[Andrew]

Ran when parked!
Surface rust only!
All original paint!
Original miles!
Rare and appreciating!
Etc.!

As a related subpart of the Giulietta purchase I recently made from Bill Gillham, I also got this Berlina. Bill and I met halfway between our respective homes, in Weed, California, Friday morning, and I towed it home behind my Exploder on a car dolly. The pics show in at Weed Airport rest area on I-5 where we transferred the car, in front of Mount Shasta. Great day, though a long one.

It's an early 1972 2000 Berlina, been sitting in Oregon for a couple years; Bill got it as part of a package deal and moved it along to me. Original engine, Spica pump, interior, etc. Not the most rust-free car I've ever owned. Amazingly, the bumpers are perfect, and all the electrics and gauges so far, other than the turn signals, seem to work.

I changed the oil and filter yesterday, put some gas and decent plugs in it, and if fired right up. It has brakes, but I need to sort the clutch hydraulics before I try to drive it. It has a Shankle Sure-Start rather than an actuator, which I've never dealt with before. So far so good.

It's a resurrection project that I'll get operable, then hope to pass along if there are any takers. Patina is big now, so are rat rods; check out any issue of Hot Rod magazine. Maybe a 24 Hours of LeMons candidate?

Andrew

 

[acurtiss]

Fun! 24 hrs of LeMons car? Sign me up.

Just a note re: the shankle ss. I had one on my berlina before the whole engine gave up the ghost, and found it was only sort-of useful. The main problem seemed to be that its spring is not really strong enough to compensate for the pressure of the spica's adjuster screw. In other words, it'll adjust out, but when it's back in it seems to have a hard time making it all the way. I may not have had the cabling correct etc, so my experience may not be entirely representative. After what I went through with my Spica, and given the fact that we live in Oakland CA and not Oakland MI, I'd just as soon lock it in at 19 and accept rough starts on the few really cold days we get per year.

 

[Andrew]

Yes, that was my minimal experience with Shankle Sure-Starts on a few cars I've driven. Good in concept, kinda poor in execution, and they don't hold the position that well.

I am not proposing to build a LeMons car myself; I have enough to do, and don't think I could bear to see the destruction. Several people are already hounding me to part this car out, but I'd hate to do that, and would rather see it go to someone who really wants to brush up on their sheetmetal and welding skills. Nothing's going to happen immediately though.

Andrew

 

[gprocket]

Don't part that car out! 'Round here that's rust free. I do like the patina. Ship it to Michigan!!

Regarding the sure shot: That is interesting about the spring. I have been grousing for years about the TA but I have to admit, I can't think of a better mousetrap. I was going to get a sure shot (or make one). then I thought an electrical solenoid with a thermal switch but then you would need it on (extended) all the time and what if it failed, woudl it be any cheaper, etc, etc. I thought the heck with it and left my dummy TA in the SPICA. Even in the warm Michigan summer, it still was a bear to start. I finally returned the TA to it's rightful spot. It is amazing how well a properly set up SPICA with a functioning TA works. My '73 fires up on half a crank and settles into a nice 700 RPM idle almost immediately. Its finally getting cold around here and it still starts - I can't imagine how tough it would be if I still had the dummy installed.

I have grudgingly become a fan of the TA (just not the cost of a TA).

 

[Andrew]

I concur. If you have a decent pump, TA, and engine, and go through the setup steps, which are not that complicated, a Spica car will start hot or cold in any weather (well, I can't speak to Michigan weather), idle, pull well, and generally just be great. The only Spica car I ever had starting trouble with was my first one, a 69 Berlina, and once I learned how to set it up, and got a decent TA, I never had problems again.

Andrew

 

[Andrew]

Well, yesterday and today I swapped in good clutch MC and SC, bled the clutch and brakes, put some gas in it, and drove it up and down the street. Drives not bad, although the exhaust is really rotted out.

Has 190ish compression in all four cylinders, good oil pressure, and decent water temp. All the gauges work, and even the turn signals came back to life today. This car was alleged to have sat two years, but I think it was more like five, at least. Amazing; this was true on the beater silver 1750 GTV I had recently; even after sitting 15 years it was basically all there and was driveable with a couple days' sorting. And people say Alfas aren't robust.

Andrew

 

[gprocket]

My experience exactly. My '71 GTV was stored for 20 years. I had it running in a half a day. I called the PO and asked what he did to preserve it - "uh, turned the motor off and put a car cover over it...". Same thing happened to my '74 GTV parts car. The motor was reportedly stoved and sat for 5 years. I poured some MMO in the cylinders and let it sit for a couple days. Swapped in a working starter, sprayed some starter fluid in the Webers and it fired up. It is currently tearing up the drivetrain on my '69 Spider while I rebuild the 1750.

And 8 years ago I picked up my '69 cheap because the PO thought the head was cracked - turned out to be a plugged fuel filter. Ran great until I decided to try running it without oil (hence the rebuild)...

 

[italcarguy]

How's the interior? What's the original color?

 

[Andrew]

Silver; grigio metallica or whatever it's called. I think it hasn't been repainted much; I think it's mostly original paint peeling off, exposing primer. Tan interior that's not great but not awful. Door panels good, headliner OK, seats average with driver's seat a bit tattered. Carpets are kinda sad. I've got a local guy already interested in it.

I think I'm smoking a mouse nest out of the exhaust. Already removed one from the glove box and another from inside the Spica air box filters.

Andrew