Learn me about Alfa Romeo Spiders

[JeremyD]

I had a 1985 Alfa Romeo Graduate.

I put lots of miles on it - Great sounding car - very ahead of it's time (5 speed, Dual Overhead cam)

Denis has given you some great information.

One of the biggest things to check is rust - mine had rust under the pedals and the rear spare tire.

There is a reason that they have the nickname "flexible flyer" jack up one side of the car and You could not open the doors or trunk...

While it was not difficult to work on - it was not one of the better designed cars - You usually had to take off - 2-3 items to get to anything.

Parts prices were typically high. In fact - I got to the point where I started checking prices and figured if the prices for parts were the same as a $20,000 Porsche - may as well buy a $20,000 Porsche.

Driving position takes some getting used to - unless I was in topsiders - I usually had to take my shoes off to make room for my size 12's - otherwise my feet would catch on the pedals.

[Embraer]

Yes...Top Gear doesn't ham anything up.

Seriously. Denis has experience with these. I have experience with them (I've been wrenching on my dad's). If you buy a nice example that's been maintained, there's no reason that it shouldn't be like any other car.

21 replies to this thread, and only a couple of people really know anything about them.

[JeremyD]

BTW - mine never left me stranded. Had the bushings replaced - had the head gasket replaced (from a prior owner).

Porsche took a page from Alfa's racing book. THEY (Alfa Romeo) were the original giant killer.

[speeder]

No one in Europe and nobody who knows their racing history talks smack about Alfas.

Another interesting fact: With Italian cars, the further back in time you go, the higher the quality. (Generally speaking). After WW2, they made the best and strongest cars in the world. Alfas and Lancias were the envy of Mercedes Benz in those days.

[tcar]

My business partner had a mid-eighties Spider 2000 Quadrifoglio Verde, with the removable hardtop.

Very, very reliable car, daily driver winter and summer. Had it for 15 years at least, and bought it used.

I liked my '73.5 targa better, but it was a great car. Those cars looked pretty good in front of our office.

[notfarnow]

Funny timing. Just spoke with my dad, he's thinking of driving his Carrera to the west coast in November, then storing for the winter so he can do an early spring west coast road trip with his wife.

Instead of flying back in November, he thinks we should drive back in a <3k alfa. Maybe I could even carve out enough time to drive the Carrera out with him

[pwd72s]

YouTube - Simon & Garfunkel - Mrs. Robinson

[David McLaughlin]

While I have very little Alfa experience, I've always liked the spyders. Maybe it was the Graduate movie with the S&G song that did it. If I replace my 914 some day it just may be an Alfa Spyder (pre Graduate).

[tabs]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

YouTube - Simon & Garfunkel - Mrs. Robinson

Listening to the song reminds me of another time and place...one that is long gone.

[speeder]

This is a great year and model. If a 911 analogy could be made, this would be a Carrera:

88 Alfa Romeo Veloce Spyder Convertable


Under 100k miles, decent condition and ~$4k. Sports car bargain of the century.

I've always been attracted to under-valued cars as opposed to overvalued ones. Partially because of poverty but also out of principle. At a time when absolute POS pre-'74 911s have asking prices of $20k, Alfa Spiders look brilliant. One of the only rag-top cars I like as well.

[notfarnow]

Originally Posted by speeder

This is a great year and model. If a 911 analogy could be made, this would be a Carrera:

88 Alfa Romeo Veloce Spyder Convertable


Under 100k miles, decent condition and ~$4k. Sports car bargain of the century.

I've always been attracted to under-valued cars as opposed to overvalued ones. Partially because of poverty but also out of principle. At a time when absolute POS pre-'74 911s have asking prices of $20k, Alfa Spiders look brilliant. One of the only rag-top cars I like as well.

Bingo, they strike me as a LOT of car for the money... especially when you compare them to MGBs. Bonus is the fact that they fetch pretty good money around here, so I could drive it for a summer, sell it, and maybe do it again until I am in 911 territory.

Lobbying with Mrs Notfarnow has commenced. Key is to ignore the car factor, and promote a nice west coast vacation. Yosemite! Route 1! Camping! Rustic cabins! Los Angeles! Oh hey, look, an Alfa Romeo!

[speeder]

I just looked on a map @ your location.

Holy shyte! That is one long drive from L.A. Like driving from Russia to India. Or something.

[notfarnow]

Originally Posted by speeder

I just looked on a map @ your location.

Holy shyte! That is one long drive from L.A. Like driving from Russia to India. Or something.

There's no way Mrs Notfarnow would be up for that hike, although she'd fly out for a few days of touring. I'd enlist my old man for the drive back. He's pretty hardcore

When I was 15, my dad loaded my younger brother and I into his 1981 VW rabbit cabrio and we drove to Portland Oregon, then down to SanFran, Las Vegas, 4 corners and back home. Car broke down several times, blew the headgasket in Utah, battery quit in Texas, and at one point the clutch seized and he had to drive it clutchless for 4-5 days until it magically healed itself. We camped in his old tent, stayed in a motel every 7th day. What a great trip.

When I was 19 I drove to the Yukon and back in a $260 1986 Lecar. Drove out with a friend in 13 days, drove home alone in 6.

There is something psychologically cleansing about a long road trip. I'm just about due for a defrag

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Alfa Romeo Spider 1986

1984 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce

Alfa romeo spider veloce

Jake, you're always welcome to fly down, I can pick you up at the airport, have a nice couch, give you the 4Runner to tool around to look at a few cars. LMK if you ever want me to look at one down around here.

[notfarnow]

Thanks Shaun!

My ideal situation would be to get a winter roadtrip & vacation out of it, but if that doesn't pan out I'd probably do just that!

[Mericet]

Make sure you check out alfabb.com for more information.

[RWebb]

two words:

boat tail

[Shifter]

I just bought a 71 a month or so ago. Fantastic little car. Spica is an interesting little beast. It is a mechanical computer for fuel injection.


I got it for 3k, and I have put another 3 into it so far, and I wouldn't drive it further than I want to tow it. I replaced the head gasket, and I had to use an engine hoist to get the head off the block! But that is just catching up on some deferred maintenance that had gotten worse over time.

If you get a Spica car, get the know the name Wes Ingram. He is the man to rebuild your spica pump if needed. Expect around $900 for that process.

82 to 86 had l-jet injection. Very touchy system, but similar to something you would have seen on a 944.

Later had the motronic, which is probably thought as the most reliable system.

Really, it just matters on what you feel the most comfortable fixing.

The little 1750 in my 71 is a blast. It isn't fast, but it doesn't have to be to put the grin on your face.

If you are over six feet tall, pass on the Fiat 124. Every one I test drove, I had to look over the windshield to see where I was going!

Tom

[Scott Douglas]

This car was my first 'collector' car. Got it as a finders fee.

It led to me getting this car...

The Spica injection caused me @6 weeks of total frustration, but I got it sorted and once the car was on the road I found out why people fall in love with them.
They are a different animal from a Porsche, that is for sure. But, they do have their own charm and are a thoroughly enjoyable car when working properly.

[KarlCarrera]

Are you talking something like this? This was sold after 3 years for the 88 Targa










Or something like this?




The green 1992 Spider Veloce was mine. The beautiful "Red" one was the winner (or at least the one I lost to) in the 2006 Automezzi in Denver.

For me seating was uncomfortable, and even with only 62.000 miles the trans. was much less than desirable. Lots of oil marks, Battery was always down, (the Fluke was my friend), performance was very relaxing. A chassis stiffener (on my Spider) would be mandatory.
All this from an all original, 2 owner car.
Parts were inexpensive and I wasn't afraid to work on it. Getting an over sized oil filter out can be very interesting.

Over all I liked the car, and had tons of compliments, but it just wasn't for me. I paid 10K and got 9.7k three years later. I felt fortunate.

Not hatin', just giving personal experience.

Karl
88 Targa