The Alfa Thread

[LJ851]

[LateFan]

I like how you can hear induction and mechanical noise as it comes at you, then screaming exhaust after it goes.

My son and I popped over to a hotel parking lot here where the "Going to the Sun Rally" is spending the night. Parking lot full of cool cars. Bunch of Ferraris, including two 330 GTCs (one of my favorites), one in a perfect slate blue and one BRG (not red!) Two old 2+2 Ferraris (365??), a California Spider (but maybe not a 250, not sure), and a some locals in newer ones.

Bunch of 911s, but all post-bumper years...mostly 70s to 80s Carreras. One was a Press car.

An Allard / Cadillac - don't see those around.

A Kurtis / Chevy SB.

Four early Cobras - real ones, 289, no flares, wires.

A 65 Shelby 350, white, original (nice guy with a Jersey accent). A Hertz 65 Mustang fastback in the black and gold.

A Sunbeam Tiger.

A Cuda convertible with white seats. Sorta stuck out.

Bunch of 356 coupes. Old Corvettes. THREE Ferrari Dinos (!). Early Panteras. Several E-types. Austin Healeys.

AND....a 67 Alfa Sprint GT in black with red seats. Nearly perfect. SKINNY original size tires. Shiny exhaust and underside.

But on the other side of the yellow Mustang was a white GTA, with all the bits - mesh grille, sliding block rear end, rivets in the rain gutters..... That's gotta be a pretty valuable car.

Insert shitty cellphone pic here....


There was a Duetto Spider on the list, but it wasn't there. Then there was a white Giulia Spider..... that had been ruined.... ALL white, everything! Grilles, headlight rings, mirrors, wheels, HUBCAPS, BUMPERS??.....aarrgh. But...it's not my money - his choice.

All in all, it appeared to be quite a well-heeled crowd in nice clothes. Apparently they do this every year, with different routes through Glacier, Yellowstone, Sun Valley, Canadian Rockies - they mix it up. Grand dinners, the best wines, traveling mechanics, stickers on the doors, stitched logo jackets - one of those deals.

The greatest thing about this was they were all dirty and the fronts covered in bugs! And people would just jump in one, fire it up, and head downtown for dinner or errands. Nice to see.

[LateFan]

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[Wschnitz]

That 75 gimmie.

[LateFan]

A friend sent this last night - gallery / show opening somewhere in Seattle..?

[Wschnitz]

Didnt know alfa used metallic paint on cars that old?

[BlackbirdM3]

There is a good chance that my '59 Sprint project will be moving forward here in a little bit. I've found a guy who can do the bodywork on the nose to make everything straight. His estimate to get the work done is in the ballpark of what I figured. Getting the bodywork done will be such a HUGE step in the right direction.

Will

[BlackbirdM3]

Didnt know alfa used metallic paint on cars that old?

That isn't an original color. A modern repaint for sure.

Will

[Wschnitz]

Cant wait to see the sprint. Hope to own one some day.

[BlackbirdM3]

Cant wait to see the sprint. Hope to own one some day.

Neither can I. I need to find an engine, figure out how to pull the brake drums off, and get a few key items to make it driveable after the bodywork is done. I'm a little puzzled about what I'm going to do for seats. The original seats are all there, but the foam is decomposing rapidly so I'll have to come up with new foam if I want to use them. I think I might also install a roll bar so I can run race harnesses for safety.

Will

[Wschnitz]

Neither can I. I need to find an engine, figure out how to pull the brake drums off, and get a few key items to make it driveable after the bodywork is done. I'm a little puzzled about what I'm going to do for seats. The original seats are all there, but the foam is decomposing rapidly so I'll have to come up with new foam if I want to use them. I think I might also install a roll bar so I can run race harnesses for safety.

Will

A good upholstry shop could probably copy the seat foam pattern.

What engine you looking for? 1750? 2000? etc, god there are so many engines.

[flyboyx]

It's blashpemy, but I suggest a 24v v6 from a late model 164.

[BlackbirdM3]

A good upholstry shop could probably copy the seat foam pattern.

What engine you looking for? 1750? 2000? etc, god there are so many engines.

I'd like to do a 1600 in it since there was a version ('65) that came with a 1600. That said, a guy down the street from me has a very hot 1750 that he is looking to sell for stupid cheap. The 1750 is still the same architecture as the 1300, just slightly taller with a larger bore. (the Nord 2 liter is a different creature altogether. It looks similar but it had a redesign in order to keep from blowing head gaskets.) Still, if done right, a 1750 could easily be mistaken for a 1600. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Will

[rloewy]

I'd like to do a 1600 in it since there was a version ('65) that came with a 1600. That said, a guy down the street from me has a very hot 1750 that he is looking to sell for stupid cheap. The 1750 is still the same architecture as the 1300, just slightly taller with a larger bore. (the Nord 2 liter is a different creature altogether. It looks similar but it had a redesign in order to keep from blowing head gaskets.) Still, if done right, a 1750 could easily be mistaken for a 1600. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Will

I always liked the 1750 most of these Alfa engines. If you do not care that much about original specs - I would say that is the engine to get.

[BlackbirdM3]

I always liked the 1750 most of these Alfa engines. If you do not care that much about original specs - I would say that is the engine to get.

I agree, the 1750 is the best of the bunch. I want the car to look correct to the casual observer. The 1300 doesn't have enough get up and go for freeway running (debatable) the 1600 that I drive on a regular basis feels anemic (might just be that engine however) 1750 that I had in my GTV was a wonderful engine. In a Sprint it would be plenty of power. It really was the pinnacle of the development from the 1300. It had the most power, most refined and when they tried to make it a 2l things didn't work so well. They had to change the block design and offset the pistons to keep head gaskets from blowing. (the Nord 2l are still known for blowing head gaskets. They are only a little better than the GTAM 1750 derived 2L engines in that respect)

If cost were no object, I'd build a hot 1600 and stick it in as there were 1600 Sprints build at the end of the production run. They had a slightly different dash, but the rest of the car was the same.

Will