1978 Spyder 1.6 - T Reg ?

[Outfox]

Back in the day when I bought my (V Reg) Coupe, I came close to buying a 1.6 Spyder instead.  It was 1978 model and I'm pretty sure it was T Reg.  Reading a Motorists GuIde from January 1980, I see the 1.6 Spyder was last in the Lancia UK price lists in January 1978 (£4960 !) and was not available in 1980 with the 2.0 Spyder, when the Guide was published.  The Gold Portfolio book doesn't make clear if it was still imported into the UK throughout 1978, though does say the pre-facelift 1.6 was in production for most of that year, with the facelift model beginning in late 1978 and carrying on until 1982 (only 382 built though).

Can anyone shed any light on when the 1.6 was taken out of UK listings - and if a T Reg was likely ?

[rossocorsa]

I can if I can find time to check through the info. I'll have a look

[Outfox]

Cheers rc.  If it helps, I can tell you that the car was being sold by Colmore Depot (the Lancia dealers in Brum) and they regularly got old stock vehicles from Alperton. So, it is possible that it was an early '78 car, that wasn't registered until August and the 'T' plate.

[rossocorsa]

The official line is 1600 spider discontinued Jan 79 in UK  I think this was about the time that facelift (black dash) cars first came into the UK and probably indicates when final stock of pre face lift 1600 spiders was used up or could just be an official announcement quite possible it went off the lists earlier. Can't say that I've seen many 1600 ones in the UK

[Outfox]

Thanks rc.  Your info pretty much ties in with what I thought.  The facelift Spyder 1600's (from early '79) never got to the UK.  Lancia probably did sell off all the pre-facelift rhd cars in '78 - and so it is very likely there would have been some registered from August, with a 'T' plate.  My memory probably wasn't playing tricks !  We'll never know how many 1600 Spyders there were here.  Such a shame, in many ways the 1600 was better than the 2 litre, certainly more flexible and refined.  I guess it went, because the cachet of the 2 litre was always greater ?   

[rossocorsa]

Thanks rc.  Your info pretty much ties in with what I thought.  The facelift Spyder 1600's (from early '79) never got to the UK.  Lancia probably did sell off all the pre-facelift rhd cars in '78 - and so it is very likely there would have been some registered from August, with a 'T' plate.  My memory probably wasn't playing tricks !  We'll never know how many 1600 Spyders there were here.  Such a shame, in many ways the 1600 was better than the 2 litre, certainly more flexible and refined.  I guess it went, because the cachet of the 2 litre was always greater ?   

Regarding the 1600 I think it's a difficult question, the 1600 is smoother and more keen to rev but it did lack mid range torque. Probably the 2 litre injection is the best compromise but not offered in the spider in Europe