Information on my integrale G295 CDC

[Kevinlincs]

Hi guys.

I started the restoration of my integrale a good while back but have been delayed with it whilst doing other cars, almost ready to get back to it.

In the meantime I'd been trying to figure out a few oddities with my car.
It's a 1989 16V car, RHD converted but has an 8V engine & gearbox.
I suspected one of the Swiss market Kat cars but it has no ABS or Catalytic converter.
Of course these details could have changed over the last near 30 years but this is a one owner car, and the elderly (forgive me Tony for that description!) guy I bought it off insists it is exactly how it was when he bought it when it was less than a year old, direct from my local Lancia dealers.

My next step was to contact the only other detailed owner on the logbook, Walkers garage.
Ben there kindly responded to my request but only in as much to say they no longer have records of cars from back then so no clues as to why the engine discrepancy.
He did however offer an idea that may well fit...
Back in '89 they wanted a 16V car to donate it's engine & gearbox to upgrade their rally car to 16V spec, far easier to transplant the running gear to their existing 8V car than do the whole shell preparation again. He recalls the car being converted to RHD, getting the 8V ex RAC/Mintex rally Group N engine fitted in place of the removed 16V unit then the car went into the dealership network.

My car turned up at Mountview motors the Lancia dealer in Horncastle, Lincs for a knock down price which Tony purchased. Tony so far the only owner, before me of course.

I've since found an ex Mountview mechanic who recalls the car and owner and unprompted said "that's the car with the rally engine in it" 

Tony insisted it went really well, as you'd expect from an integrale really, but did it go so well due to the blueprinted motor?

Does anyone know any details to confirm the story and link it to my car? Anyone here that used to/still does work at Walkers that recalls anything of the story?

Quite important for me that I find out one way or another.
If it turns out to be the case then I'd love to keep the car as is, an ex RAC completing motor isn't the stuff to be thrown away.
If it turns out to be none of the sort then I'm thinking about putting it back to 16V spec.
Either way I'd be very keen to hear anything form you guys, even if it's just an opinion on what to do!

Kev.