What do you know about Alfas and Jags

[PorscheGuy79]

Hi ive been looking at some cars online and came upon two cars that maybe I will someday own because I really love their looks. Ive got a 911 right now and will always own one but for these that are a bit less hardcore which I could also turn into a classic track car. Its mostly the style that brought me to these cars I know my 911 will always be the fastest . I was wondering if you guys had any info on either of these cars. I will take any knowledge you have to offer.

1960s-70s Jaguar E-Type 4.2

like this one:

http://www.santiagosc.com/1967%20Jaguar%20E%20type%20Coupe.htm

and the

1970s Alfa Romeo GTV 1750/2000

like this one:

http://www.dvpratt.com/cars/74GTV/

[Victor]

From personal experience you will be spending more time under either of them than in the drivers seat. Unless you're in the drivers seat taking them to the shop.

Please don't do it. You will thank me later.

[PorscheGuy79]

lol allright I guess I will use the money on a wide body conversion

[Victor]

Thank you. Another soul is saved.

[notfarnow]

It has always amazed me that the early E-Type is so perfect on paper, and so perfect esthetically, but is widely considered to be an unreliable and daunting car to own. I vividly remeber the first time I saw one... I was speechless. It was so RIGHT. I was lucky enough to get to drive it too. Sublime. But the owner cursed it... he'd owned it for over 20 years and said it was the most unreliable car he had ever owned.
I've heard people try to justify this by saying the E-type is such a complex design. I don't know if that makes sense. Is the E-type significantly more "complicated" than a 911?

[Victor]

No, much less complex than a 911 in fact. How did they ever win the war?

[Big Ed]

Remember when "Jaguar" was pronounced with only 2 syllables here in the States? That middle "u" really snuck up on me.

[Victor]

I never owned an etype. Only a '69xj series 1. The only thing that worked was the 327 chev conversion. And the cigarette lighter. Sometimes - I don't even smoke.

Ahhh Lucas the prince of darkness.....

[Victor]

As for Alfa Romeos - I briefly had a spankin' new spider when they re-released them in about 1991 (the ones that actually looked OK-ish). It was purchased for a rich uncles girlfriend who promtly dumped him afterward - who can blame the chick.

Anyow, the funniest things that where wrong with it include:

1. The glove box light switch being wired the wrong way around. This means that when you shut it - presto - on comes the light. Guess what happens when you open it? No light! This means the battery kept dying and do you think Mario and Gino at the Alfa shop could figure it out?

2. A spontaniously self combusting aircleaner box. Filter fills with vapour somehow, engine backfires and voila! A bonnet paintjob closely resembling a Napoli Pizza - oddly appropriate but not very impressive to the fairer sex all the same.

3. A wiring harness directly above the drivers footwell that can only be reached BY MEN WITH FEET LONGER THAN ABOUT 8". Now, this may exclude all but 99% of the entire Itilian population - but not my good self. Got left stranded in the freezing snow outside a nite club at 3:00am. Once again - ladiez not impressed. At all.

4. A $300 leather shift boot made from very hard to find goat scrotum. That tears as soon as you go for reverse.

[Victor]

Forgot:

5. Door handles that freeze shut in the snow. So you unthaw them with water to get in. Which freezes before you can jump in to slam the door - which has now frozen itself - you guessed it - OPEN!

Drove to work many times holding on to the door for right hand turns. I must however give it full marks for staying shut at Autobahn speeds.

[speeder]

Victor,

You used water to thaw the door locks in the winter, and blame the car for it (the water) freezing afterwards??

Ever consider using a blow-drier? A heat gun? A Bic lighter held under the key??

Actually speaking, Alfa Romeos are great cars w/ more ardent hard-core enthusiasts than Porsche has, but are definitely succeptible to the effects of bad wrenching. (Just like 911s). No automotive marque has a richer racing history or more wins, (yes, you read that correctly), and 1750/2000 GTVs are fantastic cars. They are one of the few cars, besides Porsche, that can be tracked in stock form w/o parts flying off and large liquid deposits left on the track.

I owned a 1982 Alfa Spider, (mechanically identical to a GTV when they were made), I used it as a daily driver and it never broke! Never!

Maybe I was just lucky, but I bought it from a charity auction site and just drove it. What a great car, and so damn beautiful. I didn't even care that it's the gayest thing on wheels here in the states, I liked it.

One thing about Italian cars in general, all things being equal, "the older the better". Once apon a time, (right after WW2), they built the best cars in the world. Alfas and Lancias from the late '40s and '50s are absolute tanks, unbelievably well-made. Changing politics/labor situations/etc. gradually eroded that position, but they remained great cars to this day, IMO. I'd kill for one of those new, (Europe only), Alfa TDI sport wagon things, nothing comes close in that price range.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Choosing between Italian and British is like choosing between Bush and Kerry...

[einreb]

Originally posted by PorscheGuy79


1970s Alfa Romeo GTV 1750/2000

I think some of us were discussing that car at the last quiglies outing... I love that car. Something about the shape, especially when its flared out and the right rims... to me its just a great looking machine.

[PorscheGuy79]

Originally posted by speeder


Actually speaking, Alfa Romeos are great cars w/ more ardent hard-core enthusiasts than Porsche has,

I owned a 1982 Alfa Spider, (mechanically identical to a GTV when they were made), I used it as a daily driver and it never broke! Never!

Maybe there is hope, I love that cars looks when they are modified nicely for the track.

[einreb]

Here's a hopped up '67 GTA... only $75k

http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/1/6/70370716.htm

[nostatic]

I dig Alfas. And you can get them with a hatchback.

[PorscheGuy79]

Originally posted by einreb
I think some of us were discussing that car at the last quiglies outing... I love that car. Something about the shape, especially when its flared out and the right rims... to me its just a great looking machine.

I think I was in on that but I didnt realize which ones you were talking about. They look easy enough to work on since ive been gettin my wings with my 911.

[Jeff Higgins]

A buddy once owned a 4.2 liter E-type, known as the "series 2". It is supposed to be the most desireable of the bunch. I've heard horror stories about the later V12, as cool as they might sound. The early series 1 apparently had some cooling problems, among other things. My buddy loved his Jag, and it was a real hoot to drive, but... He used the oft repeated description of the Jag as the "brain dead super model of the sports car world". All your buddies are envious to see you with one, but they have no idea what your life at home is like.

[dd74]

Alfas are sweet. I like 'em better than many Ferraris. Blue collar soul Italian style.

[speeder]

Originally posted by einreb
Here's a hopped up '67 GTA... only $75k

http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/1/6/70370716.htm

That's basically the '73 Carrera RS of Alfas, (or maybe more accurately the 911R), all aluminum, light and extremely competitive.

There is nothing in this world more Italian than an Alfa, Enzo Ferrari worked in the racing dept. of Alfa until he set out on his own. Alfas were winning Grand Prix world championships when Ferrari was in diapers.