Tag: Classic cars

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101 1300 rebuild part 6: getting close

Here it is, probably my last post of 2008. I might have squeezed one more in and wrote about one of the Sprint Veloce Lightweights for sale in Europe right now but I have been busy keeping up the usual holiday schedule and another post doesn’t seem likely.

This post is mainly to catch up on two busy days at the shop trying to get as close as possible to having the Sprint on the road before the end of the year. The first picture in the series is a teaser and should be farther along in the series, but I like it since the Sprint can be seen watching my progress in the background.

img_7036I suppose the color of the turn signal lens could be called ‘impatient Orange’. When this was taken I had just made all the head nuts finger tight after fishing the timing chain up through the timing case.

Continue reading “101 1300 rebuild part 6: getting close”

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Market #74: restored Blue plate Spider

Update 1/12/10:  It’s funny to go back and look at these old Market reports.  Funny in this case because I go on about the wheel baase of this car but now know that 08607 would be a LWB car.  Oh well, you learn and have to admit mistakes…

Giulia Spider. For sale on bay area Craigslist. No real information given. $56,900 asking. Umm, yeah.

Ad text states it’s a 59 but I don’t think this style hood happened until late 61 or even 62 so I’m not sure what to say without the correct VIN to check. They say the vin is 000014908607 if I dare extrapolate I could guess 1495*08607, which is a 1960 Spider Normale, but that number series should be for an early style car with short wheel base, flat hood and early style gauges. Hood and gauges can be changed but a measure of the wheel base would tell the whole story.

00000000014908607-1Nice car for sure. I mean really nice car. Perfect. Of course a shiny red car at dusk always looks good. One would have to inspect…

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Market #73: Best color combo Spider Veloce

Update: Bidding ended at $24,100.  Solid money for this car in a depressed market.  Hopefully some of its originality can be maintained.

Giulietta Spider Veloce 750F 1495*04644, engine 1315*31682. This car is available on eBay right now. d’Amico and Tabucchi list this car as a 1958 model.  These don’t come up often in this nearly-a-runner barn find condition. They are usually very challenging projects or restored. The rare intake components are listed as included but there are no pictures so one would want to see their condition before diving in too deep.

bc86_3Another car that makes me wonder ‘who would let this happen to a car like this?’ This is actually pretty early for a Spider Veloce and arguably the best color combo. I would guess rust on the hood is the result of a tarp trapping moisture against it.

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Market #72: Dejavu 58 Sprint Veloce

Update 1/6/00: Now on eBay with starting bid of $10,000.

Update 1/5/09: This car was on eBay starting 12/29/08 for about 5 minutes with a starting bid of $12,000 before ending early. 

The following was added to the description: ”

The Alfa featured here was a regular at the Lime Rock race track in Connecticut where its previous owner of 25 years raced it, including many VSCCA vintage events. The roll bar should still meet SCCA regulations. The engine has a 750cc Veloce bottom end and a 101-1300 head, intake, and dual Weber carbs. Gear changes are made by a lightened GTA close-ratio gearbox and the limited slip rear end has a 5:12 gear ratio. The no restriction exhaust makes the wonderful music you expect to hear from an Alfa race car. We bought this car with the intent of restoring it as a second vintage race car sister to our vintage racing Duetto but after a year of sitting we realize it is time to let it go. It runs great, the clutch, transmission and brakes are all good. As you can see from the photos, the nose has been pushed in a bit but nothing serious or structural. We do have the grills and other exterior trim to return this to a stock, street driven car but our wish was to return it to a streetable vintage race car. We had intended on painting the car black and retaining the stock red interior. This is such a fun car, if you have never experienced a vintage Alfa that has been built for racing it is very hard to put into words the absolute joy to be had. Though great mechanically, we would love to be a part of returning it to its former visual glory and will offer the new owner a very attractive price for a cosmetic restoration of this little gem. If you are viewing this listing you probably know as much (or more) about these cars as we do and if you don’t we recommend you do some web research to learn more about what makes these cars so special.” 

 Giulietta Sprint Veloce 750E 1493*06930. This car is available right now from Brighton Motor Sports for $28,000.  This car is humorously described as having a “900cc block with a 1250cc head”, pictures of the engine compartment look like a 1600 is installed.

I recently sold SV 06917 to Corey in Seattle and SV 06924 was sold last year by FJ, both those cars are the same Amber White but with with blue/gray interior.  This car probably shared the paint booth with those cars and they almost certainly went tip-to-tail through the assembly line together.  This car is not in as good shape as 6917, and certainly doesn’t have the monster 1750 that it has, but the asking money is the same.

880820032Ouch!  My red Sprint experienced this sort of thing when its brakes went out.  Was $1800 to fix it up back to presentable.  Stripes almost look like 3M masking tape.

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Market #70: Above average 63 SS street/race car

Giulia Sprint Speciale 10121*380473. This car is available right now from Fantasy Junction (I should mention they revamped their website and it looks great, with a new high res photograph appearing with each return to their home page and larger format write-ups). Asking price is $45,000, much more realistic than the $55,000 they were trying to get for this car last year.

This car has been seen around California racetracks for several years. Hans used to drive to the track, race, then drive home, in many cases several hours each way. I saw this car race maybe three years ago and, like Jerry, he didn’t take the chequered flag, and he didn’t come in last. It has the original, though rebuilt engine and went pretty well. It is no match for Alfa’s prepared to current racing spec, but that’s not really the point of this car. I’d be more than happy with it just as it is.

14794This is the second car in two posts with mis-matched mirrors, maybe I need to emulate rather then complain. I think this car looks tough and purposeful in this picture with the numbers and spot/fog light.

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Market #68: Nice eyebrow Sprint in Mexico

Update:  20 bids, $13,300, reserve not met.  This doesn’t surprise me in light of the detailed pictures the seller added late in the auction, a few of which I added to the end of this post.  I predicted a higher end than this but it light of the new pictures and their evidence of a more than passing need for rust repair and new paint I think the ending price makes some sense, especially if more unpleasant surprises lurk.  I still think this car would see $18,000 or more if it was in California and sold with attention to detail the eBay seller out of Newport Beach usually uses.  Javier, I’m not sure what advise to give you.  It may be worth having the repairs done locally and trying again in the Spring, assuming total financial collapse doesn’t have us operating on the barter system. 

Giulietta Sprint 750B 1493*04953.  This car is available on eBay out of Temixco Mexico which looks to be close to Mexico City.  Fusi indicates it is a 1957 as claimed by the seller.

I had an email chat with a guy in Mexico about a 59 Sprint that he has and is thinking of selling to fund another Sprint.  His problem is importing old cars to Mexico is very difficult to impossible and his car has a US title and the car he is hoping to buy has a Mexican title.  He is hoping to sell his car in the US.  I told him that people I know would have reservations buying a car out of Mexico because of money exchange complications, shipping and in many cases unfair quality associations with South American countries who send cars to the states that are presentable but worn out.  I told him these perceptions mean the car has to be a very good deal or exceptionally rare to get serious interest from Americans.  I can’t say how Eurpoeans see it, buy I imagine not much differently.  I bring this up because I am hoping this car will prove me wrong.  What can be seen in the images leads me to believe this was a clean original car that was freshened up, albeit straying from original in the interior and drivetrain somewhat. 

b5b6_1Handsome car.  Windows look very clear.  Bright work is bright and straight, paint is shiny, door and hood gaps are average or better.  I know of guys who have sent cars to Mexico for paint and chrome because you can still get ‘the good stuff’ down there and it’s reasonably priced, you just have to have solid recommendations.  Note the big dollar sign on the quarter window.

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Berlina project 4: the dreaded waterpump replacement

Usually my bad karma manifests itself as a star chip in a windshield or a slipping clutch but lately it’s been all about the waterpump.  When I had the engine out of the Berlina I noticed a lot of play in the waterpump pulley but I thought that since the engine had worked so good for so long in the Sprint, I’d just roll with it. These things can take decades to tear themselves apart I thought.

Last week when I went to the local Mexican market a few blocks from my shop for some Tecate, chips and salsa and pineapple Fanta to restock the shop ‘fridge, I came out of the store and there was a puddle of pretty green antifreeze under my car. So much for a slow decline for the water pump.

part-1Is it just me or is coolant more viscous than it used to be? All this was apart a few weeks ago so since it’s fresh in my mind I suspect I can get through it pretty quick. I popped the hood at 5:30pm after picking up a set of sparkplugs, some carb cleaner and some ultra gray from my neighborhood chain auto parts store.  I had a date to keep at 7:30pm so I had to hurry.

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Giulietta Sprint 101 1300 engine rebuild part 5: Waterpump

Another pretty part ready for installation.  As with just about everything else relating to this 101 1300 rebuild, the waterpump is not just an off the shelf purchased part that gets to be bolted on.  Theoretically the waterpump is an owner servicable part and rebuild kits are available, but years in a hostile environment means the average, or even above average DIY Alfa owner is going to need help.

I pressed the impeller out of the bearings and found it to be in good shape with little corrosion or wear on the bearing and sealing surfaces.  Once the impeller was out I removed the snap ring that positioned the outer bearing and that is where I got hung up.  I wasn’t sure which way to try and press the bearings out and the special seal with the toleranced mounting flange and spring was all corroded.  At this point I decided I could irrepairably damage the pump if I wasn’t careful so I put all the parts in a plastic bag and delivered it, along with my rod bearings to John Norman Racing where Dan Marvin rebuilt it.

water-pump-rebuilt101 1300 waterpumps are no longer available, so if yours has a problem treat it gently, don’t assume you can buy a new one.

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Market #67: two high dollar Alfa’s on eBay

Update:  8C ended at just over $200K, reserve not met.  End values were closer than I imagined.  I bet run through a proper auction these cars would make $250k each.  Look for the disappointing follow up for each of these cars.

2008 Alfa Romeo 8C Competitzione ZARJA181980040907 & 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C2500 SS Cabriolet No 915811, Engine No 928114. Both these cars are currently on eBay, the 8C here, and the 6C here, though it ended reserve not met at $185,100. It is probably absurd to compare these two cars, but I suspect the values of these cars are actually quite close (within $50,000 maybe… the price of two good Giuliettas). Both these cars represent ‘investor’ class cars and since their values are close, comparison as investments would probably have the most meaning. Similarities also include exclusivity, desirability, and outstanding technical specification relative to other cars of their respective eras. Put another way both these cars are spectacular and I’d love to have either.

quartThe 6C2500SS was a serious car in it’s day, the SS having triple carbs and rated at 109Bhp. Coachbuilt body is both sporty and elegant, representing both the highest standard of finish and latest styling for it’s era.

med6The 8C Competitzione has been called the most beautiful car ever, recalling the Type 33 Strada among other historic Alfa’s. I like it more than all the other new cars I’ve seen but I would have to see one in person before I resort to hyperbole. Engine here is a 4.7L injected 8 making 450Bhp. Continue reading “Market #67: two high dollar Alfa’s on eBay”

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Market #66: 1964 Giulia Spider kit

Update:  This car ended at $2175, reserve not met.  I don’t see a note that the auction ended early, but I seem to remember it being more than this when I wrote about it.  Is the market this soft so suddenly?

Giulia Spider 10123 AR375922, Engine Tipo 00112 included (at least it sounds like it).  This car is available on eBay right now out of Torrington CT.  Fusi lists this car as a 1963 Giulia Spider Normale.  Seller sold it previously on eBay but Eurpoean buyer backed out so it is on the market again.  Buy it Now price of $8000 includes some new parts not offered as part of the auction including piston set, clutch and carb kits.  I didn’t see what the first auction ended at, post a comment if you know.

The seller of this car has listed many parts over the last year that I have watched and considered bidding on so I have no doubt they know their way around Alfas.  The tirade about non-paying bidder is carried a little too far, but having been in that position I know it is easy to loose ones composure in that situation. 

giulia kit spider front in boxLooks like fun, a body on a dolly surrounded by crusty parts.  The nose looks pretty good but with the parts in such a jumble I find it hard to accept the claim of 100% complete without subsantiation.

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