Hi.
I'm posting this here because I don't have a website, and folks ask me about it, and Insurance wants to know why I'm increasing the replacement value, yadda yadda yadda. That, and it was labor of LOVE. Apologies to Alfa Owner for posting copyrighted material - Would be nice if back-issues were available online...
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The Silver Surfer Spider Project
PART 1: The Vision Requires Patience
I've had my '74 Alfa Spider since 2004. Since then, so many great memories have been made in that car with my wife, friends and family. Four-time MGCCNC Tulip Rally trophy winner, dozens of cars & coffee events, drive-in car shows, local NWARC club events and tours, and many opportunities to meet a lot of great people with similar passions. And if something needed fixing, I fixed it myself as often as I could. But my mechanical experience is lacking, as is my tool collection and spare room in the garage. I know my limits, and when it comes to the big jobs, I leave it to the experts. I knew the motor needed a serous overhaul - the SPICA was due for a rebuild, the engine leaked oil and blew smoke, fuel pressure was a bit low, the usual 2nd gear synchro grind, and it backfired ever so delightfully. I managed to save up some pennies for the occasion, and once the odometer flipped over to 00000, it was time to get this car back in shape.
In March of 2018, I reached out to Wes Ingram in Burlington, WA to see if he was available to do the work. He was recommended by my old friend Zach, who had a pretty decent 164 back in the day and was responsible for talking me into buying my first Alfa, which was nothing less than a learning experience. Wes worked on it once, from his West Seattle shop. He rebuilt the head for me, but ultimately it was a mercy mission. I had no idea what I was doing, or what I got myself into buying a ’78 spider. I learned a lot from that experience, and ultimately made the educated decision to sell it and look for a ’74. I went as long as a month before I had my new Silver Spider in the garage. It was better than the ’78, but it still needed a lot of mechanical work. I did as much as I could myself, and soon I garnered enough experience to consider myself a true Alfisti.
The phone call to Wes was quick and disappointing. He is a busy man with a huge backlog, his shop is not suited for the casual gearhead who wants "cheap horsepower" - it doesn't exist for Alfa Romeos. He specializes in high-end motor builds, caters primarily to customers who race, and honestly, he just does not have room in his shop for me to "drop off my car". Fair enough. Wes is in high demand, and he is at the point in his career where he can pick and choose his customers. I get it. But that just made me want it even more.
After that phone call, I perused through his online parts list. I got out my spreadsheet and put together a wish list. I envisioned a SPICA street performance rebuild, hot cams to match, lightened flywheel, new pistons & liners, and maybe some headers. Basically, I wanted the car to drive and feel better than new - not a modern-day sports car per se, but as if it just came off the showroom floor with a "Quadrifoglio" performance package. I wrote an extensive email to Wes, describing my vision.
The next day, Wes called me. We covered many topics, mostly Alfa related, from racing programs to resale values, occasionally sidetracked with football. But I made sure he understood my passion for Alfa Romeo, how much I loved the car and wanted to keep it forever; I shared my vision, aspirations, and my budget. I also suggested that I would be willing to do a lot of the grunt work, specifically cleaning. I told him how I have done a lot of work on the car myself, but I've never had the tools, experience or courage to pull a motor (much less disassemble and rebuild), and I would be thrilled if he was willing to work with me, not just for me, on this project.
It took a few calls like this to convince him I was worth the trouble. I wore him down, and he finally caved in. March 2018, I was in the queue, and he figured we could start on it sometime in September 2019 - eighteen months from now?? Well, good things are worth the wait, and I figured I could slowly purchase the necessary parts over time to keep my bank account happy and stress levels down. So, parts began to collect in Wes' storage shed.
Part 2: Getting in Deep
Over the next few months, Wes and I talked more about our vision. He suggested we go with a high-performance head build, with C&B 11.2mm exhaust cams and custom built, Russian cobalt welded 12mm intake cams. All this, paired with the 85x10.2 CP-Carrillo pistons, Darton sleeves, H&W performance rods, 123 programmable ignition, Darstan headers, aluminum flywheel, rebuilt intake manifold and the SPICA 7500 high performance pump rebuild, we could get the torque up to around 160 ft/lbs @ 5000 rpm and 182hp @ 6300 rpm at 10.5:1 compression. "How much more is that custom head build gonna cost?" I asked with hesitation, assuming I would not like the answer. "Not much more than you've already paid already." "Good answer," I said. "Let's go for it." We came up with a nickname for our vision: The Silver Surfer Spider Project. The collection of parts continued to pile up in Wes's storage shed. Invoices slowly trickled in. I was committed. Or I should be anyway, I thought...
In August 2018, I decided it was time for the suspension upgrade. Wes recommended Chris Benny at Prova Motorsports in Seattle to handle the work. I called Chris and we discussed a street performance setup; Koni yellow shocks, Alfaholics fast road kit including euro spec performance springs and big sway bar, all new bushings, poly upgrades where appropriate, chassis stiffener and new tires. I sourced the Alfaholics kit, new tires, Panasport wheels and chassis stiffener separately, and Chris handled the rest. In addition, he installed a new giubo, slave clutch cylinder w/steel braided line and upgraded steering idler arm box with bearings. His work was solid, on time and under budget. 6 months later, I brought the car back to install a new Magnaflow exhaust system paired with the ceramic coated headers and aluminum radiator/fan assembly sourced by Wes - the new motor will run hotter than stock, so Wes wants to make sure it stays cool. All those upgrades got me through the summer of 2019 as I patiently waited in the queue. I could feel a slight improvement in performance with the headers, and man those wheels sure look good. We had a lot of fun at the local cars & coffee events.
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PART 3: Let’s Get Dirty
One of my goals was to get hands on and dirty as much as possible with this project. I really wanted to play a significant role in the rebuild, not just drop it off and hand over a credit card as if I bought it at the local Costco. Wes was open to the idea but made it clear that he could not make any promises allowing me to assist with the project in his shop, especially when it came to final assembly. But he suggested I prep the motor prior to bringing it in for removal. I was very excited at the prospect. So, he talked me into pulling the head myself, which also included removing the hood, radiator and other miscellaneous components off the motor. Plenty of documentation existed for these tasks, so I felt confident that I wouldn’t screw anything up. As a bonus, this would allow me to get deep in those crevasses and clean up all the muck and grime that collected on the back sides of the block for so many years. A few days were well spent in my garage, with the smell of solvent in the air, Ziploc baggies full of nuts and bolts, legitimate excuses for buying new tools, and money in my pocket from saved labor costs that Wes was really not interested in doing anyway. He would much rather spend time building motors than brushing gunk off the side of an engine block. "I hate dirt" was his mantra that rung in my head. Well, who doesn't? Regardless, I dove in with no fear, and I got my wish - my hands were dirty, the head was pulled, the block was cleaned, I learned something new, and as of July 2019 the Silver Surfer Spider would never drive again with a tired, leaky, smoky old motor.
PART 4: Pull it Out, Tear it Down
July 8, 2019 - the big day has arrived. The plan was to trailer the car up to Burlington, pull the motor at the shop, and take the chassis home for storage and engine bay cleanup/restoration. My buddy Michael is quite the gearhead and was excited to be a part of the project. He borrowed a trailer from his dad and came over to help. We strapped the disabled surfer down tight, threw the head in the trunk, slapped a car cover over the whole thing and headed North. We pulled up next to the building with the sign that read “H&W Racing”. Wes had the shop ready. A couple of roller trays were set aside for parts and tools. We rolled the Spider in and raised it on the lift. Wes handed me a wrench and had me start removing the prop shaft, brackets, cables and straps, cleaning parts and tools along the way. I was living the dream.
Once all the underpinnings were freed, we lowered the car and mounted the hoist bracket to the lifting strap attached to the head bolts on the block. Because the head was already out of the way, the motor mounts were that much easier to access and loosen the nuts. We gave the motor a little pull, and CLUNK - one of the mounts fell into two pieces. That could explain some odd vibrations I had up to this point. Fair enough, it served its purpose for as long as it could, no harm done. Once we got some tilt, Wes handed me a long rod with a socket on the end, which allowed me to remotely pop the tie rod off the steering ball joint. We got the rod out of the way so the tranny could swing out easy.
Wes handed me the hoist chain. I pulled on it frantically like I was jibing a sailboat, and the motor slowly lifted free of the engine bay. Michael guided the transmission out of the tunnel. The Silver Surfer Spider exhaled and finally gave birth to a big aluminum baby. Wes complimented me on how clean the motor was, relatively speaking. The top side of the transmission was still filthy, but no matter - that was coming home with me. No better time than now to get the transmission rebuilt!
We bolted the motor to a stand, removed the tranny and threw it in the back of Michaels truck. I handed Wes the head with intake manifold still attached and took inventory of the nuts and bolts that gave way over the past few hours. It didn’t matter, Wes was going to refurbish and replace all the small bits anyway. He’s done this so many times, there was no need to keep track of what came from where. I let go of my anxieties and trusted his experience. Michael and I loaded the Spider chassis back on the trailer and took her back home.
Wes suggested I talk to Larry Dickman at Alfa Parts Exchange in California for the transmission rebuild. Larry and I worked out a plan to not just fix that notorious 2nd gear grind, but upgrade #2 with a Goetze synchro, replace synchro's 1 and 3 as well, lighten gears 1-3 and convert the first three bearings to roller style. I ended up paying twice as much as I originally thought I would, but the result Is worth it, and will help achieve the vision of like-new drivability for the car. Wes said it was a no-brainer investment. Smooth butter-like shifting? Yes please... I cleaned the tranny up the best I could and shipped it off in a bin.
Over the next few weeks, Wes would occasionally invite me to come up and assist with the teardown. On the first visit, we dropped the pistons and connector rods out, and inspected the five main bearings. They looked great - no discoloration or scars, the sign of a well-oiled machine. I pulled the front cover off and found that the PO used RTV gasket goo for the front main seal. REALLY? No actual gasket? Really. It was the same story for the lower oil pan gasket. No wonder this thing leaked like a sieve!
Wes had me media blast the front cover and then spray it with hi-temp clear coat - his standard procedure for all the big aluminum components. I also removed the upper oil pan from the block and took it home to work on scraping off the seemingly permanently attached gasket from that beast. That took many hours and a lot of George Carlin comedy routines to get through it successfully. But this was all great - any work I did on my own was labor he didn't have to charge me for, apart from minimal shop fees.
PART 5: Sweet Thing
September 6, 2019 - Wes invited me up to the shop again. This time I had the upper oil pan in tow and ready for media blasting. But that had to wait because we had crank work to do. He had pulled the rear seal and crank out prior to my visit; the crankshaft was on the bench, mounted to his lathe for easy access. He handed me an air hammer and some aluminum plugs; I proceeded to drive the plugs into the two oil passages where the original plugs worked their way out, and reinforce the existing plugs to ensure they would remain in place for at least another 100,000 miles, or the rest of my life, whichever came first. Very satisfying work. Then, I dipped the upper pan in a solvent bath, blasted and clear coated it. Ready for assembly.
Next thing was to balance the oil pump, as they come with a cam shaped lobe on the distributor side that was intended for older motors. Then we upgraded the mesh on the intake port for more efficient flow. Wes sent me home with the crankshaft, pulley and flywheel/pressure plate so I could take it to Action machine shop in Seattle for balancing. I brought the finished product back to Wes as soon as it was ready, to ensure progress was unhindered.
The chassis was sitting at home in my garage, looking quite sad without its power plant. The engine bay was a mess and needed refreshing. I figure a rattle-can job will do the trick - it's an engine bay after all, and anyone looking under there will be staring at the motor, not the firewall. A little research on the internet, and I find a shop that will put my AR737 metallic grey in a spray can. Clean, sand, prime, spray and clearcoat, one section at a time. Looking good, and my shop rates are extremely affordable.
I removed the brake booster/pedal box assembly and restored that back to new as well. All the shiny bits are getting a polish/clearcoat or replaced. While I was at it, I decided to throw some relays on the headlamps as well. The bay is now ready for its shiny new power plant.
Another trip to Burlington, and I get the opportunity to drop the completed head onto the fully assembled block and set the cam timing. I remember being so nervous when disconnecting the timing chain master link. Reconnecting it had the opposite effect, as if I were suturing up a patient’s chest after a heart transplant. This was the first time I ever did anything like this on a motor, and it was a wonderful experience. Wes had his wife Rita’s motor on a stand as well; it happened to be at the same stage of build as mine, also in need of cam timing. Wes asked me if I wanted to tackle that job as well. If anything, I would do a better job, now that I have “experience”. Rita was in the office at the time, catching up on some paperwork. I hollered out to her that I was working on her motor, fair warning - she did not seem to mind. I am starting to feel a lot more comfortable working on Alfa motors now. And that was the goal. Wes confided that he had given my motor a nickname – “Sweet Thing” it was, because after all this time and effort, she never gave him any trouble.
PART 6: Fruits of Our Labor
The holidays came and went, and by now Wes has completed the final assembly. The next step is to get the motor on the Dyno for break-in and leak check. The snowstorms did not help the situation. Days went by, with no word of the status. Not like I was going to be driving it anytime soon, but still I was getting antsy. The weather finally dried up, the roads cleared, and I got the call I was waiting for. The motor was on the Dyno and running. Saturday afternoon, Michael and I headed north to see the sights and hear the sounds.
I came into the shop and found the motor hooked up to Wes' custom Dyno chassis: A tubular frame on wheels, fabricated to host various motor sizes, with an upgrade in progress to manage 8-cylinder Montreal powerplants. There was a stock transmission and driveshaft bolted to a proper supercharger, and my shiny aluminum powerplant was all hooked up; beautiful, nickel-plated fuel lines running from the SPICA to the intake manifold, red spark plug wires coming off the 123 distributor, and that custom-built aluminum head sitting pretty with Darstan headers coiled off the exhaust side.
The system was complete with radiator, gas tank, battery, and all the sensors and analog gauges wired to an aluminum dashboard. This is the analog computer that Wes designed, with temp, oil, fuel and O2 mixture, tachometer and a big Sears Craftsman-like analog clock dial measuring pressure coming out of the supercharger. Usually, Wes leaves this overblown go-kart project out in the auxiliary shed next to the shop. But on a cold day like today, creature comforts are a priority, so the Dyno sat inside the shop, with the exhaust pointing out the bay door.
We flipped the power switch, cleared the prop and pressed the ignition. The motor turned a few cranks and she fired up cold with no fuss. It was... alive. But this was no surprise; Wes had already run it a few times before this, to ensure that our visit would be anti-climactic. He reported no signs of leaks or problems so far, the rings seated right away, and there was no sign of blow-by. “Sweet Thing” is living up to its name.
Time to find out what this thing could do. We got it up to running temp, and per scientific method, a few metrics were jotted down while running at low RPMs.
Then Wes gave the throttle a steady pull. At 4500rpm, the motor sang like a screaming Italian eagle, pushing 19.8 pounds of pressure into the supercharger. Wes carefully documented the results on a data sheet attached to a 70’s style clipboard, reminiscent of a high school shop teacher meticulously grading final exams. He paused, shook his head, smiled, and said this was the most powerful street motor he has ever built. This revelation blew my mind, coming from a guy who’s been building performance motors since the 60’s. He could not wait to share with his partners in crime the fruits of our labor. Apparently, 12mm intake cams paired with custom-built heads were going to be the standard practice from now on. I was stoked. All the performance stats were exciting to hear, but they were insignificant compared to the sound of that motor at mid-throttle. We did not get it up to redline that day; that was Wes’s call, and he knows what is best. I will have plenty of chances to hear this engine sing at full throttle come springtime.
From here, the goal was to do a few more days of tests and leak checks, and then the motor would be ready for installation. All we needed now was to set a date for the big install. We all checked our schedules and landed on the one day that comes but once every four years – 02/29/2020. Appropriate.
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PART 7: Let’s Go Surfin’
Saturday, February 29, 2020 - The motor is built. The numbers from the dyno are astounding – 174 ft/lbs torque at 4600 RPM remains strong up to 6200, where it measures 182 horsepower. Red line is at 7500: “Not bad for a stock crank and rods,” we all said.
The engine bay is painted, restored and clean. The headlight relays are wired up. The brake system is bled and ready with a shiny repainted booster and restored pedal block, with a new clutch cylinder and restored brake cylinder/reservoir attached. The new seat covers are in and looking good. Everything is pre-sorted and ready for final assembly. Again, my gearhead friend Michael has volunteered his trailer, as he does not want to miss out on the wrenching activities to come.
Michael arrives at my house and backs the trailer up in the driveway. Good luck was with us that morning, as the DOT had scheduled to close the road north to my house for flood repair, and Michael was the last vehicle to get past the flagger before they shut it down. We were already running a little late, so any additional delays would have been costly. This time it was a bit easier to load the chassis on the trailer, sans motor.
With the car in tow, radiator in the trunk, driveshaft in the truck bed and hood in the back seat, we headed to Burlington for the installation. My assumption is that it will take a few days to get everything hooked up and dialed in, so I will be needing to bum another ride north after this to surf home under her own power.
We got to the shop around 10:30AM, and Wes is ready and waiting. We roll the car off and push it into the empty second bay, past the first bay where Herb Sanborn’s GTV sits in suspended animation 8 feet off the ground. Herb is the H in H&W Racing, and the man behind the curtain who handles the intricate task of rebuilding SPICA pumps. My pump was one of the last that Herb rebuilt before taking a needed hiatus to repair some neck issues. Unfortunately, he was not there to witness all the excitement, but we knew he was there in spirit.
The motor is hanging on the lift, in all its radiant beauty. Fresh off the dyno, filled with motor oil and ready to drop in.
Wes handed me the hoist chain and told me to make it happen. I started lowering the motor into the bay, working the angle with the second line attached to the front of the motor. Even with the right tools, I still had problems getting the motor in clean without banging up the firewall. Wes grabbed the rope and eased it in gently, as if he had done this so many times before. The custom headers gave us some fits, and we had to wrestle with them quite a bit before the motor finally found its way onto the mounts.
From here, it was a matter of getting everything hooked back up. Wes fabricated a metal heat shield protecting the exhaust pipe from the speedo cable. Michael and I worked on getting the giubo and driveline back in place, and reconnecting various wiring and cables and hoses. We got a lot done that night, but I knew there was still much more to do, and it was best to leave it to Wes to finish the job.
About a week later, after he got everything buttoned up, Wes took it for a test drive. It was running great, but unfortunately, the transmission got stuck in 5th gear. He had to drop the tranny, which was a great excuse to get the transmission jack he always wanted for the shop. Another problem always means another excuse to buy more tools. He worked with Larry and determined there was insufficient clearance on the tail shaft between 5th and the yoke flange, which only became apparent under load at operating temperature. Wes was able to mill .004” off the 5th gear, providing sufficient clearance. A deal was made where Larry would cover the cost of a future project for Wes in return for the repair labor, so basically it was warranty work by proxy. Everybody was happy.
Wednesday, March 18, 2020 – The world is going COVID crazy, and folks are starting to bunker down. Fortunately, Wes was satisfied with the work, and asked me to come pick up the car. Any later than this, and quarantine could very well have held my Silver Surfer hostage indefinitely.
Once again, my friend Michael volunteered to give me a ride to Burlington. Wes pointed out the work he did to complete the tasks, mentioned that there were a few things that still needed to be sorted (some of my wiring work was a little off when I installed the relays), but overall, it was ready to go. With those big cams, cold start required a little more throttle that the thermostatic actuator could provide, so he suggested I utilize the manual cable – just like the old days with Weber carbs. No problem. I fired it up and it made a noise that I had never heard from her before. It was a whole new machine. My only concern was that the smile on my face would be a permanent Joker-esque fixture of pure insanity.
This all began with a phone call exactly two years ago, March 18, 2018. So much time, effort, and money for a simple pleasure. People ask me if it was worth it. I tell them that I could have just gone out and spent twice or 3 times as much for a new Porsche Cayman or a used 911, but it would not come close to the fun, enjoyment and satisfaction I get from driving this car at speed through a twisty canyon road, hearing that exhaust note at high RPMs, the tires gripping the asphalt with full confidence, the steering responding to my command as if it’s an extension of my own hands. There is simply nothing else like driving a classic, well-sorted, highly tuned Alfa Romeo.
Bore x Stroke: 85x88.5mm; Compression: 10.5:1; Displacement: 2008cc *
Peak Engine Power: 182hp @ 6400 rpm; 7500 rpm redline **
Peak Engine Torque: 174 lb-ft @ 4600-6200 rpm ***
Intake manifold restoration, Herb Sanborn, H&W Racing
Stage 2 Plus - 12 X 11.2 “hot street” custom head build, Gordon Self, Albuquerque, NM
12mm hard-cased Russian cobalt welded intake cam (9.6mm stock), Delta Camshaft, Tacoma, WA
11.2mm billet exhaust cam (9.6mm stock), Colombo and Bariani (C&B), Milano, Italy
Ingram Enterprises Custom-Designed 85mmx10.2 HP pistons/rings/clips/pins (84mm stock), CP-Carrillo, Irvine, CA
Ingram Enterprises Custom-Designed 85mm precision cylinder sleeves, Darton Sleeves, Carlsbad, CA
Reconditioned performance rods, Ingram Enterprises
Crankshaft refurbished to zero balance with custom oil control windage tray, Ingram Enterprises
Aluminum 11lb flywheel w/130t ring gear, DP Racing, Huntington Beach, CA
Lightweight Motronic starter, Gerlingen-Schillerhöhe, Germany
H&W performance oil pump (I did the mod under Wes’ tutelage), Ingram Enterprises
123\TUNE-4-R-V-D USB programmable distributor w/two advanced curves, 123, Netherlands
Bosch ignition coil, Germany
Project duration = 745 days:
3/4/2018 (planning begins) -> 7/8/2019 (engine pulled) -> 1/2/2020 (engine complete) -> 3/18/2020
* Stock: bore x stroke: 84mm x 88.5mm; compression: 9:1; displacement: 1962cc
** Stock: power = 127 HP @ 5800rpm; torque = 130 lb-ft @ 3700rpm
*** Wes Ingram dyno notes: “7500 rpm takes you well past maximum HP, but she will keep pulling above that and 7500 for a stock crank and rods is good.”
Alfaholics fast road suspension kit (B) - euro spec springs, 29mm sway bar
Koni yellow sport shocks
Ereminas chassis stiffener
All new bushings (mostly poly upgrades where appropriate), tie rods, steering box rebuild w/bearings
New guibo, new slave clutch cylinder with braided stainless-steel line
FSR 115 aluminum radiator W/SPAL 12" electric fan
Darstan titanium ceramic coated headers
Magnaflow stainless steel performance free flow exhaust
New syncros on 1st-3rd gears, Goetze upgrade on 2nd gear
1st-4th gears lightened
1st-3rd roller bearing conversion
New clutch plate
4.10 LSD:
new axle and carrier bearings
new pinion seal and pan gasket, LSD shimmed back to .003 free play, 2 add'l LSD clutch plates
Additional modifications/upgrades/improvements
Refurbished/restored engine bay: acid etch primer, AR737 color code paint, hi-temp clearcoat
Restored brake booster/pedal box, new master clutch cylinder, restored master brake cylinder
Headlight relays
Performance brake kit from Centerline International: Slotted rotors, braided stainless-steel lines, carbon metallic brake pads. Wilwood 4-piston front brake caliper kit
14" Panasport wheels
Pirelli Cinturato 185/70VR14 tires
55 amp high performance alternator, Odyssey PC680 lead plate 15Lb battery
Smacked it into a curb a few months later, bent the cross member, gave me an excuse for overdue body/paint work. Now the stance is straight and the paint is sweet.
I'm posting this here because I don't have a website, and folks ask me about it, and Insurance wants to know why I'm increasing the replacement value, yadda yadda yadda. That, and it was labor of LOVE. Apologies to Alfa Owner for posting copyrighted material - Would be nice if back-issues were available online...
The Silver Surfer Spider Project
PART 1: The Vision Requires Patience
I've had my '74 Alfa Spider since 2004. Since then, so many great memories have been made in that car with my wife, friends and family. Four-time MGCCNC Tulip Rally trophy winner, dozens of cars & coffee events, drive-in car shows, local NWARC club events and tours, and many opportunities to meet a lot of great people with similar passions. And if something needed fixing, I fixed it myself as often as I could. But my mechanical experience is lacking, as is my tool collection and spare room in the garage. I know my limits, and when it comes to the big jobs, I leave it to the experts. I knew the motor needed a serous overhaul - the SPICA was due for a rebuild, the engine leaked oil and blew smoke, fuel pressure was a bit low, the usual 2nd gear synchro grind, and it backfired ever so delightfully. I managed to save up some pennies for the occasion, and once the odometer flipped over to 00000, it was time to get this car back in shape.
In March of 2018, I reached out to Wes Ingram in Burlington, WA to see if he was available to do the work. He was recommended by my old friend Zach, who had a pretty decent 164 back in the day and was responsible for talking me into buying my first Alfa, which was nothing less than a learning experience. Wes worked on it once, from his West Seattle shop. He rebuilt the head for me, but ultimately it was a mercy mission. I had no idea what I was doing, or what I got myself into buying a ’78 spider. I learned a lot from that experience, and ultimately made the educated decision to sell it and look for a ’74. I went as long as a month before I had my new Silver Spider in the garage. It was better than the ’78, but it still needed a lot of mechanical work. I did as much as I could myself, and soon I garnered enough experience to consider myself a true Alfisti.
The phone call to Wes was quick and disappointing. He is a busy man with a huge backlog, his shop is not suited for the casual gearhead who wants "cheap horsepower" - it doesn't exist for Alfa Romeos. He specializes in high-end motor builds, caters primarily to customers who race, and honestly, he just does not have room in his shop for me to "drop off my car". Fair enough. Wes is in high demand, and he is at the point in his career where he can pick and choose his customers. I get it. But that just made me want it even more.
After that phone call, I perused through his online parts list. I got out my spreadsheet and put together a wish list. I envisioned a SPICA street performance rebuild, hot cams to match, lightened flywheel, new pistons & liners, and maybe some headers. Basically, I wanted the car to drive and feel better than new - not a modern-day sports car per se, but as if it just came off the showroom floor with a "Quadrifoglio" performance package. I wrote an extensive email to Wes, describing my vision.
The next day, Wes called me. We covered many topics, mostly Alfa related, from racing programs to resale values, occasionally sidetracked with football. But I made sure he understood my passion for Alfa Romeo, how much I loved the car and wanted to keep it forever; I shared my vision, aspirations, and my budget. I also suggested that I would be willing to do a lot of the grunt work, specifically cleaning. I told him how I have done a lot of work on the car myself, but I've never had the tools, experience or courage to pull a motor (much less disassemble and rebuild), and I would be thrilled if he was willing to work with me, not just for me, on this project.
It took a few calls like this to convince him I was worth the trouble. I wore him down, and he finally caved in. March 2018, I was in the queue, and he figured we could start on it sometime in September 2019 - eighteen months from now?? Well, good things are worth the wait, and I figured I could slowly purchase the necessary parts over time to keep my bank account happy and stress levels down. So, parts began to collect in Wes' storage shed.
Part 2: Getting in Deep
Over the next few months, Wes and I talked more about our vision. He suggested we go with a high-performance head build, with C&B 11.2mm exhaust cams and custom built, Russian cobalt welded 12mm intake cams. All this, paired with the 85x10.2 CP-Carrillo pistons, Darton sleeves, H&W performance rods, 123 programmable ignition, Darstan headers, aluminum flywheel, rebuilt intake manifold and the SPICA 7500 high performance pump rebuild, we could get the torque up to around 160 ft/lbs @ 5000 rpm and 182hp @ 6300 rpm at 10.5:1 compression. "How much more is that custom head build gonna cost?" I asked with hesitation, assuming I would not like the answer. "Not much more than you've already paid already." "Good answer," I said. "Let's go for it." We came up with a nickname for our vision: The Silver Surfer Spider Project. The collection of parts continued to pile up in Wes's storage shed. Invoices slowly trickled in. I was committed. Or I should be anyway, I thought...
In August 2018, I decided it was time for the suspension upgrade. Wes recommended Chris Benny at Prova Motorsports in Seattle to handle the work. I called Chris and we discussed a street performance setup; Koni yellow shocks, Alfaholics fast road kit including euro spec performance springs and big sway bar, all new bushings, poly upgrades where appropriate, chassis stiffener and new tires. I sourced the Alfaholics kit, new tires, Panasport wheels and chassis stiffener separately, and Chris handled the rest. In addition, he installed a new giubo, slave clutch cylinder w/steel braided line and upgraded steering idler arm box with bearings. His work was solid, on time and under budget. 6 months later, I brought the car back to install a new Magnaflow exhaust system paired with the ceramic coated headers and aluminum radiator/fan assembly sourced by Wes - the new motor will run hotter than stock, so Wes wants to make sure it stays cool. All those upgrades got me through the summer of 2019 as I patiently waited in the queue. I could feel a slight improvement in performance with the headers, and man those wheels sure look good. We had a lot of fun at the local cars & coffee events.
PART 3: Let’s Get Dirty
One of my goals was to get hands on and dirty as much as possible with this project. I really wanted to play a significant role in the rebuild, not just drop it off and hand over a credit card as if I bought it at the local Costco. Wes was open to the idea but made it clear that he could not make any promises allowing me to assist with the project in his shop, especially when it came to final assembly. But he suggested I prep the motor prior to bringing it in for removal. I was very excited at the prospect. So, he talked me into pulling the head myself, which also included removing the hood, radiator and other miscellaneous components off the motor. Plenty of documentation existed for these tasks, so I felt confident that I wouldn’t screw anything up. As a bonus, this would allow me to get deep in those crevasses and clean up all the muck and grime that collected on the back sides of the block for so many years. A few days were well spent in my garage, with the smell of solvent in the air, Ziploc baggies full of nuts and bolts, legitimate excuses for buying new tools, and money in my pocket from saved labor costs that Wes was really not interested in doing anyway. He would much rather spend time building motors than brushing gunk off the side of an engine block. "I hate dirt" was his mantra that rung in my head. Well, who doesn't? Regardless, I dove in with no fear, and I got my wish - my hands were dirty, the head was pulled, the block was cleaned, I learned something new, and as of July 2019 the Silver Surfer Spider would never drive again with a tired, leaky, smoky old motor.
PART 4: Pull it Out, Tear it Down
July 8, 2019 - the big day has arrived. The plan was to trailer the car up to Burlington, pull the motor at the shop, and take the chassis home for storage and engine bay cleanup/restoration. My buddy Michael is quite the gearhead and was excited to be a part of the project. He borrowed a trailer from his dad and came over to help. We strapped the disabled surfer down tight, threw the head in the trunk, slapped a car cover over the whole thing and headed North. We pulled up next to the building with the sign that read “H&W Racing”. Wes had the shop ready. A couple of roller trays were set aside for parts and tools. We rolled the Spider in and raised it on the lift. Wes handed me a wrench and had me start removing the prop shaft, brackets, cables and straps, cleaning parts and tools along the way. I was living the dream.
Once all the underpinnings were freed, we lowered the car and mounted the hoist bracket to the lifting strap attached to the head bolts on the block. Because the head was already out of the way, the motor mounts were that much easier to access and loosen the nuts. We gave the motor a little pull, and CLUNK - one of the mounts fell into two pieces. That could explain some odd vibrations I had up to this point. Fair enough, it served its purpose for as long as it could, no harm done. Once we got some tilt, Wes handed me a long rod with a socket on the end, which allowed me to remotely pop the tie rod off the steering ball joint. We got the rod out of the way so the tranny could swing out easy.
Wes handed me the hoist chain. I pulled on it frantically like I was jibing a sailboat, and the motor slowly lifted free of the engine bay. Michael guided the transmission out of the tunnel. The Silver Surfer Spider exhaled and finally gave birth to a big aluminum baby. Wes complimented me on how clean the motor was, relatively speaking. The top side of the transmission was still filthy, but no matter - that was coming home with me. No better time than now to get the transmission rebuilt!
We bolted the motor to a stand, removed the tranny and threw it in the back of Michaels truck. I handed Wes the head with intake manifold still attached and took inventory of the nuts and bolts that gave way over the past few hours. It didn’t matter, Wes was going to refurbish and replace all the small bits anyway. He’s done this so many times, there was no need to keep track of what came from where. I let go of my anxieties and trusted his experience. Michael and I loaded the Spider chassis back on the trailer and took her back home.
Wes suggested I talk to Larry Dickman at Alfa Parts Exchange in California for the transmission rebuild. Larry and I worked out a plan to not just fix that notorious 2nd gear grind, but upgrade #2 with a Goetze synchro, replace synchro's 1 and 3 as well, lighten gears 1-3 and convert the first three bearings to roller style. I ended up paying twice as much as I originally thought I would, but the result Is worth it, and will help achieve the vision of like-new drivability for the car. Wes said it was a no-brainer investment. Smooth butter-like shifting? Yes please... I cleaned the tranny up the best I could and shipped it off in a bin.
Over the next few weeks, Wes would occasionally invite me to come up and assist with the teardown. On the first visit, we dropped the pistons and connector rods out, and inspected the five main bearings. They looked great - no discoloration or scars, the sign of a well-oiled machine. I pulled the front cover off and found that the PO used RTV gasket goo for the front main seal. REALLY? No actual gasket? Really. It was the same story for the lower oil pan gasket. No wonder this thing leaked like a sieve!
Wes had me media blast the front cover and then spray it with hi-temp clear coat - his standard procedure for all the big aluminum components. I also removed the upper oil pan from the block and took it home to work on scraping off the seemingly permanently attached gasket from that beast. That took many hours and a lot of George Carlin comedy routines to get through it successfully. But this was all great - any work I did on my own was labor he didn't have to charge me for, apart from minimal shop fees.
PART 5: Sweet Thing
September 6, 2019 - Wes invited me up to the shop again. This time I had the upper oil pan in tow and ready for media blasting. But that had to wait because we had crank work to do. He had pulled the rear seal and crank out prior to my visit; the crankshaft was on the bench, mounted to his lathe for easy access. He handed me an air hammer and some aluminum plugs; I proceeded to drive the plugs into the two oil passages where the original plugs worked their way out, and reinforce the existing plugs to ensure they would remain in place for at least another 100,000 miles, or the rest of my life, whichever came first. Very satisfying work. Then, I dipped the upper pan in a solvent bath, blasted and clear coated it. Ready for assembly.
Next thing was to balance the oil pump, as they come with a cam shaped lobe on the distributor side that was intended for older motors. Then we upgraded the mesh on the intake port for more efficient flow. Wes sent me home with the crankshaft, pulley and flywheel/pressure plate so I could take it to Action machine shop in Seattle for balancing. I brought the finished product back to Wes as soon as it was ready, to ensure progress was unhindered.
The chassis was sitting at home in my garage, looking quite sad without its power plant. The engine bay was a mess and needed refreshing. I figure a rattle-can job will do the trick - it's an engine bay after all, and anyone looking under there will be staring at the motor, not the firewall. A little research on the internet, and I find a shop that will put my AR737 metallic grey in a spray can. Clean, sand, prime, spray and clearcoat, one section at a time. Looking good, and my shop rates are extremely affordable.
I removed the brake booster/pedal box assembly and restored that back to new as well. All the shiny bits are getting a polish/clearcoat or replaced. While I was at it, I decided to throw some relays on the headlamps as well. The bay is now ready for its shiny new power plant.
Another trip to Burlington, and I get the opportunity to drop the completed head onto the fully assembled block and set the cam timing. I remember being so nervous when disconnecting the timing chain master link. Reconnecting it had the opposite effect, as if I were suturing up a patient’s chest after a heart transplant. This was the first time I ever did anything like this on a motor, and it was a wonderful experience. Wes had his wife Rita’s motor on a stand as well; it happened to be at the same stage of build as mine, also in need of cam timing. Wes asked me if I wanted to tackle that job as well. If anything, I would do a better job, now that I have “experience”. Rita was in the office at the time, catching up on some paperwork. I hollered out to her that I was working on her motor, fair warning - she did not seem to mind. I am starting to feel a lot more comfortable working on Alfa motors now. And that was the goal. Wes confided that he had given my motor a nickname – “Sweet Thing” it was, because after all this time and effort, she never gave him any trouble.
PART 6: Fruits of Our Labor
The holidays came and went, and by now Wes has completed the final assembly. The next step is to get the motor on the Dyno for break-in and leak check. The snowstorms did not help the situation. Days went by, with no word of the status. Not like I was going to be driving it anytime soon, but still I was getting antsy. The weather finally dried up, the roads cleared, and I got the call I was waiting for. The motor was on the Dyno and running. Saturday afternoon, Michael and I headed north to see the sights and hear the sounds.
I came into the shop and found the motor hooked up to Wes' custom Dyno chassis: A tubular frame on wheels, fabricated to host various motor sizes, with an upgrade in progress to manage 8-cylinder Montreal powerplants. There was a stock transmission and driveshaft bolted to a proper supercharger, and my shiny aluminum powerplant was all hooked up; beautiful, nickel-plated fuel lines running from the SPICA to the intake manifold, red spark plug wires coming off the 123 distributor, and that custom-built aluminum head sitting pretty with Darstan headers coiled off the exhaust side.
The system was complete with radiator, gas tank, battery, and all the sensors and analog gauges wired to an aluminum dashboard. This is the analog computer that Wes designed, with temp, oil, fuel and O2 mixture, tachometer and a big Sears Craftsman-like analog clock dial measuring pressure coming out of the supercharger. Usually, Wes leaves this overblown go-kart project out in the auxiliary shed next to the shop. But on a cold day like today, creature comforts are a priority, so the Dyno sat inside the shop, with the exhaust pointing out the bay door.
We flipped the power switch, cleared the prop and pressed the ignition. The motor turned a few cranks and she fired up cold with no fuss. It was... alive. But this was no surprise; Wes had already run it a few times before this, to ensure that our visit would be anti-climactic. He reported no signs of leaks or problems so far, the rings seated right away, and there was no sign of blow-by. “Sweet Thing” is living up to its name.
Time to find out what this thing could do. We got it up to running temp, and per scientific method, a few metrics were jotted down while running at low RPMs.
Then Wes gave the throttle a steady pull. At 4500rpm, the motor sang like a screaming Italian eagle, pushing 19.8 pounds of pressure into the supercharger. Wes carefully documented the results on a data sheet attached to a 70’s style clipboard, reminiscent of a high school shop teacher meticulously grading final exams. He paused, shook his head, smiled, and said this was the most powerful street motor he has ever built. This revelation blew my mind, coming from a guy who’s been building performance motors since the 60’s. He could not wait to share with his partners in crime the fruits of our labor. Apparently, 12mm intake cams paired with custom-built heads were going to be the standard practice from now on. I was stoked. All the performance stats were exciting to hear, but they were insignificant compared to the sound of that motor at mid-throttle. We did not get it up to redline that day; that was Wes’s call, and he knows what is best. I will have plenty of chances to hear this engine sing at full throttle come springtime.
From here, the goal was to do a few more days of tests and leak checks, and then the motor would be ready for installation. All we needed now was to set a date for the big install. We all checked our schedules and landed on the one day that comes but once every four years – 02/29/2020. Appropriate.
PART 7: Let’s Go Surfin’
Saturday, February 29, 2020 - The motor is built. The numbers from the dyno are astounding – 174 ft/lbs torque at 4600 RPM remains strong up to 6200, where it measures 182 horsepower. Red line is at 7500: “Not bad for a stock crank and rods,” we all said.
The engine bay is painted, restored and clean. The headlight relays are wired up. The brake system is bled and ready with a shiny repainted booster and restored pedal block, with a new clutch cylinder and restored brake cylinder/reservoir attached. The new seat covers are in and looking good. Everything is pre-sorted and ready for final assembly. Again, my gearhead friend Michael has volunteered his trailer, as he does not want to miss out on the wrenching activities to come.
Michael arrives at my house and backs the trailer up in the driveway. Good luck was with us that morning, as the DOT had scheduled to close the road north to my house for flood repair, and Michael was the last vehicle to get past the flagger before they shut it down. We were already running a little late, so any additional delays would have been costly. This time it was a bit easier to load the chassis on the trailer, sans motor.
With the car in tow, radiator in the trunk, driveshaft in the truck bed and hood in the back seat, we headed to Burlington for the installation. My assumption is that it will take a few days to get everything hooked up and dialed in, so I will be needing to bum another ride north after this to surf home under her own power.
We got to the shop around 10:30AM, and Wes is ready and waiting. We roll the car off and push it into the empty second bay, past the first bay where Herb Sanborn’s GTV sits in suspended animation 8 feet off the ground. Herb is the H in H&W Racing, and the man behind the curtain who handles the intricate task of rebuilding SPICA pumps. My pump was one of the last that Herb rebuilt before taking a needed hiatus to repair some neck issues. Unfortunately, he was not there to witness all the excitement, but we knew he was there in spirit.
The motor is hanging on the lift, in all its radiant beauty. Fresh off the dyno, filled with motor oil and ready to drop in.
Wes handed me the hoist chain and told me to make it happen. I started lowering the motor into the bay, working the angle with the second line attached to the front of the motor. Even with the right tools, I still had problems getting the motor in clean without banging up the firewall. Wes grabbed the rope and eased it in gently, as if he had done this so many times before. The custom headers gave us some fits, and we had to wrestle with them quite a bit before the motor finally found its way onto the mounts.
From here, it was a matter of getting everything hooked back up. Wes fabricated a metal heat shield protecting the exhaust pipe from the speedo cable. Michael and I worked on getting the giubo and driveline back in place, and reconnecting various wiring and cables and hoses. We got a lot done that night, but I knew there was still much more to do, and it was best to leave it to Wes to finish the job.
About a week later, after he got everything buttoned up, Wes took it for a test drive. It was running great, but unfortunately, the transmission got stuck in 5th gear. He had to drop the tranny, which was a great excuse to get the transmission jack he always wanted for the shop. Another problem always means another excuse to buy more tools. He worked with Larry and determined there was insufficient clearance on the tail shaft between 5th and the yoke flange, which only became apparent under load at operating temperature. Wes was able to mill .004” off the 5th gear, providing sufficient clearance. A deal was made where Larry would cover the cost of a future project for Wes in return for the repair labor, so basically it was warranty work by proxy. Everybody was happy.
Wednesday, March 18, 2020 – The world is going COVID crazy, and folks are starting to bunker down. Fortunately, Wes was satisfied with the work, and asked me to come pick up the car. Any later than this, and quarantine could very well have held my Silver Surfer hostage indefinitely.
Once again, my friend Michael volunteered to give me a ride to Burlington. Wes pointed out the work he did to complete the tasks, mentioned that there were a few things that still needed to be sorted (some of my wiring work was a little off when I installed the relays), but overall, it was ready to go. With those big cams, cold start required a little more throttle that the thermostatic actuator could provide, so he suggested I utilize the manual cable – just like the old days with Weber carbs. No problem. I fired it up and it made a noise that I had never heard from her before. It was a whole new machine. My only concern was that the smile on my face would be a permanent Joker-esque fixture of pure insanity.
This all began with a phone call exactly two years ago, March 18, 2018. So much time, effort, and money for a simple pleasure. People ask me if it was worth it. I tell them that I could have just gone out and spent twice or 3 times as much for a new Porsche Cayman or a used 911, but it would not come close to the fun, enjoyment and satisfaction I get from driving this car at speed through a twisty canyon road, hearing that exhaust note at high RPMs, the tires gripping the asphalt with full confidence, the steering responding to my command as if it’s an extension of my own hands. There is simply nothing else like driving a classic, well-sorted, highly tuned Alfa Romeo.
(o==V==o)
---------------------------------------------- Build sheet, for reference only ----------------------------------------------
2L Twin Cam SPICA Stage 2 Hot Street Performance Motor by Ingram Enterprises
The Silver Surfer Spider Project: “Sweet Thing”
Engine build by Wes Ingram, Ingram Enterprises, Burlington, WA---------------------------------------------- Build sheet, for reference only ----------------------------------------------
2L Twin Cam SPICA Stage 2 Hot Street Performance Motor by Ingram Enterprises
The Silver Surfer Spider Project: “Sweet Thing”
Bore x Stroke: 85x88.5mm; Compression: 10.5:1; Displacement: 2008cc *
Peak Engine Power: 182hp @ 6400 rpm; 7500 rpm redline **
Peak Engine Torque: 174 lb-ft @ 4600-6200 rpm ***
Intake manifold restoration, Herb Sanborn, H&W Racing
Stage 2 Plus - 12 X 11.2 “hot street” custom head build, Gordon Self, Albuquerque, NM
12mm hard-cased Russian cobalt welded intake cam (9.6mm stock), Delta Camshaft, Tacoma, WA
11.2mm billet exhaust cam (9.6mm stock), Colombo and Bariani (C&B), Milano, Italy
Ingram Enterprises Custom-Designed 85mmx10.2 HP pistons/rings/clips/pins (84mm stock), CP-Carrillo, Irvine, CA
Ingram Enterprises Custom-Designed 85mm precision cylinder sleeves, Darton Sleeves, Carlsbad, CA
Reconditioned performance rods, Ingram Enterprises
Crankshaft refurbished to zero balance with custom oil control windage tray, Ingram Enterprises
Aluminum 11lb flywheel w/130t ring gear, DP Racing, Huntington Beach, CA
Lightweight Motronic starter, Gerlingen-Schillerhöhe, Germany
H&W performance oil pump (I did the mod under Wes’ tutelage), Ingram Enterprises
123\TUNE-4-R-V-D USB programmable distributor w/two advanced curves, 123, Netherlands
Bosch ignition coil, Germany
Project duration = 745 days:
3/4/2018 (planning begins) -> 7/8/2019 (engine pulled) -> 1/2/2020 (engine complete) -> 3/18/2020
* Stock: bore x stroke: 84mm x 88.5mm; compression: 9:1; displacement: 1962cc
** Stock: power = 127 HP @ 5800rpm; torque = 130 lb-ft @ 3700rpm
*** Wes Ingram dyno notes: “7500 rpm takes you well past maximum HP, but she will keep pulling above that and 7500 for a stock crank and rods is good.”
Suspension/Exhaust/Cooling installation c/o Prova Motorsports, Seattle, WA
Alfaholics fast road suspension kit (B) - euro spec springs, 29mm sway bar
Koni yellow sport shocks
Ereminas chassis stiffener
All new bushings (mostly poly upgrades where appropriate), tie rods, steering box rebuild w/bearings
New guibo, new slave clutch cylinder with braided stainless-steel line
FSR 115 aluminum radiator W/SPAL 12" electric fan
Darstan titanium ceramic coated headers
Magnaflow stainless steel performance free flow exhaust
Transmission/LSD rebuild by Larry Dickman, Alfa Parts Exchange, Tracy, CA
New syncros on 1st-3rd gears, Goetze upgrade on 2nd gear
1st-4th gears lightened
1st-3rd roller bearing conversion
New clutch plate
4.10 LSD:
new axle and carrier bearings
new pinion seal and pan gasket, LSD shimmed back to .003 free play, 2 add'l LSD clutch plates
Additional modifications/upgrades/improvements
Refurbished/restored engine bay: acid etch primer, AR737 color code paint, hi-temp clearcoat
Restored brake booster/pedal box, new master clutch cylinder, restored master brake cylinder
Headlight relays
Performance brake kit from Centerline International: Slotted rotors, braided stainless-steel lines, carbon metallic brake pads. Wilwood 4-piston front brake caliper kit
14" Panasport wheels
Pirelli Cinturato 185/70VR14 tires
55 amp high performance alternator, Odyssey PC680 lead plate 15Lb battery
Smacked it into a curb a few months later, bent the cross member, gave me an excuse for overdue body/paint work. Now the stance is straight and the paint is sweet.
