About the cars

BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO THE LANCIA BETA MONTECARLO

The Montecarlo was the first car both designed, engineered and manufactured from scratch by Pininfarina at their works in Turin. So, despite having a slightly modified Lancia Beta drivetrain, suspension components shared with the diminutive little brother X1/9, plus a scattering of Fiat 124 and Ferrari components, it is truly a Pininfarina creation. The Turin coachbuilder’s unmistakable DNA seen in the Montecarlo is evident in much more exotic cars penned by the styling house. The car’s notable designers are Paolo Martin, who created the lines, the interior and many of the details, and Dr. Renato Sconfienza, who was the principle engineer responsible for layout/packaging/chassis/etc. Today, Martin himself owns a Montecarlo and has joined in with the Montecarlo Consortium on our European event of 2019.

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Dr Sconfienza was chief engineer at Pininfarina from 1963 where his first engineering project was the 330 GTE. He also did the engineering on every Ferrari-Daytona/BB512/Testarossa/etc through to the eighties. His ‘baby’ and one of his favorite projects was the Montecarlo. He is quoted as saying that Sergio Pininfarina was so proud of the car that he wanted his name in script and hence the badge located on both of the sides of the car.

The Montecarlo is bursting with the design passion associated with Pininfarina; study the lines carefully and you will recognise that. Although clean and sharp in its angles, there isn’t a straight line on the car! Signature design details are of course the rear buttresses, that were tweaked in the wind-tunnel; and look at the top of the door as it lifts up towards the A-pillar. Now look at the Gamma that came years later…

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Not only in design, but in the engineering, the Montecarlo boasted many firsts for a motor industry gradually revolutionizing into the computer age. The body was one of the first cars where digitizing of the data meant that the presses were made according to the design, and not dependent on the skill of a clay modeler, resulting in a structure that is precisely symmetrical; something that is rare until quite recently.

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The design was extensively tested in a wind-tunnel to reduce drag, wind noise and, crucially for a mid-engined car, to ensure the air-flow to the engine bay was efficient and provided the induction system with a stream of cool air when the car is moving. Other firsts include the bonded glass all round, and the first car ever to have frameless windscreen as a result. The targa roof on the spider was also a Pininfarina patent, where the fabric part cleverly rolls up and disappears under the C-pillar rollover bar cap. Inside, the dash panel that sweeps round and extends onto the doors with those side bolsters (which hide the door catch lever) are pure 1970’s supercar styling.

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THE MONTECARLO MODELS

There were essentially three mass produced models: The first series cars (S1) which are recogniseable by having 13” ‘bowtie’ wheels, and a front grille that is more reminiscent of the Betas. These were produced from 1975 until 1978 and were available in the UK from April 1977, in both coupe and the spider, which has a full-roof fabric sunroof that rolls away under the C-pillar rollover bar cap.  The Series 1 was first marketed as a the Lancia Beta Montecarlo.

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The second series cars (S2) are distinguished outside by 14” wheels that look similar to the 8-spoke Beta coupe wheels, but they are not identical in several ways and are not, as such, interchangeable without the use of spacers. The S2 also had a front grille similar to the new Delta model of the time and also had a different rear badge with simply Montecarlo, dropping the Beta label. Inside, the S2 cars were fitted with a Momo steering wheel, replacing the 2-spoke Paulo Martin designed wheel of the first series. S2 cars were available in the UK with air conditioning. Both S1 and S2 cars use the 2l twin-cam very similar to the Beta Coupe producing 120 bhp, however the S2 used a different cylinder head with increased compression to give more torque lower down. S2 production was from 1980 until 1981 and was also available in both coupe and spider. The Series 2 cars were simply known as the Lancia Montecarlo.

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The third model is the Lancia Scorpion, which was only sold in the USA, where the name Montecarlo was already being used by Chevrolet! The Scorpion was built for only two years; 1976 and 1977. It had a smaller 1800 twincam plus the period smog equipment which slowed it down even more. All Scorpions were the convertible spider configuration, and differed from the Montecarlo in several ways. The ride height was higher to meet US crash regulations, and the moulded plastic bumpers were replaced by alloy alternatives also to meet local regulations. The headlights are also completely different, using round units which are raised in their ‘pods’ to the regulatory height when in use. In the movie Herbie goes to Montecarlo, Herbie actually falls in love with the (modified) Scorpion called Giselle!

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On top of these basic models there are of course the 037 cars; either Rally or Stradale. These 220 or so cars were built in 1981 and 1982 and ultimately won the world rally championship in 1983, making history as the last rear wheel drive car to take the championship. These cars deserve a whole page of their own, but for here it is enough to note that the Montecarlo passenger compartment was the central core of the 037, which had bespoke spaceframe chassis front and rear.

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This of course has allowed many owners to make quite faithful replicas by using the central tub of an MOT failed Montecarlo, chop off the front and rear sections which are usually the most difficult parts to restore when severely rusty, and fabricate spaceframes as did Lancia in the 1980’s. Companies supply GRP body panels to complete the process.

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There are numerous other differences depending on year and market. For example the Scorpion and the UK RHD cars were fitted with  a rear engine lid with additional ventilation holes at the stern.

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European S1 cars, 1976 Scorpions and a handful of the first UK imports has solid ‘sail’ buttresses, while all the S2s and nearly all UK S1’s and the 1977 Scorpions had glazed rear buttresses. Tinted glass was standard on UK S2’s and clear on S1’s while European cars had tinted glass even on some of the first series.

Right-hand drive and left-hand drive bodies are essentially identical, the only difference being the steering column attachment frame and deletion or perforation of various holes in the front bulkhead. The electrical layout and wiring looms of the LHD and RHD cars is, however, completely different, with RHD cars having the relays placed in the front luggage space behind the left headlight, while LHD cars have this inside the car on the driver’s side.

HOW MANY?

Production really got going in 1975 and in 1978 only 55 of the last S1 cars rolled off the production line (possibly all RHD!?) while Pininfarina paused production to both concentrate on the Gamma and also work on the modifications that would become the S2 when production would restart in 1980, although 1981 saw the last of these.

1,214 right-hand drive cars were produced, and it is thought around 1,000 cars were imported into the UK (current estimates are that about 300 UK cars are still in existence)

First Series
LHD Spider	3221
RHD Spider	334
LHD Coupe	1625
RHD Coupe	455
Second Series
LHD Spider (154 A)	564
RHD Spider (155 A)	253
LHD Coupe (156 A)	951
RHD Coupe (157 A)	172
Total	7575

Each of the above eight categories of production reflect how Pininfarina managed their internal building process. The finished bodies wear a VIN number stamped on the bulkhead at the rear of the luggage compartment according to the FIAT corporate VIN format. In addition, each vehicle has its Pininfarina “Body Number” stamped on the panel behind the right headlight, in a series starting at 000001 for each of the categories in the above table. For example the last S1 RHD coupe will have the number 000455 stamped in this location.

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BUSTING THE MYTH

Whenever you mention Lancia Montecarlo, invariably someone will either comment that they rust like nothing else on earth, or they will claim that the brakes are dangerous causing multiple crashes.

Well, as for rust I think we can now safely say, with hindsight, that these cars are about as prone to rust as any car from the late seventies. In truth there are areas of ‘double skin’ steel around both front and rear turrets which can deteriorate quite badly without any sign of it on the outside, and that is something to be aware of, as it is more difficult to repair. Of note, nearly 30% of the cars imported to the UK are thought to be still with us, which is an order of magnitude higher than many cars of that era.

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As for the brakes, it is true that the original setup on the S1 cars  with a servo only on the front wheels (when the weight is mostly on the rear??) was not a great plan, however the good news is the servo can easily be removed and bypassed, leaving a braking system almost identical to the X1/9 which is perfectly serviceable, if not best in class. The S2 cars left the factory without the servo and feature larger discs for more feel and better braking modulation. So, owners now, some forty-plus years after production, have either removed the servo or upgraded the brakes in some way in 99% of cases.

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 BUYING A MONTECARLO

A thorough inspection of the bodywork is all important. Everything else can be sorted as the mechanical parts of the Montecarlo are relatively abundant being shared by numerous Fiats and Lancias and the prices very affordable. Extensive bodywork repairs, however, can be time consuming and very expensive if done properly.

The body design is relatively complex with several box sections and ‘double skin’ employed in all four corners to spread the load from the strut towers, and rot here can mean lots of precision fabrication and welding. The sills are also prone to corrosion inside, and there is a central ‘diaphragm’ sill that is mostly hidden from view and cannot be seen without an endoscope and this is vital for the strength of the car. The visible part of the diaphragm sill is a narrow swaged strip seen from underneath between the inner and outer sills. If the swages are not present, then your attention should be raised.

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Lift the carpets in the luggage area, inspect around the headlights, inner wings and turrets: small bubbles around the turrets could mean extensive hidden rust between the wing and the stiffener plate welded underneath. Also check the condition of the luggage compartment floor as this should be flat and not wrinkled from accident damage. With the bonnet open, take a look at the steelwork beneath the plastic noseband; this is a box section that can deteriorate and is complicated to reproduce. Likewise the front wall of the luggage compartment often suffers from the effects of road salt behind the radiator that rarely gets washed away.

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In the cabin check condition of the floor/sill joint and ensure that the areas around the seat mount points are secure. The main area here is in the passenger/driver footwells as a rubber drain pipe runs through from the scuttle and this can break with age leaking water under the carpet. Check the bottoms of the doors.

The front bonnet is a heavy piece of steel made as a skin over a frame with foam in the gap between the two which often leads to terminal corrosion around the three vents near the scuttle. Good steel bonnets are difficult to come by, but they do come up for sale occasionally, but command a good price. Repairs are possible, and the Consortium has connections where repair panels can potentially be obtained.

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The doors are fixed to a box section that is closed at the top by the front wing, and this can suffer badly at the bottom half where debris builds up between the front wing/sill and the post; if you can loosen the carpets there are access holes where you can take a peek inside, but it means removing the fixings for the carpet at least. If you own a Montecarlo, this is an area you should inspect regularly, as any accumulation of road dirt (on S1 cars without wheel arch liners) will cause trouble.

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The windscreen, side glass and rear screen are all bonded in. The side windows often become de-bonded from the body allowing rain water to run down into the floorpans and sills, so check if these seem loose as it could lead to trouble elsewhere.

The car is constructed by bringing complete sides together with all the central panels on a jig. The roof panel meets the front wings behind the Pininfarina scrip badge, which hides some pop-rivets. These were necessary as it is not possible to get a spot welder into position from both sides to make this joint. When front wings are replaced, some compromise has to be made here in most cases, as faithful replacement requires removing the scuttle, which is not for the faint-hearted, and the replacement wing is usually trimmed and joined behind the badge.

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In the engine compartment inspect the turrets for signs of patch repairs and see if any welding has been done to the cross member in front of the engine. The crossmember carries both suspension and engine loads and suffers if it has corroded from within. Strengthening the cross member is wise as they are prone to cracking and failing resulting in gear selection problems.

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Check the double-skinned inner wheel arch. Check the areas behind the rear wheels as the panel that prevents mud from being thrown up into the bumper rusts from the bumper inwards. It should have some deep rounded swage lines running horizontally around it. Run your fingers around the wheel arches to check condition here too and for signs of previous wheel arch flair repairs. Also check the condition of the lower frame of the rear window; for some reason this also can suffer resulting in water leaking into the cabin.

SPARES AVAILABILITY

The supply of steel reproduction panels is now extremely limited with the exception of floor pans, and recently sills (from Italy) although some GRP alternatives are available. Original panels are rare and are usually expensive. Bonnets in steel are not currently available so their condition is vital and really good second hand panels command a healthy price.

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There was a period in the late 90’s and up to approx. 2010 when very good, and soberly priced, reproduction steel panels were abundant. These were originally engineered by the Montecarlo guru Chad Eyton-Williams after establishing the original business called The Monte Hospital, but after Chad left the business the availability of these has all but disappeared, although some unused examples sometimes come to the market.

The rest of the car is very strong and most parts are available, in particular all brake parts, suspension parts, most electrical items, switches, motors, etc. Engine parts are readily available but some gearbox bearings are difficult to find. Series 2 glass is very scarce (except windscreens) but S1 clear glass is still available second-hand. Trim is difficult to find however some replacement fabrics are available from Italy. The spares position for the Montecarlo has historically had its ups and down and efforts are underway to improve the selection of steel parts in particular which may be needed for a serious restoration.

The Montecarlo is now in a similar position for spares to its Beta stablemates. There are also many performance parts available to upgrade brakes, suspension and engine and these are again of good quality. eBay is a good source of used parts however new panels are quite seldom.

MECHANICALS

The trusty 2-litre Fiat/Lancia twin-cam produces 120bhp at 6000rpm, with 121lb ft of torque at a handy 3500rpm; all this through a single twin-choke downdraught Weber with an automatic choke. In good condition and well-adjusted this gives excellent low speed drivability and will manage the 0-60 mph marker in 8.9 seconds, and eventually get to 120mph. Poor maintenance and periods of storage can cause problems with dirt or corrosion in the fuel tank, and it is important for the electrics and ignition system to be in good shape for this strong and reliable engine to run smoothly. Cam belts should be changed regularly to avoid a motor-killing failure, but breakages are actually quite rare.

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The engine itself is a masterpiece of design from the 1960’s and its layout allows the cylinders to breath freely, and the block is strong and yet relatively light, with steel in all the right places. The version found in the Montecarlo is unique in several ways; the angle of inclination is often cited as being different to the Betas, but according to Lancia it is also 20 degrees rearward. The mounting points are unique, as is the distributor fitted to the inlet cam. All of these mean that other blocks, heads, cams or cam-boxes can only be used with appropriate modification or alterations to other parts. Of note, the crankshaft of the Montecarlo is not the same beast that you will find in 1600 Fiat/Lancia engines as it is hardened through Nitriding and is incredibly hard and strong, certainly to race car specifications from the factory, and can take up to 1,000bhp if in good condition. General advice is avoid having it re-ground for a tuned engine (the late Guy Croft wrote in his 2013 volume that the crank must not be reground!) and be certain the plugs have been removed and the oilways cleaned of grinding material! In standard trim, the 2l engine in the Montecarlo has 41.8mm inlet valves as does the standard Beta 2l, although it is useful to note that the Fiat Strada 130TC and the Beta Volumex both used a head with 43.5mm which when matched with ‘big ports’ can be a godsend if you are into tuning.

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MODIFICATIONS

Many cars out there have a popular, and period, conversion of twin Weber 40DCNF downdraft carbs on a special manifold. This will up the power to 135- 145bhp quite easily. This conversion is often accompanied by an aftermarket airbox which makes the installation appear quite original.

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The twin cam engine responds well to tuning however, and some cars have been modified with higher compression, gas-flowed cylinder heads, hotter camshafts and side draft DCOE carbs to deliver anything up to about 190bhp. For the more adventurous home mechanic another appropriate upgrade is to use the Beta Volumex engine with supercharger and large valve head, and these can be running at anything between 150 and 230bhp depending on how exotic the set-up. And then there are the V6 conversions, but they are a chapter for themselves…

The front headlights were never the very best and replacements have been scarce, so many cars have attained so-called quad light conversions of one type or another, making the front aspect more reminiscent of the 037 rally cars. Some of these conversions require alterations to the plastic nose corners while others are less involved.

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TEST DRIVING

Turning the key, the starter may not always turn on first attempt and instead just make a click from behind you. This is indicative of a high resistance in the starter circuit, and could be the wiring anywhere from the steering column switch to the engine bay, but it could be the starter solenoid itself. Methodical process of elimination should fix this, but often cleaning contacts, installing new earth straps or a ‘helper’ relay will be enough. But changing the starter to a reduction geared ‘WOSP’ item also has a tendency to fix this for good.

Moving away it feels like the brakes are on? Well, the brake calipers on all four corners use a chromed steel piston in an alloy caliper. If sitting around outside not being driven, these can suffer from corrosion causing the brakes to seize up – frequently in the ‘on’ state causing overheating of the brakes and disc. Brake parts are readily available and cheap, while bleeding the brakes can be a bit of a pain though.

On the move, the gear change should be direct and positive. If it feels sloppy and metallic ‘knocks’ when selecting gears, then it is likely that one of the plastic bushes is broken or missing. There are six small plastic bushes, and they cost just a few pounds. This is a part that should be changed once in a while to prevent failure at an inconvenient moment!

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At motorway speeds, a ‘moaning’ sound that changes volume under load is likely the differential output bearings: cheap to buy, but requires gearbox out and disassembly to change by someone who knows what they are doing. The gearbox is, however usually trouble free if well looked after, with 2^nd gear synchro probably the weakest point.

Cabin noise in an unmodified car is not too bad for a mid-engined car, although after-market carbs and exhaust will increase the noise levels in most cases. Improvements in sound deadening of the rear bulkhead behind the seats helps.

The handling should be direct and nimble with excellent steering and crisp response to inputs. The standard road-springs are by no means stiff, and provide a comfortable ride and a moderate amount of body movement. Many cars are fitted with after-market stiffer progressive springs which make for a firmer ride and ever so slightly lower stance on its wheels.

During cornering, if the car makes a small change of attitude once the suspension is loaded up on one side, this is likely one of the four ball-joints (one at each corner) that is moving more than it should. Easy to fix, however rears are more expensive to rectify.

The steering geometry and wheel alignment is critically dependent on the condition of the six rubber ‘silent-blocks’. If these are original and failing, the toe-in can go way out and so it is prudent to replace these before spending good money on wheel alignment. Stiffer polyurethane bushes are available for all of the OE rubber components.

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Any electrics not working, chances are it is a bad earth or corroded pin in a connector block. There are a number of earth points with multiple spade connection points and a bad earth return causes all sorts of issues. Bizarrely, the dipped beam headlights are not activated through a relay, and the full current passes through the dash mounted switch and the steering column mounted dip switch. The latter has small contacts for this current and can overheat and fail when you least need it to, so many cars are fitted with after-market relays on this and several other circuits to improve performance.

LIVING WITH A MONTECARLO

The Montecarlo is a lovely and easy car to live with. Of course any car that is 40 years old is going to have issues, but if you enjoy looking for things to do in terms of preventative maintenance, or if you have a really good friend or mechanic that can understand these cars then they are extremely reliable. In 2019, twelve Montecarlos made the tour from the UK to Italy and Switzerland through France, clocking up a total of around 30,000 miles and the only issues were a leaking water pump, an oil leak and a failed gear linkage bush. Failed items were repaired in the car park or on the side of the road; such is the combined competence and camaraderie of the Montecarlo Consortium.

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Possibly as a result of the car missing out on further development by Lancia (with the exception of the brake changes on the S2), many owners have modified and improved their cars to give better performance, handling or reliability. It is therefore no coincidence that the Montecarlo Consortium welcomes all owners; modifications are admired as much as originality – the important thing being that the cars are enjoyed and preserved!

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Supporting the Montecarlo owners are a number of specialized parts suppliers in the UK with other hard to find parts also available from a couple of suppliers in the USA. Italy has its own network of parts and competence, and as the years progress we are making more links into that market too. If you need mechanical services, then the Consortium know and includes professionals able to undertake many jobs or challenges.
There are probably between 100 and 200 cars on the road in the UK, and within the Club are professional and serious amateur mechanics with decades of experience. Almost every problem or fault has happened before, so someone will know the answer, or be able to give advice.

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