I have a (maybe one of the last in the country) Lancia Beta Saloon 1600 (NLJ 21M) and was wondering if the engine would go in my Fiat 128. I believe the engine is DOHC, haven't opened the bonnet in 10 years! I can attach some photos if anyone is interested. PS going to Spain in a few days and will, as usual, take my camera and photograph a few breakers yards stock if anyone needs and bits! Will the 5 speed box go in from the lancia? Many thanks in advance. I will be donating to the site.

pics please of yer beta!

you want to take the engine out a car which by your own admission is one of the last in the country!!?! or have you got plans for the beta as well!?!

Can you post some pics of your 128 sport please
i have 5 128`s a rally 2 door project,a 17k from new unwelded mint 1975 special saloon,ex fiat challange 3p racecar and 2x 128 sl coupes plus a 850 coupe ,127 sport and 1300gt
i love them all they are like my children
it`s always nice to find another 128 sport owner

That's about as early a Beta saloon as you'll find today, a very rare car indeed and it would seem a shame to take the engine out of it when the engines are easy enough to come by Although they don't attract as good a price as the coupe/spyder/HPE the saloon (ok, sedan) is becoming collectable and if that's a good one then it would be worth preserving it or popping it on www.mylancia.co.uk or www.lancisti.net to help find it a new home - if you don't want it that is.

All Betas had twincam engines ranging from 1300 to 2000 supercharged but they were inclined to fit under the bonnet and this makes them tricky for fitting into other installations, a 1600 from another Fiat of the same vintage would probably be a better choice for the 128.

The 1600 is a particularly nice engine and likes revving, but the engines need a great deal of care when it comes to the bottom end and if you're determined to fit that engine to the 128 I'd urge you, strongly, to strip it right down and rebuild it with as many new bits as you can..... and with a baffled sump fitted as oil surge across the sump is a killer of the engine.

Have fun

just to let you know,that a twin cam into 128 is not the easiest of jobs,better to try an x19 1500 or an uno turbo,goes in a wee bit easier.


i think it would be a shame to chop that beta for the engine, to be totally honest.

Hi mate from australia. Im currently doing what you are wanting to and this is the link to it
Cheers
https://www.fiatforum.com/other-fiats/104552-fiat-128-2-0l-conversion.html
http://www.turbo124.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=5091
http://www.turbo124.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=5076

i hope the amount of of work that is needed to do this conversion has put you off,and remember that year of beta has a different 1600 cc fiat twin cam than all the later 1600 tc's that were made.

OK, that's put me off, what modern, readily available fiat engine > 1400 and which 5 speed box will fit, what about puntos? I know they have an ecu and fuel injection, but you could easily carb it and use a spark creator box?? Is there a nice engine around 1500 that they do? Ritmo/stradas are a bit hard to source now. Many thanks in advance.

fiat x19 engine

sell the lancia here

http://retrorides.proboards86.com/index.cgi?board=general

or here

http://retrorides.proboards86.com/index.cgi?board=general

please please dont chop the lancia

The twink is a heavy lump so to retain the 'lightweight' nature of the 128 I'd go with 20vturbos' suggestion of a 1500 engine from an X1/9 or, if you can find one, the same lump from a Strada or a Lancia Delta 1.5LX

Plenty of scope available to lift that 1500 lump well over the original 85bhp and if my recollection is sound the Strada/Delta running gear was based on the 128 anyway so should be a reasonably good fit

dialup_2001 said:

OK, that's put me off, what modern, readily available fiat engine > 1400 and which 5 speed box will fit, what about puntos? I know they have an ecu and fuel injection, but you could easily carb it and use a spark creator box?? Is there a nice engine around 1500 that they do? Ritmo/stradas are a bit hard to source now. Many thanks in advance.

Click to expand...

i think about the tipo/tempra engines

why? not as easy to fit and get tunning parts for,and not much if any more powerful than an x19 engine.

Agreed - the 1500, as suggested, represents the best choice IMHO

Stradas and Deltas may be thin on the road but plenty still in scrappies

And what is the easiest 5 speed box to put it? Is there any modification apart from maybe linkage?

If you go down the 1500 route I'd have guessed that the standard 5 speed 'box will do nicely So engine and box required from a Delta/Strada/etc

Linkage may take a bit of sorting but as I said before the Delta/Strada were developments of the 128 so in theory it should be relatively straight forward...... in theory

What luck!!!! I though the engine's rocker cover was a bit funny looking and wondered why the air cleaner box have barely any clearance!!! The thing's already got an x1/9 engine in it!!!!!!! How lucky am I.
The exhaust is rotted through and so Zero Exhausts in Ashford are making me up a complete new system in stainless steel for £300-£400 but if I want them to make a new manifold, they want £600 just for that!!!
Bogg Brothers are making me up a new inlet manifold for £180 in aluminium to hold the four yahama R1 carburetors I'm putting on it.
I still need a five speed box, would a X1/9 one fit and what modification would I need? Many thanks.