[Worldkayaker]

Last September I picked up an 81 Spider Veloce from my brother who had it in his garage for years. It only had 40K on it when I bought it. The first owner was a family friend. This car has been so well maintained that it took a lot of cleaning and a lot of minor work to get it to the point where I trust it as a daily driver. It hadn't been driven for 2 1/2 years but it was prepared for storage. After a lot of replacing rubber parts (tires first) and window seals, etc, as well as minor adjustments to electronics and fuel delivery lines the car seems pretty stable and runs well.

I have all of you to thank for this, as I've learned a hundred tricks on how to maintain and correct certain issues. Without which I'd still be scratching my head.

I love this vehicle. Originally, I thought I'd clean it up a little and sell it but now I'd have trouble parting with. The information you all provided in links especially regarding the SPICA pump (and everything else like wipers, access to the blower motor, etc, etc, etc. ) has been the biggest help!!! The experience has made me want to do it all again!!

I do have a slight rumbling at about 10-15mph coming from the rear that I can't quite figure out only on deceleration and when turning on decelerating.


It's the last thing left before I would trust driving this vehicle across the country (with the SPICA roadside fixit kit that someone had posted).

Thank you all!!!

Robert

 

[Tifosi]

I do have a slight rumbling at about 10-15mph coming from the rear that I can't quite figure out only on deceleration and when turning on decelerating.

Differential topped up with proper gear oil?
Anyone inspect the hub bearings?

If'n you been around since sometime after September, you know the rules about pictures and providing them and stuff and things and junk, right?

 

[ghnl]

you know the rules about pictures...

That's right. They can even be pictures of your Alfa.

 

[Worldkayaker]

Didn't know about the picture rule!

Thanks - I've done everything except check the differential fluid. I'm guessing I should have both the trans and the rear fluids changes. Hub bearings are all fine. My only other issue is the speedometer cable needs to be cleaned or lubed as when it's below freezing the speedometer flickers for a few minutes until it's warmed up.

I never wrote on the BB before the previous message. Just searched for answers. Thought after my major efforts were completed I owed everyone a thank you for being so prolific. Hopefully my picture attached shows.

I'm ready for another Alfa to fix up. While I was repairing the Alfa, the Alfa was fixing me..

Robert

 

[ghnl]

I never wrote on the BB before the previous message. Just searched for answers. Thought after my major efforts were completed I owed everyone a thank you for being so prolific. Hopefully my picture attached shows.

Nice looking Spider!

FYI, ignorance of the law (even our unwritten rules) is no excuse. We don't even give Tifosi a pass and he's about as ignora..., umm, never mind.

 

[Tifosi]

I arn't ignerint, just a tetch dumb sumbtyms.

or didja meen 'indignit'? onnaconna i'v heered that b4.

 

[chuck]

Thanks - I've done everything except check the differential fluid. I'm guessing I should have both the trans and the rear fluids changes. Hub bearings are all fine. My only other issue is the speedometer cable needs to be cleaned or lubed as when it's below freezing the speedometer flickers for a few minutes until it's warmed up.

I never wrote on the BB before the previous message. Just searched for answers. Thought after my major efforts were completed I owed everyone a thank you for being so prolific. Hopefully my picture attached shows.

I'm ready for another Alfa to fix up. While I was repairing the Alfa, the Alfa was fixing me..

Robert

Robert,

Very nice looking spider! Good to see you're in compliance regarding the posting of photos.

It's possible that the cable is binding, but the problem with the speedometer might also be in the gauge. Sometimes they stick when cold. Just another bit of Alfa personality.

Have you checked the driveshaft for the source of the rumbling (Donut, center support bearing, universal joints)?

Chuck

 

[Zunige]

It's nice to read this thread - and that Spider looks fantastic!

Best regards,

 

[Worldkayaker]

Ignorance is no excuse, mea culpa, mea culpa

Ok, it's latin, not Italian, but I meant it!

Thanks on the speedometer cable info. I thought it was a need to get to immediately issue, but perhaps not.

Re: the rear rumble, the rear section of the drive shaft was replaced with a new one and the donut w/it. Good chance the differential is possibly low on fluid as it's the only moist leak I have with any fluid. Any one have an idea on a gearbox and differential fluid I can buy at an auto parts store or must I buy something from one of the Alfa parts suppliers I've been using?

The inside is in good shape. Again, maintained over time.

What is interesting is that I live in NH and FL (and I used the train for the trip) but I noticed that in NH, every single day I drove the Alfa I would get at least one very outspoken compliment on it and from all sorts of different people. In FL, nothing.

43K original miles, but I have my brother to thank for that. He's a three car and 2 motorcycle guy and kept the Alfa in a garage for the 20 or so years he owned it before buying it from a family friend. So it's never seen outside winter and very little rain.

I've owned a few small convertibles in my time, back in my 20s (A TR-250, MGA, MGB and a TR4A and a couple of Fiats 2000s). I'd love to convert the SPICA to dual webbers as I did the Triumph's but the SPICA pump works and hate to alter the original layup as I love the way the Spider runs and sounds.

Anyone have an idea on what the vehicle is worth? The NADA guide that Geico uses says 14K-17K, Geico actually had me go to an apparaiser before issuing "collector car" insurance. The appraiser just repeated the NADA numbers. They seem to sell for about $6000-$8000 with such low miles and in such great shape. Why the disparity? Were they worth more before the economy tanked?

 

[Nicola]

If you're going for a "real" collector policy, you might want to check other that GEICO. You should be warned in advance that there are sometimes restrictions regarding mileage, useage, storage, etc. If you go with a "real" collector policy, you will find that YOU, not the insurance company, set the value.
To answer your question, generally, yes, values did nose-dive with the "reverse up-trend" (I hesitate to use the term 'recession'), but in good times and bad, value should be based on the condition of the individual vehicle, not upon some "cookbook" formula of age, mileage, etc.

Oh, and welcome - you've got a really nice car there....

 

[Worldkayaker]

Thanks!!!

I wish you all were my neighbors, I never experienced a nicer group of people.

Geico has a Collector Car division and the appraiser did take a lot of notes down to the stainless exhaust and he looked if he could find rust anywhere on the vehicle which he couldn't. I always assumed it was up to me to prove what a replacement vehicle would cost as to value and that was why I was curious as what they were really worth. 100% agreed a formula shouldn't be the only thing looked at. At the same time, I find it hard to believe the Alfa value could be close to the 2006 RAV4 V6 Sport I owned until recently, but honestly the Alfa get's much much better mileage, and handles so much better.

Last picture, the engine. I love this vehicle and prefer it to cars I paid 20x more for!!!

Thanks again all! Hope I made up for the lack of the initial picture.

And any other rules, please advise...

 

[Alfajay]

Re: the rear rumble, the rear section of the drive shaft was replaced with a new one and the donut w/it. Good chance the differential is possibly low on fluid as it's the only moist leak I have with any fluid. Any one have an idea on a gearbox and differential fluid I can buy at an auto parts store or must I buy something from one of the Alfa parts suppliers I've been using?

Oh, any differential oil is fine. Just hypoid gear lubricant, 90 weight, available at any auto parts store is OK. Sure, you could use Redline, you could use synthetic, but the truth is it'll work fine on generic. And, if it's leaking out, why spend $$$ "renting" gear oil?

Anyone have an idea on what the vehicle is worth? The NADA guide that Geico uses says 14K-17K, Geico actually had me go to an apparaiser before issuing "collector car" insurance. The appraiser just repeated the NADA numbers. They seem to sell for about $6000-$8000 with such low miles and in such great shape. Why the disparity? Were they worth more before the economy tanked?

That $6 - 8K figure sounds OK about right to me. Dunno where Geico gets their $17K number, but maybe they can charge higher premiums when they over-insure cars. Sorry, but these spiders are pretty common, and since the majority of the US buying public won't touch an eye-talian car with a ten foot pole, they just don't command much in the market.

 

[Worldkayaker]

Geico was using NADA - National Automobile dealers of North America values for classics. The values I saw were about 8500-14,500.

Lucky you - you found a 63 Guilia spider!!! They are truly beautiful vehicles.

 

[Tifosi]

And any other rules, please advise...

While not a rule persay, helping Simon with a dontation or subscription at some point is a nice gesture and will help keep thing rolling along here.

Not manditory in any sense mind you, and no one is gonna get up in your stuff if you never do, its just a nice gesture.

 

[Tifosi]

Hey, I just noticed, you got one of those cam covers with the script on both sides as mentioned in this thread a day or so back.

 

[Alfajay]

Hey, I just noticed, you got one of those cam covers with the script on both sides.

That is an unusual cam cover - well, maybe common on the 1981 models, but I've never seen one.

What are the two mounting tabs at the base of the cam cover, visible in Robert's photo duplicated below? They can be seen above the #1 and 2 exhaust headers. Nothing is bolted to them on Robert's engine - anyone know what they were intended for?

 

[Anfanuts]

Robert,

Have you checked the driveshaft for the source of the rumbling (Donut, center support bearing, universal joints)?

Chuck

And if all of that checks out, consider the driveshaft nose bearing. That caused a seat-of-the-pants faint rumble upon deceleration on mine after all the rest had checked out.

 

[neo297]

If you're going for a "real" collector policy, you might want to check other that GEICO. You should be warned in advance that there are sometimes restrictions regarding mileage, useage, storage, etc. If you go with a "real" collector policy, you will find that YOU, not the insurance company, set the value.
To answer your question, generally, yes, values did nose-dive with the "reverse up-trend" (I hesitate to use the term 'recession'), but in good times and bad, value should be based on the condition of the individual vehicle, not upon some "cookbook" formula of age, mileage, etc.

Oh, and welcome - you've got a really nice car there....

If you are looking for collector car coverage check with grundy worldwide. I saw an episode of my classic car where dennis gage was interviewing the president of the company. They work with the individual to come to an "agreed" upon value for a given car and they have no limitations on milage, useage (except it can not be the primary vehicle)etc. and per the show they have not had rate increases in like 20 years. I found the actual interview here is a link where you can watch the interview with jim grundy it is interesting regarding the way they do collector car insurance. click on the " garage segment" to play the interview. http://www.myclassiccar.com/episode/13/06/
Paul

 

[Worldkayaker]

And if all of that checks out, consider the driveshaft nose bearing. That caused a seat-of-the-pants faint rumble upon deceleration on mine after all the rest had checked out.

Thanks, that is exactly what it feels like! It is faint and seat-of-the-pants and only on deceleration at 15MPH exactly. Thanks, I'll think I'll start with that part and it'll give me a good reason to change the fluid.

The cam cover may not be original. My brother at 35,000 miles wanted more power so he bought a new head, shipped it to CA and had SS valves and seats, with a racing cam put in and the ports polished to match the supposedly European headers and stainless exhaust system. If the cam cover is original the holes you see may have supported the airpump or the air intake system that was on this '81 originally as it came over the top of the engine.

I was just curious on the real value was. I get so many compliments when I do drive it that to me it's almost priceless and what was originally a fall and winter project is now a possible obsession.

 

[Worldkayaker]

oOPS

cams I meant, that was a mis-type not an expression of ignorance