My Beta restoration

[Nigel]

Alan,
Regarding the age of Carls shell, I noticed in the last video that
the front subframe rear mount has the triangle protrusions fitted.
These, I thought, were fitted later, when the bolt position was moved forward.

Strangely, my 83 car doesn't have these. This might illustrate how random the
cars were assembled for different markets.

Nigel

[Carlwil10]

Thanks for the replies, im starting to think that maybe the engine and subframe came out of a different  car.

Carl

[rossocorsa]

Alan,
Regarding the age of Carls shell, I noticed in the last video that
the front subframe rear mount has the triangle protrusions fitted.
These, I thought, were fitted later, when the bolt position was moved forward.

Strangely, my 83 car doesn't have these. This might illustrate how random the
cars were assembled for different markets.

Nigel

I'm not sure, beta specs are really confusing. I thought that the major subframe changes were from series 2 pre facelift which this is. I just think I've got everything straight in my head and something else turns up. Re the roof it's possible that it was a very late pre facelift so a crossover car. I believe the later roof was possibly intended to improve headroom. I did check the parts books and there was no mention of different roof panels that I could see.
Regarding the rest of the shell it definitely looks like a pre facelift, single piece rear panel for example.

[rossocorsa]

Hi Carl

Yes that front wishbone is off a self levelling car, just not yours.....  it does not appear to be attached to anything?

Also your lights are the Carello ones, I think you would need Siem ones to get the levelling.

Peter

If this is a 2 litre (I'm thinking I saw that it was but I get different cars mixed up in my head sometimes)it will have originally had oblong glassed in lights so the lights are from another car. I don't remember which way round it is but there were two variations on the oblong lights one self leveling and one not,made by carello or siem depending. The round lights on later cars are different again, I seen to remember that you could get carello ones to fit self levelling which had different fittings, it all gets so confusing.

[Carlwil10]

My cars originally a 1600 according to the log book but its had a 2000 fitted.

Carl

[rossocorsa]

My cars originally a 1600 according to the log book but its had a 2000 fitted.

Carl

So in that case lights are probably original, they probably swapped out the whole subframe assembly etc from a 2 litre HPE which would explain the spurious self leveling bits?

[Carlwil10]

Yes I think this is probably the case. 😃👍

Carl

[Carlwil10]

I think its safe to say my engine is scrap

Carl

[rossocorsa]

Looks like low compression pistons as they don't look like they have any dome? Robore and new pistons would be expensive. If it is a 2 litre it is worth checking the crank. They are difficult to get hold of in good condition these days so well worth keeping if it is still good.

[betabuoy]

The crankshaft could still be valuable if it’s been sitting in oil and has not been machined.

[peteracs]

Hi

I think Steve’s (Deks) engine is looking like an option?

Having been through the clean/rebore/new pistons and rods, not a cheap solution, much less expensive to buy a working engine, though that does come with its unknowns.

Peter

[Ferrit]

I was about to say the same.  If his engine still has oil in it?  Wondering if you can drain it and somehow mix it up and take a sample for an analysis?  Camera down the bores?

[Ferrit]

I was about to say the same.  If his engine still has oil in it?  Wondering if you can drain it and somehow mix it up and take a sample for an analysis?  Camera down the bores?

Not taking inflation into vx account, how much Peter?

[peteracs]

I was about to say the same.  If his engine still has oil in it?  Wondering if you can drain it and somehow mix it up and take a sample for an analysis?  Camera down the bores?

I understood Steve ran the engine before stripping the car.

Peter

[deks]

I was about to say the same.  If his engine still has oil in it?  Wondering if you can drain it and somehow mix it up and take a sample for an analysis?  Camera down the bores?

I have removed hundreds of engines from cars over my years and never have I drained the oil from the engine prior to doing so, except in this case. I can say though its been out of the car for a year but its under cover in the garage and on an engine stand off the floor. 


If Carl is interested it is available but this engine I dont believe is original to the car and although it had a carb on it when I bought the car the fuel pump was electric and there is nowhere on the block to fit a mechanical pump. The distributor is in the correct place but I also have one on the end of the camshaft that isnt in use. This tells me this engine was probably originally  an IE engine.   Before I removed the engine I had it running for a period of time and left it running for a fair time to ensure it didnt overheat and the fans were working as they should.