Greetings everyone.
I have been researching Alfa Sprint since I aquired a poor dead alfa sprint early this year.
I have found this forum helpfull and will post some pics for your enjoyment!
All the posts here have given me tons of inspiration.
I am posting progress shots throughout the resto to help motivate me to finish.
Onto the car!
Had been left in a field in a fairly poor state. But not too bad by Sprint standards Luckily was covered with a tarp. Also was a late 1988 model, bought new in 1988 by a girl in the UK who then due to work moved to australia in 1989 (all in the compliance papers with the car). From the compliance info it seems this Sprint variant was never sold in Australia, only early 1.5 variants were. So the move to a dry environment saved this car perhaps. Also could easily be the only copy of this variant in Aus!. She went through a few owners here in aus, last being on the road in 2001 by the reciepts and was sold to the guy we got it off because of apparently a bust clutch. She came with a spare aluminum radiator and new clutch still sealed in plastic wrap!
My father (who has been restoring cars for years), also aquired three other sprints in the deal plus an additional 2X 1.5 boxer engines. So his plan is to eventually build a racing sprint from his three. My plan is to get my sprint running and back to its former glory at least. It is to be a learning experience for me, being my first complete resto. Plus good to hang out with the old man and all his toys! Dad collects mostly Fiat and Lancia, however nowadays we becoming alfaholics!
Once shes re-registered I may consider whether I race her or just show her!
Onto some pics:
This is her after unloading from the car trailor. I need to chase up photos from when we removed her from the field! I didnt have my camera untill later sorry.
And the stripdown can begin!
The way the factory glued the zender kit on these puppies was crazy! Although the kits might have been attached in England? I tell you the kit had caused so much corrosion through holding water in against the bodywork. And the screws they used have all rusted in and had to be drilled out. I was extremely careful when removing the zender kit, all bits are intact including the moulding inserts for the door parts.
I am a lover of the bumperless look on my fiats, and here in Western Australia it is 100% legal to run classics with no bumpers. So I will be happy to provide the Zender kit to anybody looking for that for their sprint, as I read here they are quite desired and hard to find. Plus this would be complete kit, not just bits and pieces. Of course they need some cleaning up!
Sexy bum on an Alfa sprint huh!
Dads engine removal method, Using forklift and old seatbelts to lift car!!
Whole operation took about 4 to 5 hrs. Very satisfied. Engine needs alot of work! Coolant was left in system for last 7 years and has rotted through!
Waxoyl all over EVERYTHING. But because the car was bought to Australia from UK in its first year, and cars here typically aren't waxoyled (its too hot and dry), After cleaning off all the gunk the engine bay is flawless! Of course lots of rust in front shock towers, sills, the front guards are rotten through from the zender kits wheel arch extensions. The rear window winder mechanisms are just lumps of rust! The biggest areas to fix will be those rear window winder wells, and the front shock towers.
Because of the rust in the shock towers, being due to stress weakness and not moisture, we plan to weld reinforcements in that area to combact structural stresses obviously inherent in the design. I suggest it may have been the bigger perhaps heavier 1.7, definately more power, stressing through that area, as the design was originally a 1.3L engine. I, really just guessing on that one. If anyone knows more would love to hear!
Thanks for listening, more updates as they happen...
I have been researching Alfa Sprint since I aquired a poor dead alfa sprint early this year.
I have found this forum helpfull and will post some pics for your enjoyment!
All the posts here have given me tons of inspiration.
I am posting progress shots throughout the resto to help motivate me to finish.
Onto the car!
Had been left in a field in a fairly poor state. But not too bad by Sprint standards Luckily was covered with a tarp. Also was a late 1988 model, bought new in 1988 by a girl in the UK who then due to work moved to australia in 1989 (all in the compliance papers with the car). From the compliance info it seems this Sprint variant was never sold in Australia, only early 1.5 variants were. So the move to a dry environment saved this car perhaps. Also could easily be the only copy of this variant in Aus!. She went through a few owners here in aus, last being on the road in 2001 by the reciepts and was sold to the guy we got it off because of apparently a bust clutch. She came with a spare aluminum radiator and new clutch still sealed in plastic wrap!
My father (who has been restoring cars for years), also aquired three other sprints in the deal plus an additional 2X 1.5 boxer engines. So his plan is to eventually build a racing sprint from his three. My plan is to get my sprint running and back to its former glory at least. It is to be a learning experience for me, being my first complete resto. Plus good to hang out with the old man and all his toys! Dad collects mostly Fiat and Lancia, however nowadays we becoming alfaholics!
Once shes re-registered I may consider whether I race her or just show her!
Onto some pics:
This is her after unloading from the car trailor. I need to chase up photos from when we removed her from the field! I didnt have my camera untill later sorry.
And the stripdown can begin!
The way the factory glued the zender kit on these puppies was crazy! Although the kits might have been attached in England? I tell you the kit had caused so much corrosion through holding water in against the bodywork. And the screws they used have all rusted in and had to be drilled out. I was extremely careful when removing the zender kit, all bits are intact including the moulding inserts for the door parts.
I am a lover of the bumperless look on my fiats, and here in Western Australia it is 100% legal to run classics with no bumpers. So I will be happy to provide the Zender kit to anybody looking for that for their sprint, as I read here they are quite desired and hard to find. Plus this would be complete kit, not just bits and pieces. Of course they need some cleaning up!
Sexy bum on an Alfa sprint huh!
Dads engine removal method, Using forklift and old seatbelts to lift car!!
Whole operation took about 4 to 5 hrs. Very satisfied. Engine needs alot of work! Coolant was left in system for last 7 years and has rotted through!
Waxoyl all over EVERYTHING. But because the car was bought to Australia from UK in its first year, and cars here typically aren't waxoyled (its too hot and dry), After cleaning off all the gunk the engine bay is flawless! Of course lots of rust in front shock towers, sills, the front guards are rotten through from the zender kits wheel arch extensions. The rear window winder mechanisms are just lumps of rust! The biggest areas to fix will be those rear window winder wells, and the front shock towers.
Because of the rust in the shock towers, being due to stress weakness and not moisture, we plan to weld reinforcements in that area to combact structural stresses obviously inherent in the design. I suggest it may have been the bigger perhaps heavier 1.7, definately more power, stressing through that area, as the design was originally a 1.3L engine. I, really just guessing on that one. If anyone knows more would love to hear!
Thanks for listening, more updates as they happen...