Isn't the Alfa Romeo Spider the perfect classic car?
Discussion
I've recently acquired a series 2 Spider Veloce - really wanted a 105 coupe but missed the boat price wise.
The Spider is however the same underneath even down to the standard ZF LSD. This year I've got down to making it useable and have been driving it quite a bit in the last few weeks and I'm pleasnatly surprised!
Now I've replaced the carb mounts with solid ones, rebuilt the carbs and fitted a 123 Distributor is actually a nice thing to drive. Very torquey and actually quite quick. Just had the front castor and toe done and now she turns in nicely too
When you see how sophisticated it is underneath compared to, say, an MGB it really was very exotic for its time.
I also have an Elan Plus 2 which is totally different but I like the driving experience of both cars. The Lotus is very focussed and alive whereas the Alfa is lopey and relaxing - it feels like you could tour in it (which is excatly what I intend to do next year).
Barring scuttle shake it's something of a revelation and quite under rated I think. Luckily I got one with very good bodywork but poor paint - I don't mind that and will concentrate on making it 100% mechanically and enjoy driving it without worry.
PS: I paid £7,500 for it
The Spider is however the same underneath even down to the standard ZF LSD. This year I've got down to making it useable and have been driving it quite a bit in the last few weeks and I'm pleasnatly surprised!
Now I've replaced the carb mounts with solid ones, rebuilt the carbs and fitted a 123 Distributor is actually a nice thing to drive. Very torquey and actually quite quick. Just had the front castor and toe done and now she turns in nicely too
When you see how sophisticated it is underneath compared to, say, an MGB it really was very exotic for its time.
I also have an Elan Plus 2 which is totally different but I like the driving experience of both cars. The Lotus is very focussed and alive whereas the Alfa is lopey and relaxing - it feels like you could tour in it (which is excatly what I intend to do next year).
Barring scuttle shake it's something of a revelation and quite under rated I think. Luckily I got one with very good bodywork but poor paint - I don't mind that and will concentrate on making it 100% mechanically and enjoy driving it without worry.
Edited by Lotobear on Wednesday 8th August 16:22
PS: I paid £7,500 for it
Edited by Lotobear on Wednesday 8th August 16:23
Raygun,
The 105 coupe has competition pedigree and is undoubtedly a beautifully executed Bertone design
The Pinin styled Spider, whilst pretty, does not have the same road presence in my opinion and is dynamically hampered as a performance car by being open top. My Spider is very solid and has new inner and outer sills but the door gaps suddenly become a lot bigger when it's on the 2 post lift!
A Spider is no problem for the taller chap - Ed China managed okay when they did one in Wheeler Dealers. I'm 6 foot with 36 inside leg and have no problem at all, in fact I rather like the classic Italian 'ape' driving set up - it's quirky like a lot of the car!
The 105 coupe has competition pedigree and is undoubtedly a beautifully executed Bertone design
The Pinin styled Spider, whilst pretty, does not have the same road presence in my opinion and is dynamically hampered as a performance car by being open top. My Spider is very solid and has new inner and outer sills but the door gaps suddenly become a lot bigger when it's on the 2 post lift!
A Spider is no problem for the taller chap - Ed China managed okay when they did one in Wheeler Dealers. I'm 6 foot with 36 inside leg and have no problem at all, in fact I rather like the classic Italian 'ape' driving set up - it's quirky like a lot of the car!
1.86 cms here and fine with the post 1972 models (pedals).
It's not a sportscar but will eat any MGB for brreakfast. I love the way it rolls through the corners. A good set up Spider won't slide in corners unless the driver goes beyond the limits. The engine is a gem. The later S4 (injection) is the easiest drive and a bargain still. Unbreakable tech and when well maintained a solid investment that will last a lifetime.
The blue one was my pick of the 72 piece bunch.
It's not a sportscar but will eat any MGB for brreakfast. I love the way it rolls through the corners. A good set up Spider won't slide in corners unless the driver goes beyond the limits. The engine is a gem. The later S4 (injection) is the easiest drive and a bargain still. Unbreakable tech and when well maintained a solid investment that will last a lifetime.
The blue one was my pick of the 72 piece bunch.
I've a 67 plate Duetto.
Bought it about 17 years ago for £7,500. It's had a general make over, and is now due a refresh, plus the sills are starting to look like they would benefit from being replaced.
It's ultra reliable - toured it around France a few years back and never missed a beat and for several years was my daily driver.
As another poster said, they were ahead of their time - all round indy suspension, all round discs, 5 speed syncro box and a sweet alloy twin cam.
Parts are relatively plentiful, it's a 105 series car after all. however, the earlier cars were a bit parts bin and it's not unusual to find items such as speedo cables, radiators can vary from car to car.
The boat tail in particular, has been underpriced for several years. For a car handbuilt by Pinninfarina, with such heritage they've been surprisingly overlooked.
It looks like prices are now creeping up - a good honest RH Duetto was around £20,000 to £25,000 but even a left hooker in ok condition will make that now, with a good right hand drive model ticking up to £40,000.
Bought it about 17 years ago for £7,500. It's had a general make over, and is now due a refresh, plus the sills are starting to look like they would benefit from being replaced.
It's ultra reliable - toured it around France a few years back and never missed a beat and for several years was my daily driver.
As another poster said, they were ahead of their time - all round indy suspension, all round discs, 5 speed syncro box and a sweet alloy twin cam.
Parts are relatively plentiful, it's a 105 series car after all. however, the earlier cars were a bit parts bin and it's not unusual to find items such as speedo cables, radiators can vary from car to car.
The boat tail in particular, has been underpriced for several years. For a car handbuilt by Pinninfarina, with such heritage they've been surprisingly overlooked.
It looks like prices are now creeping up - a good honest RH Duetto was around £20,000 to £25,000 but even a left hooker in ok condition will make that now, with a good right hand drive model ticking up to £40,000.
..polite point of order!
IRS has been mentioned or implied on two occasions in this post - in fact it's a live rear axle albeit it very neatly located by trailing arms and a T bar reaction trunnion.
But yes, it makes an MGB look agricultural in comparison
(can't do smiles for some reason otherwise I would have added one)
IRS has been mentioned or implied on two occasions in this post - in fact it's a live rear axle albeit it very neatly located by trailing arms and a T bar reaction trunnion.
But yes, it makes an MGB look agricultural in comparison
(can't do smiles for some reason otherwise I would have added one)
dinkel said:
Well... attacking a modern roundabout is without any worries in a Spider. An MGB or TR6 though... can be tempting at high speeds.
Why do you (and others on here) have this fixation about comparisons to MGBs ?????Various other models from Lotus, Porsche, Caterham etc would all attack your modern roundabout better than the Spider.
Love mine so easy to live with the roof goes up/down dead easy nice engine but 2nd on the gearbox is a bit of a pain. I had my interior restored bought a hard top and had it relined in leather plus a new hood. Just altered the air vents on the dash to make way for a double din head unit and it has a heated drivers seat now.
Heavho,
I wouldn't. I had one back in the day - an F reg T Bar model. Had to rev the nuts of it to make it go, brakes were poor and I lost a fortune on it.
It's not comparing apples with apples of course but the Alfa would leave it for dead in a straight line on account of its superior torque.
I wouldn't. I had one back in the day - an F reg T Bar model. Had to rev the nuts of it to make it go, brakes were poor and I lost a fortune on it.
It's not comparing apples with apples of course but the Alfa would leave it for dead in a straight line on account of its superior torque.
LordBretSinclair said:
Why do you (and others on here) have this fixation about comparisons to MGBs ?????
Various other models from Lotus, Porsche, Caterham etc would all attack your modern roundabout better than the Spider.
Frankly an MGA (of which I had three) would dance round a roundabout perfectly. Or perhaps I was so familiar with them? p.s. I love the Alfas tooVarious other models from Lotus, Porsche, Caterham etc would all attack your modern roundabout better than the Spider.
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