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I recently got my spider back from the paint shop. It is close to authentic Euro look for the year. It is not perfect but that may be a good thing as I plan to drive it about 6k miles/year.
Ed Prytherch
Ed Prytherch
79 Spider fresh from body shop
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Hi Bill:
It still has the 4.56 axle! The new engine is revving well and I may not need to install the 4.1. And I have bought a 12.2 mm camshaft from Richard Jemison, so it may need that 4.56 ratio.
Ed
It still has the 4.56 axle! The new engine is revving well and I may not need to install the 4.1. And I have bought a 12.2 mm camshaft from Richard Jemison, so it may need that 4.56 ratio.
Ed
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Thanks. I still have some work to do on the interior. I have a reproduction console from IAP to install and I have to decide on dash restoration.
Ed
Ed
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I did not do any body work unless you count putting dents in it before the body shop fixed it. I built the engine, rebuilt the suspension and did a host of other improvements, but I know my limitaions and I do not do body repairs, recover seats, fit convertable tops or replace windshields.
The rear bumper is easy. There are 4 mounting points. One on each side - there are a pair of large dimple in the fenders for the side mounts , you have to drill holes in them - watch out for the gas tank! and there are a pair of holes in the lower rear panel for the rear bolts.
The front bumpers were much more difficult as I used a Euro mounting bracket. I had to cut off the mounting plates for the bumper shocks and then cut away some more metal before the new bracket could be welded in place. I had help from a guy with cutting and welding equipment.
Ed
The rear bumper is easy. There are 4 mounting points. One on each side - there are a pair of large dimple in the fenders for the side mounts , you have to drill holes in them - watch out for the gas tank! and there are a pair of holes in the lower rear panel for the rear bolts.
The front bumpers were much more difficult as I used a Euro mounting bracket. I had to cut off the mounting plates for the bumper shocks and then cut away some more metal before the new bracket could be welded in place. I had help from a guy with cutting and welding equipment.
Ed
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I've seen your car before....
I saw two Spiders about 5 minutes apart heading SE on I-26 between the NC/SC border and Spartanburg SC. Both were running with their tops down and running strong 5 - 10 MPH over the posted 70 MPH limit. Way to represent guys!
One was a white Duetto with a bent front bumper. The guy had a video camera mounted behind the front seats.
The other was red with a '74ish front bumper and a '72 rear bumper. The license plate lights were located on the bumper like a '72 and not on the side of the plate like a '74. He had SC plates "ROMA".
Here is a post by me from the Alfa Spotting thread back in July. Understand that you went by my fairly quick. Do you know the guy in the Duetto?
I saw two Spiders about 5 minutes apart heading SE on I-26 between the NC/SC border and Spartanburg SC. Both were running with their tops down and running strong 5 - 10 MPH over the posted 70 MPH limit. Way to represent guys!
One was a white Duetto with a bent front bumper. The guy had a video camera mounted behind the front seats.
The other was red with a '74ish front bumper and a '72 rear bumper. The license plate lights were located on the bumper like a '72 and not on the side of the plate like a '74. He had SC plates "ROMA".
Here is a post by me from the Alfa Spotting thread back in July. Understand that you went by my fairly quick. Do you know the guy in the Duetto?
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I never saw that post or thread. The Duetto was driven by Rob Wilds of Charleston. We were on our way to meet up with the Charlotte AROC guys for a ride in the mountains near Asheville. We had a good time but Rob's car broke down. On the mountain run I was in line behind Amedeo DeCarolis in his 164Q and in front of Mark Brummond in his Calloway twin turbo GTV6. I tried to keep them honest. That was before I took my spider to the body shop.
Ed
Ed
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The seats are out of an 86 Veloce. I had them recovered in cloth. A local guy did a nice job for $200 cash.
The springs are the Vick Auto/IAP sports. I also have two right side front spring pans with no spacers. The shocks are what where on the car when I bought it. They may be original but they are not the black SPICA shocks that I have seen on other cars of this vintage. They work fine with the stiffer springs.
The standard bumpers are pretty heavy. I think that the handling is compromised by having those lumps at the extremes of the car.
Ed
The springs are the Vick Auto/IAP sports. I also have two right side front spring pans with no spacers. The shocks are what where on the car when I bought it. They may be original but they are not the black SPICA shocks that I have seen on other cars of this vintage. They work fine with the stiffer springs.
The standard bumpers are pretty heavy. I think that the handling is compromised by having those lumps at the extremes of the car.
Ed
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You are challenging my memory. It got 15" wheels five or six years ago. I think that they were Falken Ziex 195/65 -14.
With the extra power of your new cams, You might find the 4.56 trouble. The problem is actually in the TX - the first gear is very low, with a large gap to 2nd. This started with the little sub-80HP 1300 engines in the 50's, but with more power there is no trouble getting moving from a stop. Instead you have to shift to 2nd about the time you've crossed the intersection, especially if you made a vigorous departure.
Close ratio gears in the TX solves this problem, but they are costly and hard to find. I managed to get a set a lot of years ago, and got a 4.3 LS axle from an Euro sedan! That made the perfect combination for AX, where I was constantly rowing from 1st to 2nd. The 4.56 just added to the problem.
Robert
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