Standard or modified?

Is it better to keep an old Alfa standard, as a tribute to the original design, or should you modify it for more performance, better handling, reliability etc?

Discuss ...

My Dillema as well, Subtle enhancements I think are the way to go, nothing that wouldn't have been done in the correct Period for the Car. Ie period Alloys, suspension kits, etc, but no NOS kits...
Best bet is to get used to the Car in standard form then any enhancements you make can be judged against a base, as it were.

Its a matter of personal taste but remember if you go for period mods that does include the winscreen tint strip with your & the wifes name on it, genuine 1972 furry dice and stringback driving gloves.

Basically IMO there really isn't any body mod you can sensibly do (short of a full GTam conversion). The standard shape & body is about as good as it gets. Subtle mods would be handling kit, exhaust manifold, cams. Alloys on the SE are quite nice anyway and you don't want any wider wheels on, car would be overtyred.

I found free flow exhaust manifold and ram pipes on the carbs gave decent power improvement, smoother power all the way up to & beyond red line, plus a great noise.

But you'll be spending plenty of dosh on keeping it going anyway so any mods will have to take a back seat to the essentials. Good luck!

I reckon mods are OK if in period style.

Carbon fibre dashboards, turbos and 18" BBS rims could be a bit dicey, although I am sure some people would like to see a high rise wing on the bootlid!

Also, there are plenty of mods you can make which don't affect the looks at all. Uprated suspension bushes, brake pads, lah dee dah.


Why, what are you fancying?

I had planned to get a red Alfa and use it for hill climbs etc., so tasteful racing mods etc.



However, 'cos (IMHO) it looks so bl**dy fantastic as it is I have changed my mind and would like to keep it standard (anyway, I suspect - as has been pointed out it will cost me a fortune just to keep it running sweetly!)

Just thought that this would be a good conversation point - I suspect that most people will have strong opinions on this??!!

Originally Posted by magic rat

I suspect that most people will have strong opinions on this??!!

Oooo no, we don't get that round here!


It depends what you want the car for really. Fully modded GTA replicas look amazing, as do completely standard cars. As long as the basic shape isn't changed, I don't think you can go wrong - some of the GTaM arches area bit wide for my liking, but if you have a need for 10" slicks, well pop rivet them on!!

As long as no-one sticks a spoiler on the bootlid, all is well.

Subtle, tasteful, period mods are best. Like on this Giulia Ti racer:
http://home4.inet.tele.dk/pborup/alf...motorsport.htm

Originally Posted by Bill Smith

Subtle, tasteful, period mods are best. Like on this Giulia Ti racer:
http://home4.inet.tele.dk/pborup/alf...motorsport.htm

That's the kind of thing Bill.

Low key, tasteful, faithful to the original design.

Originally Posted by magic rat

Is it better to keep an old Alfa standard, as a tribute to the original design, or should you modify it for more performance, better handling, reliability etc?

Discuss ...

Classic Alfas are worth more when they are still original. Some modifications are 'allowed' like a bigger engine for instance. If you have a Giulia Sprint 1300, hardly anybody would mind when a 1750 or 2000 engine is under the bonnet.

Changes to the bodywork are usually not appreciated and make the car worth less.

I know for instance a Giulia GTA for sale and the current owner has modified the car by placing a 180 bhp 2000 engine in the GTA. It makes the GTA run faster, but it will destroy the resale value of the car, since such a beauty needs to be original (with twin spark engine)

But feel free to modify your car like you want it, there is just a chance it won't do any good for the value of the car.

I had a really good think about it Jamie, and I couldn't warm to it, mainly because it's such an ugly lump compared to the "classic" Twin Cam. I like the idea of 148 standard, reliable horsepower, and 190+ with cams, throttle bodies and mapped ignition, but I don't think I would get much pride in lifting the bonnet on a 105 Coupe with one fitted.

If it had the traditional cam covers and twin carbs then maybe...


However.... on a modern "classic" like your Spider, I don't think I would have a problem, as it is from the same "era", but a boat tail or a Coupe I think would look a bit odd.

cheers ricks, thats definatly one of your more sensible & appreciated replies.

You're welcome. Would you like me to tell you about my planned Giulia GTV JTD conversion?

j/k!!!

but if its down to just looks, there was a GRP Alfa GT Junior in a recent "Retro" mag that had a TS lump in it. It was a really nice conversion, especially with all the nasty wiring & ECU hidden in the car. all it needed was a "carb" looking set of throttle bodies

I did see that actually. I think that was about as good as it's going to look. Maybe a bit chromey for me, but I think he'd buried all the electrics under the dash. I think if you were using the car everyday, the extra reliability and ease of starting would be appreciated, but as a weekend hobby car, it would be less so. And you might lose the hand throttle too, which is so cool....

Originally Posted by Jamie and the magic torch

so whats the general verdict on fitting a twin spark motors into 105 series cars ?

is this deemed as a mod to far ?
would you buy a 105 series with a TS engine in it ?

it's something I've always been tempted by - increase in HP & increase in MPG, but always held off due to residuals etc......

I know someone who has a bertie with a 2.0 Twin Spark engine in it. It is the best sounding Twin Spark engine ever (with 2 double carbs)!

But if I would buy a bertie I would like her too be pretty original. A Giulia Sprint GT 1300 stepnose would be my favourite (after a GTA) and I wouldn't mind if she had a conversion to a 1750 or 2000 Nord engine. I would pass one with a TS engine though, even if it has carbs. But I can certainly appreciate if someone has done the conversion.

Interesting thread!

I'm building myself a GTA replica at the moment out of a '67 step front 1300 GTJ that was a barn find. It's a complete restoration job and will have all the correct GTA grilles, door handles, blister rear arches and correct GTA numberplate light carrier. I have the benefit of working for Alfaholics, so originals, from my father's 1600 GTA have been copied, and we made a batch of the arches and the number plate light carriers, so they are available to the public to buy. On the engine side i've gone down the 8v twin spark root... getting over 190bhp from an original 2000GTV engine is very expensive. It is using a machined flywheel to accomodate for the clutch being at the front and has various mods internally. Throttle bodies were rejected after long consideration as being too expensive to warrant fitting, 45 Webers have been used instead.
The distributor was the next issue... a GTA item is over £1500 and the two on a 75 looks wrong under the bonnet. So it's gonna run on mapped ignition with a thottle sensor so the advance curve is completely programable. The advantage is that we can have lots of power at the top end but make it totally driveable on the road at low revs. We ran this set up two years ago in the GTA challenge and it was very effective, 190bhp with an engine that had standard pistons and rods!
The car has just finished being painted (predictably red!) and the next trip is to have a roll-cage made in it... we have not been happy with the fit of any cages we have tried in our race cars so we want to have one custom made, again that we will offer to the public after, so that it fits the later dash cars as well, as the dash is a bit deeper, and doesn't run so close to the roof that it gets kinked....as happens often when retaining a head lining.
It will run our GTA replica wheels that we have had produced in 6 and 7 inch that many people fit to their GTVs and spiders...they look especially good on duetto's check them out at http://www.alfaholics.com/browse_par...ocument_id=521

Although the handling is ok on the cars, i will fit the Alfaholics fast road suspension pack comprising of 4 springs and a stiffened front bar... rear bar is junked. It is a superb kit and eliminates low speed understeer and roll, the kit has been track tested, several people competing in the 70's Road Sports use the kit on their GTV's and 1600 GTJ's. Suprisingly ride quality is not compramised at all and indeed with some Superflex cone bushes for the rear axle that wiggle over pot holes disappears. Its money well spent if you want to get full enjoyment out of the car!

Will keep you all updated with progress and hopefully i will get some photo's on the forum soonish!

Sounds an exciting little project you have their Max. On the subject of mods to Cars, rebuilding a 'Barn find' like that is different to modifying a complete and mainly original car. If I was in your position, I would definatly do something like you are doing, funds permiting (Which they are not ). But to take a good original Car and rebuild it as a GTA replica seems a bit of waste somehow. Better to keep the originals as they are and build the replicas out of the lost causes.....just my opinion of course.

Completely agree... never molest a nice original car, the only things i would do to an original car is to put some GTA replica wheels on it...which make it look amazing, and a sports exhaust....Alfaholics has just provided a complete stainless steel sports exhaust system for all types of 105, and all engine sizes, at a reasonable price

You know it's impossible to tell, that you have a close connections within the trade....
Seriously tho, it could get you into trouble on here soon..