Can you share body panels between 77 and 82 Betas ?

[Randy Adams]

I had a 76 coupe as my first shield and flag car and have now owned an 81 coupe for over 14 years. I knew about the difference in the roof panels. I always assumed it was a very subtle change to secure more rear headroom in a car that really has extremely marginal space in the back. I never thought about a possible quest for structural improvement. As it is, my coupe is not a paragon of rigidity. I learned quite a while ago to be sure to pull head-on into my rather steep driveway apron because I can hear the body twist a bit if I take it at an angle (with one front wheel elevating first). My car is a quite rust-free California car. By contrast, my ancient 1958 Flaminia berlina can go up the apron at an angle with no audible body flexing at all, though I try to remember not to do this in light of its age and scarcity.

[alan]

unfortunately know nothing about the flavia thing, and I don't think I have any literature with info either

[alan]

you could be right about headroom but it doesn't seem to me that the centre of the roof is much higher on the later version only the sides (???), I am sure that the reason is lost with the passage of time