My 79 Beta spyder 2000

[HFStuart]

Likewise:

http://lanciabeta.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3644.0

To be fair I chose to go into this much work  - it could have been done as a rolling resto.  If you're ever passing Suffolk you're very welcome to pop in for chat, learned experience and sympathy!

[deks]

Likewise:

http://lanciabeta.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3644.0

To be fair I chose to go into this much work  - it could have been done as a rolling resto.  If you're ever passing Suffolk you're very welcome to pop in for chat, learned experience and sympathy!

To be fair, having had a quick scan thru your thread its been an eye opener and given me a better understanding of what I am embarking on. I intend to try and do everything myself though I have never fabricated or welded but I do know my way around cars .

Got try and do as much as possible in order to not be into lottery win territory to afford it

[deks]

So I found myself with a spare hour or two this afternoon as I was doing some work on my daily driver but come to a stop due to parts so thought I'd take a look at the fuel leak. discovered it to be no more than a clip so thats been replaced. I will before the car goes on the road replace all the fuel lines and the electric fuel pump thats been retro fitted on the rear subframe as I am not confident its been wired correctly.

[deks]

Moving on to the engine bay. Ive started to dismantle a few parts so I can get to the missing core plug to replace. The only annoying thing is everything Ive removed Ive got to out back all the removed parts so I can run the car ups and make sure the engine is ok before I remove it.  During this process I have found someone has directly fed the cooling fan and temperature switch to the battery. Which means at some point Ive got to work that out and rewire it correctly.

[peteracs]

Hi Steve

The cooling fan goes via the temp switch at the base of the rad and is connected direct to the battery normally.

Peter

[deks]

Hi Steve

The cooling fan goes via the temp switch at the base of the rad and is connected direct to the battery normally.

Peter

Hi Peter. Many thanks for this info. This is how it was wired though poorly as the wire was literally stuck down the side of the pole and connector. I will connect it up properly when I put it back in a few days time.

[deks]

So this weekend i took on the task of fixing the fuel leak which turned out to be no more than a clip. I will however during the works I plan to do replace all the fuel pipes.  I also fixed the missing core plug and pleased to say that it was only the one and I then filled the cooling system and ran the car to temperature with the fan cutting in and out as it should. Annoyingly this showed me further issues. The main coolant pipe(metal) is corroded so will need to replace that and both the hoses for the radiator need replacing as I expect will all the coolant hoses. Added to that there is a metal rod on the bonnet that sprung off as I removed the bonnet and I am yet to locate this.

[deks]

So, spent the afternoon removing some more parts of the car and finding more rust, well uncovering what I knew was present. One of things thats always bothered me with buying a car thats been restored is how well did the person do it etc etc. Now this wasn't anywhere near what anyone would call restored but it has clearly had lots of work done previously and some of it not as professional as one would like. for example the what looks like filler spread around the door bottom curve of the door shut. Also found some trims on the door cards that have been put in place broken and held in with mastic/sticky stuff.

So Ive removed the chrome trim off the side of the car and it has revealed the extent of the rust behind it.

The issue for me presently is the one I am sure many go through which is what have I taken on.  I pondered this lunchtime of do I do this or just make good but if I just make good it won't be right and will need proper work doing in the future which is pretty much I feel what's happened in the past. I accept its a down hill path for a fair bit further for me until I've fully dismantled the car to a shell. Then it will start to be a journey to the end. I am also questioning whether I have the ability to fabricate and weld but thankfully some other threads I've read has helped give me some confidence I should be able to manage. Ive never welded or fabricated. I've done bodywork and spraying though.

At the start Felt 2 years would be enough time and I shared this with a wise forum contributor who's measured response left me feeling maybe I was wrong and I do now accept it will be more than two years not least on financial grounds but ability to spend the time it will need to fix everything. still I am only 59 so plenty of time to finish the car

[Ferrit]

well good luck.  I think I could do the work but not sure I want too, or have the time and energy.  Maybe if I had a really big garage I could just walk away without packing up.  That would be nice.  Maybe car number two :-)

[deks]

well good luck.  I think I could do the work but not sure I want too, or have the time and energy.  Maybe if I had a really big garage I could just walk away without packing up.  That would be nice.  Maybe car number two :-)

In fairness. I am currently going through some doubts in my mind myself. I am a little concerned I've bitten off more than I can chew as the saying goes.

[deks]

So I've carried on with the strip out this morning. Having a break as my back is complaining.  Got the roof off, taken the doors and wings off this morning.
Please to say that the A posts seem to be really solid, maybe because the arch liners are still present which I was advised is a rare bonus.
However the area where the main roof hinge is, is a a different story.

[deks]

Spent another day taking bits off the car so now Exhaust, rear suspension and subframe is off as is the Front suspension

much of the engine harness and connections are undone so hopefully tomorrow I can drop the whole lot out on the subframe
just need to crawl under it first and make sure I have undone everything

[deks]

I am going to do a thread in engines as well but one thing I might need to solve is why I appear to have a distributor on the rear can carrier


My guess is that the engine in the car may not have started life in it 
If that is the case I hope it doesnt cause me any issues with parts..

[peteracs]

Hi Steve

Parts are all pretty much interchangeable in the head dept. The only slight question may be it has IE cams, or VX which may not suit the carb setup so well and I have no idea how you tell. Hopefully someone here may be able to?

Peter

[WestonE]

So you have a block mounted Dizzy. Then that Cam mounted Dizzy with no advance mechanism probably means someone put a head on from a Beta IE without swapping the cams and cam boxes over. The cams will be fine from a performance perspective. You might want to blank off the end of the cam box with a core plug and some araldite in the dizzy mount to make it look nicer.

Eric

[deks]

Engine, gearbox and subframe out this morning

For the time being thats about us much as I need to strip out(apart from the windscreen)

Whether I need to strip to a bare shell will depend on whether I choose to go down the dip route.

Next purchase will be a rollover jig to put the car on as I am too old to be lying on my back scrapping undersea and rust off 

[deks]

So you have a block mounted Dizzy. Then that Cam mounted Dizzy with no advance mechanism probably means someone put a head on from a Beta IE without swapping the cams and cam boxes over. The cams will be fine from a performance perspective. You might want to blank off the end of the cam box with a core plug and some araldite in the dizzy mount to make it look nicer.

Eric

Hi Eric, yes this would seem about the strength of it.  I shall be removing that dizzy and blanking  the end off. Someone has said they have a blanking plate which will help

[deks]

So when I purchased and as mentioned above I discovered a core plug missing under the carb which I fixed due to needing to run the engine prior to extraction.

I was aware of a further leak at the back of the engine during this process and today I found the culprit. although still largely in place there is a further core plug that has shifted and is just about hanging in so thats another to replace which isn't a problem.  I was expecting to find one similar in the bell housing area but as yet I haven't separated the gearbox so may well do.

[deks]

So my car currently runs on an electric fuel pump. I was recommended to return this to mechanical as its unlikely to have been wired up correctly with a crash cut out in it. However this doesnt look to be possible as where the fuel pump is meant to go there is not a hole for it..  I am already aware the cylinder head is not correct for this car and now I am beginning to think its the whole unit.
On a plus side it does have a 4 branch manifold fitted though the joint to the middle section left a lot to be desired

[SanRemo78]

There's no core plug on the gearbox end but there is a big plate, 6 bolts and a gasket for the water jacket there. Access requires the flywheel to be removed. No big bobbie. I suspect the car originally had a full car engine fitted but this was replace with an injection one with the distributor installed and normal carb and manifold from the failed engine. Looks like there is little choice but to rewire the electric pump correctly. I'd also check the engine number against the V5 in case the change wasn't recorded?

Guy