Lancia Beta Forum

Hi folks. My name is Frank and two weeks ago, I bought my first Lancia. It's a red beta spider and I am trying to sort it. I have it running nicely and am sorting the electrics. It is the victim of "creative wiring" the result of which there are two switches controlling the wipers but none to turn on the lights! You can turn on dipped headlamps by switching the long stalk on the right of the steering column. down and flash the high beams by pulling it back, but no front parks, tail lights or no. plate or dash lights. Anyway, I'm sure I'll get it sorted sooner or later. The big problem is telling the true age of the car. All the components point to it being a pre-'78 model, but all I have is a chassis no. by which to try and find the true year of manufacture. as I live in Ireland, this is very important as tax and test depend on car year of manufacture and if I can prove its true age, road tax will be €48 P.A. as opposed to €614 and it will be exempt from an annual test. The chassis no. is 2824 and that's all I have. I have spent hours searching the web without success and would be grateful if anyone could help. Thanks for reading this and if you can help, you can email me at  fflan@o2.ie

Fiat uk (Homolagation dept) should be able to give you build date.

Oh, and Welcome to the Forum

Geoff,

Close...but I think it might be bad news

I've had two spiders one chassis 2722 registered 07/04/78 and one chassis 2803 registered 01/08/78.

If you're really lucky ( and I hope you are  - €566 is worth having ! ) you might find that yours was built at the end of 77 and spent 8 or 9 months getting to the dealer to be sold.

Let us know what you find out.

Stuart

Definately check with Fiat Homologation, (Tim Speechley)  My car was registered in 1981 but the car was built in May of 1979.

Tim will probably only be able to give you the month it was likely to have been manufactured.  (Hint: If you do email him then enclose some pictures of the car!!)

Any Lancia Beta built after 1980 would have a 17 digit European VIN number (starting ZLA...)

Can you post up some pictures of the car?

I had a similar issue with my car when I first bought it, namely it had been kept on the road using Series 1 & Series 2 Saloon and Coupe parts, when the car is actually a Series 2 Facelift! Certainly don't envy you unravelling its true age!

As soon as I get the car out of my garage, I will post some pics. There isn't room to take them indoors. Thanks for the help with confirming the true age of the car. I will follow up on it a.s.a.p. as I need the details sorted to insure it. Hopefully, the recomissioning will be completed alongside the paperwork as I'm really looking forward to driving it.

5:08 AM ???

Are you an insomniac or do you just keep odd hours?  ;)

Just don't need much sleep. We're only visiting this world for a short time and I'm glad not to sleep one third of it away. Rest In Peace when my time comes.

Hi Frank,

Thanks for the nice comments about my Spider, lanciabaz in members cars. Did you ever get your electrics sorted? I had similar problems and it was all down to bad connections on the fuses in the box. There are different fuses for LH and RH lights etc.

Best Regards, Barry, Chassis no 2272 reg 14/2/78

Very true but there's a correct end to burn the candle - I don't have a problem being up at that sort of time but I do have an issue with getting up then  :)

 ;)How about this for a more civilized time to post?. Actually slept till 7 this morning and woke up with a headache! (No alcohol involved). Yeah, I got the lights sorted. Talk about a thick Irishman! Some kind soul told me to rotate the stalk and all was well. It didn't look like the kind of stalk you rotate and it hadn't crossed my mind to try. Anyway, all is now well in that department. On another note, does anyone know where I can get a passenger side wing and door for a 1980 Colt Sapporo? I know it's probably taboo to mention such a thing on a Lancia site, but I am desperate. Anyway, if you can help and don't want to publicly admit it, my email address is fflan@o2.ie. Viva Italia!