RE: Shed Of The Week: Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf

[yellowstreak]

I loved my little 1.6 twin spark. A brilliant little engine which loved to be revved. Enthusiastic driving showed me what real under steer was though!

I eventually gave it away when the immobiliser packed up and I couldn't start it. I think it was weighed in during the car scrappage scheme.

[biggrim]

craig_m67 said:

Looks like a 6N Polo with a VR6 engine swap in this pic.

[dbdb]

I quite like this car. I wouldn't want to own it, but it is a good Shed of the week.

[RicksAlfas]

I had two - a 1996 and a 1999. Fond memories of them both, dominated by the revtastic engine. The original 150bhp "metal topped" engine always seemed livelier than the later 155bhp "plastic topped" one as in this car. The base of the rear seat unbolted very easily and the backrest would then lay completely flat for the full van effect. I carried three bikes in mine, frames stood upright, wheels in between...

As mentioned above suspension bushes are a consumable and do check for rot in the sills and around the seat mounts.

[Blackpuddin]

Are those rear windows hinged?

[soad]

Has been featured in the past, which isn't a bad thing. I like these.

[Limpet]

A lot of fun for the cash, but old Alfas aren't cheap to run. Everything is expensive to buy, difficult to replace, or both.

Worth a punt though. So much more interesting that most of the alternatives at this money.

[artdealer]

Reminded me that I tripped over a part exchange in a Honda dealer a few years ago. Lovely condition red Alfa 145 Cloverleaf, it was only a few hundred £450? or something. Nearly new OZ alloys and faultless with FSH. It sold really quickly for a lot more.

[Davo456gt]

RicksAlfas said:

I had two - a 1996 and a 1999. Fond memories of them both, dominated by the revtastic engine. The original 150bhp "metal topped" engine always seemed livelier than the later 155bhp "plastic topped" one as in this car.

steel topped = Alfa Engine as fitted in 164TS and earlier (superb!)
plastic topped = Fiat Block, Alfa head with 2nd smaller spark plug to clean emissions I believe

please correct me if I'm wrong

[AngryPartsBloke]

r11co said:

Stuffed-crust pizza is an invention by those morbidly obese Americans.

Beach-fronts in populated areas in Italy are leased out to companies/organisations who provide facilities such as showers/changing cabins/restaurants/lifeguards for which you pay a small daily fee to use the beach. Did you not read the signs, shed (or are you just tight?)

There are 'Spiagge Libere' where you don't have to pay and you won't get moved on, but bring your own deckchairs...

Thanks for clearing that up

Worst "I know where stuffed crust pizza was actually invented and I know some useless information about beaches in italy too " Post ever.

[AC43]

k-ink said:

The handling is raw and direct. Then engines are great little rev-meisters.

Perfect summary. Love them.

[SVX]

I loved my 33 1.7 i.e. That little flat four inspired most of my stable of horizontally opposed goodness. Always fancied a 145 Clover - glad to see that they didn't all dissolve.

[r11co]

AngryPartsBloke said:

r11co said:

Stuffed-crust pizza is an invention by those morbidly obese Americans.

Beach-fronts in populated areas in Italy are leased out to companies/organisations who provide facilities such as showers/changing cabins/restaurants/lifeguards for which you pay a small daily fee to use the beach. Did you not read the signs, shed (or are you just tight?)

There are 'Spiagge Libere' where you don't have to pay and you won't get moved on, but bring your own deckchairs...

Thanks for clearing that up

Worst "I know where stuffed crust pizza was actually invented and I know some useless* information about beaches in italy too " Post ever.

Beats appealing to (inaccurate, ignorant) stereotypes in order to make cheap misguided shots at a particular culture, but then we are supposed to be all part of the knuckledragging team here. No enlightenment allowed?

PS. The information is useful* if you don't want to be moved on and then get unnecessarily pissy about it in a website article.

Edited by r11co on Friday 3rd October 11:09

[shalmaneser]

I really, really like these for some reason.

Would have to be red though.

[biscione]

I have had 2 of these in the past.

W536SBU - a red 1.6, my first car, great fun

V411GDP - a red cloverleaf. This car was excellent, loved her, and spent a fair bit on her. Ended up trading her in for a 147 GTA the deal was to good to be true.

I do look back at the 145 with fond memories, something that drove me crazy though was the body roll and the ridicolously high seating position!

I always thought Alfa missed a trick not putting a V6 in one from the factory though. I think a hot 145 would have been epic, say 200ish BHP, the 2.5v6 engine, a diff and a 6 speed box, uprated suspension etc. Whilst I thought the 2.0 ts in the cloverleaf was a great engine, the Alfa 6 is really in a totally different league! You would lose some handling finesse due to the weight though!

Edited by biscione on Friday 3rd October 11:34

Edited by biscione on Friday 3rd October 11:35

[TooMany2cvs]

"Nearest Alfa ever got to a van"?





Anyway, if you're going to have a 145, might as well go the whole hog of silliness, and have one with a flat four...

[Gorbyrev]

Seeing as nobody has said so yet, great write up Tony. Lovely entertaining take on a rare and intriguing little car.

[athol]

Love these.

Just picked up a 2006 2.0 TS Lusso with only 42k on it for £940! Just as a toy to play with as it has some interesting warning lights ablaze and needs a cambelt etc.

Amazing looking thing for the cash.

[Turbobanana]

Alfa have made vans in the past (domestic market only though, I believe). In fact they started in 1914 and continued until the demise of the Fiat Ducato / Iveco Daily, of which they were rebadged versions.

Back on topic: that 145 looks ace.

[r11co]

TooMany2cvs said:

"Nearest Alfa ever got to a van"?

Indeed! There was even a van version of the Alfa Sud estate with steel instead of window cutouts and no rear seats.

Edited by r11co on Friday 3rd October 18:42