That’s what many Alfisti will tell you Alfa stands for. I can’t say I disagree. The Alfa bug bit hard last August when I picked up a super-clean 1984 Spider Veloce on Bring a Trailer. From a local guy in Portland, no less. Despite some idiot on BAT making the snide comment that I must be a “glutton for punishment,” the 84 is trouble-free after a year.
Upon selling the last of my Porsches the other day, I decided a Scooby snack was in order for selling one of the finest cars I’d ever owned. Hunting for a few things on BAT just didn’t deliver the winning combination. Even though I am 100% happy with my Spider, I tend to be someone who collects things. I don’t buy a BMW; I buy 20 of them. I don’t buy a Porsche; I buy six of them.
I know, “Hi, I’m Jeff, and I have a problem.” Cars are my weakness. They always have been. But as I tell Pam, it’s becoming a less expensive habit in my old age. A couple of 10k-ish Alfas is pretty harmless, right?
A chat with the president of the local BMW CCA chapter, who shares my weakness for autos, reveals a friend who has the perfect Alfa for sale. This one is a 73 Spider that was repainted some time ago from its original Verde Green to red. Like Ferraris, many people think an Alfa Romeo has to be red, but there are many other great colors available. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), though this one has been expertly resprayed, they did not change the color under the hood – it’s still green.
This opens the door to going back to green one of these days. Hmmm.
Note the jump in pulse as I get in the Uber to zoom over to Dan’s house to pick the car up… Think anyone ever got this excited about buying a Prius? I doubt it.
The other significant change is the removal of the original Spica mechanical fuel injection and replacing it with a pair of dual-throat Weber carburetors. Twenty years ago, when there weren’t many people to service this system, many of them were maladjusted by incompetent owners. The Weber conversion was less expensive and a somewhat easy fix.
This car runs great with the Webers, although it will be taking a short road trip up to the Seattle area for an appointment at Mr. Wes Ingram’s shop. Many of you know him as one of the top Spica and Weber guys in Alfa world. Fortunately, it’s a 100-mile drive from my place. Much like the Spica system, Webers are not as fiddly as they sometimes get the rap for – but again, if you’ve screwed it up, it can go horribly wrong. I’m more than happy to hand Mr. Ingram’s team the money to baseline the car and get it right.
I’ll report back when that box has been ticked. Mr. Ingram is kind enough to answer many of my questions via email, and he informs me that it costs approximately $ 10,000-$12,000 to bring it back to its original state. He also mentions that he’s “amazed at how many people are making substantial investments in 70s Alfas.” Like an expensive kitchen remodel, this is money you’ll never get back on resale – you have to do it because you love the car.
And what’s not to love? Those Webers truly do make a scintillating sound at full throttle in a way that my 84 does not. However, the car gods give and they take away. Even when driven in a spirited manner, it’s tough to get less than about 25 mpg in the 84; the 73 drinks fuel by comparison. A quick fill up this afternoon reveals about 15mpg. Dan, the fellow I bought the car, reminds me as I’m picking it up, “Yeah, only one thing – the fuel gauge never goes about ½, so I start hunting for a gas station when the trip odometer hits about 120 miles.”
This car has similar dash pods but different fonts and such on the gauges. The controls are slightly more spindly, and the seats remain the same shape. Comfy with that upright seating position. Dan tells me that even though there is a newer stereo in the dash, there are no speakers, as the prior owner used to have a pair of bookshelf speakers in the deck behind the seats. The rear window is a bit cloudy, but the top is in good shape. Again, do I care? The top will never go up, and I’d never use the radio if it did work. I want to hear that engine.
This car is heaven. Pure heaven. Every sound, every action is mechanical, analog. Pure analog. The car is deliberate and involving. It reminds me of when all cars were made this way. At this moment, I’m grateful I don’t have to commute to work. It’s taken a lot of automobiles for me to truly appreciate what the Alfa brings to the experience. It’s immersive in a way that new cars – even new Alfas will never be.
Much like the difference between a ’70s 911 and a mid-80s Carrera, these two Alfas drive completely differently in terms of engine responsiveness. The 84 was recently rebuilt with higher-compression pistons, and it definitely has more punch in the midrange, along with increased low-end torque. The carbureted car produces a better intake noise and has slightly more urge at higher revs, approaching the redline. Both are fantastic in their own way.
So, after a day of closing the garage door on a pair of Alfa Spiders, I’m already pondering the cost of restoring it to its original green and the original injection. This brings me to the thought that I could just about get into a first-generation, round-tail Alfa Spider for the same amount of money.
Always looking for another, they are right.
Hello and welcome to Heel and Toe.
