1978 Lancia Beta Montecarlo Series 1 Spider
The subject of a £38,000 restoration from 2007-2011

Registration No: WHB 665T
Chassis No: 137AS0003852
MOT: May 2021

• 1 of just 334 RHD Series 1 Spiders thought to have been made, ultra-rare Verde Metalizzato livery
• Current ownership since 2005 and the subject to an extensive marque specialist restoration from 2007 - 2011 at a cost of some £38,000
• The work was carried out by Day & Whites Automotive of Brands Hatch with John Day also being responsible for overhauling and updating the original engine to circa 150bhp
• Subtly uprated with a sports exhaust, twin Weber DCNF 40 carburettors, Koni shock absorbers and more potent brakes
• Maintained since its rejuvenation by Omicron of Norwich and Revivals of Thriplow
• History file includes numerous bills and photographs chronicling the restoration

Introduced at the 1975 Geneva Salon, the Lancia Beta Montecarlo was designed and built by Pininfarina (the two-seater’s rakish silhouette was the work of Paolo Martin whose other credits included the Fiat 130 Coupe, Ferrari Modulo Concept Car and Rolls-Royce Camargue). A mid-engined sports car with its roots in the Italian Carrozzeria's Abarth 030 and Fiat X1/8 (later X1/20) projects, the newcomer was tenuously linked to the rest of the Lancia Beta range via some shared drivetrain components. Equipped with all-round independent coil-sprung suspension, front / rear anti-roll bars, rack and pinion steering and four-wheel disc brakes, the Monte Carlo was powered by a 1995cc (120bhp) DOHC four-cylinder engine allied to five-speed manual transmission. Praised by the contemporary motoring press for its Ferrari-esque styling and nimble handling, the model could be had in coupe or spider guises. Relaunched in 1980 after a brief production hiatus, the Montecarlo Series 2 was visually distinguished by a new grille, door mirrors and wheels etc. While, under the skin it had benefited from improved brakes, more engine torque and some 70kg worth of weight saving. Tipping the scales at just 970kg, the revised two-seater was reputedly capable of 0-60mph in 9 seconds and 120mph. Of the 7,595 Montecarlos sold worldwide, just 334 Series 1 Spiders are thought to have been made to RHD specification.

Attracted by its striking colour (only a very few UK-supplied cars are thought to have been originally finished in Verde Metalizzato), the vendor purchased ‘WHB 665T’ off eBay as a rough runner during 2005 for circa £1,100. Unbeknownst to him, the Lancia had been declared a Category C insurance write-off seven years earlier when Montecarlo values were a fraction of what they are today. Determined to have the two-seater brought back to its former glory, he enlisted the services of marque specialist Day & Whites of Brands Hatch (the same firm that are currently restoring Harry Metcalfe’s Fulvia) in 2007 for what turned out to be a four-year and £38,000 project! We have spoken to John Day who has confirmed that the original bodyshell was carefully stripped and acid dipped before being restored with new floor pans, sills, rear inner and outer wings, rear suspension turrets and door frame repair kits not to mention a replacement noseband support panel and rear screen channel etc. Indeed, Mr Day said that in hindsight it would have been much easier (and cheaper) to re-shell ‘WHB 665T’ using the Azzuro Blue Series 1 Coupe which the vendor had acquired as a source of spares! The factory-fitted engine was extensively overhauled by John Day and uprated with twin Weber 40DCNF carburettors to develop circa 150bhp (30bhp more than standard). The brakes and suspension were similarly upgraded but otherwise the Montecarlo was returned to standard specification. Kept garaged and subjected to fair weather use only, ‘WHB 665T’ has covered some 8,000 post-refurbishment miles. Regularly MOT tested and maintained by marque specialist Omicron of Norwich and more recently Revivals of Thriplow over the past decade, the two-seater is variously described by the vendor as being in ‘good’ (interior trim), ‘very good’ (engine, five-speed manual gearbox, electrical equipment) or ‘excellent’ (bodywork, paintwork) condition. Sounding decidedly rorty thanks to a sports exhaust, this rare surviving Series 1 Spider is worthy of close inspection.

Offered for sale with V5C registration document and a wealth of bills and photographs documenting the restoration.

For more information, please contact:
Damian Jones
damian.jones@handh.co.uk
07855 493737