The time has come....92 to return this week

[John M]

After a long journey....the 92 is expected home this week from the body shop. She left home back in July for a complete strip and repaint. She was stripped to metal, smoothed out, and resprayed. We went with the Dupont premium paint line....white with pearl three stage. Same color as the 78. Both original white. As compared to the 78, the 92 got the best line of paint, 2 extra coats of pearl, and 2 extra coats of clear. I haven't seen her yet, but appearantly the result was as desired.....a little more pearlescent, and a lot deeper as compared to the 78. The 92 also received a new spare tire well, battery tray, and a general rust cleanup in the trunk gutters. And needless to say....the entire trunk area got sprayed as well. The color I chose...is not original....but extremely close. Paint was sprayed in the jams and gutters, on the backside of the trunk lid and hood, and across the upper radiator support. So essentially everywhere visible except along the inner fenders in the engine bay and the fire wall which remain original white. And I had the hardtop resprayed just to make sure it all matches perfectly. So more shots to follow at the end of the week when I get to make the journey to the other end of KY to pick her up. Here is the pre shot.

Best Regards,
John M

[John M]

Hello all:

Would someone with a series 4 spider be so kind as to measure the side and rear emblem placements? It would be greatly appreciated. Some Gomer forgot to do this prior to sending it to the shop.

Best Regards,
John M

[alfaloco]

I can take care of the measurements for you John. I'll give you a call tomorrow (Thurs.)

Dave Jarman

[John M]

Hey Dave:

That would be great. Give me a buzz at your convenience.

Best Regards,
John M

[John M]

Here are a couple of shots at dusk. Pearl effect really blasts out in low light. Poor 78 sitting covered in the back ground. Paint came out really nice.

Best Regards,
John M

[GTD]

Yup! Sheeeezz a keeper!

Looks great John!

[rbitzer]

Love the pictures John! Does it seem like a new car or what?

[conedriver]

Hey Rob,

Inquiring minds would like to know what makes your '91 Spider an abnormale?. I don't think you changed to Webers...

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbitzer Love the pictures John! Does it seem like a new car or what?

[John M]

Hey Guys:

Thanks for the comments. She does look like a new car. It is amazing what a huge difference a nice paint job makes. I am getting all sorts of wierd looks. I am looking forward to someone asking what year it is!

"Its a 2005. Just picked her up a month ago."

The paint just came out looking factory. The pearl is even. No orange peel. Very deep. The extra coats of pearl and clear really made for a dramatic difference when compared to the 78. I think they ended up going with two extra coats of each. Not a chip or ding on her. All my rust is gone. Spare tire well and battery tray came out fantastic. And they resprayed the trunk. They cleaned up the trunk gutters too and the seal edge. I cannot deny, I am as giddy as a kid in a toy store. Ah...the fruits of labor and $$$.

Best Regards,
John M

[alfaloco]

I've got to add here, our boy Mikey and I drove over to John's neck of the woods yesterday, and this Spider just looks lovely. Can't blame John a bit for feeling like a kid at Christmas!

This pearl white, a Toyota color according to John, looks very "right" on the Spider design. My first response was that this was what Alfa should have done in the first place, in place of an ordinary white. Pininfarina's redo of the 115 Spider body, resulting in the series 4 design, exudes that certain exotic Italian appeal. Even automotive know-nothings realize they're seeing something special. I know-- it happens on a weekly basis with our red and yellow series 4 Spiders. For that matter, it happened with a fellow in a Ford Explorer when we got back into Lexington Sunday! Poor guy was salivating when he asked me what make of car I was driving! The series 4 Spider comes across not as a bare bones sports car, nor as a wimpy boulevard cruiser, but as a lithe, stylish, and even somewhat luxurious sports machine that can only be Italian in origin. Believe me- this pearl white looks beautiful and is entirely in character with the car, especially with the hardtop in place.
The extra coats of color and clear make it appear a foot deep, and it is even and smooooooth, too.

This is one custom paint application on an Alfa that went 100% right, and that's coming from a relative purist for things aesthetic.

Good move big John! Congratulations. Now get a bra on that front end before you wind up behind a gravel truck out on US 60!

Dave Jarman

[alfa63]

Looks great John! The paint job and polished wheels make your Spider one-of-a-kind.

[84GTV6]

Tell me again how I can get on the "list"?
I have a project that needs paint...

[John M]

Thanks again for the kind words guys. And a big thanks for Dave swinging by just in time to help me remove the hard top. With the pearl paint and polished wheels....she is hopefully one of a kind. I wanted her to have some unique features all to herself. So far the list includes the paint, wheels, HID headlights, and the cruise control with custom alfa switches to control.

As for what is next. Well, I may end up chroming the phonedials to eleviate the need for upkeep. You really have to keep up with them to keep them looking sharp. I am still considering the navigation system (Pioneer AVIC-N1). I really am enamored with the touch screen and the fact you can load custom backgrounds onto the screen...i.e. Alfa logo. But I also now have a factory unit on the shelf courtesy of Joe....BIG THANKS JOE!!! So I may just get that little puppy in there and go for the nice stock look.

The suspension will be dropped a little with the addition of performance springs and red koni shocks (both on the shelf now for over a year). I also have a new cloth top and a good used frame in boxes awaiting installation.....Anyone want to do that for me out of the kindness of your heart?

But when I really dream...I like to dream about power. So I will be investigating and gathering info and parts in the near future to add a supercharger to her. Goal of 200hp at the crank. Low psi charge. Stock mechanicals. Modified injection/ignition to make it all work. No emissions here so may d/c the cat too. Definitely replacing the center and rear in the very near future. So suggestions welcome on all of this little endeavor.

Big plans for her. Ultimately hoping to have a real sleeper looking car that will do a little a$$ kicking when asked.

Best Regards,
John M

[john.harrill]

Gorgeous...

[conedriver]

Hey John

Check out the size of the supercharger available for the GTV6 on this site http://www.oldebottles.com/italiancarspage7.htm. I dunno if there is room for this under a S4 hood. Maybe you should do like Todd Spruell did several years back, and add a Nitrous Oxide system (Rumor has it that he actually warped the rear body panels under acceleration). But then you would have to add a big chrome can to the exhaust tip, change to 20 inch wheels, and get a carbon fiber hood... excuse me, I got carried away there. I do plan to buy one of the better engine analysis programs to research changes to my red spider, and and maybe we can play with this to identify S4 engine upgrades.

Quote:

Originally Posted by John M But when I really dream...I like to dream about power. So I will be investigating and gathering info and parts in the near future to add a supercharger to her.