My 79 Beta spyder 2000

[Neil-yaj396]

From memory the standard steels were 5" and the alloys 5.5"?

Peter

That's right Peter. The standard steels are not really wide enough for a 2 litre car, though they may have been made wider for 2 litre saloons?

[deks]

Just searched through FB to find the pic of the wheels I saw a while back and they  are just the standard steels for Lancia as per the coupe pic posted earlier

[peteracs]

From memory the standard steels were 5" and the alloys 5.5"?

Peter

That's right Peter. The standard steels are not really wide enough for a 2 litre car, though they may have been made wider for 2 litre saloons?

Maybe, but you will not normally find them in the U.K.

[deks]

Well that has gone according to plan. Removed the windscreen today with the intention of getting it out in one piece. What I wasn't expecting was to find about two tubes of polyurethane sealant around it. Seems to me its been sealed up a few times.   I cracked it removing the chrome but I doubt that would have made a difference if I hadn't. Ive removed more than 100 screens in the past as used to break cars for spares so I am capable of taking them out in one piece and I have the correct kit to do so.  The screen needed to come out as theres rot around the frame so no escaping it. I am aware they are costly to replace but it is what it is.

[Ferrit]

Are you planning to get it dripped or media blasted once stripped?  Well done you for cracking on.

Mark

[deks]

Are you planning to get it dripped or media blasted once stripped?  Well done you for cracking on.

Mark

The cost of dipping knocked me back a bit but it is what it is. I was trying to avoid dipping it as that means a full strip down which I was hoping to avoid but I feel I am going to have to do that anyway.
Every time I spend some time on the car like an hour so far this morning I find more issues. All to be expected and minor in the scheme of things but today is a steering wheel that won't come off the shaft and some wiring modifications that make separating the parts of the loom a little more of a challenge and of course I have no clue as to why they were modified and in some cases for what purpose.

I do still wonder am I doing the right thing and can I manage it all and the rebuild.  I regularly wonder whether I should just cut my losses before I spend more money I will never recoup but then I also know that even buying something done can be a minefield and at least I know this should be right at the end of the process..

Anyway back to the question I am currently considering buying a home sand blasting kit the tank and parts are around £100 new plus the sand though I expect Ill need an air fed mask etc to use it as well but then I need that for paint. worth a try to save some costs. I am aware of more rust lurking in places I haven't got to yet and of course I want to be sure I've sorted it. So many things to think about going forward and I am sure all the guys here will have many of the answers I will no doubt burden everyone with when I start.

[Ferrit]

know what you mean.  I sort of would love and scared to have a complete body down to bare metal :-)

[peteracs]

From personal experience dipping is a fairly dramatic process and depending on your view, the price is not so high, but not insignificant.

I think the points to consider are, dipping gets rid of all the rust AND all the seam sealer and other crap on the body, so be prepared to have to redo that. It is however very quick process to give you an starting point. The issue may be you will not like that starting point as it will reveal just how really bad your car is. There are anecdotal stories of issues later after paint, though not met anyone personally with that issue. Time will tell on my car if that is true or not.

So I think that dipping should only be considered as an all in solution, ie if you are going to selectively repair parts of the car, then blasting and paint stripping/sanding is probably the way to go.

Just my view after having a couple of bodies restored (one dipped, one individual areas restored).

Peter

[deks]

From personal experience dipping is a fairly dramatic process and depending on your view, the price is not so high, but not insignificant.

I think the points to consider are, dipping gets rid of all the rust AND all the seam sealer and other crap on the body, so be prepared to have to redo that. It is however very quick process to give you an starting point. The issue may be you will not like that starting point as it will reveal just how really bad your car is. There are anecdotal stories of issues later after paint, though not met anyone personally with that issue. Time will tell on my car if that is true or not.

So I think that dipping should only be considered as an all in solution, ie if you are going to selectively repair parts of the car, then blasting and paint stripping/sanding is probably the way to go.

Just my view after having a couple of bodies restored (one dipped, one individual areas restored).

Peter

Thanks for the advice Peter. If I go ahead which I still intend to do so I want the car to be done properly. I dont want to be visiting rust again elsewhere that I hadn't dealt with. What scares me is spending the money on dipping to find the body is unsalvageable but then if I dont I could be spending thousands on a rebuilt that might equally be a waste.   How to go about transporting the car to be dipped is also another topic to be discussed though a simple one to overcome.

[deks]

Hi Steve

Some of this will be familiar......

http://lanciabeta.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1936.0

Peter

Thanks Peter. I have browsed through your thread and that of sanremo but really should spend a few hours reading both. I am sure they will give me encouragement. Yours definitely looks worse than mine which for me is a plus maybe not so for you.  Mine definitely looks worse now than it did when you visited it but as they say nothing that can't be fixed. 

[deks]

know what you mean.  I sort of would love and scared to have a complete body down to bare metal :-)

The body in white as they call it concerns me on corrosion level as it will rust further while its bare and being repaired
I have to say that my head tells me to do this as its the only way to be sure all the rot has been removed.

Sanremo had his done twice and then coated on the second time the second done after he had repaired all the rot so it was just a cleaning exercise then coated to stop the rust in the future
which seems areal sensible thing to do

I expect this will be the route I go even though it means all the sound deadening mastic and other such factoring things will need to be redone but this forum will give me guidance as there are a couple of members who who have already documented their journey's so i can read up on them and ask questions etc etc and it will ultimately lead to saving another beautiful Lancia.

[HFStuart]

I used pro-strip who also offer a collection and return service. Their process usies phosphoric acid which leaves a protectinve coating. Mine has been bare since 2018 and although there's some very light surface rust it wipes off with a cloth covered in jenolite.

Regards the condition I can 100% promise you it's worse than you think  - but it's not as bad as you fear.  It will look daunting but I've learned so much during my resotration there are bits I'd happiliy tackle now that would (indeed did) scare the bejesus out of me when I first started. The only downside is I look back at some of the first bits and know I could do them better now.

[HFStuart]

it will ultimately lead to saving another beautiful Lancia.

Yes, that bit.

[deks]

it will ultimately lead to saving another beautiful Lancia.

Yes, that bit.

thanks for advice. Prostrip are near Lincoln which is who I was looking at

I am sure it will be worse than it looks but that is kind of what we need I feel otherwise we might be leaving rust behind that comes back to haunt. Can you tell me what it cost you. Also as I am lazy can you look me to a thread if you've done one so I can add it to the list of make look at threads

[peteracs]

Hi

On the issue of the body after dipping, as Stuart says with ProStrip you can leave, but I just had it done once and John, the body guy, primed it to keep any rust off before any work was done.

As to ProStrip being in Lincoln (or near), yes you can deliver there, but the work is actually done in Nottingham. We had the body on a dolly which was transported by a guy with a trailer to them, but as Stuart says they did offer a collection service for him.

I had the car done in in two batches (main body, then doors, tailgate and bonnet). Not necessary to do it this way, it was how we ended up doing it, so cost more, but that was how it unfolded. The cost for the body was around £1250 from memory, but simply ring them and ask and they will give you a quote.

Peter

[deks]

Hi

On the issue of the body after dipping, as Stuart says with ProStrip you can leave, but I just had it done once and John, the body guy, primed it to keep any rust off before any work was done.

As to ProStrip being in Lincoln (or near), yes you can deliver there, but the work is actually done in Nottingham. We had the body on a dolly which was transported by a guy with a trailer to them, but as Stuart says they did offer a collection service for him.

I had the car done in in two batches (main body, then doors, tailgate and bonnet). Not necessary to do it this way, it was how we ended up doing it, so cost more, but that was how it unfolded. The cost for the body was around £1250 from memory, but simply ring them and ask and they will give you a quote.

Peter

Once again, Thanks Peter for info.  I have to say the one thing I keep forgetting about is the boot bonnet and doors and must remember to strip them out before I send the car off 

I accept the price will vary as everyones requirements are different it was just to get a ball park figure so I know what I am roughly looking at so I can plan timescales etc etc.
As luck would have it for me I have hand a bit of a windfall with some unexpected money coming my ways at least it means I can progress forwards earlier than I expected
I need to speak to them as well to understand how they expect the car to be delivered and on what as its currently as you can see sitting on a spit frame which I wouldn't be comfortable sending it and pretty sure that isn't helpful to them either.

[peteracs]

Hi

Depending on your timing, the dolly I have on the HPE would become available and could be adapted to suit. It is on wheels and was what was used to send the body to Prostrip, though they will remove it when they receive the car is my understanding.

Peter

[deks]

Hi

Depending on your timing, the dolly I have on the HPE would become available and could be adapted to suit. It is on wheels and was what was used to send the body to Prostrip, though they will remove it when they receive the car is my understanding.

Peter

Have you got a pic of it Peter. Then I can see what I need. I think I have an idea but good to know. Might be a worthwhile investment just for ease of use when working on it.

[deks]

So I have been busy stripping the car this week. I think I am almost done. I have a brake pipe fuel pipe and check for any plastic clips bungs etc then it should be ready for the dippers.
Ive labelled up as much as I can and taken loads of pictures. Ive found an additional relay installed which runs to the cooling fan, Ive found a burnt wire behind the fuse box that wasn't connected to anything and Ive have several wires inside the car that have been added but seem to not go to anything.  The fuse box connectors have been out before as its marked up. Lots of evidence of resprays and a few rodent homes found, one in front crossmember and one in the housing for the brake lever into servo unit.

[peteracs]

Hi

Here is the car on the dolly. Front fixings are to the rack fixing, rear is to the rear seat mounts which is not that useful to you so you could use the suspension crossmember fixings.

Peter