And So It Begins....

[WestonE]

Great work! Keep templates of the foam but replace with closed cell. Those sun roof drain hoses get blocked leading to trashed head linings and drips so it will be interesting to hear if your have crud in them.
I wish I was getting mine done. I am looking at a day packing away parts from the lock up I am gradually emptying then the focus is on making the Montecarlo fit to drive to Classic Le Mans at the end of June.

Eric

[SanRemo78]

Thanks for the tip Eric, the main foam pad came off in one piece but left more bitumen on the roof to scrape off - thought I'd got it all. I'm sure the tubes will be blocked with crud - if Alfa 159 experience is anything to go by. Having said that the Lancia tube bores are significantly larger but I've yet to check where the pipes drain out from. There is a small chance they'l be free.

Do the rears drain into the side vent area or continue down into the boot? I haven't found the top end of the rear tubes yet, I assume there are some and they'll appear when the sunroof is out.

Guy

[SanRemo78]

Sunroof. None of the offside tab screws want to play yet. Sprayed a little release fluid on them but contemplating violence with a drill.

Offside wing off plus arch liner. Top rail is buggered. Bugger. I’m sure it’s saveable but on a positive note tha bottom of the A post is rock solid with only a little bit missing from the bottom of the infill panel.

Near side will be worse. There’s filler bridging the gap between the scuttle and wing. Not a good sign.

Guy

[squiglyzigly]

Hi Guy,
Sunroof drain pipes confuse me. Both my late coupe and HPE sunroof rear drain pipes extend down into the boot past the rear of the wheel arch and exit through a grommet onto the road.
But the fronts are confusing. Both cars run the front drain pipes down the A-pillar, down inside the door pillar (they are visible behind the speaker panel) and then stop ‘INSIDE’ the box section!!! There is no drain hole exit onto the road.
How can this be correct? But both my late cars are the same.
I’m planning to drill a hole in the floor of the box section and replace the pipes with new longer pipes that will exit under the car.

Has anyone else got this problem?

Cheers
Ian

[SanRemo78]

Near side might actually be better. Marginally.

[SanRemo78]

Hi Ian, I still haven't goat the sunroof out to find the top end of the pipes but the bottom ends are behind the rear wheels and open. I haven't looked too hard yet for the bottom ends of the front drains but I can see them in the speaker holes running into the bottom of the A post. Luckily my car appears to have been heavily rustproofed and I hope the sills are pretty sound, obviously not going to find out until it's all fully stripped but wherever they terminate on my car they don't appear to have caused any issues. If I keep the sunroof I think, like you, I'll terminal these drains outside the car and will find a suitable spot in due course!

Guy

[SanRemo78]

This morning's Beta activities just been curtailed, phone calls and footy coming up.

Front sunroof drain pipes also end inside the sill box section, I can see them through the holes in the bottom of the A post. That's going to be addressed in some way, either forward into the front inner arch area or through the floorpan/sill, sealed with a grommet.

Inner arch liners both off now, only one screw put up a fight but as the head pokes into the cabin a light tap from a hammer loosened it's grip. Steering boot lower screws all out as are the wing infiltrated panels. Both need a minor repair at the bottom but there's enough material and rubber left as a tell tale to identify and make the missing sections. Rust hey, who'd have thought it! Bonnet release cables now removed as I can now see the routing is easy enough.

And the two recalcitrant screws in the sunroof tab have both yielded to penetrating fluid spray so I can carry on with that on Tuesday when I can next get time on the car, weather permitting. It really is coming down to steering rack, suspension and brake/fuel lines and clips.

The front lower valance is still attached though. I put a bumper on the car which confirms it's got slight damage and needs to be pulled out at the centre.Once aligned that can come off too. Has anyone got any pictures of the lower support tabs/brackets, mine lokk a bit too bent?

Cheers
Guy

[SanRemo78]

Tim was here today to give the Beta a once over and to let me see his completed (bar paint) Stratos! Great to see both of them!

Progress report - the last two screws for the sunroof must have been listening to threats of being drilled out and gave up the fight after a dose or two of penetrating fluid yesterday. The sunroof is now out thanks to the instructions posted my Mattnovat! I had a look for the ends of the rear drain tubes and found them near the tops of the rear turrets just inside the outer wing panels. Tubes are now off, labelled and put away for cleaning!

The second bonnet pin also decided it was time to see the light of day again. That involved removal of the hinge from the bonnet and a vice with a large rubber mallet.... Happy with that!

An hour or so spent going round removing rubber plugs/grommets and plastic screw sockets too.

Whilst Timwas here we had a look at the bottom end of the engine to see if it was actually seized. A screwdriver braced against a gearbox bell housing bolt could be used as a lever against the ring gear on the flywheel - and it turned freely! Joy! Not that that is going to stop me stripping it down for a full rebuild in the coming months! The waterways are a tad furred up!

Guy

[WestonTB]

Super impressed with the Coupe , this car has been really well looked after & rustproofed... before the black paint and those strange old wheels were fitted!
Lets be honest, you have to go a long way to beat standard Beta wheels.

Another one saved that will soon be one of the best, keep up the good work, it's already worth it!

The Hawk performed faultlessly on it's first trip up North, seems it's tailor made for the Snake Pass

Cheers Guy, looking forward to seeing the next stage

[SanRemo78]

I got a key code from Kevin from the glove box lock he has stored in his loft. Took a punt with that number and ordered a key to see if it would open the locks on the door handle set I got from him a few months back. Success on the doors and the petrol flap but not the boot lock. Yet. All the locks have white overspray so I assume it’s from the same car. A bit of WD40 and time might see it come back to life yet.

Another item ticked off the list!

Locksmith was recommended on here, John Richard at 202a Pensby Road on the Wirral. 0151 342 2318 or 4074. I can vouch for the service too now!

Guy

[Clifford]

Guy.
Persevere with the boot lock with the key you got. I had a spare made and it was stiff on the boot at first but has loosened up.
The door locks will probably have more wear and therefore likely to take a new key more easily as mine did.
C

[Neil-yaj396]

Guy.
Persevere with the boot lock with the key you got. I had a spare made and it was stiff on the boot at first but has loosened up.
The door locks will probably have more wear and therefore likely to take a new key more easily as mine did.
C

The boot locks can be proper weird. Mine worked fine before it was transferred to a new boot lid and ever since, if you lock it, you never know whether it will open easily or you will have a horrendous key breaking struggle. The lock will fit in two ways, I've tried both with no success.

[SanRemo78]

Still soaking the lock in release fluid but no luck yet. I may yet resort to repinning one to match! When Tim was here last week he commented on the chassis plate. I’ve no idea what the Dymo label on it means but I think it’s been there since new…. Anyone any ideas?
Guy

[Neil-yaj396]

I've not seen a Dymo tape like that before Guy but I imagine it was some sort of stock control number added by Lancar or the dealer. All sorts of schemes were on the go around the time of your car to move on slow moving stock.

Your car is a February 1980 build, so probably hung around for at least a year before being sold?

[SanRemo78]

Hi Neil, how do you work out it’s a 1980 build? There’s a plate riveted to the front upper crossmember above the near side headlight that’s stamped “Cd011679” which I read as a construction date of 16th January 1979? This would have been around the time the r scandal was surfacing so cars were hanging about in stock for a while!

[Kevo]

I have the Dymo label too. 030B03 on my 79 coupe 1600.

[Neil-yaj396]

Hi Neil, how do you work out it’s a 1980 build? There’s a plate riveted to the front upper crossmember above the near side headlight that’s stamped “Cd011679” which I read as a construction date of 16th January 1979? This would have been around the time the r scandal was surfacing so cars were hanging about in stock for a while!

I have the copy build records in my DVLA role for LMC and your VIN is definitely February 80. Not seen your other plate either, so that is a puzzle……

[SanRemo78]

I have the Dymo label too. 030B03 on my 79 coupe 1600.

Anyone with a 1300 Coupe got the label? Might read 030A03? It's beginning to sound like it's factory?

Neil - I like a puzzle! It's obviously been there since new! I wonder if we'll ever solve it?

Guy

[Neil-yaj396]

I have the Dymo label too. 030B03 on my 79 coupe 1600.

Anyone with a 1300 Coupe got the label? Might read 030A03? It's beginning to sound like it's factory?

Neil - I like a puzzle! It's obviously been there since new! I wonder if we'll ever solve it?

Guy

My 1300 Coupe has neither the metal plate or the Dymo, though regarding the latter I think it was a dealer factory order car, built April 79 registered June 79.

Andy Collins and Alan Cooper are the ones who might know what these codes are all about.

[SanRemo78]

Boot lock…. Despite days soaked in fluids It didn’t want to play. So, on a trip to Boston for the last parts from Kevin I called in on Peter Stokes who kindly showed me how to dismantle the bugger. But up to me to put it back together again. He kindly donated some parts to help. So, after 3 days getting the Stratos replica ready for this weekends Malvern show I got back to it. Fiddly work and the only mistake was removing the key when I’d done one side to see if it still worked. Don’t do that, all the pins, buckets and springs just drop out the other side. 20 minutes later and it was all back together. And working. And the key worked in the glovebox lock I got from Kevin so now I have a full set of working locks with one key.

Must get back to the Beta next week. After the trip to see Mark! Despite what his website says the cancelled meet is on for anyone who pitches up! Please just don’t interrupt my shopping trip!
Guy