Good morning, and welcome to another Shitbox Showdown! This week is going to be kind of a grab-bag; I’m just picking cars that jump out at me, without much regard to a theme. Today’s contenders, however, do have a couple of things in common: They’re both European imports, they’re both incredibly rare, and they’re both front-wheel-drive.
The results of Friday’s roundup come as no surprise: the Datsun wagon, despite being the most expensive, trounced everything else. It’s a rear-drive wagon with the same engine as a Z car that hasn’t been attacked by amateur “tuners” like so many Japanese imports have. It’s a classic that you could drive every day without much worry. And it’s green!
But I think my imaginary internet money would go towards the Omni instead. I have more of a nostalgic attachment to it, and I get the feeling it would attract less unwanted attention. Yeah, it’s slow, but I try not to be in a hurry anyway.
So, onward. Today I’ve found two car that are not only rare to begin with, they’re both rare variants of their types. One is from Italy and the other Germany, but both are front-drivers with five-speed sticks. Let’s check them out.
1978 Lancia Beta Zagato – $3,000
Engine/drivetrain: 1.8 liter dual overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Henderson, NV
Odometer reading: 42,000 miles
Operational status: Runs, but not drivable for unspecified reason
Lancia is one of those car companies that barely exists outside of video games and model cars. We’ve all had toys of Lancia cars, or chosen them in video games. I have a spectacular RC model kit of a Lancia 037 Group B rally car that’s about half-finished (I’m scared of messing up the decals). But unless you frequent Italian car gatherings, or are lucky enough to own one yourself, when was the last time you saw an actual, real live Lancia out and about?
The Beta was Lancia’s replacement for the celebrated Fulvia, and was the first model designed under Fiat ownership. Like the Fulvia, it’s front-wheel-drive, but instead of a weird longitudinally-mounted V4, the Beta uses a transverse inline four with the transaxle next to it, a design pioneered by Fiat in its 128 and adopted by, well, everyone. The engine in question is Fiat’s “Lampredi” twincam engine, used in many Fiat and Lancia vehicles over the years, both road-going and racing. In this case, it displaces 1.8 liters and powers the front wheels through a five-speed manual.
The Beta was available in a few body styles. This open-top version was designed by Pininfarina, and built by Zagato; it was sold as the Beta Spider in Europe and the Zagato in the US. Whatever you call it, fewer than 10,000 examples were built, and with the Beta’s propensity to rust, there can’t be very many left. This one is rust-free, though the paint is weatherbeaten. The interior looks pretty good, however.
Mechanically, it’s a bit of an unknown. The seller says it starts and runs, but it “needs work” and “will need to be towed.” I guess you’d have to ask them why. But a running engine is a step in the right direction.
1983 VW Quantum plus 1984 Quantum wagon – $2,000
Engine/drivetrain: 1.7 liter overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Sacramento, CA
Odometer reading: 200,000 miles
Operational status: Hatchback runs and drives great, wagon has a blown head gasket
Now this is a rarity. Volkswagen’s second-generation Passat, sold here as the Quantum, is thin on the ground in any bodystyle. If you do see one these days, it’s almost always a wagon, usually the all-wheel-drive Syncro version, or the sedan in GL-5 trim. The two-door hatchback was only sold for two model years, and I don’t think I’ve seen one since 1983.
Unlike the Syncro or GL-5 models, which are powered by the Audi inline five-cylinder, this early Quantum features a 1.7 liter four. It’s backed by a five-speed stick with very tall gearing, the same drivetrain used in the Audi 4000, where it was called the 4+E. It gets great gas mileage, but it accelerates like a stoned turtle. This one has covered 200,000 miles, likely very slowly, and it still runs great, and is “remarkably reliable” according to the seller.
It’s a little threadbare inside, but that’s to be expected at this mileage. Outside, it’s rust-free and straight, and looks original except for wheels from a newer Volkswagen. Hell, for all I know, it might be the nicest Quantum hatchback left.
But wait – there’s more! This deal also includes an ’84 Quantum wagon, also a four-cylinder, though this one has a bad head gasket. They don’t say if it’s a manual or an automatic, or provide any interior photos, but if it’s in decent shape, you could probably fix it and flip it, and end up with the white hatchback for practically nothing.
One thing is for certain: Drive either of these, and you’ll have the only one around. Parts availablility for either one might be tough, but at least they’re both complete and intact right now. So what’ll it be – the Italian targa top that needs a little work, or the two-for-one German deal?
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
Lancia. If I am going to waste money on weird Euro stuff from that era, it had better at least be interesting. I definitely find the California bar Convertible interesting at least.
I owned a Beta in that colour, it spun a bearing at 37000 km but it was fun, when it ran
Went with the VWs. Fix them, roll up to the local science club, and tell them you’re a… Quantum mechanic.
Lancia, please!
Not only does it appear to be in better shape, but while one Quantum might be okay I do not want two of them. It’s kind of like that old joke: I left my accordion on the back seat of the car in a rough neighborhood. When I came back, someone had broken into the car and put another accordion on the seat.
The Beta is much better looking and would be a more enjoyable car when it worked. I’m kind of assuming the reason the car is not driveable is due to the condition of the brakes – or at least the brake lines – so that would probably be the first job. I really appreciate that it’s running. A little bit of paint correction and some tidying up and it would be a good runabout. Occasionally.
VW for sure. I’d use the wagon as a parts car (front seat swap?) or sell it for a grand and keep the hatchback.
I’m sure I would still be able to get parts for the Quantum (even if across the pond) much easier than a low production Lancia that wasn’t even popular in its home turf
I see a Lancia every day and it thrills me to no end, so I can only imagine how much of a thrill it would be to have TWO Lancias. Come to me, little Zagato <3
Is there a link to the cars that I’m not seeing? I wanna look at the red VW more
The title of each section is the link to the original listing:
1983 VW Quantum plus 1984 Quantum wagon – $2,000
Ah ok, thanks a bunch!
Lancia for me just b/c THOSE GAUGES. Sure, it’s highly likely I’ll only get to see them while sitting in the garage in it, but nobody does racy-silly stuff as well as the Italians.
Think of all the exciting vroom-vroom noises you can make while pretending to drive it!
With the top down, so the fake wind could blow through my hair too.
Just not prepared to make a Quantum leap.. I’ll take the Italian Scallion and hope it doesn’t leave me in tears.
HAH!! That Lancia is just WAITING to slap you across the face and storm out of the room!
And shall endeavor to enjoy every stinging moment of the experience.
I see you must be someone who also has dated someone(s) from that fine peninsula. I’m no Superman, but they’re certainly my kryptonite.
Got me. There’s just something about passion that spices up everything in life from love to food, art, and auto design.
Same here. Most things Italian are like being in Technicolor Oz vs the bland black and white of most anything else.
It’ll be an occasionally spicy relationship, but it is very worth it to fall in love with a Lancia. Terrifying, but wonderful.
A Scorpian briefly passed through my hands years ago. Wish I could’ve had it longer.
Who are all these people voting Lancia? You get TWO CARS with the VW option, and one even runs!!
And if the running one breaks, it won’t also take all your belongings and set them on fire in the living room!
It’s starting to get hard to find certain parts for 90’s Acuras. An 80’s Lancia in the USA seems silly.
The Lancia is handsome in its own way, but the inop status has me thinking about all the unattainable parts that it may require to either fix or maintain. I remember the sedans and wagons, but can’t ever recall seeing a Quantum coupe – probably because anybody wanting a 2-door VW back then probably could have gotten a GTI for the same price (only guessing here). That’s the move for me, even if the coupe looks a bit like a swollen Scirocco.
My wife had a Quantum 5MT (sedan) when we met. It ran well and was a fun car to drive around though it had its issues. Never knew they came in 2-door hatch. Easy vote for me. If the Quantums were on the other coast, I’d be tempted to bring them home.
I don’t recall ever having seen a Quantum coupe. I debate how rust-free this example is (passenger side rear quarter} but it’s cheap enough to buy and mod for usable performance.
The Lancia… is a Lancia. Beta mechanical spares are probably not impossible to source, and if you want to experience the dubious joys of owning a 50-year-old Italian car this would definitely be, umm, a choice.
Gotta go with the Quantum (Quantii?) here.
The plural of quantum is quanta. /nerd
That Lancia is a Found on Road Dead, Fix It Again Tony, Do Or Die Garage Experiment. It’s ALL of them rolled into one.
The Quant is from before VW went crazy. The only thing that would make it better is if it had the 5-banger. It wins easily.
But it’s also a time when VW made vehicles with a horrendous propensity for rust. Provided it stays in the south and away from any road salt, it’ll likely be a far more viable option.
The truth is, where I live there is NO vehicle that can resist. Our new cars are rusty before they even leave the dealership.
A thousand dollars less for twice as much cars. No brainer.
(Of course I’d be trying to find the Audi turbo 5 and AWD to put in the quantum)
I have no idea why but I immediately chose the Lancia. Neither of these choices will yield a car that’s reliable enough to be called “practical” but I’d like to think the Lancia will be fun to drive somewhere, and will also spark a more fun conversation with the tow truck driver on the way home.
Yeah, weirdly had the same reaction. I just knee-jerk went for the Lancia, even though I know I’d regret it. 😀
I wanted to desperately click “Lancia” but my own experience with Italian reliability gives me pause enough to have my brain scream at me that it’d just end in tears.
Either would have to be a secondary/tertiary fun/”fun” car. VW doesn’t look like any kind of fun to me even when running.
I’ll take disclosed problems over unspecified problems every time. If the Quantum wagon needs more work than I can take care of, I can sell it cheap and still have the hatchback.
The Lancia is super cool, but also super rare and I don’t even want to think about the quest you’ll go on every time you need a part.
The VWs are an old friend. I know VWs and I know what I’d be in for, but the rarity of that 2-door does it for me so it wins out over the Italian bird.
That Lancia soft top will be unobtainium, or at least a (very expensive) special one-off custom job. I’m going with the Quantums just for that reason
$475 USD> 1975 thru 1982 Lancia Beta Spyder Zagato – Convertible Tops & Accessories | TopsOnline
I will take the VW’s, I can afford and find replacement parts for them at least.
The Lancia is quirky, but not a model I’m particularly interested in. The Quantum I have always been a fan of, and it’s two for the price of one!
Put me down fer double Qs. It’s the closest I’ll ever get to a Scirocco.
I Am..I Said
The rare time that VW is actually the better choice LOL
Lancia would be cool and rare, but I’m guessing parts are also rare. I’ll take the VWs.
I was prepared to vote Lancia because of the weirdness of the top, but then saw the single partial shot of the Quantum wagon. My heart wants a longroof again.