Can you share body panels between 77 and 82 Betas ?

[Rohan]

I'm just about to embark on a rather fool-hardy project of restoring a Beta for tarmac rallies. As a result this will, no doubt, be the first of many email questions on this bulletin board !

My first question is a very fundamental one, as I haven't even received the workshop manual yet. I'm hoping to use a '77 Beta for the basic chassis and internals, but panels from an '82 where needed, so I was wondering if anyone knows whether you can use body panels from an '82 Beta on a '77 chassis? In particular, can you remove the roof and door pillar arrangement from the chassis of the '77 and replace it with that from an '82 ?

Thanks

Rohan

[Rohan]

I've managed to answer my own question - didn't realise that the car was a 'monocoque' bodyshell construction so the roof and door panels are an integral part of the chassis.

I've another question though. When assessing if a bodyshell is sound, are there any particular locations you need to have a good look at (eg. sub-frame mountings) ?

Also still wondering if you can interchange things such as the bonnet, boot, front wheel arches between older (77) and newer (82) Betas.

Rohan

[leo]

Hello Rohan,
The answer is yes but as always there are snags. The bonnet hinges changed for the post 1979 cars - they will fit the earlier car but the grille may not fit over them. The bumpers on the later cars are longer and so the lower part of the wings is slightly different, but presumably your car will not have bumpers. I believe the roof is the same so would fit (if you could remove it!!).

Leo

[alan cooper]

actually on early coupes roof is different having rounded edges later series two cars and later have squared of edges

[alan cooper]

.....the front valance also bolts together differently with the front wings so you can only use early wings with an early valance

[we]

Alan well spotted. I have an early coupe and the roof is exatly as described. Front valance can be adapted.

[leo]

Wow, not a lot of people know that - I bet!
I knew about the front valance overlapping rather than butt jointing but the roof is news to me. Is it just for extra headroom like the Prisma/Delta difference?

Leo

[we]

Do not know why the roof is different. I would say it is a style difference only. Maybe because of manufacturing procedure. Does look good either way and only the edges at the top are different.

[alan cooper]

I would suspect that the later roof is stiffer, they also changed the rear panel from one piece to two piece which again I suspect is to stiffen the structure although also possibly to ease repairs by allowing replacement of valance only rather than the whole panel

[leo]

Alan,
Apologies for changing the subject here but have you seen my posting on the Flavia topics? I am pretty certain that you will have seen it, but just checking as you are probably a likely contributor.

Hoping you can help, Leo