Mario is restoring a Sprint

[Supercharged16v]

The now famous Marios Englezos, otherwise known as Ambassador or Donkey, owner of the also famous orange GTV6, has a new toy in his shop for quite some time now.

Its a 1.5 Alfa Romeo Sprint, which belongs to one of Mario's customers.

Extensive welding and body work has been done to this car, and now its primed and ready for paint !

However, Mario's customer has decided to change the colour of his Sprint now..... I will post more pictures as he goes along

Next up in the bussy restoration line, is my white Sprint. My Sprint is now in pieces to a friend's house, next to Mario's workshop, waiting for its turn

For now, first 6 pictures of the Sprint. Sorry about the poor quality of the pictures. It was with a phone camera

[Supercharged16v]

And the primed body.

More pictures soon

[AlfaGrale]

That 's very nice
Just out of couriosity (because I will be next in line in a while ) how much a job like this roughly cost?

[Supercharged16v]

each case is different mate. It all depends on where the rusted and effected areas are, how much work is needed - working hours calculated on experiense - and how "deep" the customer wants to go for the restoration.

[AlfaGrale]

OK I see!
I am asking just to see how much I will need for the Lancia and I have absolutely NO idea how much this kind of work cost!
Please let me know (If you are OK to tell) how much your Sprint will cost. I need a reference to compare.

[SENNA1]

What's that next to the car?
Ahh!Looks like Mario's pet/garos

[Supercharged16v]

sorry I had to remove the old pictures due to lack of attachment space !

Here is the finished car.

It seems orange is getting very popular lately !

[iacovosm]

Bravo,
Perfect

[AlfaGrale]

Nice Restoration!!!!
Good work!!!

Even if I would prefer its original colour despite that it looks like he's done an excellent job

[n3xus-cy]

18arka? = no good...

Excellent job by Marios, but the colour......not of my taste.

The car may have been fully restored but will not look as a classic one.

[Supercharged16v]

Its 17aria Photo, they just look bigger because the car is the S2 Sprint with the higher suspension and inboard brakes.
The car was originally black but Mario's customer called him the last min before the paint job and asked him to make it orange.
I believe it looks better up close than in the pictures

[AlfaGrale]

I see there is anothere Sprint there ready to go in for restoration!
Is that yours Chris?

[Supercharged16v]

Yes it is ! Its already finished with all weldings in front (windscreen area) and I grinded the weldings of the rear wheel arch repair section last Saturday.
We need to do the other side of the rear now and start filling and sanding - prepping it for paint

I will be painting mine Alfa Romeo White - A210

Originally Posted by Supercharged16v

I will be painting mine Alfa Romeo White - A210

[n3xus-cy]

rims are not proportional... tou 33 sou pan tou pio wraia

[Pavlos Pavlides]

Can't say that I enjoy the looks of the Sprint.
Am actually sad because a car that was preserved for 29 years in its original/factory form has been painted like this without respecting its age, just 1 year before could be registered as classic

This is just to remind how the car wld look if was restored in its original color. Whats wrong with the black color ?

Originally Posted by n3xus-cy

rims are not proportional... tou 33 sou pan tou pio wraia

A better look to the rims and Photos is absolutely right,
A size smaller would have been a more proportionate one.

Even the steering wheel looks to be of light brown wooden look one.

[n3xus-cy]

thelw jai egw ena sprint re gmt

[Supercharged16v]

Originally Posted by n3xus-cy

rims are not proportional... tou 33 sou pan tou pio wraia

Thank you

Originally Posted by Pavlos Pavlides

Can't say that I enjoy the looks of the Sprint.
Am actually sad because a car that was preserved for 29 years in its original/factory form has been painted like this without respecting its age, just 1 year before could be registered as classic

This is just to remind how the car wld look if was restored in its original color. Whats wrong with the black color ?

Nothing wrong with black, but then again, nothing wrong with being different
I'm rebuilding my Sprint and still painting it white as it was, but not that beige-white that came out of the factory !
I hate that white ! You can wash it and polish it all day and it still looks .....dirty !
Thats why I'm painting it A210 white. Improvement

Originally Posted by nicolas2327

A better look to the rims and Photos is absolutely right,
A size smaller would have been a more proportionate one.

The 17x7" wheels are the maximum size you can go on the Sprint or 33.
After a LOT of consideration, I'm going for 15" wheels on mine. Just waiting for a set of hubs from Shrew in UK, and I'm going mono-block

Originally Posted by n3xus-cy

thelw jai egw ena sprint re gmt

poula to diko tou o Giorkos sta Latsia, alla itan na paei na to dei jai o Kofteros.
En grammeno 17ari 16v me ta 17aria rims, koni suspension, h&r lowering kit, powerflex bushes. It needs some attention, but good car with good engine.
Call me if you are interested, I'll take you by to have a look

On the other hand, if you are looking for an S1 Sprint with the chrome bumpers, I have one in mind also, but it needs some body work as it has the usual rust issues. Would be a good project

[Pavlos Pavlides]

Originally Posted by Supercharged16v

Thank you



Nothing wrong with black, but then again, nothing wrong with being different

It is 2011, and I do not think that there are more than 2-3 black ones left in all Cyprus. So, these days just driving a sprint is different anyway. Yu do not need such a color to be different !!

[AlfaGrale]

Originally Posted by Supercharged16v

poula to diko tou o Giorkos sta Latsia, alla itan na paei na to dei jai o Kofteros.
En grammeno 17ari 16v me ta 17aria rims, koni suspension, h&r lowering kit, powerflex bushes. It needs some attention, but good car with good engine.
Call me if you are interested, I'll take you by to have a look

Ti????? Poula to??????? Giatiiiiii??????
.... ennow posa an epitrepete to dinei peripou

Krima giati itan to kamari tou

Tha me endiefere ki emena... alla ekeino pou me apasxolei einai oti i mixani den einai i diki tou kai den tha grafete klassiko

[AlfaGrale]

Originally Posted by Supercharged16v

Thank you



Nothing wrong with black, but then again, nothing wrong with being different
I'm rebuilding my Sprint and still painting it white as it was, but not that beige-white that came out of the factory !
I hate that white ! You can wash it and polish it all day and it still looks .....dirty !
Thats why I'm painting it A210 white. Improvement

I think what are they trying to say is that there is nothing wrong changing the colour from beige-white to A210 white.
I think what are they trying to say is that the orange colour and those rims on that Sprint,... doesn't quite match to a car of that era.
Just different opinions thats it

[Supercharged16v]

Its just different tastes

Kofteros already has a factory original S1 Sprint with chrome bumpers, which he very recently painted Alfa Red as the car was, and has the stock engine and interior.
Maybe he wanted another Sprint to do it up like his style.
I can honestly understand what Pavlos is saying about keeping it original, but I also know that the Sprint, apart from being a classic now, it also gives you that adrenaline rush while you drive it.
You want to give it a full boot when going up on the mountains, and the more you push it the more you love it !

I believe that loud noise from the engine and exhaust, as well as a little lowering and a bit wider if not bigger wheels (from that era), suit the Sprint
Kofteros loves the lines of the Sprint, so maybe he wanted a flashy colour to tone out the lines
Cant argue with that Although I wouldnt paint it orange myself, I can understand why he did it, and its actually looking good !

Come on guys !
This is just my opinion here, but for me, just by looking at my Sprint, I want to jump in and give it FULL throttle and drive up to Palechori ! The car is agressive and inviting and once you've driven it, you want more !
I would definately lower it and put a stronger engine in it and I woudlnt care if its not a classic any more because its just SO MUCH FUN !!!
On the same note, I would never do that to my Sud Ti, not because its not a pleasure to drive, but because the adrenaline rush does not exceed the values of keeping it a classic.

I strongly believe that the only reason why you buy a car, is because it gives you some sort of pleasure and brings out a nice feeling in you

These are the feelings my cars bring out in me:
- Alfa 156 - safety, confidence, family car. Happy to know my wife is driving it.
- Alfasud Ti - romance, mountain road trips with my wife
- Sprint - itchy hands and nervous legs - Leave me alone on the mountains !
- Alfa 33 - longer trips including high way and twisty roads, can bring my wife if she can stand my suspension

Originally Posted by Supercharged16v

These are the feelings my cars bring out in me:
- Alfa 156 - safety, confidence, family car. Happy to know my wife is driving it.
- Alfasud Ti - romance, mountain road trips with my wife
- Sprint - itchy hands and nervous legs - Leave me alone on the mountains !
- Alfa 33 - longer trips including high way and twisty roads, can bring my wife if she can stand my suspension

Chris, you forgot to mention the soon to come Baby Alfista.