289p5qzkx02q6j/218224310_10158375234796545_1269159456376367158_n.jpg?dl=0)

(Photos in dropbox added to thread - Peter)

Hi

You are one brave man, looking at those three. I see many a happy hour spent on just getting one of them in road worthy order!

I would suspect just one of them is the US Special edition, unless they went to the trouble of changing the grill badge, wheels etc as well as the paint.

Peter

Hi Eric,

I would personally use the blue one as a parts car and try and get the other 2 working.

The Black and Gold one looks solid other than the tree growing in it xD

Please post some more photos.

Cheers George

Wow Eric what a find!!

Great that these ..or some of them will be saved.
 
Good luck and Welcome to the forum!


Best Andrew.

Thanks everyone! I'm looking forward to the challenge.

Don't hate me, but the black and gold one might get an electric motor put in it.

Not at all, I for one would be interested to see how you do with that as likely to be a popular option in the future.

Peter

It won't be the first electric Beta; London Electric Cars allready did an HPE https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu0EoGNgmNB/ (https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu0EoGNgmNB/)

Curious to know how/if they kept the power steering. Electric hydraulic pump or electric column power steering?