Greetings from Hungary

[AndrewJ]

the brochure that you uploaded quite clearly states that leather was available! I'm still looking for a decent photo though

Yes, but I haven't found the country for which it was published. It is an English language catalog, but all the cars on the pics are left hand drive, so I guess - it was printed  not for the UK market.. And it is interesting, that there are no sample pictures of leather seats.

I watched all the betas on autoscout24.eu, but I have found only 1st serie coupes with leather seats - so I don't know   ...

[rossocorsa]

In general the practice of Lancia, at least post war and up to the 80s, was to produce brochures centrally in Turin sometimes in the format of multiple languages French/English/German/Italian and others individual prints in different languages. The format of the brochure and the pictures would usually be the same Europe wide the brochure you have is such a generic brochure and would have been used in the UK and Irish markets plus possibly others where English was a second language. As these brochures were generic they listed all available options but not all options would, in practice, be available in all markets.What can be quite certain is that all options would have been available in Italy, the 1300 Beta was an important car in Italy due to taxation etc. but was not so widely offered abroad as 1600 and 2000, it was available in the UK (up to S2 FL  it was never sold in the UK in S2 FL2 format) but as far as I can tell not in Germany at least in S2 FL format. The early S2 1300 was actually not marketed by Lancia as a 'Beta' but as a 'Lancia 1300 Coupé' intended as a substitute for the Fulvia, it had a unique grille style and a bench type back seat.  Importers sometimes produced their own leaflets as well which may have supplemented or replaced the generic brochure and in particular the German market  had locally produced brochures because, compared with other markets, the S2 FL2 cars had different upholstery (the 'L' cloth the same as Gammas). I hope this helps I'm no expert this is just my understanding of the brochures as I see it but maybe someone else with more in depth information would like to comment?

[AndrewJ]

In general the practice of Lancia, at least post war and up to the 80s, was to produce brochures centrally in Turin sometimes in the format of multiple languages French/English/German/Italian and others individual prints in different languages. The format of the brochure and the pictures would usually be the same Europe wide the brochure you have is such a generic brochure and would have been used in the UK and Irish markets plus possibly others where English was a second language. As these brochures were generic they listed all available options but not all options would, in practice, be available in all markets.What can be quite certain is that all options would have been available in Italy, the 1300 Beta was an important car in Italy due to taxation etc. but was not so widely offered abroad as 1600 and 2000, it was available in the UK (up to S2 FL  it was never sold in the UK in S2 FL2 format) but as far as I can tell not in Germany at least in S2 FL format. The early S2 1300 was actually not marketed by Lancia as a 'Beta' but as a 'Lancia 1300 Coupé' intended as a substitute for the Fulvia, it had a unique grille style and a bench type back seat.  Importers sometimes produced their own leaflets as well which may have supplemented or replaced the generic brochure and in particular the German market  had locally produced brochures because, compared with other markets, the S2 FL2 cars had different upholstery (the 'L' cloth the same as Gammas). I hope this helps I'm no expert this is just my understanding of the brochures as I see it but maybe someone else with more in depth information would like to comment?

So Italy can be the key for me :-) - then I will try to ask someone in Italy - who is a Beta fan - Thanks ;-)!

[cheeky monkey]

thanks for links to downloads both rossocorsa and andrewj

forum member johnb's car has a black leather interior. It looks great and I think may of been sourced in Germany. This is from Tonys album;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonysphotos/5179354077/#in/set-72157625394540114/


My interior is the blue/grey as in the earlier photo. I certainly havnt seen your interior before Andrew, its very unusual.! 
I have wiring diagram for left hand drive beta. I can copy it for you.

cheers
graham

[AndrewJ]

thanks for links to downloads both rossocorsa and andrewj

forum member johnb's car has a black leather interior. It looks great and I think may of been sourced in Germany. This is from Tonys album;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonysphotos/5179354077/#in/set-72157625394540114/


My interior is the blue/grey as in the earlier photo. I certainly havnt seen your interior before Andrew, its very unusual.! 
I have wiring diagram for left hand drive beta. I can copy it for you.


cheers
graham

Thank you for the photo!! - I hope, that my Beta will look like this car within one or maximum two years  Maybe if you have a sanned wiring diagram, then it would be useful for me, because the quality of mine is very bad. But if the Haynes Beta book contains it, then I hope to get it next week, so then I don't want to disturb you with this  !

[cheeky monkey]

diagram in Haynes manual is quite small print but just about readable. Any problems then let us know

[AndrewJ]

Maybe this is a stupid question , but could anyone tell me if the Beta Coupe had an official car radio trademark (f.e. Audiovox, Becker..) or type? So  did the clients have an opportunity to order it with any radio or cassette player from an accessories catalog?

I started to collect old '70s car radios on the local second hand market and would be happy to find an "official" Beta radio  for myself

[rossocorsa]

I think Voxson was a common choice but I suspect each individual importer used their own preferred brand. Voxson is by far the most 'Italian' though. Personally I wouldn't bother and would get a cheap cd/radio/sd/meory stick blue tooth radio from Aldi when they next have an offer on (do you have Aldi in Hungary??)   

[AndrewJ]

I think Voxson was a common choice but I suspect each individual importer used their own preferred brand. Voxson is by far the most 'Italian' though. Personally I wouldn't bother and would get a cheap cd/radio/sd/meory stick blue tooth radio from Aldi when they next have an offer on (do you have Aldi in Hungary??)   

Hmm - Voxson? - Thanks for the tip

Yes - You are right, but I don't want to use the radio often. The sound of the engine is good enough for me  . Now I have a Kenwood HIFI system built in - but I want to get an oldtimer qualification, and then I must build in an older one or take it simply out (but I don't have original radio cover panel). I can buy these old radios just for a few euros here, so it's the best choice for me 

[rossocorsa]

you could fit an IO play and simply stream music from your mobile phone by bluetooth that could be fitted in a very discreet way I think you could even fit it without a radio at all and hide the volume control
http://www.my-io.com/Products/iOPLAY.aspx

you can find them much cheaper than on their website (try ebay) and it works really well

[AndrewJ]

you could fit an IO play and simply stream music from your mobile phone by bluetooth that could be fitted in a very discreet way I think you could even fit it without a radio at all and hide the volume control
http://www.my-io.com/Products/iOPLAY.aspx

you can find them much cheaper than on their website (try ebay) and it works really well

Yes   or I can simly buy a FM transmitter ( http://cgi.ebay.com/Lcd-car-mp3-player-fm-transmitter-usb-mmc-sd-remote-/320691220431?pt=Other_MP3_Player_Accessories&hash=item4aaaafafcf )

I guess that I will buy one, because I like these old radios. They are easy to use and are easily repairable and have less trouble than the newer car HIFI systems..

Anyway - we have Aldi in Hungary   ( http://www.aldi-hungary.hu/ ) and also Tesco  ( http://tesco.hu/ )

A few weeks ago I bought these radios&cassette players for a few euros:

[rossocorsa]

I'm afraid fm transmitters are pretty rubbish so long as the MP3 on your phone is good quality, has an equaliser and it supports A2DP the IO play will give you really good  quality sound no reception issues I use one in my MG ZT in most cases sound is nearly as good as CD. The IO play has its own amplifier and sits connected between the radio and speakers switches automatically if you receive a call or if you have bluetooth MP3 music player on, very easy to fit especially if you have iso connectors, you can also bluetooth your sat nav  through it and it will interrupt the radio 

[AndrewJ]

I'm afraid fm transmitters are pretty rubbish so long as the MP3 on your phone is good quality, has an equaliser and it supports A2DP the IO play will give you really good  quality sound no reception issues I use one in my MG ZT in most cases sound is nearly as good as CD. The IO play has its own amplifier and sits connected between the radio and speakers switches automatically if you receive a call or if you have bluetooth MP3 music player on, very easy to fit especially if you have iso connectors, you can also bluetooth your sat nav  through it and it will interrupt the radio 

Well - then it can be interesting . But with two small factory size speakers I don't think that the quality will be the best.  And I don't want to cut any other speaker holes. I have a very good quality custom HIFI system in my Lancia Kappa. Maybe if I want to listen in good quality, then I will choose that car .

[AndrewJ]

Anyway - I bought new rear lenses on ebay for my beta coupé. I would like to have the chrome frame of the rear lights rechromed, but unfortunately the cast has deep corrosion and is a Zn-Al alloy. Does anyone know sources to buy this frame (new)?

Yesterday I talked with my friend - he is working for a very large aluminium foundry in Hungary - they produce f.e. turbo cases for Garrett and many truck parts. He will try to ask his bosses if it is possible to found this frame in aluminium in small quantity.

 

[cheeky monkey]

Hi Andrew

new ones occasionally come up on ebay. have a search on ebay.it aswell for 'lancia beta fanale'
i will let you know if i see any here too

[AndrewJ]

Hi Andrew

new ones occasionally come up on ebay. have a search on ebay.it aswell for 'lancia beta fanale'
i will let you know if i see any here too

Thanks  - I have been searching for it in the last few month on all Europen ebay sites, but I haven't find it yet  ..

[AndrewJ]

Nowadays my Beta coupe is under restoration - this week I took many parts out for sandblasting and zinc coating/repainting. During this I found a polish (I guess) text on the windscreen washer bag, but "made in italy" on the washer motor.

Later I began to watch Beta coupe ads on internet, but I could find rather washer tanks on most photos than washer bags. Were some betas originally equipped with bag, or is this an alternative aftermarket version?

[MattNoVAT]

Early Betas had washer bags, there are maybe three different designs that I know of.

Later cars changed to hard plastic.

[rossocorsa]

no promises but I'll try to check my spare rear lights I may well have a better frame than that, I do have one brand new one but don't want to part with it at the moment but might do later on (my car is a VX so needs painted frame anyway)

[AndrewJ]

Early Betas had washer bags, there are maybe three different designs that I know of.

Later cars changed to hard plastic.

Thank you for the information  - then I leave it in the car. After the cleaning it seems to be in very good condition. I don't thing that mine is still the original, butit  can be a spare part for beta and maybe other old italian cars.