Lancia Beta Forum

hey there, thought id post some photos of our 2 projects.  slowly getting through the resto of the red coupe and then will move onto the blue one which is a much better & straighter car

Nice, blue one does look good.What are you doing for floor panels in Red? Fab or buy.

yeah the blue one is pretty straight but needs lost of engine work

the red one also looked pretty straight before we started ...... see attached but found lots of issues the more we looked

with the floor pans - couldnt find any ones to buy so have had to fabricate something.  do you know of any places to buy????

The floor pan source has come up before and when mine needed replacing the guys made there own, so suspect that is likely to be what you will need to do. The same went for the inner wings, though I have seen someone selling one of them recently, both of mine were poor and had to be significantly 'patched'. For the outer wings they do come up for sale every now and again in Europe on Ebay, I elected to buy new fibreglass ones in the UK and they came out pretty good.

Peter

I think i remember that one for sale not long ago, you beat me too it. I love the leather interior. Did you drive her home or have it trailered. Nullarbor would have been a blast in that.

no didnt drive it from WA - had it trucked over

Gday there & merry xmas - thought id share some of the progress on first coupe project

the engine has been bored, honed & with brand new pistons and rings engine fully rebuilt.  have sandblasted everything also & painted what needed it.  Engine looking really good & im happy. carbie & brakes fully reconditioned

Have cleaned up underbody and painted with body deadner and also painted rear cross member & had nuts bolts rezinced - again looking pretty good i reckon

front panels beating seems to be almost finished & we have stripped body completely - will be sent to panel beater in Jan for clean up, rust t be cut out and repaint - the Lancia Lego then begins in earnest!!!

pulled out & cleaned up lume - think we got every wire :)

taking much longer than first anticipated & no longer the quick clean up & get back on road that i originally planned

that being said very happy with progress & its coming up in way better nick that expected

bring on 2015!!!

more photos

more photos

Engine looks sensational. What did you coat the underside in looks good.

Nothing. engine has just been sandblasted and cleaned no paint at this stage. Just have a very particular mechanic with lots of time on his hands :)

Well done,  looking great.  When I think back 25 years doing mine in a 18-00 X 12-00 ft  car port,  how I envy people with space ! ! !

And the weather! Will keep the photos handy to make my spanners feel warmer over the next few months.

Looks great.

Mark

Hey the weather is not all beer and skittles over here. We've had a major cold snap come through our area, it's supposed to be nice and warm and it's been really cold, getting down to 16deg and we've been having some rain. It's just not christmas when it's cold.

got some more pics of engine & also pedal box

getting excited as the body will be sent off to panel beaters hopefully this week to cut out & fix rust

then will have complete re-spray in racing red

BTW - weather definitely not beer and skittles this weekend - 4 days of rain and cold!!! - almost as warm as UK summer

Whooo! REALLY beautiiful work!

The blue looks "good enough", but when I see the finish on the red.. Man..

Really good work, looks great :)
Keep the updates coming, will really enjoy following the restoration.
I still think your better off over there; it's not very enjoyable trying to do work on the car in the wind and rain of a winter in the uk  :(

Hey Dom, I think you should start talking to the www.motorclassica.com.au (http://www.motorclassica.com.au)" guys about showing your Beta for OCT 2015.

A Yellow Stratos won best in class for modern classic last year and that was a nut and bot resto too.

Not sure it will be in that league

Also have to get it finished, a time line and end date have been difficult

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D That looks so good. You certainly are doing an amazing job. I have stalled on mine due to time i have only got as far as bare shell and getting some bits. This year will be different i mean it and you are an inspiration.

The body was taken to panel shop this week for sandblasting and epoxy coating. Then work on the body and painting. Very exciting and can't wait to get her back.

Although must admit am a little worried as what the sandblasting may uncover

Got the red shell back from sandblasting the other week.
Unfortunately rust repairs will be substantial and costly. Not impossible but considering we have second one,
So have decided to pull apart the blue car cos its body appears to be in better shape.

 Started the dismantling yesterday of the second shell

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The 'red' shell doesn't look so bad. Can you post some pictures of the rotten bits just for info?

Will get some photos

Its not a complete waste of time just more a cost /benefit one

Have been quoted $6k+ for rust repairs so considering that will put money into better blue shell get that one on road

May / could always go back to the red one

Difficult to tell from the pics but I think most in the UK would kill for a body in as good nick as the red one looks very tidy

Have to agree, it does look pretty good if nothing has yet been done to it other than the primer.

Peter

Happy Easter. A weekend spent stripping the second shell. Still lots of rush but not in serious or structural sections(http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/04/04/bedfd74706d9abc99715e48309bd5a58.jpg)
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That looks fantastic, in the UK betas in that condition are impossible to find due to the joys of a damp climate and lots of winter road salt

Got to agree with that. It's be advertised as a winter restoration project over here.

Good to see the FBH got an outing too!

I have to agree, looks pretty solid for its age. One question, how good are the inner front wings, they look rusty from the distance pics, but are they bad or just surface rust? They tend to be a the big problem here in UK due to lack of liners and the wet/salt plus poor painting and underseal together with joins etc.

Peter

Your right peter the inner front wings and sills are pretty badly rusted. Have been patched and filled with bog so sandblasting will give us a better idea of how bad they are, will let ya know

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These are some more photos of rust in "red" shell after sandblasting and epoxy coating

As you'll see hopefully from my bad photos the rust is in all the usual spots and is not unfixable but will take time and  money to fit. Panel shops were also worried able rust in firewall and around windscreen

Hence the decision to strip the "blue" shell which has much less rust in critical sections and hopefully will be much cheaper to get A OK

Will keep ya posted

Hi

Yes, the rust around the lower windscreen is a bit of a mess and would require some new metal which would be tricky to get looking right I guess, the rest looks not so bad, just time (and money)....

Peter

Have stripped the second "blue" shell. It will be sent off to sandblaster in next week. A lot of rust but hoping that its in easier to repair areas

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The panel beating and rust repairs are coming along nicely (http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/22/4f602d5e4c8d26d52173e7ee4352d486.jpg)

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And the painting begins

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Looks pretty good. What paint code and type have you used? 851? acryllic or two component?

the rebuilding as begun & it is very exciting - the finish line is still a very long way away but is getting closer

..

You're certainly going to end up with one of the best!

That fuel tank is insane, how did you get it that good?

yep my father in law has a lot of time on his hands. using alot of that spare time to strip, sandblast, sand back and then paint the fuel tank. looks awesome doesnt it!  very funny the other week when he completed it, my son said that looks great where does go on the car?? oh up under the car so you will never see how good it looks again once installed :)  ;D

Your work looks fabulous. I'm also curious about the jig you are using? Can these be bought in the UK?

Fairly sure they can. Machine Mart?

front end went in over the weekend

I'd say looking good but that is an understatement  ;D

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...

Production line photos...?

Peter

Probably better? This car seems to be shaping up to be the best Coupe in the world.

The rebuild continues slowly

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Perfect to each detail. Really impressive  8)

Thanks everyone for the comments and encouragement.  Slowly getting there, very slowly but getting closer small steps at a time.

Headlining went in the other day which goods awesome and we are starting to install the interior and have almost finished off the boot

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Beautiful work! I am looking forward to more.

Eric
 

Absolute thing of beauty- keep up the fantastic work.

Your skills make a lost of us feel very shabby.

Mark

The tan seats seats look fabulous. Seriously impressed!

Incredibile 8)

Thanks, we fitted rear seats and finished boot off the other week.

Have also fitted insulation with the plan to install dash and engine over next few weeks

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Just perfect. What paint code did you use to finish this beauty? RossoCorsa 851? Looks like this, I used it.

What insulation is it you're using out of interest?

Very envious!

Yep rosso corsa red

The insulation is carbuilders sound deadener. Their website is here http://www.carbuilders.com.au great stuff and highly recommend it

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boot finished (almost still having issues with boot lock)

insulation complete

rear seats in & finished with seatbelts fitted

now working on the dash looking to have that in & fitted in next few weeks (lume & wiring doing our heads in)

then we can look to drop engine & transmission in

still long way to go but some small light at end of tunnel

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You have no idea how much I hate you ;)

Hi Stuart

Yes, but you do not think after all this effort he is actually going to drive it and allow some dirt to drop on to it do you......?

A stunning job, great respect and envy from this side of the world.

Peter

My plan is definitely to drive it

My father in law who has done all the work and is a genius will probably have issue with that plan

Although it is my car not his

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At least I wouldn't and actually I don't ;) Thanks to that the car after four years looks still the same :)
Really impressive.
where are you going to drive it, in VIC?

Got the dash in today

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Got the engine dropped in today. Pretty damn excited !!

Top work fella!!

Hung the doors yesterday and got radiator fitted

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[When I resprayed my Spyder,  albeit 23 years ago,   I fitted front wings before fitting doors.  Made access to wing fixing bolts easier..quote author=dommorello link=topic=2634.msg21576#msg21576 date=1464606065]
Hung the doors yesterday and got radiator fitted

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Thanks for the advice. Do expect to have to take doors off again. Had hung them to get glass trim etc on & them out of way. Will keep ya posted. Cheers

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It's taking a very very long time but we slowly slowly getting there!!

Btw the photos thankfully don't show all the small scratches and Knicks on paint that will need touch ups but as my father in law (the genius) says restos take time & ya can't rush em 😁😂

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Really impressive  8)
don't worry about the chips and so on, everyone who has done such a renovation experienced such bitter things, including me ;)

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I think I understand your question about the air filter now. That one would be wrong in the UK for a pre-facelift Coupe. However, you have the lug on the upper cross member to fit the plastic air feed. Confusing? I've got an under bonnet shot of my pre-facelift Coupe somewhere which I will try to find and post.

That would be great thanks

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Got a chance to take some photo's for you this morning. Both of these cars are 1800 coupes. Blue is a 75 and green/yellow is a 76, i have another 75 that also has the rear only intake. As yours has the mount for the intake at the front i would assume that was part of the change from 1800 to 2000.

The blue one

I have never seen such a set up before. Here you can see how it does look in a common european version. There are two inlets: rear for cold temperatures and front for warm. Control is by mean of a thermostat or sometimes manual.

Every S1 1800 i have seen has only had the rear inlet, which you would think given our climate here would not be the way to go and is maybe why they changed it.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but that sort of makes sense to me.

On the early EU cars as per the photo with Lukas, you have to manually select, via the top of the air filter housing, winter (rear of engine near exhaust) or summer setting (inlet from front of car). The Oz version is probably because you never have low enough temps to warrant the two positions. On the dommorello car it has the temp controlled intake which automatically should switch from rear to the front according to the temp of the inlet air? This system was used on all facelift carb cars AFAIK.

Peter

The photo posted by Lukas is the standard series 2 pre-facelift set up in Europe. Interesting that the Australian version has a feed from the front but goes into the back of the filter housing. As Peter says, probably to avoid the bother of manually turning the cover.

Or taking into account Australian temperatures Italians hoped that such a long hose would work as intercooler ;)

Thinking about this and the amount of dust in out of city Oz, Is there something like a pre filter at the entrance to the flexi tube which would explain why it is like that?

Peter

Flexi tube is not factory but a lot of early ones here have some kind of front air piping fitted, original is intake pipe coming from over exhaust headers straight into airbox same as the rear intake of the euro cars. I used to run an additional filter pod on the front as well. Quite a difference in performance over having hot air from exhaust.

OK thanks for all the responses and now I don't feel so stupid. Seems to be no "standard" or if there is no one has that anymore. Still can't believe how any variants not just of his but almost every part/setup on these cars!! Makes it fun to restore 👍😉

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I still wouldn't have the late set up on an early car though. I think one of the early two intake filter boxes would look best if you can get one.

It's a total mystery to me why Australian spec cars wouldn't have a cold air intake. Any ideas? Less dust drawn in?

I would suspect it's something to do with emission regs

HP reduction ;)

Slow work has slowed to a crawl due to Xmas. But we started the engine yesterday and to my amazement ( and think my father in law was even more surprised) it fired up and ran on first attempt. Need some tuning but pretty happy. Also got car back from trimmers with interior & carpets all installed.  Still waiting on door trims.

https://vimeo.com/197813345 (https://vimeo.com/197813345)

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Still the most amazing Beta Restoration I have seen keep going.

Eric

more than lovely :)

It would be worth organising a Betameeta in Oz just to have a look! Beautiful work.

Mark

I would love it even I will not have my beta with me there...

Looks amazing!! Same colour that I am planning to paint mine too. :)

Can't wait to see this on the road!

Took it on its maiden journey over last weekend. Mind you it was only around the garden. Engine runs well and all gears working!  Anyway few minor issues still to do but can see light at end of tunnel. Now just to get roadworthy certificate and rego (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170124/1fd3974cdd294008042f2190eb0378ef.jpg)

beauty :)
So probably you will not attend the upcoming ALR meeting at Westerfolds Park?

No wont be there this Sunday, working on last few things to get RWC. Hoping that it will be on road by March (fingers crossed)

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So we good the thumbs up and received roadworthy certificate the other day. Now just need to get rego sorted and should have her maiden road going voyage in next week or two!!! Been a long three years and two cars later we have a completed restoration and fairly good looking car. (biased opinion obviously) 

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well done anyway :)

Car is now road registered and will be driven to panel beaters this week for last few minor touch ups. Expect to have it on road by end of March!!!

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Fantastic- a brief maiden voyage video clip would go down pretty well on here I am sure.

Mark

Will definitely put up video of maiden voyage!

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Havent got a video as yet but took her for a quick spin around the block yesterday. Baby steps at the moment but everything going to plan albeit very slowly
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very nice

Outstanding!

Are you going to refit the mirrors and original headlights?

well done, a true concourse example. Are you going to show it somewhere e.g. motorclassica?

No to the mirrors - thankfully passed roadworthy without them so will keep em off unless made to

We couldn't source two matching single headlights - and ultimately like these twin lights more

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Motorclassica is an option and will probably enter it - still months away and will look to drive it a bit between now and then 👌

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will love to see your baby ;)

Nice day for a country drive!!!(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170610/d972a2778f4ebd6fa4d011e8a7421adc.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170610/8afe45ac9d69a13132374b08b6dd2a6a.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170610/4f7aafc0b1bb037973bb0f866941fd27.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170610/46507832df7a54e6747e937d4a7b3523.jpg)

Excellent  :)

All that work paying off. Superb.

I am almost sure I saw your beauty this afternoon on Lygon Street... :)
fabulous

Yep that was me on Lygon street the other Sunday. It was a big day! After three and half years she finally came home. Only a few minor things to be finished off now

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I saw your beta today at the Mailing Road show. I must say it is fabulous. You did a great job. This is one of the best restored cars I have seen so far. Much better than many project cars finished by professional workshops... My honest congrats.

Thanks Luke. Making road was a good day and was very chuffed to have her out that day. Cheers

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