New to me--old car

Subtle · Post by **Subtle** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 7:53 pm

The 93 twgn has been my project and daily user. Once the main objectives of more HP, brakes, tranny, and suspension were done I could tend to a long time urge to have an older sports car.

Been there for a while now

and I've been looking for an Alfa Romeo Spider from the early 1960s--in graphite grey.

Found one through eBay in Calgary, and a guy from the Alfa club there checked it out and I bought it on Friday.

For some reason it has the Veloce brakes, with huge aluminum cooling fins they were the best brakes available until eventually discs and brake fluid became superior.

Now we will build a 2L engine for it and with 150hp and 2000 lbs it will be a good mover.

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 8:27 pm

Sounds like a lot of fun. Must have been like finding a needle in a haystack.

Subtle · Post by **Subtle** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:21 pm

eBay is amazing.

In real time, Alfa's were expensive and listed at $3800 compared to around $2000 for an MG, or Triumph TR3.

These, including Austin Healeys, Morgans and Jaguars were essentially pre-war designs with flexible chassis and stiff short-travel suspensions. Fine on very smooth pavement, but hopeless on anything else.

Alfas had a stiff body and very well-controlled, compliant coil overs.

A month ago I was looking forward to an early winter for skiing, now I'm looking forward to an early spring.

Imprezive · Post by **Imprezive** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 10:31 pm

I'd love to have a new 156 w/ the 2.4L 20v 5-cylinder diesel powerplant...so freakin cool!

Not to mention how nice the interior is.

skid542 · Post by **skid542** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 5:47 am

I hate to do it to you - TTIWOP

.

Glad you found the car of your dreams though. Keep us posted on the progress.

Subtle · Post by **Subtle** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:02 am

The eBay ad included some 100 pics. I have it in my bookmarks, but the coordinate thing wont bring it up when entered in this post.

However, I was able to view it by typing in ebay item 130051442555.

Maybe there is another way??

jnorion · Post by **jnorion** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:07 am

Wow, that thing is in beautiful shape! Nice find, hope to see more of it.

Um. I just noticed it has a stick shift and two pedals... is there something I don't know about old Alfas and the way the transmission works?

Subtle · Post by **Subtle** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:27 am

The accelerator peddle hangs down and is difficult to see in that photo, otherwise it might be a drive by will system

.

Within the gallery of pics there are a couple of shots of the diff housing--
alumininum casting with some cooling ridges and fins.

jnorion · Post by **jnorion** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:34 pm

Ah, ok, I went back and found it.

Subtle · Post by **Subtle** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:03 pm

Other than the modern aspects of the suspension, this going to be a time-warp.

Wheels: 4 1/2 J X 15, Tires: 155-15.

Dry weight: 840 kilos or 1848 lbs.

HP: 80(DIN) at 6000 - that's from 1300cc in 1962.

Wheelbase: 2200mm or 87 inches.

Having a good time

azn2nr · Post by **azn2nr** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 4:14 am

27k!!!!!!!!!!!!

and i thought old turbo mr2's were expensive

Subtle · Post by **Subtle** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 6:21 am

A grey one with a built 2L in it traded on eBay on Oct 6 for $40,100. US

It might cost about C$5000 to put in a 150chp 2L , and a lsd.

There is a 1600 Veloce on Hemmings right now for US$41,000.

Edit --link didn't work.

azn2nr · Post by **azn2nr** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 6:44 am

yeah its a nice car but fuck that noise.

ill have a air cooled 911 for that much thanks

thats not meant as a diss if your gonna take it like that. not my cup of tea for the green if ya know what i mean

Subtle · Post by **Subtle** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:17 am

No probs-- saw a 1960s Porsche 356 Speedster on Hemmings for around $100,000. --for an engine that bends push rods if the driver is careless and allows the revs to get as high as 5800.

Jason--if you are ever up this way in nice weather we'll go for a spin

555BCTurbo · Post by **555BCTurbo** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:26 am

Subtle wrote:No probs-- saw a 1960s Porsche 356 Speedster on Hemmings for around $100,000. --for an engine that bends push rods if the driver is careless and allows the revs to get as high as 5800.

Jason--if you are ever up this way in nice weather we'll go for a spin

Porsche 356 Speedsters are incredibly rare though, and are more of a collector car...and if it was a numbers matching car, especially a super 90, it is worth $100k easily.

That said...old Alfa's are BADASS...so mad props on the purchase!

azn2nr · Post by **azn2nr** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 8:11 am

Subtle wrote:No probs-- saw a 1960s Porsche 356 Speedster on Hemmings for around $100,000. --for an engine that bends push rods if the driver is careless and allows the revs to get as high as 5800.

Jason--if you are ever up this way in nice weather we'll go for a spin

if my family still lived in vancouver id take you up on that. but since they moved back to hong kong i havent visited that part of canada. one of these days ill find my way up there and ill have to drop by

Subtle · Post by **Subtle** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 5:08 pm

What I really like about Subaru is that they design a car with the driver in mind--particularly the faster models. This has been the case with Alfa as well.

Both make quick cars without the very high cost of a Ferrari or the hazards inherit to certain high-priced cars with the engine aft of the rear axle.

555BCTurbo · Post by **555BCTurbo** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:19 pm

You just have to learn how to drive the cars with the engine aft of the rear axle...honestly, it is not that hard... (we have a 911 Carrera)

Post by **Legacy777** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:32 pm

ebay link for those of us who are lazy

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:27 pm

God that's beautiful! I love old Alfas!

That drum brake setup looks pretty cool.

The only thing, I would be scared shitless to drive it, and I'd have a hard time spending $27,000 on a car I was scared to drive.

Matt Monson · Post by **Matt Monson** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 11:13 pm

555BCTurbo wrote:
Subtle wrote:No probs-- saw a 1960s Porsche 356 Speedster on Hemmings for around $100,000. --for an engine that bends push rods if the driver is careless and allows the revs to get as high as 5800.

Jason--if you are ever up this way in nice weather we'll go for a spin

Porsche 356 Speedsters are incredibly rare though, and are more of a collector car...and if it was a numbers matching car, especially a super 90, it is worth $100k easily.

That said...old Alfa's are BADASS...so mad props on the purchase!

Yeah, I was going to say, one should compare apples to apples. We have a customer with a '58 Speedster that we built for national level concours competion and he recently turned down an offer for $150,000 on it. My bosses unrestored, all original 75k mi '64 356c cabriolet is worth more like $45,000-50,000 and ones in "driver" condition can be found as low as what was paid for that alfa.

And none of this is meant to detract from your purchase. It's a very cool little car. I love old Alfas. My old college roomate still has the '72 GTV that we used to run around in in the hills above Berkeley. What a great little car...

Subtle · Post by **Subtle** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:09 am

Guys -- for a year and 3/4s I've really enjoyed this site. Not only has it been informative, its shown some fine wit and humour, and beyond that it helped me to get more familiar with my computer.

The last is a give away and as some may have guessed--I'm no 20-year old. One participant got fed up with me because I wanted to put some sound deadener under the hood. It would add weight. Heresy! The twgn is now a few pounds heavier and a lot quieter.

One of the best laughs followed a complaint about someone having had to business travel some 25,000 miles in 9 months. The question asked if that included walking through the airports.

Subtle · Post by **Subtle** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:56 am

Interesting cars since have been an Austin Healey, MG TF , and my sister had a Triumph TR3. The first Alfa was a 1300 Spider in 1965, then a 1600 Spider. Compared to the other cars the difference in handling and braking was "night and day".

This was followed by a 1600 Sprint coupe, a 1300 GT and then the 1600 sports sedan--the Giulia Super. This was modded a little and was my first "sleeper". Installed a roll bar and used it to get my SCCA competition ticket in 1970. Five speed trannies were rare, so were disc brakes front and rear with a proportioning valve. That 4-door sedan had it all.

My friend had a Porsche 356 Normal and he drove it v. aggressively--thus the story about bending push rods-a number of times. Oversteer on dry roads, opposite lock each way through "S" bends --been there. In the wet even with a lot of experience it was rather tricky.

Then one wet day we used the Alfa sedan to go to Whistler Mountain for some skiing. Gary could not believe the braking, speed and stability going through the 70 miles of corners, and particularly shifting at 7000 rpm. DOHC engines don't have push rods.

Monday was his day off from his medical practise and the first thing he did was to trade in the Porsche for the boxy-looking Alfa sedan.

Getting a Spider now is fortunate and special.

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 2:59 am

Damn - you mean to tell me there's a 68 year old in here? Like oh my god that's so freakishly uncool. I feel violated.

J/k subtle. You don't plan on getting rid of the wagon, do you?

My favorite old car would have to be the "Ellanore" Shelby Mustang. Or the Moby Dick Porsche. Both are wickedly rare.

206er · Post by **206er** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:20 am

my dad used to have a giulia, cool cars. that spider of yours is truly amazing. cant be very many in that condition, even worldwide.

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New to me--old car

New to me--old car