Here's your chance...

[DJ]

to convert your Scorpion or Montecarlo to a more civilized road car. :eek:

See eBay item here (http://search.ebay.com/120363212642).

[pabeaver]

I saw that yesterday. That is one scary looking lump, especially if one had to repair it (needed parts).

[1,6 HF]

seems cheap for a boat anchor...

[Ed P]

I remember back in the day even Lancia disavowed that trans just a year or two after it was introduced. All of a sudden no parts were available, seems like they just wished they all would go away!

We used to joke what did you expect from an Italian designed transmission made by the French??? Only thing worse would have been the British getting involved in it somehow!

But seriously, I did think occasionally about making one of my Scorpions into an auto trans Scorpion just for the uniqueness of it.

Ed

[1,6 HF]

...We used to joke what did you expect from an Italian designed transmission made by the French??? Only thing worse would have been the British getting involved in it somehow!

Little did you know that the joke was on you. The auto box was designed by the British--AP--and it was built by Lancia themselves; nothing to do with the French.

[SubGothius]

Geez, even the final drive on that thing isn't worth a damn -- 4.846:1! :eek:

[davidb]

I can't figure why people even advertise these trannys. Back in the
day my St. Louis dealer had 3 new Sedans to choose from. 2 auto,
one manual. I bought the 5-spd. During the warrenty period those
autos were constantly in the shop according to the service manager.
Once the warrenty expired both owners sold them back to the dealer
for pennies on the $. Manager told me those auto trannys were the
worst pieces of junk he'd ever encountered in his lengthy career.

[Will]

Ed's (Levin) statements are accurate AFAIK, accordingf to what I remember reading in Brian Long's book. I would think that would be worth something, simply on the basis of rarity or as donor parts.

[1,6 HF]

Ed's (Levin) statements are accurate AFAIK, accordingf to what I remember reading in Brian Long's book. I would think that would be worth something, simply on the basis of rarity or as donor parts.

Both Long and Weernink describe the same 'parentage'.

In any case, I think that donor parts would be the only conceivable reason for acquiring a Beta slush box, and the universe of people who need parts to keep their automatic Beta on the road must be miniscule.

Rarity in itself is little basis for value. 10 year-old dog turds, for example, are extremely rare.

[Will]

Rarity in itself is little basis for value. 10 year-old dog turds, for example, are extremely rare.

Yeah, but by the same token people pay half a million bucks for postage stamps they don't plan on mailing letters with, or as you are aware in your business, they occasionally shell out a small fortune for a rare book they will never read. When I checked the auction it was for fifty bucks- hard for me to imagine that box isn't saleable for at least a few hunded just on the basis of rarity, but we will see. :)

[DJ]

...hard for me to imagine that box isn't saleable for at least a few hunded just on the basis of rarity, but we will see. :)

I think you should buy it, Will. Probably make a cool coffee table. ;)

[1,6 HF]

Yeah, but by the same token people pay half a million bucks for postage stamps they don't plan on mailing letters with, or as you are aware in your business, they occasionally shell out a small fortune for a rare book they will never read. When I checked the auction it was for fifty bucks- hard for me to imagine that box isn't saleable for at least a few hunded just on the basis of rarity, but we will see. :)

Actually, I deal with rare books quite a bit. Sometimes they're very valuable because they're very rare, and sometimes they're very rare because they were typographic toilet paper at the time and no one ever bought them--nor wants them now.

Hard for me to imagine anyone would pay a few hundred bucks (plus shipping, of course) for that oversized paperweight--it'd take one hell of a stamp album to paste that into. But, as you say, we will see.