Still the 'Intelligent Alternative' - 1975-1982 Lancia Beta

Lancia was facing enormous challenges when its engineers began work on a replacement for the long-in-the-tooth Flavia series in the first days of 1970. This would be the first new Lancia since the financially ailing company's takeover by Fiat three months earlier, and would have to be ready for its unveiling in just three years. With time and money in short supply, could the company come up with a medium-sized sedan that would live up to Lancia's reputation for style and sophistication?

The Lancisti fretted that the new car would be a Fiat in all but name, especially when they discovered that it would have a Fiat twin-cam four under the hood. But the car that ex-Fiat engineer Sergio Camuffo and his team created lived up to its pedigree; in fact, at least one influential British critic called it the best Lancia ever built. It was the vehicle by which Lancia reintroduced itself to the U.S. market, too, and the last new Lancia sold on our shores as well. In a nod to tradition, it was named the Beta.

They're certainly not a common sight on our roads today, but Betas represent a highly practical choice for today's collector. A vibrant club scene and a number of parts suppliers and specialists are there to support the owner, while the variety of variants offered for sale in the U.S.--Sedan, Coupe, Zagato and HPE--means there's a body style for just about everyone, and at affordable prices, too. (The Beta family also includes the mid-engined Montecarlo, sold over here as the Scorpion, but that car is sufficiently different to demand a buyer's guide of its own. Our West Coast editor, Jeff Koch, looked into the Zagato in detail in HS&EC #51, November 2009.)

Betas were produced from 1974 until 1984, in a huge variety of specification. Models were facelifted, and then facelifted again; a variety of engines were offered, including two different 1.6-liter fours, and no fewer than three 1.3-liters. Things are much simpler, though, from a North American perspective; Betas were sold in the U.S. from 1975 until Lancia's withdrawal in 1982, and were offered with one of just three engines: a carbureted 1.8-liter four, a carbureted 2-liter four or a fuel-injected 2-liter four.

Before we dive into the various models, a word about that engine. It was derived from the relatively new Aurelio Lampredi-designed Fiat twin-cam, which at that point was one of the world's most advanced four-cylinder production engines. Its aluminum cylinder head, with hemispherical combustion chambers, was modified by Lancia, and it helped the engine outpunch its Fiat counterpart. Like the Fulvia and Flavia before it, the Beta featured front-wheel drive; the engine was mounted transversely, and tilted back by 20 degrees to allow for a better center of gravity and a lower hood.

The Beta berlina, or sedan, was introduced at the 1972 Turin show in three flavors: The 1400 (with a 1,438cc four), the 1600 (1,592cc) and the 1800 (1,756cc). Built on a 100-inch wheelbase, the new car was acclaimed for its four-wheel disc-brake setup, its fully independent suspension, its rack-and-pinion steering and its high level of equipment, all of which contributed to its claims to sporting luxury. The styling, a five-passenger four-door that looked like a hatchback but wasn't, was done in the Fiat studios by Mario Boano, whose previous credits included the Fiat 850 Coupe and the 124 Coupe.

A Coupe version was shown at Frankfurt in September 1973, but its sale was delayed by the global oil crisis until March 1974. Styled in the Lancia studios by Aldo Castagno, the head of design, and Pietro Castagnero, its 92.6-inch wheelbase made it more of a two-plus-two than a true four-seater. It was offered in 1600 and 1800 form, with the engine's compression ratio raised from the sedan's 8.9:1 to 9.8:1, giving 108hp and 120hp, respectively. It shared no sheetmetal with the berlina.

The 1974 Geneva Motor Show saw the introduction of a convertible based on the Coupe, called the Spider. It shared the Coupe's 92.6-inch wheelbase and its engine options. Though construction of the bodies was carried out by Zagato in its factory near Milan, the styling was by Pininfarina, with a built-in roll bar, a lift-out targa panel over the front seats and a folding cloth roof over the rear seats. Mechanically identical to the Coupe, it was initially produced in 1600 and 1800 form.

A fourth version arrived in March of 1975, with the HPE, which stood for High Performance Estate. The first station wagon ever produced by Lancia, the HPE was meant for the sporting driver who wanted the ability to carry around 10.6 cubic feet of cargo behind the seats. Also styled by Castagno and Castagnero in the Lancia studios, it shared the berlina's floorpan and the Coupe's nose, and, at its introduction, was offered in 1600 and 1800 forms, its engines built to the same specification as the berlina's. Its final drive gearing was lower, giving it performance somewhere between the berlina and the Coupe.

The Beta's American story began in May 1975, when Lancia waded back into the U.S. market after an eight-year absence. The initial offerings were the berlina, marketed here as the Sedan, and the Coupe. Rather than the choice of five engines offered in the European market, both cars were equipped with the same powerplant, a desmogged, low-compression 1,756cc four that made 86 horsepower. (California, with stricter regulations, would not certify the cars until 1976.) The Beta was fully federalized, with added side marker lights and beefy, 5-MPH bumpers that contributed to a curb weight of 2,705 pounds for the Coupe, a gain of nearly 300 pounds over the European version.

ENGINE

The combination of reduced power and added weight sapped performance; still, even though the U.S. model's 0-60 time of 13.6 seconds was three seconds slower than its European counterpart, the Beta was considered a good performer. Typical of the U.S. reaction to the car was this, from the November 1975 issue of Road & Track: "The performance is brisk, the road-holding and braking are excellent, the interior comfort is above average and the styling, though not dashing, is certainly pleasing." As John Bower writes on the Lancia Beta Forum, "despite its unique chassis, suspension, interior and bodywork, for some the Beta could never be a true Lancia, but was rather a Fiat. However, those who doubt the Beta's Lancia credentials really need to drive a good example for themselves and ideally compare with the competition of the day."

The cars had barely gone on sale here when the second series of the Coupe was introduced. Like the European cars, it featured a revised dashboard and a new grille, with five bright horizontal bars running across the bottom; still, it continued with the same 1,756cc four. (The second-series Sedan, by the way, would not come stateside until 1978.) Joining the field in 1976 was the second-series HPE, offered with the same 1,756cc engine of the Coupe and Sedan.

The Sedan and the HPE left our shores after 1979, but the Coupe carried on. It was joined by the Spider, badged for American consumption as the Zagato. By that time, the automaker had managed to get a version of its Weber-carbureted, 1,995cc four certified for sale in the U.S. Rated at 87 horsepower, the new engine went into all of the Sedans, Coupes and Zagatos sold here. The other news for 1979 was the availability of a three-speed automatic transmission, which had been developed by AP, and built by Lancia. Lancia went on hiatus from the U.S. market for 1980, but returned a year later with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection on the 1,995cc four, producing 108 horsepower in federal trim. By then, the Beta name had been dropped. These cars, badged Injection in the U.S., and 2000IE elsewhere, were sold in our market until 1982, when Lancia again withdrew--so far, for good.

Our feature car, one of fewer than 4,000 first-series Coupes sold in the U.S. for 1975, is owned by Charley Jeffries of Weatherly, Pennsylvania. It's an all-original car in amazingly well preserved condition, with just 43,000 miles on the odometer.

"It's a wonderful car to drive," Charley reports. He says it makes easy work of long distances, even returning an amazing 34 miles per gallon at a steady 75 miles per hour on the highway, but it's also fully capable of keeping up with a souped-up Fiat 124 Spider on a winding road. "I've owned a variety of cars over the years, and I would say that it's as much fun, if not more fun, than the X1/9 I owned," he said. "And listening to the engine is great."

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine -- DOHC inline-four, cast-iron block and alloy head; 1,756cc/1,995cc (107.1 cu.in./121.7 cu.in.)

Horsepower -- 86 @ 6,200 RPM/87 @5,400 (2000 Injection 108 @5,500 RPM)

Torque -- 90-lbs.ft. @2,800 RPM/105-lbs.ft. @2,900 RPM (2000 Injection 114-lbs. ft. @ 2,500 RPM)

Induction system -- Single Weber two-barrel carburetor; Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection

Gearbox -- Five-speed manual, fully synchronized; three-speed automatic

0-60 MPH -- 11.5 seconds

Top speed -- 103 MPH

Length -- 167 inches

Width -- 65.0 inches

Height -- 50.6 inches

Wheelbase -- 92.6 inches

Curb weight -- 2,470 pounds

(Weight and dimensions are for the U.S.-spec Beta Coupe)

PRODUCTION

U.S. SALES*

Sedan

1800, 1975-78 -- 1,514

2000, 1978-79 -- 310

Coupe

1800, 1st Series, 1975 -- 3,722

1800, 2nd series, 1975-78 -- 4,290

2000, 1979-82 -- 2,456

Zagato

1800, 1976-78 -- 4**

2000, 1978-82 -- 2,076

HPE

1800, 1976-78 -- 1,438

2000, 1978-79 -- 152

*Total worldwide production of Beta berlinas/Sedans, Coupes, Spiders/Zagatos and HPEs between 1974 and 1984 was 387,911.

**These are believed to have been development cars.

Body

Thanks to sparing use of paint, the sparse rustproofing and the use of steel of questionable quality, unit-body Betas were once known for their penchant for dissolving. In England, the car became the punch line to a joke, thanks to the tendency of the attachment points for the front subframe to disappear.

It's pretty safe to assume that the most rust-prone examples have long since gone to the crusher, but it's still important to check all the usual places for corrosion: Floors, door bottoms, strut towers, inner front fenders, rear wheel arches and A-pillars are especially susceptible.

Some patch panels are available for various models; though NOS doors, hoods and such occasionally pop up for sale, a hunt for a good, used panel is probably the easier path.

Trim and badges can be hard to find.

Interior

Lancia used different types of interiors on the Betas over the years, but they all have one thing in common: No one is reproducing them today. Seat upholstery was generally quite durable, but it's nearly impossible to locate. On Zagatos, exposure to water can shrink the leather, pulling out the stitching and exposing the underlying foam.

Check the interior thoroughly, to make sure that nothing is missing or broken; this includes all of the switchgear, and the latch for the glove compartment door. Few interior parts are available.

Whether manual or power, window regulators use a cable and worm gear, which can wear out. A step-by-step repair guide is available at the Lancia Beta Forum.

Engine

The Fiat twin-cam is a hardy beast, and because it's so common, there's an abundant supply of parts. Jerry Lee Phillips, the head of Vick AutoSports and a Beta Coupe owner, points out that the block from a Fiat can be adapted for use in the Beta by adding a one-inch spacer to one of the engine mounting points. Owners have found that the cars will run happily on unleaded, with no signs of valve recession.

The camshafts are driven by a belt, which must be changed every three years or 30,000 miles; if it breaks with the engine running, the pistons and valves will collide--and the repair bill won't be pretty.

The same performance upgrades used on Fiats apply here. The one catch is with carburetors; aftermarket manifolds must be designed to work with the 20-degree tilt of the engine.

Transmission

If you think you've found a rare Beta with a four-speed manual, think again: All were five-speeds. Disintegrated shift rod linkage bushings can lead to bad shifting; fortunately, a kit with replacement bushings made of better-than-original Delrin plastic is available from www.fiatlancia.us. It's usual that first and second will be hard to select when the gearbox is cold, though if there's crunching, the synchros have probably had it. A stiff clutch pedal can be addressed by replacing the cable.

Clutch discs, pressure plates and throw-out bearings are all available, and are shared with various Fiat models. Clutch judder might point to worn engine mounts.

Automatic transmissions are rare, which is just as well--they blunt the car's performance, and can be trouble-prone. The recommended cure for a sick automatic is replacement with a five-speed.

Brakes and Suspension

Suspension and steering problems with Betas are nothing to be shrugged off. Diagnose wandering steering or a wallowy ride before making an offer on a car; many steering and suspension parts are nearly impossible to find. Early Betas used struts with shock inserts, while later cars had sealed units; both are hard to find. Some suspension bushings are being reproduced by Betaboyz in the U.K.

The Beta was the first Lancia with rack-and-pinion steering, and it's a durable design. The major problem is with rubber seals that split because of their nearness to the exhaust pipe. Power steering was offered, and the racks can often develop leaks. Overly heavy steering could be a sign of worn balljoints.

Betas have four-wheel disc brakes; caliper rebuild kits and reproduction discs and pads are available.

PRICE GUIDE

PARTS PRICES

Accelerator cable -- $20

Brake caliper seal kit, front -- $17

Brake rotor, front -- $45

Catalytic converter -- $215

Clutch cable -- $15

Clutch disc -- $57

Constant velocity joint, outer -- $87

Dashboard cap (1979-'82) -- $93

Grille emblem -- $40

Heater valve -- $35

Head gasket set (1979) -- $48

Parking brake cable -- $25

Pressure plate -- $72

Radiator, remanufactured -- $300

Rocker panel, outer (Coupe/HPE) -- $105

Shift bushing kit -- $99

Speedometer, NOS -- $15

Starter motor, remanufactured -- $65

Taillamp lens, NOS -- $15

Timing belt -- $17

Recent Ads

1981 Lancia Zagato: This car has been completely gone through in the past year, including new paint mixed to Lancia specs. Runs, drives, and looks great. There is no rust at all. Only driven on nice days. Car has 84,000 miles on it. Both tops in good condition. The sale also includes a parts car that is complete which also runs and drives. Looking for $10,000. (Via www.Viva-Lancia.com)

1975 Lancia Beta Coupe: Excellent restoration project. Original owner, 25,000 miles. Never hit, stored indoors since 1977. All following parts never used: Dual 42DCNFs, Alqualti intake manifold, Alqualti cams, machined aluminum pulleys, Alqualti big valve head, and copper head gasket. Bored, balanced, and O-ringed block with forged pistons. Ansa wrapped headers and exhaust. Koni shocks. Momo wheel. Front spoiler. Red leather is in excellent shape. Headliner has some holes from mice. Mostly rust-free but one very bad spot by windshield. $4,000. (Via American Lancia Club)

Viewpoint

Charley Jeffries was 11 or 12 years old when he became hooked on European sports cars, and Italian cars in particular, from watching the SCCA hillclimb in his hometown of Weatherly, Pennsylvania. In 1975, when he was about to enroll in an auto mechanics course at Williamsport Area Community College, he test-drove the new Beta Coupe. "I was in love with it, but it was way beyond my means," he says. He bought a Fiat X1/9 instead.

Eight years ago, Charley spotted this Beta Coupe for sale; owned by a collector, it had been in storage for 12 years. With the encouragement of his son Kent, he bought the car. "It's always a pleasure to drive...this car does everything," he says. He uses the car regularly; its furthest trip has been a 1,200-mile round-tripper to North Carolina for a Fiat Lancia Unlimited gathering. He reports that forgiving handling is one of the car's most outstanding features.

Charley cautions that Beta ownership isn't for the timid, and that spectators at car shows will want to talk. Do they recognize the car? "It depends on what kind of show you go to," he says. "Sometimes, it's, 'What kind of Vega is that?' I tell them, 'This is a Lancia,' and they say, 'Really? Who makes that?'"

SPECIALISTS

Betaboyz

7 Hillside

Chard, Somerset TA20 1JF

United Kingdom

01460 63921

www.lanciabetaparts.co.uk

C. Obert & Co.

2131 D Delaware Avenue

Santa Cruz, California 95060

831-423-0218

www.fiatplus.com

Classic Ricambi

7800 Wilkinson Boulevard #A87

Charlotte, North Carolina 28214

www.classicricambi.com

International Auto Parts

P.O. Box 9036

Charlottesville, Virginia 22906

800-953-0813

www.international-auto.com

Midwest Bayless Italian Auto

1333 Kingry Street

Columbus, Ohio 43211

800-241-1446

www.midwest-bayless.com

Vick AutoSports

5200 Vesta Farley Road

Fort Worth, Texas 76119

800-466-3428

www.vickauto.com

CLUB CORNER

Fiat Lancia Unlimited

P.O. Box 563

Coldwater, Michigan 49036

www.flu.org

fluforum.italiancarclub.com

Dues: $35; Membership: 1,000

American Lancia Club

c/o Neil Pering

27744 Via Ventana

Los Altos Hills, California 94022

www.americanlanciaclub.org

Dues: $45; Membership: 250

The Lancia Beta Forum

www.betaboyz.co.uk/forum/

Lancisti Community

www.lancisti.net