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Jan 30, 2016 17:54:20 GMT
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So, I've been offered this 1980 Alfa Romeo, not for the price mentioned in the advert I hasten to add, question is, is it worth the trouble? I know n o t h i n g about these cars. For those of you without Norwegian skills to translate the advert the gist is that it has been in a barn since 1992. What really worries me is that it hasn't even been started in all this time either. It was dragged out of the barn about 6 months ago and has been standing outside under a tarp since then. Undoubtedly cool cars when they are running but not really sure if this one would be a whole heap of trouble. Not seen the car in the flesh yet so I only have the pictures to go off, but before I take the time to take a look I would appreciate your honest opinions, especially those of you who have one or have worked on one. |
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Last Edit: Nov 4, 2019 6:57:01 GMT by omnipod
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Jan 30, 2016 18:46:47 GMT
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Great fun car when working.
They can rust absolutely everywhere.... The roof, the lips that the door and boot seals push onto, as well as all the more normal areas. Usual Italian electrical gremlins of that era. Oily bits are reasonably robust if a bit quirky.
Haven't seen one in years (if not decades). Spare availability may be challenging......
Nick
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Last Edit: Jan 30, 2016 18:47:32 GMT by vitesseefi
1967 Triumph Vitesse convertible (old friend)
1996 Audi A6 2.5 TDI Avant (still durability testing)
1972 GT6 Mk3 (Restored after loong rest & getting the hang of being a car again)
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Jan 30, 2016 22:03:34 GMT
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Second the rust issues! Suds rot in places you didn't even know were places! Pay particular attention to the screen pillars, on early cars, you can put your hand up them from under the wing so guess where the mud goes! Also they have a nasty habit of cracking all round the bulkhead, ie round the chassis legs, up the flitches and across the middle from there. I once scrapped one that was largely held together by the gearhange linkage and the bonnet catch. That was a 1500 Sprint too!
Inboard front discs give trouble and dodgy electrics are par for the course but other than that it's a fun little buzz box to drive, even the 1200s are nippy and the handling is remarkably good. Add in the rarity factor (cos they all disintegrated from tinworm) and you've got a winner. Just never forget that it's an Alfa - with all that implies!
Steve
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Last Edit: Jan 30, 2016 22:05:04 GMT by carledo
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Jan 30, 2016 22:29:21 GMT
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Logically probably not worth it but absolutely go and buy it and make a build thread whilst you're at it!
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brc76
RR Helper
Posts: 1,108 
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I had a 1350ti sud, loved it dearly. yes, they rust everywhere, have special moments with electricity, but they are just great cars to drive. smiles per mile has to be one of the highest of any car.
however that said, you may want to think about a road ready version unless you plan on stripping that one down to the base and building it back up again.
bonus fact : my sud managed to rust through the panhard link on the axle end. that was a fun day.
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Not just a 'Sud, but a 'Sud Sprint - a very rare thing these days. That said, unless you're a very, very proficient restorer/welder I'd be treading very carefully with that! Here's a good 'un, spotted at Players Classic last year:  |
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sonus
Europe
Posts: 1,392
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Den MÅ reddes! (IT has to be saved!) Very few if any still on Norwegian roads so very rare I believe. If you do not know how to weld you'll certainly learn as it will require kilometers of welding wire and truck loads of welding gas. However I do think these cars are on the rise when it comes to value as so few are left. If you decided not to take it on I am sure someone at sportsbillosjen.no would  |
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Last Edit: Jan 31, 2016 6:16:51 GMT by sonus
Current
1968 TVR VIXEN S1 V8 Prototype
2004 TVR T350C
2017 BMW 340i
Previous
BMW 325d E91LCI - sold
Alfa Romeo GTV - sold
Citroen AX GT - at the breakers
Ford Puma 1.7 - sold
Volvo V50 2.0d - sold
MGB GT - wrecked by fire
MG ZT 1.8T - sold
VW E-golf Electric - sold
Mini Countryman 1.6D -sold
Land Rover Discovery TD5 - sold
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Rather you than me, but I'd do it purely because it's, well, an Alfasud, one of the best wee hatches to drive....my Dad had one in the 70s and loved it. But I'd give it a good going over and ask yourself if you're prepared to take on what'll undoubtedly be a major challenge!
WHat are the wheels on that black modified one?
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1989 Vauxhall Nova 1.0
2003 Kia Rio Ice+ AKA 'The BEast' - SOLD
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Clement
Europe
ambitious but rubbish
Posts: 2,095
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Do iiiiiit!! Those wheels are Zenders iirc, and if I'm not mistaken this very car has its own RR-RR thread, and I'm pretty sure it was at RRG14 |
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Jan 31, 2016 11:05:26 GMT
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I'm all for saying "do it" to buy a car and spend time and money on restoring it but realistically there's a lot of cars out there that are unfinished for a reason.
It takes a massive commitment to see it through but regardless of determination you need welding skills, mechanical skills and/or willing to chuck a few quid at it to compensate for the lack of the former and/or take it onto the next level.
Not trying to put a downer on it though, just be aware of what's involved, if you are and still want to go through with it then you know you're making the right decision.
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Jan 31, 2016 14:47:11 GMT
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Thanks for all your replies so far. rmad, DaveEdge, sonus I'm not sure I can proclaim to be a very proficient welder / restorer but at the same time I'm not afraid of a bit of welding either, I have pretty good practice with my Austin and Triumph but I think even that magnitude of rust pales in comparison with Alfa rust. Doing some research has revealed that they use foam in some of the box sections, so they rot from the inside out. Yikes. I actually know who the seller is, a friend of a friend of a friend kind of thing and this was a project he picked up on a whim way back in 1990. He says in the advert that he found out that he didn't actually like fixing cars after all. So it's not an unfinished project because it was too big a job but because he never really started it. To put it this way I was very surprised when he contacted me saying he had this Alfa, I'd never had him down as a 'car person' at all. He is trust worthy though I know that much about him. Here in Norway every registered car has a scrap value of NOK 3000 and he has said I can take it away for that, so even if it were too big a job I would still be able to get back my money back by scrapping it. All I can do is go at have a look at it, it's only 10 minutes from my house so no big road trip or anything. It has been inside since 1991 so there might be some hope that it isn't a total basket case. What I really need to know though is, what terminal signs am I looking for, I know they rust everywhere but is there one place that if I find rust there I will know it's a non starter? |
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Last Edit: Jan 31, 2016 14:48:32 GMT by omnipod
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sonus
Europe
Posts: 1,392
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Jan 31, 2016 15:22:28 GMT
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Do it
Do it
Do it
alfasud.alfisti.net/buy.html
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Current
1968 TVR VIXEN S1 V8 Prototype
2004 TVR T350C
2017 BMW 340i
Previous
BMW 325d E91LCI - sold
Alfa Romeo GTV - sold
Citroen AX GT - at the breakers
Ford Puma 1.7 - sold
Volvo V50 2.0d - sold
MGB GT - wrecked by fire
MG ZT 1.8T - sold
VW E-golf Electric - sold
Mini Countryman 1.6D -sold
Land Rover Discovery TD5 - sold
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Jan 31, 2016 15:34:09 GMT
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Definitely go have a look at it before making your decision, if there's not much to lose in terms of the money I vote yes
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,976
Club RR Member Number: 71
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What I really need to know though is, what terminal signs am I looking for, I know they rust everywhere but is there one place that if I find rust there I will know it's a non starter? I think Steve probably gave you a really good place to look Second the rust issues! Suds rot in places you didn't even know were places! Pay particular attention to the screen pillars, on early cars, you can put your hand up them from under the wing so guess where the mud goes! Also they have a nasty habit of cracking all round the bulkhead, ie round the chassis legs, up the flitches and across the middle from there. I once scrapped one that was largely held together by the gearhange linkage and the bonnet catch. That was a 1500 Sprint too! If it's not too far away surely you could spend some time with a jet wash and the car's front end in the air so you could clean under the front wings and really inspect it properly? Maybe do same back end as well? Important thing is to really see what you are getting yourself into before you get into it and caked on dirt in wheel arches can hide a lot of pain!! Only other thing I would do is see if I could turn the engine by hand - if it can be turned I'd have no concerns about - dropping the old oil and filter (even before I tried to start the engine) and refilling with a cheap oil and a new filter to help protect the moving parts when you do try to start it. |
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sonus
Europe
Posts: 1,392
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Bought it yet? |
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Current
1968 TVR VIXEN S1 V8 Prototype
2004 TVR T350C
2017 BMW 340i
Previous
BMW 325d E91LCI - sold
Alfa Romeo GTV - sold
Citroen AX GT - at the breakers
Ford Puma 1.7 - sold
Volvo V50 2.0d - sold
MGB GT - wrecked by fire
MG ZT 1.8T - sold
VW E-golf Electric - sold
Mini Countryman 1.6D -sold
Land Rover Discovery TD5 - sold
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brc76
RR Helper
Posts: 1,108
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Yeah, all of us that have owned them, and telling about the woes of ownership, are all hoping you bought it. It will be great.
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Rust, rust and more rust. Did I mention rust?
Had two Suds and loved them. I'd have another too. BUY IT!
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Still learning...still spending...still breaking things!
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<Stuff> Here in Norway every registered car has a scrap value of NOK 3000 and he has said I can take it away for that, so even if it were too big a job I would still be able to get back my money back by scrapping it. <More stuff> NOK3000 to weigh it in - that's £240! Surely worth far more in parts (especially if the engine turns)? No brainer to me for that money. Go fetch! If it's salvagable, salvage, fix, repair, modify. If not, get a couple of mates over for a weekend, provide them beer and spanners, then sell the bits. |
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There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes
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Right ho, I'm off to see this tomorrow as it should finally be a day without sleet, snow or rain, and i'm not in work. Not sure how long i'll get to poke around it as the seller is a bit pushed for time but I should be able to get a better idea of how bad or hopefully not so bad it is.
Although it may sound as though i'm getting my excuses in early, i'm not sure how much of a demand there is for parts off these cars here, there just aren't any of these left. Almost certainly this is the only RHD car in the country.
Pictures to follow tomorrow.
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Last Edit: Jul 1, 2017 6:45:00 GMT by omnipod
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