My new beta coupe

[sharknose]

Weel, i have some experience with beta ... I was a proud owner of beta coupe 1300, but that was 30 years ago. The car was a mashup (1600 body (1976), 1300 cc engine (60 kW/82 HP, 1978), right door, dash and bonnet were from S2 car, the car was involved in an accident, bought on a italian scrapyard and imported to Slovenia in 1991, where they give him a new paint (the areas near the engine were painted in original light pastel blue ...) to hide the rust (both sills and the area under the back window ...). I had a really good fun with the car, but i sold it after 3 years ...

The picture of me and my red beta coupe 1300 was taken about 30 years ago ... the second picture shows a picture of my beta in trade magazin, when she was for sale ... the paint ain't original Lancia colour ... On the third picture is my friend and his girlfriend ...

[HFStuart]

Welcome. You have bought a new Beta?

[sharknose]

Hello HFStuart, yes i have ... I have found a good beta 1600 Coupe (S2 FL/1980) in Rome, from 1. owner, with only 17.800 km on the clock ... The last italian registration dates back in 1994, the some year that the last service was made (16.500 km). By the end of this week the car will get the new cambelt, so i don't drive it now, just a few meters on my backyard ...

I have arranged a 'familiy meeting' past weekend with my 17 years old adolescent punto 1.2 16v (bought new in 2005, 54.800 km till now/my everyday car) and a 42-years old 'auntie' beta. They are from the some tribe, judging from the colours of both cars ... hehe

Have a nice day ...
Marko

[HFStuart]

Very nice.

A roman car though? Where are all the dents?

[sharknose]

No dents, no rust ... The car spend last 28 years in the garage, because it was a part of a private collection ... i passed the MOT without problems, the tyres and accumulator are 2 years old, i also have a sevice book ... i payed 13.500 euros (11.200 british pounds) for the car, in the beginning they wanted 17.000 euros (14.500 british pounds ..) and 2.500 euros to middleman to deliver the car and sort all documents, custom, taxes, oldtimer certificate etc ...

[Sandro]

Welcome to the forum Marko,

That's a very pretty Coupe you have there.

All the Best Andrew

[sharknose]

Hello, Andrew. Thanks for a very nice words, my coupe would be in a very nice and good company with your silver Shooting Brake (HPE). I was once owner of a High Performance Estate (Executive) too, in the times (early 90's) when i was 'in love' with my red beta 1300 coupe. I bought a 'azzuro' blue HPE 1600 (S2 FL) without engine and papers for a really nice price (100 euros) for spares, because I thought that the doors and windscreen are the some ... But they don't fit to coupe, hehe I have stripped the car, the body of the HPE was too much corroded to be saved, so she ended on the scrapyard ... (now i'm sorry about that ...).

Have a nice day ... Marko

[peteracs]

Hi Marko

Nice car, sounds like you have done well.

The windscreen is the same for the HPE and the Coupe, not the doors. Only issue is if the screen is bonded or not which makes a difference.

Peter

[sharknose]

Good morning peteracs, thanks for your information. I didn't know that the windscreen fits, because i didn't manage to save the windscreen from beta HPE in one piece ... But i know that the doors are the some, only the door window frame has the different height, right?

Have a nice day ...

Marko

[peteracs]

Hi Marko

General rule for Coupe, HPE and Spider is there are only 2 types of windscreen, one bonded type and one with removable seal. The only variation is the tint and band colours. Screens are available new from Pilkingtons where I have bought from and possibly other suppliers, but you need to know the tint and band you want.

On doors all are different, though the lower portion I think may be same, just the upper part and obviously the glass being different.

Peter

[sharknose]

Hello peteracs, thanks a lot for your information about windscreens. I know that all three cars have a different height, but i'm still a little bit confused about that that my car (S2 FL) have a higher roof (so they say ...) then a S1 or S2 car ... It would be nice to park my series 3 car by a series 1 car. Maybe i could spot the difference ...

Have a nice day ... Marko

[Neil-yaj396]

The high roof on S2FL is to accommodate the sunroof, whether it is fitted or not.

[peteracs]

The high roof on S2FL is to accommodate the sunroof, whether it is fitted or not.

Does that mean a different sunroof to the earlier cars? Cannot see why it changes unless headroom was an issue originally.

Peter

[sharknose]

Hello, Neil-yaj396 and peteracs. Does that mean that the S1 & S2 coupes are lower (height)? Like in case with Jaguar E-type series 1 and later coupe series ... And how much do you think has that affected the look of the car. To be honest, i don't know for a long time, that my coupe (S2 FL) has a higher roof ... If i would know that fact, maybe i would rather buy a S1 or a S2 car. The problem is, that i prefer the more modern looking dashbord with a combination with wooden steering wheel and wood/chrome gearstick, but i also prefer the more chrome oriented outer look of the passanger compartment with chrome door mirrors and chrome behind rear side cabin windows ... So my fantasy beta coupe would look like a S1 car, but with the S2 bonnet and S2 FL front grile and lights and mixed interior (newer dashboard ...). But then the car ain't original any more. So it was a tought decision for me, which series i would like to buy.

Whay i did buy a 1600 cc version? Small engines needs to be reved high, to get along with others, and then they scream a lot, and that is one of a genuin sports car feeling ... Beside that, it's only 1,5 sek. (0-100 km/h (62 miles)) slower than a 115 HP (2.0 ie) version and only 10 km/h slower (178 (110 miles per hour)/188 (117) km/h).

Have a nice weekend ...
Marko

[Neil-yaj396]

The high roof on S2FL is to accommodate the sunroof, whether it is fitted or not.

Does that mean a different sunroof to the earlier cars? Cannot see why it changes unless headroom was an issue originally.

Peter

Fairly sure that the sunroof that retracted into the roof space was a facelift thing. My pre-facelift Coupe had the lower roof line with little or no difference in interior headroom.

I didn't particularly like the higher roof line at first, but it has grown on me.

[sharknose]

Hello, Neil-yaj396. I think that i can live with higher roof ... The strongest argument to buy my car was his low milage and 1. owner ... You can't have all in life, hehe I just got a call from my mechanic that the car made it's voyage to workshop to change the cambelt and all liquids ...

Have a nice day, Marko