ALFASUD /SPRINT
Discussion
Also owned this little beauty very briefly. I took a phone call from a friend asking if I wanted a cheap 'Sud that would otherwise be heading to the crusher. How cheap? £60 with TEN MONTHS ticket and a few days rent left. I was borderline euphoric as I rang the number given to me. I was calling an Alfa Specialist based on or near the Edgeware Rd in London town. They were selling the car on behalf of the owner who was giving up driving. I asked the price and it was confirmed as £60. They also verified 10 months remaining MOT but that work would be required for next time.
I didn't know why I wanted it, what I was going to do with it of where I would keep it but it was a working Sud for the price of a curry and a few beers and I wanted a slice of that pie. One of my many failings is that I am the tightest man in the whole wide world. It was this that prevented me from bein sensible and getting the train down to London come collection time. Reason being was that the train ticket was more than the car! So, for the first (and I can assure you, last) time, I encountered the world of National Express. Never ever again. We left Liverpool at approx 7am on a very muggy summers day. The coach looked grim from the outside and smelt awful inside. Still, there were only fifteen or so passengers so I'd. It have to share a seat. How naive I was. Within the first twenty miles we stopped a few times until the coach was full to the brim. I ended up pinned to the window by the worlds largest lady who upon sitting down, almost immediately asked me if I believe in God.
The journey was competed in sauna like heat but we arrived in London safe and sound. A quick trip on the tube and a two minute walk saw me at the Alfa Specialist. Introductions made, we walked into the street where my ride home wasn't quite gleaming. I was hoping for red, black or silver but I got bronze. Champagne tastes on a lemonade budget as always...
Good points - she started on the key and sounded superb. Downsides, I couldn't get any gears! Wandered back inside and was told there was a problem with the clutch slave cylinder but it would just need bleeding. No problem. We wander back to the car and I open the bonnet. At this point, I get a bit of a shock. There's no inner wings on either side. I made subtle enquiries as to the legitimacy of the MOT and was told it was ok as the previous owner didn't travel far or at speed!
Clutch bled and gears engaging sweetly, I trundle off down Edgeware Rd towards the M1. I'm passing the Vauxhall dealer by the arches and the little b
d is running a bit hot. Hmmmm... I pull into the services on the M1 which is only a couple of miles up the road. Nothing in the header tank. Fill it with water and set off. I must admit things went quite well for the next forty five minutes or so. Somewhere between Luton and Milton Keynes, there was a storm of biblical proportions. Thunder, lightening and a deluge. Light and wipers on which brought the familiar gentle glow of the battery lamp on. Many of my 'Suds and Sprints would illuminate the battery lamp ever so slightly when everything was turned on. Still, we were making good time until I hear a ridiculously loud crack of thunder followed by smoke coming from the radio!To this day, I maintain that the little 'Sud was stuck by lightening but whenever I tell this to anyone, they fall about laughing! I pulled the radio out and the coaxial aerial lead was completely melted which is my evidence of an act of God!
Undetered and to be frank, wanting to just get home, I plod onwards. Next shock to the system was a feeling of wet feet. I looked down into the footwell, there was about two inches of water sloshing about. No doubt entering the car through holes various in the scuttle panel at the base of the windscreen.
The weather lifted and I made it back ok. Clearly the little Sud was beyond economic repair so it was listed on eBay the very next day and sold a week later for around £270. This left me with a profit on my day out of approaching £150 which was fine by me!
Chap who came to buy the car had a brand new Jaguar XJ. The aluminium bodied one and it was the first one i had seen so I'm guessing this was nearly ten years or so ago now. Anyway, he used to work for Alfa Romeo UK back in the day. Incidentally he said they were located on or near Edgeware Rd. He was a pleasant enough guy and not overly concerned by the welding marathon that would be required to get its next MOT. His parting words were that the wife would likely divorce him when she saw his new toy. The final time I saw this particular little Sud was perhaps 2-3 months later when it was related on eBay with the words "For sale due to divorce" in the second title line!
You are telling this like a cautionary tale, but if you step back a little, you'll realise:
- You made the trip Liverpool - London and back in one piece.
- You found god on the journey home.
- You made good 150 Pounds on a day
- And the poor 'Sud acted as a catalyst in a long impending divorce afterwards.
Hopefully the one spirit restoring it right now will realise what properly devine
little cars those are, better than you did!
Perhapy those Alfasuds are blessed with very pure machine souls that their steel
bodies have to turn "back to dust" much too soon for our liking?
Sicily is very catholic, even if I am not...
Martin
- You made the trip Liverpool - London and back in one piece.
- You found god on the journey home.
- You made good 150 Pounds on a day
- And the poor 'Sud acted as a catalyst in a long impending divorce afterwards.
Hopefully the one spirit restoring it right now will realise what properly devine
little cars those are, better than you did!
Perhapy those Alfasuds are blessed with very pure machine souls that their steel
bodies have to turn "back to dust" much too soon for our liking?
Sicily is very catholic, even if I am not...
Martin
I had a cheap Alfasud 1200Ti back in the 80s. it was way past it's sell-by date but I loved it. It had a problem starting when hot - never got to the bottom of that. the rear seat would inexplicably be wet - never worked out why.
The rust was everywhere. I once ran my fingers down the radiator and all the fins fell out.
It constantly seemed to be sodden and the rust never seemed to dry out.
I changed it for an Alfetta 2000SL which was a million times better built (still not great but it's relative and most 70s cars were badly built....)
I also had a 1980 Alfasud 1300SC hatch. Weird hauntings made every light on the dash light up for no reason as you drove along. Dynamically far inferior to the Ti. I eventually got fed up with the way rust would suddenly erupt through the very thin paint in stupid places like the bonnet and middle of the roof and it went in favour of a Saab 900 (which ironically rusted its tailgate and was less reliable...)
The rust was everywhere. I once ran my fingers down the radiator and all the fins fell out.
It constantly seemed to be sodden and the rust never seemed to dry out.
I changed it for an Alfetta 2000SL which was a million times better built (still not great but it's relative and most 70s cars were badly built....)
I also had a 1980 Alfasud 1300SC hatch. Weird hauntings made every light on the dash light up for no reason as you drove along. Dynamically far inferior to the Ti. I eventually got fed up with the way rust would suddenly erupt through the very thin paint in stupid places like the bonnet and middle of the roof and it went in favour of a Saab 900 (which ironically rusted its tailgate and was less reliable...)
Edited by LuS1fer on Saturday 2nd November 19:53
My first in 1986 was a 1977 1200Ti that cost £50. Fast forward four years and I bought another for £50, a 1981 Series 3 1500 Super, the plastic bumper one. It was rusty but not shagged, so I fitted new wings, sills and rear arches, repaired everything else with Mig and P40 and got it oven painted for £80. I replaced the cambelts and clutch and ran it for a year, utterly reliable it was too - I can't think why I sold it. Others included a couple of Sprints (never liked them as much) and a 1983 1350 SC hatchback that was £20 on the condition that they kept the glass pop up sunroof. I drove it home on a dry day, and rivetted in a perspex panel with plenty of seam sealer. The last one I had was in 1996, a really tatty but solid 1300Ti Series 1, LJO515S. The engine had been run low on oil and buggered so I bought a written off 1.3 Arna for £40, did an engine swap and MOT'd it before doing a particularly neat paint job with white RePaint and a decent brush. I regularly thrashed the living tits off it and like all good Alfas, it never complained.
I had other Alfas too - a 1.8 Giulietta, a 1600 Alfetta GT, a couple of 33's, two Arnas (much, much better than the reputation suggests) and two 75's as well as a brace of 164 Twin Sparks.
They were all great cars really - cheap to buy, reliable and really charismatic. I couldn't care less about the 105 cars tbh - to me the seventies stuff was/is far more interesting.
I had other Alfas too - a 1.8 Giulietta, a 1600 Alfetta GT, a couple of 33's, two Arnas (much, much better than the reputation suggests) and two 75's as well as a brace of 164 Twin Sparks.
They were all great cars really - cheap to buy, reliable and really charismatic. I couldn't care less about the 105 cars tbh - to me the seventies stuff was/is far more interesting.
Guilty as charged.......
I had a sud 5M in the late 70s. It was a fabulous car if only I had known it. Rust plus a cam belt failure took care of it but the major problem was neglect. I never serviced it and thrashed it senseless. Idiot child.
I recently decided to become involved in sud's again because in 10 years time they will either be gone or museum pieces. Last month I purchased this as a rolling resto;
I collected it from oop North and drove it all the way home (South Coast). It never missed a beat. It already had the rot cut out and replaced and the engine and gearbox are fine. I'm going to get the paint done and take the interior back to original cloverleaf. The final bill, including car will be somewhere around 4-5k but ask yourself.....how many modern cars put a big grin on your face and make you laugh like a lunatic?
I had a sud 5M in the late 70s. It was a fabulous car if only I had known it. Rust plus a cam belt failure took care of it but the major problem was neglect. I never serviced it and thrashed it senseless. Idiot child.
I recently decided to become involved in sud's again because in 10 years time they will either be gone or museum pieces. Last month I purchased this as a rolling resto;
I collected it from oop North and drove it all the way home (South Coast). It never missed a beat. It already had the rot cut out and replaced and the engine and gearbox are fine. I'm going to get the paint done and take the interior back to original cloverleaf. The final bill, including car will be somewhere around 4-5k but ask yourself.....how many modern cars put a big grin on your face and make you laugh like a lunatic?
Vealie said:
Guilty as charged.......
I had a sud 5M in the late 70s. It was a fabulous car if only I had known it. Rust plus a cam belt failure took care of it but the major problem was neglect. I never serviced it and thrashed it senseless. Idiot child.
I recently decided to become involved in sud's again because in 10 years time they will either be gone or museum pieces. Last month I purchased this as a rolling resto;
I collected it from oop North and drove it all the way home (South Coast). It never missed a beat. It already had the rot cut out and replaced and the engine and gearbox are fine. I'm going to get the paint done and take the interior back to original cloverleaf. The final bill, including car will be somewhere around 4-5k but ask yourself.....how many modern cars put a big grin on your face and make you laugh like a lunatic?
Was that an ebay purchase?I had a sud 5M in the late 70s. It was a fabulous car if only I had known it. Rust plus a cam belt failure took care of it but the major problem was neglect. I never serviced it and thrashed it senseless. Idiot child.
I recently decided to become involved in sud's again because in 10 years time they will either be gone or museum pieces. Last month I purchased this as a rolling resto;
I collected it from oop North and drove it all the way home (South Coast). It never missed a beat. It already had the rot cut out and replaced and the engine and gearbox are fine. I'm going to get the paint done and take the interior back to original cloverleaf. The final bill, including car will be somewhere around 4-5k but ask yourself.....how many modern cars put a big grin on your face and make you laugh like a lunatic?
I bid on a very similar car .....
POORCARDEALER said:
Mine is a B reg in silver green cloverleaf with 46K miles....bit of rust to deal with but nothing major....bee in storage 7 years so just recommissioning her
Yes. I think I saw that one. Our cars were on eBay at the same time. From recollection you have less work to do than me! ;-)Vealie said:
POORCARDEALER said:
Mine is a B reg in silver green cloverleaf with 46K miles....bit of rust to deal with but nothing major....bee in storage 7 years so just recommissioning her
Yes. I think I saw that one. Our cars were on eBay at the same time. From recollection you have less work to do than me! ;-)Not sure about that! No MOT on mine, choke seized solid and a few fuel leaks to deal with and a bit of rust...good bits is a near perfect interior and carpets....if a pair of new old stock front wings come up for sale I might buy them...
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