My last Beta has gone - R.I.P.

[Keith Turner]

Well it has gone, sadly on breakers truck I could not keep it any longer & I got no takers, what was it? a Beta Sedan S3, pretty rare probably only one of about 50 RHD models manufactured, all made of the worst rot prone steel, Russian so folklore has it. A few bits have survived, the rear lights,a rear screen with the hole for the rear wiper, & the rear wiper motor etc. & the unique black & silver rear Lancia badge. A great pity I preferred it to my Trevis but it just rusted faster than I could fix it, S3's could rust in places no other cars would. All I have left now is a Y10 Fila Fire, my last Lancia?

Ah Well!

[Gilles]

I have seen a new project on a frensh magazine, a new Fulvia coupe based on the Barchetta.
It should be launched in 2004, if fiat is still alive.
Save money keith to buy a rust proof Lancia.
Regards.

[keith turner]

They may be more rust proof now but have they sorted Italian electrics, more of an Achilles heel than rust. Usual problem using the wrong metals for connectors, poorly plated steel & brass if your lucky, bit of damp instant corrosion! build quality still something of an issue. I still have my Y10 luckily it was drowned in rustproofer when new & is still solid, some slight cosmetic rust but good for its age (1988).

[Franco]

Hey Keith!

All car marks have weaknesses. Italian cars doesen`t deserve all the negative caracteristics that they got.
Lancia is a highquality car, I and my family have drove Lancias since the early 50s. Our Lancias have never let us down, yes they has rusted a bit but not more than other marks. I think you should get Lancia one more chanse, why dont buy a Thema s3?

Regards Franco

[Keith Turner]

MMM but I don't like the stories I hear about these later engines seem to have problems the old twincams never suffered.
I have had a lot of Italian cars over the years. I passed my driving test in a Fiat 750 Coupe,
I had a Fiat 128 Familiare (did I spel that rite?) aSupermirafiore 1600 Panorama, Lancias 1600 Beta coupe, 2000 Beta coupe, 2000BetaHPE, Trevi 2000, Beta 2000 S2 Sedan,Beta 1600 S2 Sedan, Beta 1600 S3 Sedan Trevi Volumex & finally a Y10 Fila Fire & enjoyed them all. I still have the Y10 but now a couple of old Jaguars lurk in my garage - I think I like cars which are a great design but somehow flawed by questionable build quality & a tendancy to rust, but parts for the Jags are still available thanks to the Company supporting the classic movement through JDHT The see it as a source of income something Fiat/Lancia etc never have, once a Fiat is over 10 years old you are on your own, Fiat don't want to know.
Porsche also support their older models. Why not Fiat/Lancia? In fact the actively discourage it I approached Carello to see if Trevi Hedlamps could be remanufactured but Fiat prevented them & deliberately destroyed the tooling to make sure. Fiat say that once a car is over 10 years old it is old technology & not safe in modern traffic you should get a new one & that's that!
bet this causes a few comments if anybody reads it .