Beta Coupe Project, Shropshire

[betaboy2.0]

Wow!

What a great find! I am extremely envious - even if it is a Coupe!!

If you are going to press it into any form of mixed weather use, I would suggest that a set of S2fl plastic front wheelarch liners would be a sensible fitment (or failing that ensure fortnightly thorough hosing out of all the wheel arches) and fill every box section, seam, crossmember, etc with waxoyl!

Pay particular attention to the rear suspension turrets. These are the Beta's weak point these days. If they are sound now, keep them clean and mud free!

Good luck with it. And i look forward to seeing it at forthcoming events!

Oh - and it has a worthy companion, in that another member has a series 2 HPE in the same lovely chocolate brown, but with a yellow interior! What a pair they will make on display together!

regards

Andy

[smithymc]

A bit more info -the newly received V5 declares the engine as 1592cc, does this make it a series one? - seems too late given the dates in Viva Lancia this month.

Does anyone use Castrol Valvemaster with super unleaded to get over valve seat risk?

Thanks.

Mark

[MattNoVAT]

What you have to bear in mind is that the UK registration date bears little relevance to the date the car was actually built. 

My S2 / FL was registered over three years after it was actually built.  This was confirmed by Tim at Fiat/Lancia UK.  But your car was built before the Fiat date cutoff, so the answer will never be known.

The 1592cc was the Series 1 engine and in my mind that's the big differentiator.

[peteracs]

A bit more info -the newly received V5 declares the engine as 1592cc, does this make it a series one? - seems too late given the dates in Viva Lancia this month.

Does anyone use Castrol Valvemaster with super unleaded to get over valve seat risk?

Thanks.

Mark

Hi Mark

Suggest that the V5 is wrong as the previous comments about the seats and the date should mean it is the 1585 engine. You can tell for sure if you look at the engine number which is on the block.

Peter

[rossocorsa]

Not the first time I've heard of an S2 with '1592' incorrectly on the reg doc, in those days the reg documentation was filled out by the garage and was maybe the victim of sloppy imprecise staff if the car has a chassis number 828BC0 it is second series with 1585 engine, in the early days of the Beta I don't believe that cars sat around for very long before being sold. If you write to dvla using the relevant form and paying a fiver they will send you copies of all reg docs plus the original registration paperwork well worth the money for the cars history file

Alan   

[rossocorsa]

What you have to bear in mind is that the UK registration date bears little relevance to the date the car was actually built. 

My S2 / FL was registered over three years after it was actually built.  This was confirmed by Tim at Fiat/Lancia UK.  But your car was built before the Fiat date cutoff, so the answer will never be known.

The 1592cc was the Series 1 engine and in my mind that's the big differentiator.

even on the late S2FL2 cars the stock control certainly seems to have been a bit crazy both my rust bucket A reg VX coupé first reg Jan 84 and Steve Thompson's immaculate B reg coupé first reg Dec 1984 were built in May 83! No betas were built after 1984 but there are some cars registered as late as 1986, I don't recall seeing any UK VX fitted with the late style aluminium and plastic radiator introduced in production in October '83 so rather suspect that there may not have been any beta imports to the UK after '83 perhaps someone with a C reg car can check with Tim and let us know the build date on here to confirm one way or the other?

Alan

[MattNoVAT]

This begs the question "How do you identify the 1592 from the 1585cc engines"?

If an owner does not have access to the run of S1 or S2 engine numbers your still no wiser - if there is a definitive way to tell them apart without taking them apart then that would be helpful. 

Can anyone provide input?

I did not realise that you can still obtain the original registration details from DVLA - I'll be doing that soon now I know.

 

[rossocorsa]

I did not realise that you can still obtain the original registration details from DVLA - I'll be doing that soon now I know.

 

they are photocopies off the dvla microfiche sometimes not very easy to read but well worth having, better to ask sooner rather than later as surely some data protection do gooder will put a stop to it if they can.


http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_065303.pdf

I found out that my VX coupé was originally owned by Shell UK which was a surprise

[peteracs]

I did not realise that you can still obtain the original registration details from DVLA - I'll be doing that soon now I know.

 

they are photocopies off the dvla microfiche sometimes not very easy to read but well worth having, better to ask sooner rather than later as surely some data protection do gooder will put a stop to it if they can.


http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_065303.pdf

I found out that my VX coupé was originally owned by Shell UK which was a surprise

Looking at the form you can also ask for specific owners at certain dates, now that is useful to know you can ask for that. Anyone know if trying to get a full history of the cars owners is sufficient reason?

Peter

[rossocorsa]

Yes

[peteracs]

A bit more info -the newly received V5 declares the engine as 1592cc, does this make it a series one? - seems too late given the dates in Viva Lancia this month.

Does anyone use Castrol Valvemaster with super unleaded to get over valve seat risk?

Thanks.

Mark

Hi Mark

Suggest that the V5 is wrong as the previous comments about the seats and the date should mean it is the 1585 engine. You can tell for sure if you look at the engine number which is on the block.

Peter

Just checked on the status of my car on the DVLA website (could not remember if I had SORN'd it from the recent V11) and noticed mine also is registered as 1592, even though it most definitely is a S2 Spider (easy to tell with them). So I guess the garages just persisted with the original engine size.

Peter

[redvxcoupe]

This begs the question "How do you identify the 1592 from the 1585cc engines"?

If an owner does not have access to the run of S1 or S2 engine numbers your still no wiser - if there is a definitive way to tell them apart without taking them apart then that would be helpful. 

Can anyone provide input?

 

Think this look like a S1 car.....very nice one

What does the bonnet (when it's open) support look like? a rod on the left side of the engine bay?
Does the car has a hazard lights switch? mine does not.
S2 interior with piping, same as I have in my S1 1600 Coupe

The S1 engine 1592 has a bore of 80mm (110Hp), all other (?) Lampredi has 84mm (100Hp) bore
I realized this when I was thinking of using a Prisma head which has bigger inlet valves....
Difficult to measure with the head on....

Tore

[smithymc]

'Don't be too afraid of the belt change it is not too bad on a Beta '

Do I need a locking kit to take this on? I cant belive the last owner used one to be honest - but he was rather a better mechanic than me.

Now itching to go, as the car is finally to be moved to our new place next week so I can make a start and see what I may have let myself in for!

Mark

[redvxcoupe]

No worries, you don't need a locking kit. Finished mine 1600 last weekend.
Locate the timing marks, release the crankshaft nut (NB. it's not links threads), time the engine and release the tensioner. I usually cut the timing belt.
Put the new belt on while checking the marks. Rotate the engine a couple of revs to be sure everything is ok.

Thats about it 

[smithymc]

The Chocolate Lime is on its way!

The car was finally delivered today - many thanks to Russell at ARH Vehicle Logsitics 07587 527522 - great careful service and an ex Beta owner!

She's a bit ( a lot) dusty but I have given her a quick bath ( one of many I suspect before the grime recedes) and she looks pretty good. Plenty of small rust spots, but touch-up material really.There is some surface rust on the tank and the tail end of the exhaust fell off, but small price to pay for the apparent good overall condition.

Any suggestions on where to get paint ? - I fancy a tin for brush painting if possible, for touch up. Whoever said she is Marrone Parioli was right.

Here goes!

[MattNoVAT]

Looking good, you must be very pleased.

Keep us updated on your progress

[f1fascination]

Looks great, love the colour combination!

[smithymc]

As usual-things have gone backwards as each job exposes a few more that need doing - no major disasters though so far.

Have tidied up under bonnet a bit, changed fluids, fuel lines, plugs,etc and can attempt the cambelt now that the timing cover has turned up ( with the inner arch panel, handbook and service book) from its long term home.
Am on to brakes at the moment - pads just crumble like biscuits and getting new ones not too easy.

A bit of advice sought - jacking and supporting - the Haynes advice to jack the rear via the plate under the bumper seems a very inefficient way of lifting- surely the square blocks at each end of the sill are jacking points? I will need to get underneath soon and would apprecaite and advice, basic though it might seem.

I also have a full tank of 30 yr old petrol - getting rid of it seems a puzzle, as no tip will take it.

Will keep plugging away, but appreciate that my issues are nothing compared to some on this forum.

Mark

[f1fascination]

Yes, the jacking points are in the middle of the sills, attached to the floor. I've had to remake mine due to rot issues, but you can support the car on stands by anything that looks sturdy, at the rear there are some solid points on the corners, and at the front the sub-frame in front of the lower wishbone is where mine is currently propped up.

[smithymc]

To let people know that I have not been too idle, a few pictures of the new front, which reflects a lot of elbow grease on paintwork and dremel/autosol on chromework.

Must move it someone who is aproper mechcanic who can do exhaust and MOT so I can it least start moving it about - also cant get it to start( fire yes, run no).

Mark