Beta Sedan stuff

[Rem1100]

Our family had a '77 Beta Sedan from new. Kept it long enough for me to learn how to drive on it in 1989. Sold in 1991. (see Beta Sedan registry thread)

I have some original Lancia Beta sales flyers and brochures. I'd be happy to scan and post flyers for the 1975 and 1977 Beta Sedans (Series I and II, respectively), if anyone is interested.

[1,6 HF]

Even if no one asks, it'd be great to have those brochures scanned for the library, if you have a chance. No one ever needs it until they need it, if you know what I mean.

[Rem1100]

Even if no one asks, it'd be great to have those brochures scanned for the library, if you have a chance. No one ever needs it until they need it, if you know what I mean.

I uploaded the 1975 and 1977 Beta Sedan sales flyers to the Beta library here. Got a message that the Admin needs to "approve" the content. Keep an eye out for when they are made public.

If they go over well, I can scan in my 1977 full line Beta brochure (including Scorpion) at some later date.

If anyone is interested in long, rambling stories of one family's 13 year odyssey of owning a Beta Sedan in the U.S. - let me know. Oh yeah - we had a Fiat and a Renault when I was a kid, too.

[SubGothius]

Oh yeah - we had a Fiat and a Renault when I was a kid, too.

In my family, it was an off-white 1969 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe, then a blood-red 1971 edition of the same model, then a metallic-green 1979 Fiat Brava wagon. Getting a Lancia was one way I could manage to do better than my father in some regard. :)

[1,6 HF]

In my family, it was an off-white 1969 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe, then a blood-red 1971 edition of the same model, then a metallic-green 1979 Fiat Brava wagon. Getting a Lancia was one way I could manage to do better than my father in some regard. :)

Paging Dr. Freud...

[davidb]

As I've related here before Rem my 1ST Lancia was a '78
Sedan bought new. Only option was A/C. Only mods made
was de-smogging w/header & ANSA from there back. 78+K
enjoyable/troublefree miles. Only complaint was lack of HP.
I might have flyers/brochures floating around my house too!

[Rem1100]

As I've related here before Rem my 1ST Lancia was a '78
Sedan bought new. Only option was A/C. Only mods made
was de-smogging w/header & ANSA from there back. 78+K
enjoyable/troublefree miles. Only complaint was lack of HP.
I might have flyers/brochures floating around my house too!

Wow! I can't imagine a troublefree Beta experience, but I guess it was possible! Congratulations!

Like your car, our Beta Sedan was de-smogged and used either ANSA or FAZA exhausts over the years. However, our Beta Sedan was not reliable, and also required frequent maintenance. We kept the car for 13 years, but it was only used as a "family car" for about 5 years. When we sold it in 1991, I believe the total mileage was under 70K.

Our Beta Sedan split a fuel hose under the hood within a week of purchase. Thanks to quick thinking on part of my dad, disaster was averted. The car required significant rust repair (above the windshield)within a year of purchase - and my dad had to fight tooth and nail with Fiat/Lancia USA to get them to cover it under warranty. Head gaskets and ball joints had to be monitored and replaced religiously. The exhaust manifold heat shield would often loosen and rattle. The shift linkage coupling disintegrated and needed to be replaced. Went through a few thermostats. Experienced brake caliper failure. The factory Pirellis became defective (shifted belts) and had to be replaced early. The back-up light switch died. Etc, etc, etc.

After 13 years of being in a "Beta family", I'm left feeling like some Jaguar owners - when everything is perfect, it's perfect. But when things go bad - it's real bad!

[davidb]

Rem: thanks for replying. Bought new my Sedan was under warrenty,
breifly [12K]. I quickly established a "family" relationship w/my local
dealer [shop manager] as I really didn't trust the car initially. I'm
anal re: vehicle maintenace which they appreciated. I paid for valve
adjustment & 4 wheel alignment + other things every 5K miles. They
made alot of money off me but knew I was a perfectionist that loved
that car + I worked on it myself on ocassion. The dealership treated
me like a prince. The demise, reason to sell, was my stupid mistake
of putting EP sulfer gear oil in. It didn't take long to start eating the
gears/synchros. They wanted $1.4K to re-do things, I traded it in for
a FULLY equipped '81 Coupe. W/F.I., now that was a car! That said I
still miss that Sedan. Drove it year 'round here in Missouri, salt roads
you name it. Nary a hint of rust, reliable, troublefree. If all Betas were
like my Sedan Lancia would still be in the U.S.A. Shame . . .

[Rem1100]

You had the right formula - establishing a good relationship with a reputable dealer and maintaining the car religiously. However, many Fiat/Lancia dealers weren't that great, with some being outright crooks.

My father bought the car new from a very reputable dealer, whom he had bought other foreign makes from previously. Sadly, the poor economic conditions back then drove that dealer under by 1980-81. After Lancia withdrew from the US in 1982, obtaining spare parts became more of a challenge and things sort of spiralled from there. Fortunately, we had other family cars by then.

I can actually count all of the Beta Sedans I've ever seen in person: 9, including ours. Four of them were at the dealership we bought from. I passed on a nice Beta Sedan 2000 automatic that was for sale around 1990 or so. The Beta Sedan was quite a car, and I found it enjoyable to drive - even though our car was beyond its prime by then.

Thanks for sharing your Beta story. I'm glad some owners had more luck than we did, but even so, I don't think our family would have missed the opportunity to own such a unique car.

Tell us about you 81 Beta Coupe FI... (inquiring minds want to know!)

[ckeen74]

Were you at the Concours d'Lemons this year? I talked to a guy there whose family had had one when he was growing up in CT.

I'm a current owner, have no relationship with any dealer, and driving it has been interesting so far. Still have a few things I want to do on it, but I think it'll be more fun on backroads then on the freeway.

[Rem1100]

Were you at the Concours d'Lemons this year? I talked to a guy there whose family had had one when he was growing up in CT.

I'm a current owner, have no relationship with any dealer, and driving it has been interesting so far. Still have a few things I want to do on it, but I think it'll be more fun on backroads then on the freeway.

Not me. Our Beta Sedan was Sahara Beige with rust/brown interior. The car was purchased new from Continental Motors in Plainfield, NJ. The car spent its life in NJ until we sold it in 1991. Don't know where it is now...

IIRC, the Beta 1800 was turning something like 3500 RPM at 60MPH - not exactly leisurely cruising.

[67alloy]

Hi, Hope I am not hijacking your thread....
I have a Beta Saloon hood in good shape if anyone needs one or would like a spare.
I'll give it awhile (its in the attic) before it goes to the scrapper. Maybe someone needs one?
PM if interested.

[ckeen74]

What color? Location? Any rust?

My hood was given a crappy repaint at some point, so if yours matches my car, we might have a deal.

[67alloy]

Black, Milwaukee, Light dent

[LanciaDave]

Well, that's kinda close to blue. How bad (and where) is the dent? Do you have any idea what greyhound shipping would be to 97071 in Oregon? Is it rustfree? Mine has a little in the corner.

Thanks,
Dave Decker
Woodburn, OR. USA

[ckeen74]

My car's maroon, so black wouldn't be an improvement unless I was going for the 70s rally look. Hmm... black hood, big foglights, knobby tires... I guess I'll pass. Too much other stuff going on with that car.