05-05-2008, 04:37 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Scandinavia, Sweden, Europe
Posts: 468
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Hmpfr, I drive some 5000 miles from Snadinavia through Europe to Italy and back, no problems. Mine is a 1967 Duetto. I've done quite some miles over 40 years with my Duetto.
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1967 Roundtail Spider, "Duetto" Mine for more than 40 years.
My Duetto sites www.veloce.se and the www.duettoregister.com
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05-05-2008, 04:55 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Magee, MS
Posts: 820
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I have no worries about mine making it. I wouldn't do it in a 25 yr old Brit car. However, if I had a choice I would take the wife's Saturn so my butt would survive.
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"Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak."
Larry the Cable Guy
Last edited by Geezer; 05-05-2008 at 10:29 AM.
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05-05-2008, 06:14 PM
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Who Makes That?
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 1,375
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 Quote:
Originally Posted by lgbalfa
do you think your spider can make it cross country without any problems in a week?
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I have no hesitation taking the Spider or the 164S cross-country.......
.
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1986 Spider
1992 164 S
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05-05-2008, 07:45 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Livermore, CA
Posts: 185
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Sure, you bet!
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jeff
1982 Spider Veloce
1999 BMW R1100S
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05-06-2008, 12:08 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Denver Co
Posts: 432
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Look up my thread about my adventures from SF to Denver ha! Yea it made it!
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05-06-2008, 03:46 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Posts: 89
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I bought... no, that's not correct. I once heard about somebody who bought a Spider in Germany unseen, drove about 1200 klicks to get her, found the car in a tool shed, tossed... er... mistakingly placed not-quite-right registration plates on her and drove home (across the European Union border) all in one day and without any hood on the car (rain was falling all the way THERE and the sun was shining all the way BACK; looks like God himself favoured the Spider!).
Wouldn't do it again, of course. But it was worth it...
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Currently: '74 Spider Junior 1600, '77 Alfetta GTV 2000, '79 Alfetta GTV 2000, '79 Sei 2.5 V6, '80 Sei 2.5 V6
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05-06-2008, 06:29 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: NYC, NY. The Spider resides on Shelter Island, NY.
Posts: 1,621
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Cross country
[quote= but do you think your spider can make it cross country without any problems in a week?[/QUOTE]
I have absolutely no doubt mine could do it with ease ......................
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1975 Spider (Long gone gateway drug)
1983 Spider (Dead: slowly parted-out on Ebay)
1974 Spider (Restoration only took 14 months  )
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05-06-2008, 06:33 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: NYC, NY. The Spider resides on Shelter Island, NY.
Posts: 1,621
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Actually I did drive once from Atlanta to NY straight (about fifteen hours as I recall). The car did fine; the noise, vibration, exhausts from trucks and wind etc. just about killed me however.
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1975 Spider (Long gone gateway drug)
1983 Spider (Dead: slowly parted-out on Ebay)
1974 Spider (Restoration only took 14 months )
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05-06-2008, 06:35 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Long island, NY
Posts: 267
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I am not the original owner unfortunately. I was blessed that I found a car that was owned by a very wealthy woman who travelled the world extensively. The Spider was one of several toys she owned which essentially was driven once a month -if that for a short drive. Car was always garaged and maintained. You can appreciate this - I've started using her as my daily driver and had a great day yesterday driving into midtown Manhattan with the top down. She purred like a kitten on Grand Central and I just wanted to keep on driving. My Infiniti FX is starting to feel neglected 
In the year I've had her - I've added 4k to the odometer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lgbalfa
talk about low miles!
are you the original owner?
i just turned 15k miles - mechanically perfect.
i would still be afraid to drive it cross country just because of its quirks.
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Jeff Radovich
1986 Spider Quadrifoglio
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05-06-2008, 06:37 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Long island, NY
Posts: 267
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Magnificent car Willie!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wille R.
Hmpfr, I drive some 5000 miles from Snadinavia through Europe to Italy and back, no problems. Mine is a 1967 Duetto. I've done quite some miles over 40 years with my Duetto.
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Jeff Radovich
1986 Spider Quadrifoglio
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05-06-2008, 06:59 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Timonium, MD & St. Louis, MO
Posts: 4,158
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We are, of course speaking of 'older' Alfas here. Sometimes I am more confident of driving Alfas than our modern Toyota!
I certainly would do it ANYTIME! Our Spider and Milano Verde are often taken on long trips - we did about 950 miles in the Spider on the weekend of 18-20 April, and did about 750 miles in the Verde just a few weeks prior to that.
Alfas were made to be driven! Guys like Wille Roos and Skip Patnode drive their over 40 year-old Duettos long distances all the time. One of my previous Milano Verdes had over 220k miles on the original engine and would still be running fine if my son hadn't hit a tree with her  Wille's car probably has more than that and he keeps it running great.
All they ask of you is that you change the oil, keep up with normal maintenance and drive them like you stole them! The big problem with any older car is that owners don't maintain them properly and therefore they become less reliable. Take care of your Alfa and it will take care of you.
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Cheers,
Alex Csank
Chair, Alfa Century 2010 - The AROC USA ALFA Centennial Convention
E-mail: alfaromeodriveralex@gmail.com or alfacentury2010@gmail.com
Mobile: (757) 636-9513
82 Spider Veloce (Desideria - Kathleen's)
84 GTV6 Maratona (Mona - resto project)
88 Milano Verde (Trogdor The Burninator)
"My name is Alex and I am an Alfaholic."
Alfisti are always welcome in our home!
Last edited by Alex Csank; 05-06-2008 at 07:02 AM.
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05-06-2008, 07:51 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Denmark
Posts: 376
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Any old car, provided it's in good condition, will be able to go non stop for several days with stops for gas and topping up of oil, water etc.
What kills any car, are lots of short journeys on no checking or maintenance.
So, yes, my 1970 Spider could do it, could or would I, not really. Day trips of like 500 miles with some action are fun and OK, but for hours on end down the motorway, no.
Erik (must have gone soft - 30 years ago, I'll dumped on it)
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05-06-2008, 07:53 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Rural NSW Australia
Posts: 19
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BEEN THERE DONE THAT (twice)
In 1985 my 1969 RHD spider 1750 veloce did Brisbane to Adelaide via the coast road and back to Brisbane via Broken Hill and the outback. I camped in national parks, often causing a stir among the 4WD owners already there, as the entry roads are not sealed. One minor problem (you won't be surprised to hear it was electrical). Two weeks ago I took it from Yass NSW to Brisbane Qld - straight out of a major overhaul and engine rebuild. 1300km of running in. Mind you, the maximum running speed in 5th was 5kph over our highest speed limit !! My only problem was that neither the odometer or the speedo would work. Luckily the fuel gauge was accurate . It poured rain all the way and the (original) soft top started to SHRINK! I cornered the market in gaffa tape. I am a 65 year old female and I travel with 2 dogs who have a custom made locked cage covering the passenger seat and under the dash. I made it for them and they love it. Go for it, I say!
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05-27-2008, 05:31 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Boxborough, Mass, USA
Posts: 733
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bshorey
I'll let you know in a few weeks - I'll be driving my newly acquired '82 across in a couple of weeks.
I've driven many Alfas cross country, many of them bought in California sight unseen, and only ever didn't finish the trip once, in a GTV6 that tossed a water pump in a major way (after completing 90% of the trip, including a National Convention where it was used hard by two drivers in all events).
It's a great trip to make in an Alfa! This time around I'm planning on taking a scenic route, and stopping to smell the roses!
bs
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The car was not completely trouble free, I had some vapor lock problems in Sequoia and Death Valley (120 deg!), loosening the gas cap helped but the car still needed to 'rest' every once in a while. It also refused to start in the frigid weather of the North Rim of Grand Canyon, AAA covered the flat bed out (fuel pump wasn't running, I decided it was more fun hiking than dealing with car problems), it started right up at the lower (and warmer) altitudes, so I had them flat bed it back up where it started just fine and I continued my journey.
From there it ran like a clock. Ran into some nasty weather in Nebraska and Iowa, the drivers side (naturally) windshield wiper ripped right off the car, and there was no safe way to stop or slow down, so I had no choice but to follow the tail lights of the semi in front of me for a couple of hours until the rain subsided enough to find a spot off road to move the passenger wiper over to the drivers side. That was one nasty drive..
Burned a total of 2 quarts of oil along the way, great fun!
bs
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