Gee Jim, how do you get them so clean?

[Jim Keller]

A question always asked when I am around other Beta owners, so, here is how I do it:

I take it apart.......

[Jim Keller]

And apart........

[Jim Keller]

And apart.......

[Jim Keller]

Aaaand apart........<sigh>

[Jim Keller]

I hate myself for creating so much unnecessary work, cussing, swearing and carrying on, getting cut, scratched, nicked and severly injured, (my bad spine of course), reaching in areas my hands and arms don't fit, twisting around into various forms of a pretzel, scrubbing, power washing and meticulously putting everything back together as it was new or better, spending way too much time digging around thru all my "saved over the years" hardware to have all shinny bolts, ground blocks etc.......and re-wiring for perfect electronicals, mechanicals and such so I never have to EVER tear it down like that again!...to make them look like this

But the real reason I tear them down and clean like that is I can nopt STAND to get greasy working on cars! LOL

Keep in mind, the van's engine blowing up couple weeks ago is why not everything looks like new yet, had to have a car so I tossed the last few bits on without detailing them, I'll get to them next winter when I take it all apart again for the body and paint, gotta drive it now! Woo! Hoo! and I must say, it is running and driving better, (with the most fantasticly well working electrics and heat system I have ever had in a Beta), than at anytime during my two times of owning it! ha ha ha

[Jim Keller]

I'll get more done after Christmas when I take her to my retired racer buddies body shop

[Frezer]

Nice work! Now that's how an engine bay should look.

Funny to see Lancia managed to relocate almost every secondary component compared to the Euro cars. Probably an effort to keep factory work less monotone.

[JERRY PATRICK]

Guys, I've seen this car a couple times over the past 3-4 months and WOW does it look different!! Jim, good job. Years of grease, gunk, etc... Looks like you have to strip them down and CLEAN. Lookin Good. Jerry

[Charley]

Hey Jim!!! Ya missed a spot!!.....just kidding.;)

[Jim Keller]

Ha ha ha,
Thanks guy's, it was a shitload of effort to get this far......and frustration as is normal on these cars! LOL

Yes Freezer, I was looking at the red Coupe on viva Lancia for sale with the ricaro interior and noticed many of the small things reversed too and found it rather interesting, enough so I spent more time looking at and comparing the little things in the engine bay than the rest of the pictures! LOL.....I'ed like to have that car, it looks sweet and I am pretty sure from my past experiance with the Ricaro buckets, they would be much more comfortable for me than the soft springy stock seats.

Thanks Jerry, it was a cruddy greasy mess wasn't it! LOL, but to be honest, it normally takes me much longer to clean them like that as I typically only take one section apart at a time OVER a period of time, however, since I found pretty much everything was bad, (electrically as well as mechanically), I just ripped it totally apart this time and fixed everything as I put it back together, so it was a bit extreem on the tear it all down at once thing this time, (I got carried away so to speak), I got very confused too, many times, during that operation! thank god for lots of pictures of my past cars and full factory manuals, especially the wiring manual with full color fold out showing me where the wiring was run in the car with terminal connectors all numbered and labled, I'ed never got it back together without that wiring manual! ha ha

Oh yea Charlie! I misssed way more than one spot! ha ha, but it's summer! it HAD to get off the jack stands! LOL........next winter, we'll get more.......promise! (:-)

But right now, we have a splendid day and my three year old is already asking if we can go ride in the "white car", so we'll be putting the miles on her today

[DJ]

Guys, I've seen this car a couple times over the past 3-4 months and WOW does it look different!! Jim, good job. Years of grease, gunk, etc... Looks like you have to strip them down and CLEAN. Lookin Good. Jerry

Yep. It's looking almost ready for me to come pick up. Let me know when to schedule, Jim. Make sure you get all that rust repaired though. Wouldn't want it to spontaneously combust in our dry Colorado air...

I've already bought a "new" Italian driver but, heck, I'll still take the old bucket off your hands. :D