Believe it or not, the Lancia Beta Montecarlo started life as a Fiat. Codenamed X1/8, the car was a Pininfarina styling study designed to be a new Fiat sports car. At the same time, rival stylists Bertone were working on Project X1/9, a smaller and more delicate design that ultimately became the one chosen by Fiat. 

But all was not lost. The X1/8 was still considered beautiful, and with Lancia needing a new sports model to not only expand its range but also give it something to base its next rally car on as a successor to the Stratos.

Thus, the Beta Montecarlo was born – not Monte Carlo as it is often mistakenly written. Introduced in 1975, the model was offered as both a Coupé and a targa-topped Spyder, the former being by far the more common. 

And that’s what we have here – a 1978 Montecarlo Coupé that was discovered as a non-runner in a barn in North Yorkshire. The current owner took it back to Essex and has managed to get it running, but this is a car that will require major restoration. Of that, make no mistake. 

Once it’s done though, this will be an achingly cool classic Lancia of a type rarely seen in the UK, especially an original right-hand-drive example. It’s also a particularly rare variant from the crossover between the Series 1 and Series 2 models, the latter of which dropped the Beta name, so it has the later car’s clear buttresses, which were modified following criticism of poor visibility in early cars.

The full history of this car is unknown, but it has certainly been about a bit. There are 16 recorded owners on the V5 and it has lived variously in Darlington, East Sussex, London and Birmingham based on the records that come with it.

Its current owner bought it as a project of his own, but with two Land Rover builds on the go, plus a selection of old military vehicles he is currently working on, the Lancia has been set aside and he has decided that it would be better if someone else saved it and took on the work. He has, however, managed to get it into a running condition.

The current owner has recently applied, and gained, historic status for the car, and will be taking possession of the new V5 imminently. It has been taxed in this manner until August 2021.

It comes with a few receipts far parts purchased in the past, including a pair of new brake callipers (Front & Rear) which are currently in the boot and an old MoT certificate from when it was last on the road a decade ago. It will, however, require a lot of work before it can safely be used on the road again. 

Nobody does a car interior like the Italians, and the Beta Montecarlo is one of the best. From its two-spoke steering wheel to its brown vinyl dashboard and olive carpets, it’s a striking and exceptionally cool cabin. 

More importantly, it’s all there. The seats are bit grubby but will clean up fine, but most of the really hard to find trim items are present and correct and in serviceable condition, which will be a godsend to whoever restores the car. Montecarlo parts are rare and expensive to come by, so a car as complete as this is well worth the work. The only item beyond rescue is the panel containing the electric window switches, but it may be possible to make one up if you can’t find a used item.

A 42-year old Lancia that’s a bit rusty? Well, there’s a shocker. In fairness to KMS 992S, it has done well to last this long, but the reality is that it will need some fairly involved body repairs. It actually looks pretty presentable from 10 paces, but on closer inspection there is filler in both rear arches and rust breaking through beneath. 

The driver’s side is the worst bit – the sills are completely shot, while there’s evidence of filler cracking off in a couple of places where the car has previously has a bodged tart-up repair. The floor on the driver’s side is also full of holes, so you’ll need to factor in the cost of making and fitting a new floorpan as well as a whole offside sill. The passenger side is better – the sills are metal for a start – but the rust in the arches and quarter panels will need attending to. 

No doubt digging further will reveal more rust, but the good news is that the suspension towers and strut tops have been repaired previously and are still strong. With some skilled metalwork and patience, the car can and should be put back to its former glory. 

It will also require a new front valance or some very careful fibreglass repairs as the original is damaged. The doors are good and can certainly be reused, while the bonnet and boot-lid (whichever is which on a mid-engined car) are both affected by localised rust but certainly not beyond repair. 

It’ll also need a full respray, but in our view this is a project that’s certainly worth doing. Montecarlo values are on the up and this car is 100% complete and honestly presented by the seller – he’s hiding nothing and selling it as a project.

The current owner acquired the Lancia with no keys, so has removed the steering column cowl in order to get to the ignition switch so it can be started with a screwdriver. Luckily, the lock set is a standard Fiat set-up so won’t be expensive to procure.

Despite years of standing idle, he managed to get the Lancia Twin Cam to fire up on fresh petrol and it sounds fabulous. The 65,915 mileage is believed to be correct, as per the sellers checks, as the condition of the interior appears to testify. 

While it starts and runs, the car can’t be driven as it currently has no brakes – the callipers are in a carrier bag in the boot, having been acquired but never fitted by a previous owner. However, the seller has also advised that the following are available to assist; New Timing belt and tensioner, new gear linkages, bushes and oil seal. There are also specialists out there who can provide the right parts to get this car back to it;s prestige, such as The Montecarlo Hospital!

It’s a brave person who will take this car on, make no mistake. But while it needs a fairly comprehensive rebuild, the good news is that most of the bits you’ll need are already there. The panels are salvageable, the interior remarkably intact and the engine running sweetly. 

There’s a lot of work here, but the Beta Montecarlo is a rapidly appreciating classic and there’s certain to be some equity to be gained from its restoration, while at the same time bringing a truly glorious and fantastically curious car back from the brink. It’s definitely worth the time and effort.