'59 Giulietta Sprint Vintage Racer Build - Page 3

**pathung** · #31 (**permalink**) 03-03-2009, 01:33 PM

By October? Hell yeah!

I'm actually shooting for July or earlier so I can make it to the Convention in Portland; I'd really like to tour the Oregon coast, and with someone else leading the way for a change

. These should be really pretty drives, eh Neil?

**pathung** · #32 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 10:12 PM

Two additional cams came with the car, both labeled 101, 6W92; one had a stamped "A", the other "H". Not Veloce cams by any means, are they? At this point I don't know what kind of cams are inside the engine, but I'm guessing regular 101 Normale cams.

**Gordon Raymond** · #33 (**permalink**) 03-08-2009, 05:34 PM

Richard Jemison can probably identify those for you Patrick. If he does not see this, just send him a PM.

**pathung** · #34 (**permalink**) 08-24-2009, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spider4me

The last post about Alfaland was great. The trailer is very neat. Not to hijack but PSB, could you email me more pics of the trailer? I am at the point of wanting to build or have built a single axle trailer replacing my Big Tex trailer.
Thanks
neildautrey@gmail.com

**spider4me** · #35 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 08:41 AM

I ended up trading for a newer single axle trailer. Much easier to move around, however, it doesn't tow as easily. I think it needs a longer tongue.
Its a Big tex brand again.
Still wanting a featherlite trailer as they appear to be the lightest and most solid Aluminum trailer.
Watch the CL ads, as trailers show up a lot. I traded mine to a guy who had bought a sand rail and the trailer was part of the deal. He already had trailers and was going to sell the double axle I traded.

PSB · #36 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 11:02 AM

2nd that on the featherlights. there cool.

**George J** · #37 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 12:43 PM

Drive it!

Fun to drive to events, old school. In forty plus events I have trailered once and that was because the main bearings were falling apart (held together for the race, then rebuild). Cheers, George

Grandpa Don · #38 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 04:42 PM

Hi Pat, I don't think we've ever raced together, but I'm looking forward to it. What did you end up doing with your shocks,? I run Koni's only a half turn from soft. Al Leake built my car and told me to keep the shocks soft and let the suspension do it's work. It's worked well for me for many years. How about the 5/12 diff, did you get that together ? It is an essential Alfa race piece.
Don Queen

**Gordon Raymond** · #39 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 06:39 PM

Don,
Al had it about right

. On my Giulia Ausca spider, I have Autodelta suspension components from the 1965 competition parts offerings, including the heavy front, and the lighter rear trailing, sway bar. On the track I ran the front and rear Konis one full turn from soft, letting the suspension and flexible chassis work

. Now the retired car, on the street has about 1/2 inch added suspension spacers front and rear, the 3 degree negative front camber reduced to 1 degree, the front Koni's softened to 1/2 turn from and the aluminum sway bar mounts replaced with polyurethane. Ah... my 5/12 GTA LS unit replaced with a 4/56 current disc LS unit from a 2L. Just replaced the race GTA solid disc clutch and P. Plate with the street GTA assembly.

**jerry Quinlisk** · #40 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 09:11 PM

That's a great photo ....

**pathung** · #41 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 10:54 PM

They ARE like siblings, aren't they? Sadly, I'm sure the Sprint stares longingly every time I back the Spider out of the garage, roll down the steep drive and disappear down the road... poor girl.

**Gordon Raymond** · #42 (**permalink**) 08-26-2009, 07:11 AM

It's just a matter of time......
Just my opinion.

**tomkatf** · #43 (**permalink**) 08-26-2009, 04:49 PM

Hi Patrick,

I prepared and vintage raced a Sprint from the mid '80's to the early '90's in SoCal. I'm on the road now and don't have access to the complete files but here's a short list from memory...

1) Rugh springs and sway bar. Koni shocks.
2) Reinforce front cross member where sway bar brackets bolt in...reinforce front sway bar brackets themselves. I've had the bolts pull out of the front cross member and the brackets fail. Bad news...
3) Move the bottom A-arm forward a specified distance(number at home), increasing camber. Shorten the front upright a specified amount(number at home) while keeping the axes and relationship of the upper and lower ball joints in line... you need a jig.
4) Heims joints fore and aft on the trailing arms.
5) YOU MUST REINFORCE THE FRONT AND REAR TRAILING ARM ATTACHMENT BRACKETS.
6) I repeat, YOU MUST REINFORCE THE FRONT AND REAR TRAILING ARM ATTACHMENT BRACKETS. The ones on the rear axle in particular will collapse and the rear axle will steer you into the nearest immovable object (Guido's Law). There were fatalities caused by this in the old days. Using wider and stickier rubber in anger exceeds the design limitations of Giulietta suspension pieces... Plus a lot of this metal is 50 yrs old, mild steel and oxidized/fatigued/etc.
7) Refer to #6 again...
8) A 5.12 rear end seems to be the consensus ratio of choice... I had mine welded up tight... no slip, fun to push the car around corners... worked for me... the spiders should be slowly welded up(to avoid heat warping) with a high nickel content rod(to avoid cracking due to a hard but brittle weld). I have a complete, fully prepped(as above) 4.56, if you're interested.
9) Camber was increased by shimming out the lower A-arms with aluminium plates. Number at home...
10) Wider rims were welded onto original Borrani("Veloce") wheel centers, offset adjusted to clear fenders. Tires were Yokohama 001-R's... something like 205/55-15's... Numbers are... you know...

Will try and think of more when I get home, this should give you a few things to think about...HTH!

Best,
Tom

P.S. The above information is neither my advice nor my opinion on how YOU should set up YOUR Sprint. It is merely a list of a few of many options available to me that I used when setting MY Sprint up for the track. No Guarantee implied or given, YMMV, Contents May Settle During Shipping, etc., etc.

Sprint here...

Grandpa Don · #44 (**permalink**) 08-26-2009, 05:02 PM

Hi Tom, My 1956 Spider is setup with the same approx specs, but I never bothered to reinforce the trailing arms. It may be time for a quick inspection and a bit of gusseting. I also run a welded 5:12 diff. It can be a pain in the pits, but a winner on the track. I actually cracked my front cross member and had to plate and weld the entire front. Rugh is a great source of parts for anyone who wants to win.
Don Queen
1956 Alfa #0844

**pathung** · #45 (**permalink**) 08-26-2009, 10:28 PM

Thanks, everyone, for your input in the suspension setup department. I'm in the process of building the rear end (a 5.12), and have planned to use a limited slip from a later car; welding it up sounds like an interesting alternative at this point for racing, but would effectively render the car unuseable on the street, yeah? Perhaps I shouldn't plan on driving on the street in any case, stop and go is no fun for a race car, obviously.

I haven't thought much about suspension, but may go the Rugh route, since it comes highly recommended. And keeping the shocks soft? I'll need to try that.

Looking forward to start working on the suspension the next free weekend I get.