proposal for a Lancia Beta Consortium

[Mark Wastnidge]

The parts produced by Beta Boyz has been a good step forward since the group was started back in 2002 . With the profits being used to fund tooling of other projects and to help support the group promote the Beta at events like the NEC Classic Car Show.

I feel that the group has reached that point in time where it is getting more and more difficult to find capital for future projects. We are looking at figures from £500 to well over a £1000 per project and money like that is very difficult to come by. Sales during 2006 has not been anything like that of previous years and therefore no new products have been made. The idea of getting people interested in prepaying for new projects, e.g. the sunroof surround, almost died before it started.

My proposal is the forming of a Consortium, with its main purpose is to gain capital to start new projects and complete ideas that are already in the pipeline. Hopefully as well as parts coming from the Consortium, maybe a social side will emerge from the support of its members.

Funding will come initially from a joining fee and a membership fee for the first year and then an annual subscription there after. Parting money from Beta owners is notoriously difficult and that is why the Beta is where it is today, so come on invest in your car through the Consortium. We are looking at a joining fee of £50 and subs of £30 pa . I can here those minds screeching with pain. Try to remember that for every 10 or 20 people who join in the first year, one major project could be started and maybe completed.

So I hear you say ‘well what will I get for my subscription?’ The primary aim is to get parts made that are needed to keep our favourite cars on the road, so I propose a scheme where by heavy discounts are made on any part we produce. An example could be that a set of polyurethane bushes being purchased close to cost price. Please remember that discount will vary from part to part. You have to understand that a persons parts need may not be met in the first year or even the second year, it all depends on the number of membership and the funds this brings.

There would be a limit to the amount of discount though as this could be open to abuse. For example if subs were £50 pa, the total amount of discount that year would be, say, £100. If not all that discount was used it could be rolled over to the next year.

Those Beta owners that are not members of the Consortium would pay full retail price.

2007 is the Lancia Beta’s 35th anniversary , so this would be an excellent opportunity for the forming of this Consortium and going onto celebrate further birthdays in years to come.

Please remember that this is only a proposal and that your feedback is crucial if we are to succeed in getting things right. The question you have to be asking yourself is “Do I want my Beta to survive?”

Thank you for taking the time to read this and if you have any comments please contact us at betaboyz@msn.com .

Mark Wastnidge
www.betaboyz@msn.com

[Fintan]

Hi Mark,

Sounds good to me. I gave up on the LMC last year , couldn't listen to the rantings of Jack Romano
any more and the last issue I received looked exactly the same as the first. I made several attempts to contact them by email but I suspect they havn't embraced modern technology yet.
Anyway I would be quite happy to support any beta venture as long as it is not focussed completely on the coupe. I have a Trevi myself and I am still looking for the other person! 50 sounds OK, It would be nice to get 20 people to get started.

Best of luck
Fintan

[Paul Duncan]

Yeah I'm in, the more reproduction parts for the Beta around the better, and the nice thing is with a lot of the mechanicals is that they are compatible between models. That's a lot in Pacific pesos (NZ dollars) but I think it's worth it.

[Mark Wastnidge]

Thank you for your comments.
On the Beta Boyz forum we have put a page for you to fill in so you can give your part requirements.
Feel free to enter something, we need to know what you want.

Regards
Mark

[william vd Sman]

Dear mark,
I'm the owner of an early 1592 Beta coupe'. The car is now 32 years old and the shocks are finished. For Beta's in general but maybe even more for the early insert struts the availability for reasonably priced replacements is about zero. (to my knowledge only Leda makes shocks for the Beta to order but at a price.
For your information you may find it nice to know that I'm working with Spax at the moment to develop an fitting insert to replace the original. To good Spax practice it will be adjustable (From the enginebay).
If everything works out as planned the Beta will be put in the Spax application list.

[Randy Adams]

I agree this is a major problem for all Betas. Someone in Canada currently has Spax inserts listed on eBay which are represented to fit on Lancia 1978 and on, no model designated. The auction ends in six hours. Are these actually for the Delta (which was never sold in North America)?

Regarding the Beta, I have a 1981 model. Do these later cars use different struts than the earlier cars? Do they not use inserts?

[alan cooper]

later cars use sealed units not sure when the change was made but think it was around the change to series 2 FL1 on coupés and of course many earlier cars will have had later units used a s replacements by now as well, if you can find any second hand early refillable struts, however past it the inserts are, they are worth getting hold of

[Randy Adams]

Thanks Alan. That's useful to know.