So my Lancia Scorpion (Montecarlo in the rest of the world) arrived last weekend. These cars are about as rare as anything out there with only 1801 cars imported from 1976-1977. The concept is really cool as these cars were a concept car designed by Pinnifarina as the X1/20 prototype for a new sports car for Fiat. Mid engined, Fiat V6 engine, upscale interior and more of a mini-exotic. Bertone also developed a car you might have heard of before (X1/9) that Fiat selected for production. But all was not lost as Fiat decided to produce the X1/20 as a Lancia but with the twin cam Lampredi engine from Beta coupe and Zagato as well as the Fiat 124. The U.S. version was a detuned 1.8 with a bunch of 70's pollution controls and only 81 horsepower verse a healthly 2.0 with 120 HP in Europe. Total product was only around 8,000 total and all the cars were built directly at Pinnifarina.
This car was found on the GRM forum. The good news is mechanically it runs and drives and has had many upgrades such as a rebuilt, performance 2.0 engine, dual DCOE 40's, Transmission rebuild, shift linkage rebuild and upgraded to Fiat 124 brakes and 15" three piece Oz wheels and a double bubble top. It does not have the typical rust being this was from the PNW, and was stored indoors. Bad news it still has some rust areas but nothing too bad and I'll end up stripping it down, doing a full repaint on it and a new interior and further upgrade the suspension and have a fun, rare exotic to add to the stable.
I've always loved these cars.
Fun fact - the center section of these is what a Lancia 037 rally car is!
Congratulations. I really wanted to buy this one, but I can live vicariously through you!
Thanks, it is a really cool car and I have always wanted one after seeing the first one at Import Carlisle. Very few of these cars are stock at this point, so I really don't feel like I am messing it up by either compressing the stock bumpers or getting a set of European bumpers for it. I also like the conversions to the quad headlights using Lancia Zagato parts. It runs strong with the the dual DCOE's, just needs a bunch of trim parts, lots or clean up and a decent paint job. They look completely different without the bumpers and with quad headlights.
There's one of these being raced in Lemons out here in NorCal. In fact, it was on Craigslist a few months ago! Sorry no pictures of it.
Excited to see where you go with this one!
I like this project already.
The double bubble roof is a good add on; I still have scratches on the top of my helmet from racing in a Montecarlo with my helmet touching the roof of the car.
So as always happens, I start with one car and up with several...... I was contacted after purchasing the white Scorpion by someone who read about it on our forum and wanted to know if I wanted another one. Long story but the guy had one when he was young, and had inherited this one and had it shipped to his home. Turns out the car had been sitting out and needed more that it was worth to him to restore, so he offered it to me at a price I could not refuse. Car comes today from the shipper, not sure if I will restore it or part it out, but could not resist.
Windshield was taped in for shipping but it is not cracked, just loose. Car starts up, but the brakes are locked and it obviously has some rust issues but really hard to tell from just a few pictures.
The thread title is:
Montecarlo, but not the personal luxury or NASCAR variety...
My choice for finishing the sentence is
...the stationary variety.
I think these cars are so cool but they seem to be right up there near Lotus Europas and maserati BiTurbos for amount of them just sitting around, undrivable.
I've loved these since I was a little kid because of Herbie. Good luck with it! So pretty.
John Welsh said:
I think these cars are so cool but they seem to be right up there near Lotus Europas and maserati BiTurbos for amount of them just sitting around, undrivable.
The majority of my experience with Beta/Montecarlo is as driver class cars. I've known more that were driven often than were either show cars or rotting in a field. They're nowhere near the same as Europas or Biturbos in terms of mechanical flaws, so I'm surprised to hear you say that!
In reply to John Welsh :
True statement. The white one can be driven, but really needs to be restored and the body work done properly. The blue one I'll know more about it later today when it arrives but it appears to have been restored in the past and then it sat out for the last few years. If it is too much work, it might be come the basis of an 037 kit or possibly a challenge car, who knows?
There were only 1801 imported and there seems to be a large number of non-running projects just sitting around. I think people know they are rare so they keep them but parts are hard to find and the restored cost has not caught up with the rest of the classic car world. I predict that will change in the coming years as they are the same value right now as an X1/9 but are a more expensive and exotic car that is much more rare. Plus they are cool and fun to drive!
I can't remember if I posted it in the for sale thread for that white one but I saw it at a car show last year.
Thanks for sharing. I have driven it a few times but have not put tags on it as I would rather do some work on it and make it nice before I start using it. Blue one I really don't know the plan for it yet, but sometimes you just get an offer that is too good to turn down.
Thank you for introducing me to another car that I now irrationally desire.
Well if you liked it before, this is not going to help with irrational desire. Car arrived on Friday, first glance and I was very pleased with what I saw. Car was obviously a restored car 12 years ago (last registered in 2011). The car has some rust, but also is extremely solid and can be restored, so that is what I intend to do with it.
I ended up selling my X1/9 when this came available as I need the garage space for this car so it does not sit outside anymore, and figured I can always find another X1/9 but won't find another Scorpion, especially not for this price. So I sold my X1/9 and picked up the Scorpion as both were in similar condition (running engines, but needed full restorations).
Well the car is too nice to part out..... rust in the battery tray, hood vents (of course) and some holes in the floor, but shock towers, fenders, rockers, quarters, windshield surround and roof are really nice. The rust on the passenger side was just surface rust from a scrape down the door and rear fender, but all is solid. It is also very original and has all the trim pieces.
I am thinking I might restore this one using the 2.0 from the white car and use the dark blue interior from the white car in this blue car and keep it relatively stock but with the hot motor with DCOE's. The white car has been more modified, so perhaps it will get a color change, tan interior from this car and maybe an engine swap to something more exotic like a Alfa V6 or K-Swap?
dude the wheels on the blue car are so rad!
I know there are better and more powerful motors out there, but nothing beats the Alfa V6 on a pure sound - for - cost basis. (Ie, you can get better sounding motors, but not for what you can get an Alfa v6 for!!)
The blue color is beautiful! Congrats on 2 great purchases!!
In reply to dculberson :
In doing a quick search, looks like I can get a 164 engine and transmission for $700. Agree that would be a great $$$/sound ratio. Not looking to build something crazy here, just a fun sports car where the feel, look and sound are as important as the performance.
