Lancia Beta Forum

I've owned a '76 1.6 Coupe [PFG 76R] and an '80 2.0 HPE [in South Africa]
and i'm in the market for another coupe or HPE, preferably a 1600 as it's the
nicest engine.
I worked for Lancia dealer JD Ross in Etchinghill,nr Folkestone for 2 years as a mech until they closed.
The '76 Coupe was a trade-in,on which i managed to get for £500 [back in 1983] Wings were shot so I 'stole'
a pair from a scheme-scrapped '74 coupe which had new ones!

The HPE was a bute, did around 150k kms in that. I changed the big-end shells in situ when it started
to rumble on start-up, problem solved. I also re-upholsted this one in grey leather myself using my
old and trusty Singer. Sad, but no pics.

Anyway, i'll be looking out for a suitable car from now on.

Oh, and i'm in Sittingbourne,Kent.

Cheers, Nige

Welcome to the forum Nigel, so you never managed to shake the Lancia bug? Even after all these years :)

There are a few cars available at the moment but I think most are 2000 cars.
I'd have to agree with you and I think most on here that have had both 1600/2000 would agree the 1600 lumps are the preferred choice.

There are plenty of folk on here willing to help out with advice once you have found a suitable car. But I'm sure it will all come flooding back once you start looking under the bonnet and having a tinker about.

It's a constant conundrum this 1.6 vs 2.0. When I had a 1.6 , admittedly a berlina, I found it rather lacking in torque but turbine smooth keeping up with more modern traffic was quite hard work as it had to be kept on the boil all the time. The 2.0 engine is gruff in comparison but with lots more torque I think in terms of smoothness the injection version offers a nice compromise however I've often wondered just how nice a 1.6 volumex would have been if such a thing had ever existed?

I like the 1600 (in the Coupe is my reference) and the need to keep it on the boil to get the best out of it (it's a proper Italian way of driving).  

For me, it is similar to the rewards when driving a turbo driven car and keeping it spooled up to the right speed to avoid the lag to get the proper oomph out of it.  

When you get it right, it puts a massive smile on the face .... and if it's in a Lancia then it's even better  ;D

Matt

What you are describing of course is the standard 2000 being reluctant to rev due the the long stroke and heavy flywheel. Of course with some after market tuning including a lightened flywheel the 2000 is transformed and provides the torque to add extra interest in acceleration. Of course I am hugely biased as I have a tuned 2000 in my Montecarlo and would not put money into tuning a 1600.

Cheers

Eric  :)

You are correct Eric, but with the 1600 you get that from a stock engine! :) :)

Although one of my standard 2000 coupes from years ago was an absolute rocket (ALH555Y) and revved like a 1600 (or maybe a modified 2 ltr!!)

I just found the 1.6 embarrassing at times could keep ahead of hatches around corners but even revving the nuts off it no chance against the most Luke warm of Chav-mobiles in a straight line.

ive not driven a std or modified 2000 but i feel that my std 1600coupe is lively, youve got to rev it and keep it buzzing. i know people have their cars for different reasons, i used to have mk1 n mk2 escorts with race cams n twin 48s! nowadays i like em to be more drivable/useable in traffic. i see my cars as classics when i was younger i had a strada 105TC i drove it flat out everywhere my beta is nothing like to drive but seems to accelerate faster(from what i recall!) i put that down to the weight, whats a beta coupe a bit over 900kg i shud think?

from drive-ability point of view I suppose the 2 litres have an edge mainly because of the much wider spread of torque, 1600 is sweeter at high revs fun but hard work at times. The injection 2 litre is a good compromise more eager and refined than a carb 2 litre, volumex has just lovely low down torque but is not all that eager to rev in standard form