Why This Car Was Doomed From the Very Beginning... The Lancia Montecarlo

[@Number27]

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[@davidbarnett7716]

When US car magazine Road & Track tested the Scorpion (US name for the Montecarlo), the headline of the article read: "So lovely, so agile, so ingenious, so slow"

[@haroldocantanhede]

Propr English pronounciation in tandem with a proper Italian pronounciation, such a rare feat and yet such a plesant surprise. My ears thank you!

[@minioner5080]

Always liked the look of the MonteCarlo

[@briankleinschmidt3664]

I like that car.

[@voornaam3191]

That's the definition of a Narcist. For real.

[@KevinTheHuman]

i know right

[@earlburns4431]

I had a Fiat x19 and looked to buy a Scorpion. However here in the USA they were pathetically underpowered. Emission and safety regulations ruined what could've been a great car. I ended up keeping the Fiat X19 which was a fine,reliable fun car.

[@HannesStefanovici]

I just found your video and I love it. My father bought one just before I was born 35 years ago. I remember him taking my brother and me for rides when we were so little, we could sit together on the passenger seat. It was the second car I ever drove myself. My fiancé and I drove it from Germany to Italy and camped in a tent in Tuscany. We even drove it to our wedding, which my father officiated for us. He passed away two years ago, but I always remember him talking about this car. He loved it so much, even though he thought it was underpowered. I still love to drive it. My father would have loved such a review of this car. Thank you!

[@naiart82]

I like that your videos are just the right length. Unlike the 30+ min videos of some other KZbinrs

[@Leptospirosi]

So much inspiration came from this car to the De Lorean.

[@rogerwatt3154]

I photographed this car in the week it was launched in the UK when I was a professional car photographer in the 70s and 80s. It was a dream to shoot and, despite not being as fast as it looked (anything like) it handled beautifully and was a lot of fun . . . as was the Fiat X1/9.

[@plane_guy6051]

I owned a Fiat X19 and it was a blast. The rear lights of this Lancia sure look like the X19's and make the whole read end look very similar actually.

[@michaelfabbi8722]

Except for wet road braking!!! And being in Washington state had lots of that. Really overboosted system.

[@stevevallis8450]

I owned a mk1 1977 version around 1982-83 white with a red vinyl interior. It had glass buttresses.

[@mrjaffa5072]

Another great video Jack! I’m lucky enough to own the 9th production Montecarlo ever built, probably the first one imported into the UK, well before Lancia officially imported them. I’m not sure how many earlier cars survive? It’s an ex-Lancia press car with solid buttresses that featured in Rally Sport magazine in late 1976. The Montecarlo is very much underrated. Thankfully the brakes can be re-engineered and the engine can be rebuilt to give out a lot more power.

[@tigerpjm]

Moar powahz!

[@gkast]

ive got #0050 of the scorpion here in the states. its in decent shape

[@jannowak2352]

Another Montecarlo... Monte Carlo how do you like Riverthames ?

[@philiptownsend4026]

We used that engine in 1.6 form, full race spec rallycross engine and it produced 200ish bhp on a chassis dyno after the twin 45 dcoe and ignition were set up. Gearbox was an Abarth Punto Turbo item with straight cut dog gears and LSD (Imported direct from Abarth it cost more than the engine). In our configuration the engine was canted over as it is in the Montecarlo and we used Montecarlo sump with dry sump oil system and cam driven distributor to achieve that. We made an adaptor plate twixt engine and box, reduced diameter of flywheel for Punto bell housing and fit Punto ring gear to it. What got me into the Lampredi 4 was owning one in a Delta HF Turbo and loving it. That engine with 148 bhp and a lot of torque would have been great in the Montecarlo. The Delta HF Turbo was the most powerful 1.6 production car in it's day and it's cam timings were "softer" than an 850 BL Mini. There were 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 versions of the Lampredi engine. All shared same bore size and cylinder head so the small ones had big valves and ports and were oversquare with with long con rods and had great tuning potential. I dismantled the head of a rusty Beta in a scrapyard once (out of interest). I found it had hemisphrical combustion chambers, enormous valves, which after removal enabled me to look down inlet port across combustion chamber and have a good view out of the exhaust port so it had super gas flow. The Lampredi four was a wonderful engine of its time. Was there ever a four valve version, and did it flow better than the two valve as the hemi combustion chamber would have to be sacrificed to avoid a very complex valve train?

[@mrjaffa5072]

@@jannowak2352 It was designated ’Montecarlo’ by Lancia.

[@ManinaGarage]

Thank you for covering this beautiful car. It’s certainly something of a unicorn that I yearned for as youngster, people always warned me NOT to buy one. Awesome video Jack!

[@Number27]

Thanks chap, really glad you enjoyed it!!

[@Mike-rk8px]

There really is no reason not to buy one, as long as you can find the proper mechanics to work on it. I live in Connecticut and I have a 1981 model, it’s a fantastic car: gorgeous, fun to drive, handles well, has decent cargo room for a mid-engine car. The biggest problem is rust (no surprise there), but that applies to most any Italian car. Living in Connecticut where we have BRUTAL winters (as wet as Scotland, as cold as Finland) it stays in the garage most of the year. My main car is a Toyota 4-Runner, but the Lancia gets daily use in spring and summer. Everywhere I go in the Lancia I get strangers asking questions about it, Lancia left the US in the early 80’s, so most people don’t even know what a Lancia is. They always assume it’s a very expensive car, but it’s not. Parts supply isn’t a problem (aside from maybe having to wait to have something shipped from Europe) and it’s not a difficult car to work on if you know how to work on cars. I’ve driven other more expensive sports cars that weren’t as enjoyable, so if you can find one that doesn’t need a total restoration, buy it.

[@jerehada]

Me to I wanted one to upgrade from a Fiat 127 sport but everyone said I would be nuts.

[@thefearhawk8805]

Am a massive lancia simp since a kid. Every time my heart told me to buy an old lancia.....I had someone reasonable by my side who talked me out of it. Today its unreasonable to buy even a good one...but for other reasons.

[@plane_guy6051]

People always say crap like that. Back in the 80's I bought a Fiat X19 and as long as you were mechanically minded it was fine and was a very fun car. It had solid valve lifters which needed shimming once every year or two but that was easy. I think the type of people who are/were scared of cars like that are the types who expect a car to be as hassle-free as most modern cars and they're just not because you have to work on them a bit. I was always sort of annoyed when idiots would yell out Fix It Again Tony (F-I-A-T), because they were just parroting what they'd heard from some other idiot.

[@anthonyknox1493]

So glad you featured this, Jack! The Fiat X 1/9 seems to be stealing all the limelight lately for classic Italian budget sportscars.

[@yantomanuel6919]

i was a fiat lancia mechanic, and these and the 131 sport were the cars that we took the longest to test drive.

[@dolfandon7124]

I think this car is an absolute avant garde stunner. The bold move to bypass pop up headlights is a choice for originality over conformity in mid-engined cars. One that serves this car very well in my opinion. While I'm not over the moon with the rear, it does integrate the theme very well. Imagine that car with the V6 as planned. Great video!

[@Haffschlappe]

A Turbo Charged 130 3500 V6

[@lupoalberto8384]

With the Alquati kit (two 40 Weber carburettors and relative intake manifold) the power of about 140 Hp is reached

[@rivenmotors7981]

Thanks for reviewing this car Jack! I am restomodding one that I found in a field and paid $200 for it. Such lovely proportions and getting the power, brakes, and suspension it deserves. Best regards!

[@Snarge22]

Hello Riven Motors. I imagine you are planning some power, maybe significant engine upgrades? Any other plans? (I like the Monte Carlo but at 6'7" can only admire them from a distance.)

[@rivenmotors7981]

@@Snarge22 Hi Snarge22, you're very welcome to watch my video progress. The last episode I made was a while ago so you have to wade past the more recent motorcycle videos. I think it was episode 10 when I put the engine in. Best regards and I could only wish I was as tall as you! (5'9" on a good day)

[@RzogL]

I've been waiting a long time for a review of this car! It's beautiful. I remember the first time I saw a Mk2, aged 13 in the early 90s. I fell in love there and then, harder than Herbie did. Paolo Martín is one of my favourite designers. I much prefer the Mk2's glass butresses and newer wheels, but if I had one of these I'd swap the grille for one out of the Mk1. Then I'd restomod it with modern brakes and power to match the looks...

[@v8wrinkly]

I thought the registration looked familiar! I owned that specific car in the mid 80s, and carried out a number of enhancements to correct what I deemed to be inadequate standard features. It was nevertheless a fabulous car to drive, and I miss it to this day, and it certainly saved my, and my wife’s, life when we encountered an unsignposted hairpin in the the Rheinlands on holiday. The handling and roadholding were stupendous. nb. Nowhere does your review mention mention the fabulous Pininfarina rollback roof which gave open-top motoring in seconds with no draughts and no flappy bits. Fitted Tarox front brakes (over £2,000 at current prices) to improve the absolutely dismal standard braking performance. Remodelled (carefully bent pedals in a vice) pedal box to permit my size 9s to operate one pedal at a time - I considered the standard setup to be dangerous for the average Brit.. Had the worn bearings in the gearbox replaced and had thinner fully synthetic gear oil (very unusual then) in the box - the standard gearchange was pretty clunky and slow. Got a quote from Sprintex for a Lysholm supercharger to sort out the distinct lack of straight line performance - I had previously owned a Daimler SP250, a Sunbeam Tiger 260, a Dolomite Sprint, a Reliant Scimitar, an MGBGTV8 and a BMW 528 to list but a few - but my fiscal circumstances at the time changed, so I reluctantly sold the car.

[@Dixler683]

I purchased a 1976 model. Never drove it in the rain but the brakes impressed me. The cars owned at the time were Alfa Gt veloce, Fiat x/19, Datsun 240Z and Alfa alfetta. The brakes seemed to feel like you dropped anchor from the center of the chassis. It squatted down and stopped straight. I loved the brakes. The datsun burned to the ground, sold the GT, alfetta was traded with huge front end rust problems and the x/19 disintegrated . I still have the scorpian with less than 40,000 miles on the clock.

[@stephane_edouard]

Usually not a fan of black cars, but this spec is sick

[@Devon_Architect]

I bought one new - and that colour too! Wonderful car - except it was delivered (and don’t forget it was brand new) rusty. The gear lever came off in my hand and the throttle spring kept snapping. Very disconcerting at full pop whilst going up the A1. No room to get your foot under the throttle to try and slow it down. Oh, and the bolt holding the steering box snapped off just when I needed to do a sharp right somewhere near Peebles. How I survived the death trap was nothing short of a miracle. Drove it back to Edinburgh, straight to Glen Henderson’s (the Porsche dealer) and bought a Porsche. No going back.

[@jonathancollard3710]

Yes, the 924 was the direct competition better still a Le Mans edition or the 944. I loved mine, but yes at only 4 years old, mine also had rust in rear wings. No other faults however….

[@giuseppebenvenuti2396]

Wow, after that guess you have never come in Italy... Understand well.

[@richardstaz721]

I also owned one from new, and suffered a string of exhaust manifold breakages. These were replaced some 4 times under warranty with Lancia unable to find a permanent fix.

[@gillie-monger3394]

Lovely restoration job. In the late 80's my wife and I were looking for a sporty 'Sunday car'. The final short list was between a late 1980 Montecarlo S2 and a 1976 Jenson Healey, (I can still hear that Lotus engine now)! Of course after careful consideration we bought a 1981 Triumph TR8 drophead! A car we adored and used regularly for almost 9 years. With regular servicing and maintenance it was 9 years of trouble free motoring.

[@parrotraiser6541]

A similar story to the Fiero. A very sporty-looking car initially sold with an underwhelming motor that didn't sell to the intended market because it was too stylish, and disappointed the people who bought it because of its looks. Subsequent improvements couldn't overcome the negative vibes that the launch had generated.

[@VolkerHett]

And then came the Toyota MR2 ...

[@tjroelsma]

In the case of the Italians those underpowered engines were caused by the Italian legislation. A more powerful engine would mean way higher taxes to pay for the customer, so instead the Italians choose underpowered engines coupled to very long geared gearboxes. This way the cars could still reach a decent topspeed, although it took just about forever to reach that topspeed. Combine that with the rust problems Lancia suffered from and the notoriously unreliable Italian electrics and you understand why the rest of the world wasn't really interested in cars like the Monte Carlo.

[@jamesengland7461]

There were also the epidemic of engine fires on the early Fieros...

[@user-fb9os7hy2y]

VW started this trend with the karman Ghia..pretty coupe with bugger all power (hairdressers cars we called them back then)..the trick to selling them seemed to be, not to advertise them as powerful in any way (again, see VW Ghia ads😂).

[@tirebiter1680]

The Fiero looked good but it was powered by the same engine/transaxle GM put in a Chevy Citation. they called it mid engined. the rear suspension was also what they put in the front of an X-car. If you said you made the car yourself with parts from several cars you bought in a junkyard ,Some people might believe you! Especially neighbors who kept seeing it with a tow truck taking it away.

[@MikeyBee1]

It's amazing how much a colour can completely change the looks of these! There's an absolutely concours one in red with the front end colour coded that has been on the show scene that looks amazing! Kind of like a mini Ferrari... At one point these were well under 5k for a decent one, but like most modern classic Italians they've rocketed in price.

[@tigerpjm]

Modern classic still? But yeah, agree otherwise!

[@simondumbrell6241]

Is that the one with Alpha V6 in?

[@TheHomeExpert5]

Get rid of the spare tire and replace it with two cans of Fix-A-Flat and save 50 lb. And maybe in the process throw off the left to right weight distribution...

[@michaelstocklin9080]

my friends and i bought one of these for a potential Rotary engine swap, and i have to say even the US spec one at ~80hp is a really great drive. with that little power you do need to actually drive it, and its very rewarding. also compared to like an MGB, the Lancia is really comfortable. the car looks great too, although for some reason when its parked nobody sees it. when its moving though everyone stares, its quite odd.

[@ivantuma7969]

30 years ago, I had an opportunity to buy a beautiful US version (sold as the Scorpion) ... the trouble was, I arrived to meet the owner in a borrowed VW Jetta GLI (with the 1.8 K-jetronic injected engine). That Jetta, for its day, was surprisingly GOOD. Driving the Scorpion (also with a 1.8L engine) left me completely disappointed (especially since we were at 5280 feet in altitude).

[@smifffies]

The thing that killed the Monte Carlo was that it was designed for Italians of a "shorter stature" (5 feet 2" to 5 feet 6"). Being 6 feet 2 inches and trying to get into one, let alone drive it, was ridiculous. My head was at a 45 degree angle just sitting in the car with seat fully back. There was no way I would be able to drive it without severe spinal injury. I worked at a Lancia dealership in the late 1980's and had access to many models and owned several Beta's and a Beta Spider. I liked the styling of the Monte Carlo, but unless you were 5 foot six or less, totally impratical.

[@eze8970]

Jack is 6ft 1", but yes, I know what you mean.

[@lets_measure_it]

i thought Italians were built in mm :)

[@helloxyz]

Not just a problem with Lancias, I test drove an Alfa 33, great car, super fast (for the time) but difficult driving position for a 6' 1" man. "No problem", said the top salesman, we'll just take the seat off the rails and weld it to the floor. further back" My 5' 2" wife demurred.

[@edwaddington9352]

Big problem with the head room was caused by the thick seats, I am 6'4 and put lotus elise seats in mine to give more leg and head room

[@howardlake6178]

I haven’t tried sitting in one of these,but a few years ago, same height as you, I fell in love with an X19. Until I tried sitting in it. I put the seat right back. Sobbed silently 😂But since, I have learned the spare wheel is behind the driver’s seat. If I make my fortune on KZbin shortly, I shall have another look and see if some minor modification can make it possible. Because that 1.5 Lampredi is a sensational sounding engine. X19 chases Ferrari, one of my favourite KZbin clips, is where I’m going now, for a blast of music 😂

[@JBsC6]

I had a 1976 lancia scorpion with a turbo 4 cylinder and “big” 14 inch bwa mag wheels. I put over a couple,of hundred thousand miles on it 😊😊

[@PaulRansonArt]

Thanks Jack. I almost bought one of those years ago basically because I loved how it looked. But everyone I looked at had terminal rust and that was cars barely 5-6 years old. I also liked the Lancia HF but same problem, terminal rust.

[@gsigs]

In the US we say "bay-ta" as well. Loved the "Scorpion" when it came out. I really wanted one even though it was underpowered. The battering ram bumpers weren't that bad, especially when compared to the MGB monstrosity. I hope all the people who came up with our safety and emission regulations are proud of all the companies they killed and people they put out of work. OTOH even the most basic cars of today are insanely fast and efficient (in comparison) albeit at infinitely higher cost. But is it really better now? I don't know...

[@oldanslo]

Yes. Why would anyone care about breathable air?

[@gsigs]

@@oldanslo I'm sorry, did you miss the part where I said today's cars are much better now than there were then? Did you think I wasn't including better emissions? I think it's perfectly reasonable to appreciate the fact that regulations may have eventually led to better cars and also bemoan the loss of so many smaller yet interesting marques to the US market because they didn't have the capital to absorb the costs of the changing standards. Why are you even watching this channel, anyway?

[@miskatonic6210]

I guess they were in fact proud they made deathtraps disappear. Some brands really didn't deserve to survive looking at the garbage they build.

[@adrianmonk4440]

I ALWAYS GET COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS CONFUSED. Is it Millions of Dollars & Thousands of Lives; OR, Thousands of Dollars & Millions of Lives ??

[@5610winston]

We must also remember that the US market was the home of the Monte Carlo from Chevrolet in those days, not that there would have been any brand confusion. We should also remember the SAAB 96 Monte Carlo rally cars.

[@chrissavage5966]

I had a Series 1 Monte that had the glass buttresses, Much better looking than the solid ones. Trying to think back how old it was when I got it....must have been about 6 years? It was honestly and truly immaculate - zero rust and low miles. Early problems were a blown headgasket caused by overheating due to a faulty fan switch and a rear wheel bearing that fell apart because the garage forgot to stake the hub nut when they repaired it. Despite me being very hands on and DIY with my cars, this one was expensive for me at the time, and it came with a warranty, so I made use of it. The headgasket job was OK but after they messed up the wheel bearing job I looked after it myself. It had the suicide braking system, which I 'discovered' in the first week of ownership. Thankfully, that was easily fixed by simply bypassing the brake servo. Another simple handling mod that was very worthwhile was to stiffen the front anti roll bar by the simple expedient of moving it back 'one hole' on the mountings and drilling two new holes in the floor. Soft pads in the rear calipers helped get that last bit of balance on otherwise standard braking parts. One detail on the Series 2 cars, not only did they remove the servo, they also removed the rear anti-roll bar to achieve the balance shift, but that was a mistake IMO. The TC sounded OK on an ANSA exhaust system :) I had the instrument cluster out at some point to replace bulbs and noticed that the PCB it was built on was labelled 'X20' which hinted at the origins. Absolutely agree it wanted more power. There are a few V6 conversions around that I'd love to have a drive of. I gave mine a bit more zip by putting an 1800 Beta gearbox in it with a shorter diff ratio. Sadly, it just made it more busy really. Funny enough, my gateway car into the Monte was a series of 124 Sport Coupe. I had a 1438 AC which ended up with an 1800 in it, then I had a 1608 BC. Even got my dad into one at one point. I still regret selling my Monte. If money was no object I think I'd like one again now, but it would for sure be getting more power. Despite the fact it would upset the balance, I think I'd have to put in a Lancia branded 24V V6 Busso, just, well, because. Of many memories of my Monte, probably the one that really sticks in my mind, was when I moved house. I had a couple of cats so we just popped them in the car, they climbed onto the small shelf behind the seats and sat there good as gold for the 70 mile trip. And to close....from time to time I check and my old car is still very much alive and well. I know it went through a big restoration some years back but I don't know where it is but I do l know it is still taxed and MOTed (just checked)...and that brings me a great deal of joy. If you happen to be out there sir, current owner of red S1 Monte with a registration beginning VLT, I salute you. If you ever want to sell it..... A lovely looking example you had to play with there, thank you for the article.

[@OsbornTramain]

i think they called it the Beta Scorpion in the USA since Chevrolet was already selling a "Monte Carlo" model.

[@martingregory5955]

I am 60 now but when in my 20's lusted after one of these or a Volumex. I ended up with a very rusty Delta and loved it!

[@Number27]

Need to do something on the Volumex!!

[@martingregory5955]

@@Number27 yes that would be interesting.

[@michaelfabbi8722]

My second Beta Coupe (USA1756) got side draft Webers "DCOE" better cams, pop-up pistons and was way better. Replaced lots of suspension parts etc.. etc...15" wheels , wider tires. Drove it for many happy miles after that. Even my 131S got the pop top mod with real benefit.

[@gingervegeta]

There is a couple here in Weymouth that drive about in the summer in a yellow Montecarlo and it still looks amazing today . Beautiful car

[@gordonkachuk5457]

Wonderful seeing the Monte Carlo/Scorpion on the road once again. I happened to be a Fiat/Lancia/Saab dealer in Canada in the late 70's and we actually sold one Scorpion as they were called in NA. What a shit box. As a dealer we went beyond limits to sell this car by removing air pump and other nastiness in order to increase power and we succeeded.. Many years later living in Belgium I was entered in a classic car race at the Zolder race track in a 2000 Beta Coupe Volume which had outstanding brakes, quite superior to a competitor 2000 Monte Carlo. It was no match. Needless to say I easily beat him in outbreaking. He later told me how inferior his brakes were. just thought you would enjoy some feedback.

[@garyjones2258]

I always wanted one of these in the 80s, but it was rare, and I settled for a Fiat X1/9 instead, which was great, but not the Lancia I wanted most. I also made the mistake of not buying an Integrale for £12k 20 years ago due my 100 mile motorway commute, which would seem like sacrilege. The saving grace is I've owned a Lotus Elise for the last 14 years which I feel is a spiritual successor. Lancia and Lotus, you buy with the ❤️ You can't walk away from these cars without looking back at them 😆

[@JJHurst]

It's gorgeous , reminiscent of a Maserati BiTurbo at the front ...great content of late , it's nice to see cars like this driven and reviewed.

[@patrickhowell5578]

In the 80,s as a youth I would pass one of these on my was to collage & thought it was the most beautiful car I had ever seen

[@rustyturner431]

I had a friend who ran a Fiat/Lancia dealership when these were current. I managed a Ferrari dealership, and had an extensive background in sports cars, so hel lent me one for evaluation. I really liked the car, and my customers commented that it was sort of a mini-Ferrari. I didn't fit as well as I'd hoped (I'm 6'1" and about 190#), but it wasn't awful. I enjoyed the car for a couple weeks, but even in that short time the car stranded me twice. That was surprising, as I'd had good luck with a Beta coupe I'd had before (that I took in trade on an Alfa). The Montecarlo was not nearly as quick as my Beta, which had been tweaked quite a bit (and was honestly no longer smog-legal) and had some suspension mods (all done by the original owner). The coupe was fun and sneaky, since nobody had ever seen one that wasn't bog slow. The Montecarlo WAS bog slow...and it was "brand new", but (if I remember correclty) a 1977 model. So, it was 4 years old and still had not sold. Not a good omen... I always wondered what could have been, with an enlarged version of the Fulvia drivetrain and better (read "old Lancia") quality control. I did love my several old Lancias, but don't think any of this generation would generate that emotion.

[@colinvanful]

a freind of mine owns a mk 1 monty he has upgraded the brakes and it runs on twin 40's along with a pritty nice stainless exhaust system , he has taken his monty to the rally a few times over the years . i have driven this car a no of times , tbh ! it is not super fast but real fun to drive . they do work well around country lanes and are suprisingly good on bends the stearing feels good which realy suprised me tbh! . they should have made this with a v6 engine though .

[@vbucks5942]

It would be nice to see a Lancia thema 8:32. Love your channel mate!

[@harveysmith100]

One of my childhood dreams. It's funny now I have grown up, nearly all the cars I fell in love with had Pinifarina behind them one way or another. The series III XJ6 is still the best looking four door saloon ever. The Monte Carlo was a thing of beauty despite it's modern looks. Pininfarina employ magicians.

[@murrieteacher]

Thanks Jack another great video, I don't remember that model making it to Australia. I know the engine though from my 125 and 125S FIATS. I could replace the head gasket in under 4 hours. It was a great engine if you drove it like an Italian; above 3000 RPM everywhere.

[@dusankocisevic6823]

Hajahahhaah SO TRUE. Respect for revs💚🤍❤️

[@neildee9834]

I had one of the series 1 models from '78. It had Pirelli P7s, twin carbs, proper brakes and a glorious Ansa exhaust that was musical in tone! What a car!

[@neildee9834]

PS. You'll recall I commented about my Urracco...just wondered if you have ever tried the Vauxhall VX220?

[@gaetanoflorio6277]

Hi Jack, Thank you for another great video. I hope someone lets you test an 8.32 Thema as this is a car that I want to get my hands on here in Australia but becoming ever so difficult, as it was never sold and all the privately imported ones have been snapped up, since people are realising its a special car to own with its Ferrari supplied engine. I'll leave the rest up to you to reveal and explain. Cheers from a Lancia Prisma owner (ex UK import) 👍🇬🇸

[@bga9388]

Yes! I remember! Ferrari motor and an electric spoiler. The ultimate gangster car if you ask me.

[@srhvideo]

I definitely think it would have been worth mentioning in the intro that Herbie fell absolutely in love with a Lancia Montecarlo

[@chas4life]

The Montecarlo is very easy to fall in love with. What a cool car!

[@lopakavolmer6723]

secret interior doorhandles, wicked on tight hillside slots, fits fines at 6'... good memories of one that traded amongst college mates.

[@virgilrytaar9083]

Awwwww, whats not to love!? I lusted after 1 when I signed my record deal back in ..........100 years ago. A producer at The Townhouse studio had a red one and I was smitten, I still am. I had a 240Z at the time but the Lancia seemed so exotic and rare. I loved the fact that he kept it scruffy as well

[@felawes]

You're absolutely right. A beautiful car. I had a superb Lancia HPE, another fabulous car.

[@hvh377]

Great video again, Jack. You're on a roll! I love the stories and little history lessons you're adding. Thank you and on to 100k subscribers soon....

[@Number27]

Glad you like them! And thanks you so much chap!!

[@DineshPatel-np9gg]

I just really enjoy your show. Being in the US but British born, seeing these cars, the countryside brings back memories. Thank you for such a refreshing channel!! Please keep it up.

[@guillermotowers8625]

Just sold my Scorpion project...now I need to find another one...good job with this video...saludos from México...

[@martinclapton2724]

You are absolutely spot on Jack , re the quality of the ride on the Beta, the same praise could be heaped on other Beta models , there driver qualities roadholding , handling were quoted as excellent for the day , and certainly would not be out of place today, but when you marry these up to high quality ride , you then realise how really good these Beta models were.

[@X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X]

I instantly fell in love with this car as I stumbled across it in a used car guide as a child.

[@markymark560]

When I was growing up my neighbor had a metallic gold one of these and it looked and sounded great and had the bow tie alloys and the glass rear panels. It lasted well and did not go rusty. I think the only problem was that it would often refuse to start. Apart from that it was kushty.

[@JonHimself]

Love it! Been doing a lot of research into the MC and 037 for my conversion - it absolutely was a Pininfarina car as you say - gonna really pain me to cut it up, it has oodles of character :( Great review as always, I also heard they were good handling cars, so yeah really is gonna hurt taking the angle grinder to it...

[@TinyScorpion44]

I'm lucky enough to own a Scorpion and it is an absolute joy! I'd dabbled with the idea of buying one, but it didn't quite happen until mine practically fell out of the sky and into my garage via a dealer auction. It was less than 24 hours between "hey, look what's running at the auction tomorrow" and I was driving home after writing a shockingly small check. The journey has been fixing lots of bits and bobs, but someone did a pretty decent restoration in the mid-90s and as a long-time garage kept desert car, she has remarkably little rust. It truly feels like an honor to get to be a Lancia owner

[@Haffschlappe]

Please install the 130 V6 engine

[@toddradke8441]

I've owned my white/red Scorpion for over 30 years. Still has only 54,000 miles on it. Upgraded the brakes, lowering springs, changed to Euro bumpers and modified the motor with cams, high compression and Bosch fuel injection from an '81 Beta. No rust and a great and comfortable driver.

[@paulchinnery6560]

That looks fantastic, I had a red Lancie Monte Carlo spider MK1 in the mid eighties although it had glass rear quarter sections not solid and I loved it to bits. The exhaust manifold cracked so the cheapest repair was a full ANAS tubular exhaust system from the head back, that certainly solved the sound issues you mentioned. The brakes were frightening in most conditions and ultimately I crashed the car.

[@peterstokes8631]

I believe the solid rear quarters were replaced during the Series 1, not just Series 2.

[@TheMrFishnDucks]

Thank you Jack. You bring cars I've never seen in Gran Turismo or 3am Wikipedia search while on a bender.

[@nigelbullock9039]

Jack. Brilliant video in every sense. Great production, filming and commentary. That was the car I nearly bought as a 18 year old that I told you about 2 years ago when you were asking about forgotten classics. Keep doing what you do so well.

[@smash630]

Lancia, un'altra storia tutta italiana. Italia, terra di santi,navigatori, meccanici e ingegneri 🇮🇹

[@mimitrubadourix7954]

Great clip here! I've been the lucky owner of an unrestored 1st series Montecarlo for around 10 years now, and the car brings me an enormous amount of joy and fun. The interior, though, does look and feel like a prototype/show car, to the point, that you almost don't dare to touch some of the knobs and levers for fear they might just snap off (and they occasionally do!). Whilst not a "proper" sportscar by todays standards, it is very fast with its 120 HP to move the 920 kilogramms (not counting the man behind the wheel). As a matter of fact, I also own a 1988 8V Integrale, and I do think that the Montecarlo is way more fun to drive.

[@dusankocisevic6823]

Some people are soooo lucky. 🙏🙏🇮🇹🇮🇹

[@Eatcrow]

Despite you being wrong about the field in Rear quarters on the series, one cars, it was an interesting walk through and good to see some of the original factory pictures that you dug out, however, if you fitted twin D C,NF Webbers an Alquati high lift cam and a tubular for branch manifold, then you could get 0 to 60 in seven seconds with about 150 BHP, if you put Michelin TB15 hand cut slicks on it, then you could race motorcycles around roundabouts and easily win as I did when I was 20 years old, and this was my daily driver. Happy days 🎉❤

[@domtoni4567]

One of my friends in Serramazzoni deals in parts for the Monte Carlo, his son has rallied them in Italy. Engine is great.

[@onecookieboy]

I worked for an independent Fiat/Lancia/Alfa Romeo garage in the '80's and we saw a few Montecarlos through the door, I always liked the looks of them but build quality was abysmal, servicing and maintenance was expensive because almost anything more complicated than an oil change meant dropping the whole powertrain out from underneath the body, but rust was the biggie, so many unsealed seams and nooks and crannies where water and dirt could gather. I agree with others here though, make a new EV skateboard chassis and start stamping out body panels, they are a lovely looking little car.

[@lorenzotugnolo811]

Your Italian pronunciation is perfect sir.

[@sw651]

I'm 57 years old and live in the US. In my lifetime, I have only seen 3 Lancia cars in person. Two of them were owned by the owners of a foreign car repair shop that built and raced Fiat X1/9's. That was in the 1980's. The third was on a highway down by New York city. I subscribed to many car magazines when i was younger and seldom saw a Lancia ad in them, never mind a review. No one will buy a car they never hear about. I never saw a Lancia sign at a dealership either.

[@Number27]

Such a shame.. thanks for watching and a wave to the USA 🇺🇸!

[@billanthony6309]

Not many balanced reports on the Monte, but you are spot on. I've owned two in my youth - crashed the first and blew upon the second, but they left a big mark on my subsequent car choices. Ride and handling were brilliant and you can use all the performance on the road too. I do like you approach which has been rooted in ownership and risk-taking, not just boyish enthusiasm! It probably helps that I mostly agree with your taste (men of a certain age!), hope you can keep it going!

[@michaelschweitzer7267]

I owned one. They were called Lancia Scorpion in USA. Beautiful car. Kind of slow. As for comfort, I’m 6’1” and had no issue. Usual electrical issues, normally minor, I don’t remember it having high end build quality. They still look sharp today.

[@stanschloesser6725]

I liked that you went through the interior, trunk, etc. helps give a good overall picture of the vehicle.

[@emanemanrus5835]

The Delorean and Beta Monte Carlo appear to have common design elements. Even more than some. Am I wrong?

[@mohammadzein504]

In terms looks I feel the Monte Carlo is truly awesome! But these like some of the HF, we're plagued with very lethal rust! Thank you for another great video Sir Jack and showcasing a special specimen of a car. 😎✌

[@carlwilliams3488]

I'm surprised the Herbie connection didn't make these sell more. Very pretty car.

[@VashSpiegel]

The hatchback look of the 80s styling, really needs a comeback.

[@TheAlfaNut]

One of my favourite cars of all time, thanks for covering it Jack 👍🏻😎

[@andyq9669]

That shape is glorious, the stance is sublime. The urge to set styling trends for commercial differentiation has meant we've passed peak design and are frantically churning out ever fussier, complicated and convoluted shapes in hope of stimulating a need for change. The industry now is like a faded beauty addicted to face-lifts and surgery, ignoring the fact that perfection was attained long ago and nothing new can hope to match it. Why can't we revisit and refine some of these shapes, evolving them rather than seeking something radically new? Evolution is to meet a purpose and doesn't continue for no need.

[@jeannoelsandrazie1874]

You pretty much said it all. 👍

[@pgVeritas]

The Lancia 037, wasn’t just the last two wheel drive car to win the WRC. It was the two wheel drive car that beat the all conquering Audi Quattro four wheel drive. It’s a testament to the Lancia Abarth racing team that the 037 managed this remarkable feat when you consider the Quattro won the 1981, and 1982 WRCs sweeping aside the competition.

[@robsawalker]

I have loved these since I got a Polistil model one for my birthday when I was eight!

[@pauljames4111]

Spot on review! I had a fabulous Beta Coupe as a teenager after a few less exciting cars and it was magnificent for a while. Then I noticed the front wheels were moving forward before the rest of the car and the bonnet was flexing over the bumps. Turned out the front subframe mounts had departed from the heavily corroded chassis and the inner wings were corroded to the point where the bonnet was helping to retain the front shocks. I kept using It to get to the girl friends (nothing was going to stop me) until eventually It was off to the scrap yard. Wouldn't change a thing if I went backnin time though, it changed my whole outlook on cars. I soon followed it up buying a Monte Carlo Spider. It was like a Ferrari to a teenager on a tiny apprenticeship wage and likely one of the rarest cars on the road. Great fun until you came to corners in the wet where the car refused to turn in and was far more keen on commiting suicide into the nearest hedge. I later sold it for double what I paid and the young inexperienced buyer met me at a car park, paid full price in cash and abandoned his own car in the car park. I warned him of the cars lack of wet cornering abilities but a few days later I had a call from the police asking why my Monte Carlo was upside down in a ditch. True story, fabulous cars, great memories but a sad ending.

[@amgguy4319]

914 was supposed to be a VW, but when they didn't want to make it, Porsche figured that they had put so much into it that they went ahead. It's cool that the Montecarlo/Scorpion is really a Pininfarina. It was also the first glued in Windshield. And the Spider top was so simple and unique - couldn't be opened or closed while driving, but it was ingenious.

[@rono982]

Hi jack great video i did own one of these many years ago and loved it. Mine was a Mk 1 and had the glass buttress I think the solid buttress was for the US market only. keep up the good work

[@nealefloyd4126]

Great video again,Jack!Such under-rated cars.I had a couple of Mk.1's in the late 80's and started the Monte Consortium in the Lancia Motor Club,which is still going.They didn't actually rot as bad as X1/9's tho.Would love one with an Alfa Busso V6 but might just stick to my 21 year old Audi A2 now I've replaced all the steel bits

[@MyHumanWreckage]

I think it’s an absolutely stunning car. I love Lancias in general.

[@bertmurphy8096]

Twin carbs and a sporty exhaust would be a easy upgrade

[@neilturner6749]

Never owned a Fiat twin-cam engined car myself, but yes sounds like a no-brainer as I’m pretty sure people like Alfaholics regularly tune these up to 160bhp-ish without reliability issues...

[@johnchurch4705]

@@neilturner6749Guy Croft ( RIP) was the twin cam guru, easy engine to get good horsepower figures.

[@albertperks3476]

Such a pretty car - wish in many ways I bought one but suspect I'd have had some big bills on the bodywork. If I win the Lottery I might restomod it with an appropriate V6 and better brakes.

[@Jez1963UK]

Hey, don't take the micky out of our English pronunciation of Italian names! Great video as always Jack, you show and discuss all my favourite childhood cars, keep 'em coming!

[@Number27]

Thanks chap.. and I certainly wasn’t taking the piss.. just that some people hate the Italian pronunciation!

[@Jez1963UK]

@@Number27 Hey, no offence taken, I love hearing your proper Italian pronunciations, it's just one of the (many) things that makes your channel even more special. Keep up the great work buddy, we're all friends here!

[@jamesrobert4106]

@@Number27 It is the ONLY pronunciation👍. Lan cha, never Lan see ya.

[@Michael_Lorenson]

Well done, Jack, thanks. What a cool little car. I really only discovered Lancia, in the sense of understanding its heritage, within the past few years. Here in the U.S., they have never had a strong presence at all. That's a great shame, of course, but Italian cars have always struggled for significant American sales. Their notion that _this_ would be the car to ignite market success here was doomed as a concept. If you wanted to impress Americans with a small car at that moment, you needed to build a better Honda than Honda did. That was just not in the cards for Lancia or any other FIAT-controlled brand.

[@twentiethcenturyboy6328]

Scorpion production was 1805 units for 1976 & 1977 in North America. I own #1700 which is a ‘77 with the glass buttress. Great car all around. The 1800cc engine has been completely rebuilt and re-bored with added twin Weber DCNF’s. Power is an estimated 135hp at the rear wheels. Love my Scorpion! ❤

[@stevenmann9769]

Last time I saw one of these was on the West Coast of the South Island of NZ. Driving with a Bora, Iso Griffo, and a Dino. Fabulous.

[@johang7498]

Very interesting and appealing car, this, thanks for this review! What I always read is that the montecarlo originally was to be the Fiat X1/20, but then, after the oil crisis Fiat didn't want to market too many sporty/sports cars under their own name anymore - they already had the equally fun/gorgeous X1/9 - and so the car went to Lancia. Other fact that I remember is that montecarlo was written in one word as Lancia couldn't use Monte Carlo anymore because of its use by Chevrolet. A thing that I noticed just with this video is that at the rear, the montecarlo is somewhat reminiscent of the Maserati merak.

[@philhawley1219]

I saw one of these back in September, the original four cylinder engine had been replaced with an Alfa V6. Perhaps this is what Lancia should have built in the first place. Isn't hindsight wonderful?

[@daniellee9015]

Absolutely brilliant video ❤️ 👍 absolutely beautiful car love the style and the look brilliant jack

[@ryanmccormick2150]

I can't make my mind up if that's a good looking car or a terrible looking car🤔..... It definitely stands out! Cracking stuff as always Jack 👍

[@benzina5917]

Great video. I am not sure if anyone else mentioned it but it is worth noting that the genesis of the extended arm rest design on the Ferrari 308 that melds into the dash began with the Lancia Montecarlo. Pininfarina did it first on the Lancia and the design carried over into a a fully functional detail on the Ferrari

[@davidcontini7217]

The 308 was introduced in 1975.

[@WizzardPrang]

Great video, Jack. Glad you've featured the Montecarlo. I remember trying to get my father to buy one. Of course he came back from the dealer with a pastel green Beta saloon. 😭