Just bought my first Alfa
Discussion
Also happens to be my first car, period (the Focus and Jetta VR6 Turbo in my profile are registered in my dad's name and, technically, don't belong to me).
It's a 1984 Spider 2.0 It has some rust ahead of the rear arches, but that's to be expected on a 30 year old Italian car. I didn't buy it to win any Concours', I bought it to drive (I also don't have a garage, so the neighborhood kids are bound to give it a few dings and scratches, anyway). As such, the mechanicals are all sorted. It runs great and actually starts more easily than my daily-driver Focus! It's got a new clutch, new seals, and a newer top. I looked at it in the pouring rain so I know the top doesn't leak (important, since I have severe mold/mildew allergies).
I never thought that my first car would be a proper sports car, let alone an Alfa! Every time I go outside I can't believe it's actually mine! When I sit in it, with its beautifully broken-in, blue leather seats and all-important wood-rimmed steering wheel, I can't help imagining myself as a "proper" gentleman, like Tony Curtis in The Persuaders. All I need are some leather driving gloves!
I guess I can now consider myself a "proper petrolhead" by the Top Gear metric.
Stuff that doesn't work (so-far): odometer cable is broken; passenger-side door doesn't lock (cylinder just spins freely in-place); it has a modern, aftermarket stereo head-unit that doesn't work, but that's okay because I can fix that and, until then, I can enjoy the glorious sound of an Alfa twin-cam engine!
All in all, I'm looking forward to many adventures with it in the months and years to come!
I'll update my profile tomorrow and add pics (it's 3 AM, local time, and I have to get some sleep).
It's a 1984 Spider 2.0 It has some rust ahead of the rear arches, but that's to be expected on a 30 year old Italian car. I didn't buy it to win any Concours', I bought it to drive (I also don't have a garage, so the neighborhood kids are bound to give it a few dings and scratches, anyway). As such, the mechanicals are all sorted. It runs great and actually starts more easily than my daily-driver Focus! It's got a new clutch, new seals, and a newer top. I looked at it in the pouring rain so I know the top doesn't leak (important, since I have severe mold/mildew allergies).
I never thought that my first car would be a proper sports car, let alone an Alfa! Every time I go outside I can't believe it's actually mine! When I sit in it, with its beautifully broken-in, blue leather seats and all-important wood-rimmed steering wheel, I can't help imagining myself as a "proper" gentleman, like Tony Curtis in The Persuaders. All I need are some leather driving gloves!
I guess I can now consider myself a "proper petrolhead" by the Top Gear metric.
Stuff that doesn't work (so-far): odometer cable is broken; passenger-side door doesn't lock (cylinder just spins freely in-place); it has a modern, aftermarket stereo head-unit that doesn't work, but that's okay because I can fix that and, until then, I can enjoy the glorious sound of an Alfa twin-cam engine!
All in all, I'm looking forward to many adventures with it in the months and years to come!
I'll update my profile tomorrow and add pics (it's 3 AM, local time, and I have to get some sleep).
Well done...!!
My first Alfa was a 2000 156 1.8TS, bought from a pal. They are brilliant cars but have to be looked after !
Now on my second ; a late model 156 JTDM 150.
You may know this....
but here it is anyway:
There are no Haynes manuals for Alfas; best source of technical info is via the forums ( or is that fora!) ie alfa156.net, alfaowner.com, and of course PistonHeads Alfa/Fiat forum.
I am not well informed re the 2.0 engine, but I think it is similar to my old 1.8TS, but has a balancer as well.
Others will tell you more !
The main issue when buying a TS engine is the cam belt. Alfa used to recommend 72K intervals, but then they changed it to 36K !
Cam belt/tensioner/water pump service is a must unless you know it has been done ( and done properly!)
Try and find a good Alfa independent specialist unless you are handy; Alfas are 'quirky' and need sympathetic mechanics !!
Oil level is very important on a TS; the correct grade ( I have forgotten which one !), and always keep the oil level up to the top mark on the dipstick.
Get a 4 wheel alignment done if you can: it will transform the handling when set up correctly.
My first Alfa was a 2000 156 1.8TS, bought from a pal. They are brilliant cars but have to be looked after !
Now on my second ; a late model 156 JTDM 150.
You may know this....
but here it is anyway:
There are no Haynes manuals for Alfas; best source of technical info is via the forums ( or is that fora!) ie alfa156.net, alfaowner.com, and of course PistonHeads Alfa/Fiat forum.
I am not well informed re the 2.0 engine, but I think it is similar to my old 1.8TS, but has a balancer as well.
Others will tell you more !
The main issue when buying a TS engine is the cam belt. Alfa used to recommend 72K intervals, but then they changed it to 36K !
Cam belt/tensioner/water pump service is a must unless you know it has been done ( and done properly!)
Try and find a good Alfa independent specialist unless you are handy; Alfas are 'quirky' and need sympathetic mechanics !!
Oil level is very important on a TS; the correct grade ( I have forgotten which one !), and always keep the oil level up to the top mark on the dipstick.
Get a 4 wheel alignment done if you can: it will transform the handling when set up correctly.
Paul S4 said:
Well done...!!
My first Alfa was a 2000 156 1.8TS, bought from a pal. They are brilliant cars but have to be looked after !
Now on my second ; a late model 156 JTDM 150.
You may know this....
but here it is anyway:
There are no Haynes manuals for Alfas; best source of technical info is via the forums ( or is that fora!) ie alfa156.net, alfaowner.com, and of course PistonHeads Alfa/Fiat forum.
I am not well informed re the 2.0 engine, but I think it is similar to my old 1.8TS, but has a balancer as well.
Others will tell you more !
The main issue when buying a TS engine is the cam belt. Alfa used to recommend 72K intervals, but then they changed it to 36K !
Cam belt/tensioner/water pump service is a must unless you know it has been done ( and done properly!)
Try and find a good Alfa independent specialist unless you are handy; Alfas are 'quirky' and need sympathetic mechanics !!
Oil level is very important on a TS; the correct grade ( I have forgotten which one !), and always keep the oil level up to the top mark on the dipstick.
Get a 4 wheel alignment done if you can: it will transform the handling when set up correctly.
Thanks for the input and the tips. The 156 is a gorgeous car; too bad they never sold them over here on the other side of the pond.My first Alfa was a 2000 156 1.8TS, bought from a pal. They are brilliant cars but have to be looked after !
Now on my second ; a late model 156 JTDM 150.
You may know this....
but here it is anyway:
There are no Haynes manuals for Alfas; best source of technical info is via the forums ( or is that fora!) ie alfa156.net, alfaowner.com, and of course PistonHeads Alfa/Fiat forum.
I am not well informed re the 2.0 engine, but I think it is similar to my old 1.8TS, but has a balancer as well.
Others will tell you more !
The main issue when buying a TS engine is the cam belt. Alfa used to recommend 72K intervals, but then they changed it to 36K !
Cam belt/tensioner/water pump service is a must unless you know it has been done ( and done properly!)
Try and find a good Alfa independent specialist unless you are handy; Alfas are 'quirky' and need sympathetic mechanics !!
Oil level is very important on a TS; the correct grade ( I have forgotten which one !), and always keep the oil level up to the top mark on the dipstick.
Get a 4 wheel alignment done if you can: it will transform the handling when set up correctly.
I suppose by TS you mean Twin Spark? I don't think the 2.0 in my Spider is a Twin Spark. It looks like the old twin cam design seen on '60s Alfas, but updated with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection.
Recommended oil is SAE 10W-50, according to the owner's manual. I love how the "Computerized, Digital Electronic Ignition System" only utilizes three sensors! How times have changed!
In addition, the engine has a cam chain, not a belt, so hopefully that won't be an issue.
Thankfully, several of my friends are Italian car experts with multiple decades of experience, though they're mostly (pre-Fiat) Lancia guys. There's also a very well respected Alfa specialist within a half-hour drive of my house that's been operated by the same owners for nearly 40 years (though the shop has been around for a lot longer than that).
The facts that series 3 Alfa Spiders are fairly common, have a large amount of parts availability, and have a large community of enthusiasts and many specialist shops were among the things I considered when looking at the car.
Again, thanks for you input.
bobberz said:
Thanks! Out of curiosity, why are you not a fan of the engine? Because it's a four cylinder? Or is there a specific issue endemic to these that I should know about?
No, I love four cylinder engines, so there are no complaints from me. Despite my natural preference for V8 engines, four cylinders can be delightful when you need to make the most of a small displacement and maintain a light weight, so no issue there. For me, the engine in these just feels a little gutless, at least in 1600 guise but I'm guessing the 2.0 isn't a pant flapper either. This thought process was sparked off when I was reading the MX5 vs Alfa Spider thread on here a while ago, the Alfa is much sexier and cooler but the Mazda had superior construction and revved so much more freely, and felt so much zingier. I could imagine, being a customer in the 80's and comparing the two side by side, that the MX5 engine would seem the better of the two. That said, it's a very cool car and I hope you get a lot of enjoyment from it. It's been a while since I've been in either car now so my memory is becoming foggy.
Great car, in an unusual colour. Fantastic choice for a first car!
My first and so far only Alfa was a 164, fond memories of that car. Sadly had to sell when I moved to LHD-land.
I had the Spider as a possible 2nd car to have over here, but ended up with something else old and Italian. They're still on my shortlist though, either a very early one or an S4
My first and so far only Alfa was a 164, fond memories of that car. Sadly had to sell when I moved to LHD-land.
I had the Spider as a possible 2nd car to have over here, but ended up with something else old and Italian. They're still on my shortlist though, either a very early one or an S4
Baryonyx said:
bobberz said:
Thanks! Out of curiosity, why are you not a fan of the engine? Because it's a four cylinder? Or is there a specific issue endemic to these that I should know about?
No, I love four cylinder engines, so there are no complaints from me. Despite my natural preference for V8 engines, four cylinders can be delightful when you need to make the most of a small displacement and maintain a light weight, so no issue there. For me, the engine in these just feels a little gutless, at least in 1600 guise but I'm guessing the 2.0 isn't a pant flapper either. This thought process was sparked off when I was reading the MX5 vs Alfa Spider thread on here a while ago, the Alfa is much sexier and cooler but the Mazda had superior construction and revved so much more freely, and felt so much zingier. I could imagine, being a customer in the 80's and comparing the two side by side, that the MX5 engine would seem the better of the two. That said, it's a very cool car and I hope you get a lot of enjoyment from it. It's been a while since I've been in either car now so my memory is becoming foggy.
Chris944_S2 said:
Great car, in an unusual colour. Fantastic choice for a first car!
My first and so far only Alfa was a 164, fond memories of that car. Sadly had to sell when I moved to LHD-land.
I had the Spider as a possible 2nd car to have over here, but ended up with something else old and Italian. They're still on my shortlist though, either a very early one or an S4
Thanks! The 164 is a very interesting car. You still see them, occasionally, in the US, as they were the last 4-door Alfa sold here. I'd love an early (Duetto) Spider, but fear that their appreciation curve will always be ahead of my finances!My first and so far only Alfa was a 164, fond memories of that car. Sadly had to sell when I moved to LHD-land.
I had the Spider as a possible 2nd car to have over here, but ended up with something else old and Italian. They're still on my shortlist though, either a very early one or an S4
RobbieKB said:
bobberz said:
Pics:
Oh Christ I'm so jealous! That interior. 
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