Alfa Romeo Spider 2000 Veloce

[courty]

Then, after Corsica, a trip up via Bernina and Albula passes to Thusis, Switzerland, where we stayed with friends for a few days.

After that, a jaunt via the Schwarz Wald to Frieburg, and then via the Kaiser=Stuhl and Vosges to Bazeilles, just south of the Belgium border. Then via the Commonwealth cemetery and WW1 museum at Souchez...to Calais and home.

Kaiserstuhl, between Freiburg and the Rhine.

[courty]

Managed to squeeze a few Belgian beers in before the Ardennes forest, Souchez and home.

[courty]

We had a few adventures along the way. A frenchman tried to kill us with a dustbin that fell off his pick-up truck coming down Col de Vars (thankfully just hit the left front tyre and no damage) and we had a Corsican pig try to hitch a lift near Monte Cinto (trotter marks have pretty much polished out lol). My wife conceded that her predictions of a mechanical breakdown were unfounded, and apart from uneven front tyre wear (my fault) the car ran perfectly. With top down motoring giving a real sense of connection and the very comfortable ride, plus decent storage space, the Spider is a surprisingly good touring car. Of course it is noisy on motorways, but will sit quite happily at 80mph (70mph for less noise) on the peage motorways). It certainly is no Caterham, so overtaking slow traffic isn't always simple and fast cornering requires concentration, but overall it is a perfect touring car and certainly turns heads in out of the way French villages. Photo with Swiss Merc. oldtimer on Bernina pass.

[ATG]

courty said:

Thing is, there is a kink over a brow which I couldn't see until I was upon it at 60mph.

That road's about six inches wide too. I hustled down it the other way a little while ago when the other road out the back of Lake Vyrnwy was blocked by a landslide. Really narrow and nothing between you and a big drop. Savoury parping moments galore.

[courty]

ATG said:

That road's about six inches wide too. I hustled down it the other way a little while ago when the other road out the back of Lake Vyrnwy was blocked by a landslide. Really narrow and nothing between you and a big drop. Savoury parping moments galore.

Absolutely, yes the steep drop to the side doesn't show obviously on google streetview. Also, there is no mobile reception out there, so if you go over and survive, you only have the odd sheep for company!

This is the view driving north. The kink is obvious. But driving south, the kink is hidden as you ascend and it looks like a straight road...until you are right on it. It's unforgiving! https://www.google.com/maps/@52.8400081,-3.563466,...

Edited by courty on Wednesday 20th September 18:53

[Little Bob]

Looks like a fantastic trip, I’m planning something similar next spring in our S2000, your post has ignited further research.

Spider is looking good, great that there were no issues (aside from the toe in) on the trip - pretty impressive.

[courty]

Little Bob said:

Looks like a fantastic trip, I’m planning something similar next spring in our S2000, your post has ignited further research.

Spider is looking good, great that there were no issues (aside from the toe in) on the trip - pretty impressive.

For pure driving on decent but quiet roads, hang about in the Vosges for as long as possible.
Even the regular French departmental roads from the Champagne around Dijon to the Jura are worth exploring if you want to turn off the Peage and take a bit more time.
The Alps however are much more scenic and many of the lesser known passes are relatively quiet.
I would think the S2000 would make a perfect touring car, a bit more grunt when needed for overtaking than the classic Alfa.

[Little Bob]

courty said:

For pure driving on decent but quiet roads, hang about in the Vosges for as long as possible.
Even the regular French departmental roads from the Champagne around Dijon to the Jura are worth exploring if you want to turn off the Peage and take a bit more time.
The Alps however are much more scenic and many on of the lesser known passes are relatively quiet.
I would think the S2000 would make a perfect touring car, a bit more grunt when needed for overtaking than the classic Alfa.

Thanks courty - the Route Napoleon is a must, the rest is fluid. Appreciate your advice.

[psi310398]

Little Bob said:

Thanks courty - the Route Napoleon is a must, the rest is fluid. Appreciate your advice.

On my last Alfa Spider drive through France, on my way home from Italy, I explored the area between Chalon-sur-Saone and Avallon and then up to Troyes. The area has a lot of very nice quiet twisty roads and pleasant villages in the Morvan forest and points north. And almost empty of humanity, let alone tourists!

[Little Bob]

Thanks psi - more food for thought...

[courty]

I had the Spider checked over by the guy who looks after it. I planned for him to give it a check over before the mega-euro tour but just didn't manage it.
Anyway, he replaced the 6 steering ball joints and the needle valves in the carburettors.
Apart from that everything is tickety-boo. Not bad as it's done 30k hard miles since the last proper suspension check in 2018.
Certainly would have saved me wearing the expensive Pirelli CN36 tyres out if he had set the steering and toe BEFORE we did 3,800 miles round the Alps and Sardinia etc.
I purchased some cheap Toyo tyres for the alloy wheels, but can't bring myself to try them...I just know they will be dull and crap.
In the meantime it's back on the steelies with the skinny Michelins. Now the steering has been tightened up, the noticeable understeer has very much reduced, I would say almost disappeared, even in spirited road driving.
The skinny tyres have comical amounts of grip in the wet though, the Pirellis were so good in the wet.
Some cold air and a two hour blast around this morning, plus with new needle valves the tick-over is smooth as a Rolls-Royce.

[courty]

A little update on the Spider.
Firstly, I succumbed to the idea of a front anti-roll bar upgrade.
I have had the 165 section tyres and generally wet weather in which those tyres don't have much grip..along with very poor road surfaces, so I haven't been able to come to a conclusion...except there is less body roll (for better or worse I don't know yet)...and initial turn-in is possibly sharper...my feeling is that the thicker bar will stay.


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Also I tried some modern tyres...photo shows the chunky 185 section moderns (Toyo nano-energy 3) and original type 165 section.
Conclusion: The moderns are spiteful and hateful. They have a lot more grip, but then let go massively, suddenly, and without warning.. sudden massive oversteer, mid-corner on a constant throttle and a constant radius bend, and of course at a higher speed due to more initial grip. I did 50 miles and they are going to be junked...horrible things tried to spin me across the carriageway. They are fine for normal driving, but hateful for sporty driving.
A new set of Pirelli CN36 185 70 are on the way from Longstone tyres. These have much more wet weather grip than the 165 tyres, but still communicate and do things progressively, so they are worth the premium.

Edited by courty on Wednesday 6th March 21:37

[courty]

Also, looking through the history, the car has had it's original ATE discs.
The fronts still had decent thickness, but were flared with rust.
I happened across a set of ATE classicline discs from Autodoc, the last set of rears too. I have been very impressed with ATE on my 166, and less than impressed with Brembo or Pagid.
The new ATE discs look beautiful.
The rears also have a drum for the handbrake, which is very effective.
I had a weeping front caliper, so I replaced the front pair, and also the fluid with ATE racing.
The front discs are a jiggle because the hub bearing has to come off.
Rear disc with handbrake drum.

Original front drum...quality kit lasted 45 years and 130k miles.



Front discs sit behind the hub.

Edited by courty on Thursday 7th March 07:56

[courty]

And finally, to show it's not just been all work making Jack a dull boy...a photo of the Spider with some pistonhead friends...and yes, the cabin is a bit leaky in wet weather lol.