Barn find!

[Allora#2]

i was searching a engine for my 037 project and found this
a Beta Coupe VX from 1985
first owner only 25000 KM standing from 1993
it's too good to dismantle the engine so i have decide to restore it!
so my next project LA Beta VX.

Enzo :cool:

[peteracs]

Hi Enzo

Looks in great condition for one having been stored so long, is there much rust on it, from the pictures it looks remarkably rust free, though that can always be deceptive from a picture?

What is the interior condition like?

Peter

[Guy Mayers]

I had two HPE VX's in years gone past and loved them. Unfortunately both succumbed to tinwork unlike my first Beta HPE from 1978 that was solid until the day it was written off by a reversing truck....The Stratos was actually a donor for the second HPE when the engine in it dropped a valve! The damaged engine was rebuilt by Barry Waterhouse and was the third engine in the chassis and the first to run in the car!

Guy

[Allora#2]

Hi Peter,
it's 99,9% rust free look some detail pictures
also the interior is like new with the rare Recaro seats!
and the engine bay
i have also never seen a Beta like this condition.

[Fingers]

My VX coupe was the car I loved the most, I had it 15 years drove it everyday and it never let me down. The only car I really miss.

[Monte76]

Well done Enzo, the car deserves to be restored, please keep us posted on your progress.

Vince.

[Allora#2]

yes Vince,
i post the progress here
today i open the trunk and there was a lot of spare parts in it
and i have found the last license plate with ended MOT 4/1993

[Allora#2]

i found some more rust but the doors are rust free! ;)

[Guy Mayers]

For an 80's Beta that's never been restored that's in remarkable condition! Well worth saving!

Guy

[turbonutter]

That car is in fantastic condition for its age, way better than the one I scrapped in the 90's

[ProtoTipo]

Did they all have Recaros, or was it an extra cost option?
Excuse my VX ignorance!

[Guy Mayers]

Coupe had the Recaro interior, HPE had a more normal seat but with similar material, slightly lighter shade. Not sure what the Trevi VX had Chris. The Coupe seats are notorious for wearing out as you look at them! Just sliding in and out of the seat causes them to fall apart so the condition of these supports the very low mileage on this car. Approx 15k miles!

Guy

[Allora#2]

this are the rust i find now after dismantled!
tomorrow i take out the front and rear windows and on monday it goes to paint shop :p

[Fingers]

Also have a look in the rear aches where the brake lines are attached, they held on to muck and would rust right through into the boot on some cars. Beta Boys in the UK used to do reproduction parts, not sure if they still do, but they have a forum with lots of good info. And Lancisti.net is another good resource, as is lancia-beta.de.

I've never seen a coupe with the recaro front seats, apparently we got the coupes that didn't sell in the UK, and none here have those seats. Nobody really seems to know for sure how many we got down here, I've heard 12 from a pretty reliable source, to up to 80 VX coupes. I don't believe the latter as I thought they only made 150 right hand drive VX coupes. 1292 made all up.

[Allora#2]

Lancia produced 1272 Coupé VX most were left-hand drive
(only 186 right-hand drive HPEs and around 150 RHD Coupés were imported to the UK,
however the car was also sold in some other RHD markets so exact RHD production remains unknown)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancia_Beta
i found another rust under the front window! :(
and some goodies are arrived an Ansa Sport silencer and Lancia Delta rims
i found a picture like this rims on a Beta, so will do this rims on my Beta. :)

[Fingers]

That's right, 1272, not 1292, memory is not what it used to be. I've always wanted to see those wheels on a coupe. I like them.

[Guy Mayers]

Also suit 124 Spiders.....

[Allora#2]

now it's gone to paint shop!

[ChrisCar6]

You don't waste time, do you?

[Fingers]

You don't waste time, do you?

Exactly what I was thinking!

[][\/][ajor]

Exactly what I was thinking!

Ditto!

I think those wheels are the same as what I had on my Delta HF Turbo. I'll try and find a pic.

[Fingers]

Yeah, they're Delta wheels, had them on my integrale too. I looked into them for my VX coupe when I was lusting after an integrale.

[Allora#2]

You don't waste time, do you?

no i will not lose too much time, the life it's to short to drive cars like all.
so the tyres are arrived and mounted!
i hope it comes back fast! in red.
but it stay the engine work need to open and give a look to the innards.

Enzo :p

[Allora#2]

i was searching a engine for my 037 project and found this
a Beta Coupe VX from 1985
first owner only 25000 KM standing from 1993
it's too good to dismantle the engine so i have decide to restore it!
so my next project LA Beta VX.

Enzo :cool:

but i need always a Volumex engine!
so i bought the next Beta VX
also to good do dismantle it, but this will disassembled :(
it is hard but i need the engine for the 037 project.

[Fingers]

I had good results with my VX coupe by fitting a Guy Croft IIIA inlet cam and 45DCOE, still very driveable with a lot more torque and higher revving top end. Man I miss that car!

[Allora#2]

now it's back from paintshop and we can start to reassemble it!
this is my favorite job. ;)

[Allora#2]

some progress!

[Guy Mayers]

Looking good Enzo! Glad you didn't break it for the engine!

Any progress with the 037 to tell us about or is all your time being spent on this.

Guy

[john]

Really great to see this, Enzo.
Keep up the good work!

[Allora#2]

Looking good Enzo! Glad you didn't break it for the engine!

Any progress with the 037 to tell us about or is all your time being spent on this.

Guy

Hi Guy,
no i spend the time only this moment on the Beta, after the work on Mario Allora Stratos (axle and exhaust modified)
because i wait for some parts for an Delta Gr.A my next work here in my garage.
The 037 will be for winter, than we start the welding orgies.

Please don't forget it's only my hobby my business is a fuelstation 7 days the week and 365 days the year! ;)

[Allora#2]

here some goodies from the green VX,
Koni dampers with 35mm springs and
an 4-2-1 exhaust manifold.

this parts will go into my red VX. :)

[Allora#2]

So i have again few hours time and installed the Koni suspension,
and discovered that the rear wheel bearings are defective,
I hope these are arrived this week.
the Beta must return back to the wheels I need the service lift,
saturday Raimund bring the STRATOS! for some modifications.....

[Allora#2]

Now it's finished! this is the engine for my Beta Volumex.

[john]

Wow! Amazing rebuild!
Got to be better than new!?
How do you get parts like the vacuum bottle/reservoir so clean?
Ultrasonic?

[Jeff]

Lovely Enzo ... looks superb.

[Allora#2]

Thanks Jeff,
now the old engine is out, and the new one is finished to mount! :o

[Allora#2]

it's back in the engine bay!

[Sando]

Beauty.

[Allora#2]

finally finished! need only MOT :o

[Guy Mayers]

That's stunning Enzo, wish I had time to come see it after Techno Classica in a couple of weeks but suspect it'll be impossible to slip away from Dormagen in the time we've got!

Guy

[Stratie.fr]

That's really a great job and a very nice car with a stunning engine!
Congrats Enzo
Frederic

[Allora#2]

Purchased in 2013, he stood 20 years (since 1993) logged off in a garage,
one owner and 25538 KM on the speedometer!
Now in 2017 he is back on the road.
Thanks to all who helped me with Lancia parts.
Enzo

[Lancialulu]

My favourite Beta!

[Guy Mayers]

Stunning Enzo!

[red5]

That does look really nice, always loved the shape of the Beta Coupe, well done.

Is the interior as nice as the exterior?

[NoCorseChris]

Lovely work Enzo. I had a 2.0 I.E. Coupe for a good few years and loved it.

[Rotor1]

Great job Enzo! It's really encouraging to see these increasingly rarer beauties being preserved. I am trying with my own 130tc. I know it's not a Lancia, but close enough for me!

[Allora#2]

That does look really nice, always loved the shape of the Beta Coupe, well done.

Is the interior as nice as the exterior?

i hope!
the interior with original recaro seats! I think not so many are sold with them in the 80'

[Guy Mayers]

It's the standard seat and material (Ermengildo Zegna) on the Coupe but not the HPE Enzo. At least in the UK. The material is very fragile and wears easily. You've probably got the best one on the planet!!

Guy

[Sproull]

It's the standard seat and material (Ermengildo Zegna) on the Coupe but not the HPE Enzo. At least in the UK. The material is very fragile and wears easily. You've probably got the best one on the planet!!

Guyc


http://www.stratosec.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=11288&stc=1&d=1495091823

Looks good as new.

[Allora#2]

Thanks!
first test under race conditions
my friend drive them on hill climb in Ransel (Germany)
finished 4 in class and 10 overall from 190 cars!!! :)

https://www.ransel-classics.de/page/03/ergebnislisten/2017/Klasse8.pdf

https://www.ransel-classics.de/page/03/ergebnislisten/2017/Modus1.pdf