[Zaagmans]

Hi all,

I recently came across this engine which, according to the prefix of "AR00526/A" comes from a 1969 - 1972 Giulia 1600 Super.

So far, so good...

But what about the actual serial #?

SV059+

1) It's VERY short for a serial number
2) I have never seen one from this series with letters (which doesn't mean a lot because I haven't seen THAT many engines...)
3) What about the plus sign at the end?

Anybody who can shed some light on this?

 

[papajam]

The letter S, for Standardized, means that this is an EmCon (Emission Control) engine. The 00526/A*S engines were fitted to the 1974-1977 Nuova Super 1.6.
Sorry, I have no info on the letter V or the plus sign.

EDIT: a bit more research shows that this engine was also fitted to the Spider 1.6 from 1974-1989.
Which now brings to mind an entertaining thought. It looks like the space on the block for the engine number can hold a maximum of 16 characters. Given the number of years, and hence the number of engines produced, a 17 digit serial number would have been required. Perhaps Alfa just chose to use a letter (V in this case) to maintain a 16 character format?

 

[Zaagmans]

Jim,

I was under the impression that the S that signifies the Nuova series wasa supposed to be located ahead of the second * but quick check shows that it indeed is supposed to be behind it.

Another quick check of d'amico & tabucchi shows that some 32.000 Nuova 1600's were build over the years which should result in at least 5-digit serial number... I still can't figure out how a 1-letter + 3-digit number would suffice...

 

[papajam]

Zaag,
Please read my edited post.

 

[Zaagmans]

Yups, I saw your edited post.

Here also more research...

According to my documentation, the 00526A*S engine was used in the following cars:

1974 - 1976 Giulia Nuova 1600 105.26S
1974 - 1976 1600 GT Jr. 115.34
1978 - 1983 Spider 1600 115.35
1986 - 1989 Spider 1.6 115.62

That should bring the grand total of this engine towards 40K? Maybe even 50K?

 

[papajam]

Yes. That's a lot of engines.
So the letter A might take the place of 10, B the place of 20, V the place 47, etc. Who knows. It was just a thought on a way to overcome the 16 character limit (if indeed there is a limit). A smaller font would work too.

 

[terta]

hello folks,

I have another puzzle for you ... the object is a 115.09 from March of 1972, and the question relates to the engine No.: AR00530*F5134*. Have you ever heard about an F-series number? Does this mean anything?

thanks and regards from Hungary

 

[Zaagmans]

As far as I've been able to decypher it, letters after the * have no special meaning but are simply part of the serialnumber but I'd gladly stand corrected on that.

 

[psereix]

I also have an "F" in my engine serial number

Hello Folks,

I also have an engine in my 72 Alfa spider with a Giulia Super code (AR00526A) followed by *F 1036 serial number. Does the "F" correspond to a given number to add in front of the "1036"? Could it be a hexadecimal code meaning "15"?
I know that the engine comes from a Giulia Super 1.6 but from what year? I can't find any "F" serials in Fusi's book.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Thanks in advance,

Paul

 

[Zaagmans]

It's pretty firm now that it's simply hex.

Don't go by Fusi on serial numbers...

The factory did not keep records on engine numbers for the 105 / 115 series so it is impossible to determine exactly which year it is from, only approximately by comparing it to engine numbers of which it is know which car, and thus which year, they're from.

 

[psereix]

Thanks Zaagmans,

Then again "V" doesn't exist as a hexadecimal, only as a Roman numeral... (?)

But other than that, any A(10), B(11), C(12), D(13), E(14) or F(15) could be used to substitute those two digits to shorten the numeral as a hex.
I guess it was faster to apply and faster to recognize the batch of engines at the factory this way.

Does anybody else have an "F" serial number close to mine to compare time periods like Zaagmans indicates?

Thanks again for the feedback,

Paul

 

[Andrew]

A 1300 TI that came from Italy to Calif last year has engine AR00539*F2128*
The chassis number is AR*1052968*, listed as a 1969 car.
I also have cars on the list with this type engine number: AR00526*AF3736* (1972 10526).
Andrew

 

[psereix]

Thanks Andrew!

Now all we need is someone with a '68 Giulia Super engine to step in and show their numbers! But anyway since I understand that the prefix 526A doesn't go back any farther than 1968 (first year of the Giulia Super I reckon) then I can suppose my engine is from 1968. No wonder it looks so "vintage"!??!:confused1:

I guess the factory would first stamp the "FXXXX" serial on the engine, and then when decided on which car it would go they would stamp on the "AR00XXXX" part?

They probably were stocked way ahead of chassis production at the factory, and that's why your '72 car got a '70 or '71 production engine. ( A wild guess by the few numbers built of "F" engines since 1968 to when?).

Thanks once again for all the feedback!

Paul

 

[Andrew]

Sorry, no 68 or 69 Super engine numbers on my Register. Barry Edmunds in Oz might have more cars and engines listed.
Andrew

 

[kengta]

Yups, I saw your edited post.

Here also more research...

According to my documentation, the 00526A*S engine was used in the following cars:

1974 - 1976 Giulia Nuova 1600 105.26S
1974 - 1976 1600 GT Jr. 115.34
1978 - 1983 Spider 1600 115.35
1986 - 1989 Spider 1.6 115.62

That should bring the grand total of this engine towards 40K? Maybe even 50K?

My 1975 1600 GTj, AR 11503*0001225*, has engine AR 00536*S12001* with spin on oil filter; NOT A 00526*S.

Sometimes you might find a casting date on the front cover or other bolt on part, that would narrow down the year of production.

FWIW

Ken

 

[Andrew]

That would be a GT Veloce or Duetto engine I believe.
Andrew

 

[kengta]

That would be a GT Veloce or Duetto engine I believe.
Andrew

With a spin on oil filter? You can see the filter boss in the picture of the front cover. And in this picture no boss for a bolt on filter house. I know go figure?

Ken

 

[papajam]

My 1975 1600 GTj, AR 11503*0001225*, has engine AR 00536*S12001* with spin on oil filter; NOT A 00526*S.

Yep. The S3 Jr, 11503 1.6, was fitted with the 00536 engine (according to TSB 03.74.1.1). Given the year of manufacture, the 'S' and the spin on oil filter make perfect sense. The S4 11534 1.6 used the 00526A*S engine.

 

[Gasolina]

Thanks Zaagmans,

Then again "V" doesn't exist as a hexadecimal, only as a Roman numeral... (?)

But other than that, any A(10), B(11), C(12), D(13), E(14) or F(15) could be used to substitute those two digits to shorten the numeral as a hex.
I guess it was faster to apply and faster to recognize the batch of engines at the factory this way.

Does anybody else have an "F" serial number close to mine to compare time periods like Zaagmans indicates?

Thanks again for the feedback,

Paul

I have 526/A F1216 engine block, unfortunately I don't know from what year it's from, however it has spin-on oil filter so I think it's about 1973 or newer.

 

[Zaagmans]

Yep. The S3 Jr, 11503 1.6, was fitted with the 00536 engine (according to TSB 03.74.1.1). Given the year of manufacture, the 'S' and the spin on oil filter make perfect sense. The S4 11534 1.6 used the 00526A*S engine.

I have AR00536 listed for 4 cars:

105.03 - 1600 Spider Duetto
105.36 - Giulia Sprint GT Veloce
115.03 - 1600 GT Jr.
115.24 - 1600 Jr. Zagato

It looks like the engine is of the original type for Ken's 1600 GTj as both the GTj and the JZ would have spin-on oil filters.

There's probably some kind of Italian logic behind it why the 115-series did not get a new engine type code as the 105's must have had the cannister type.