New Alfasud Sprint owner

[Smudge]

Hi All,

Just bought my first Alfa, a 1985 Sprint.
Have previously owned a Lancia Beta Coupe which I adored and currently run an Italjet Dragster 180 scooter so I obviously like Italian machines.

Anyway, my new ride is in great condition, no rust that I can find. Not sure if it's a Veloce or QV, what's the easiest way to tell ? The car has two cloverleaf badges on it's rump which I presume is not original. It's white with a full Zender bodykit, aftermarket alloys and a tri-coloured grill. It was shown at Auto Italia (Canberra) this year so if anyone was there, they may remember it.

Currently unregistered. Needs a new wiper washer pump and the front end sorting. At the moment it pulls to the left and the steering doesn't self centre well at all.
The guy I bought it off thinks it's just a bad alignment issue so we'll try that approach first.

Anyway, glad to have joined the community, looking forward to getting to know the car.

Anthony

[colcol]

Welcome to the Forum Smudge,
1. It is a 1500 from 1985, so it will have the 105 horsepower 33 TI motor, if it was based on an Alfasud, it would have the 95 horsepwer motor.
2. Some wiper washer pumps are available at Repco, or you can buy one off ebay, many different versions of the Alfa Romeo washer sytems, it just depended how much room under the bonnet.
3. if the steering won't centre, then the steering rack has seized up, this is a common problem with them, they fill up with water and rust up, jack up front of car and see how hard it is to turn steering wheel, when you replace the steering rack, it will be like having power steering.
4. Most likely an alignment issue, as they have lightweight steering and suspension and get out of alignment at the whack of a kerb or pothole.
5.The Sprint was originally based on the Alfasud from 1975 to 1983 and had 4 wheel disc brakes, it was then based on the Alfasud replacement, the fabulous 33, which had drum brakes on the back, which had Fiat 131 drum brakes, that meant you had a working handbrake.
6, Keep the questions coming Anthony, and put them in the 900 register column for Sprints, Suds and 33's, Colin.

[Beatle]

Warmest welcome Smudge,

Two words for you: 
RUSTPROOF
NOW

[Sheldon McIntosh]

currently run an Italjet Dragster 180 scooter

Awesome scooter, would love one of those.

[Craig_m67]

Are you in Canberra ?

Front end alignment issues could be a number of things including; steering rack (as mentioned), strut bearings or the dreaded cracks in the chassis rails which allow the front end to spread.. What's the front end camber look like .. if it's obviously postive, get it checked.

I had an '88QV Sprint (1.5 twin carb, unleaded) for about a decade in Canberra. Ended up donating it to Autotech (Peter Dowling) after cracks in the chassis rails and a blown headgasket pushed me to a new (reliable) car.  I miss it terribly, amazing car, it was the best colour too, white

Look after it and enjoy it.
Post up some pics - we love pics and they help to diagonse/solve issues

[colcol]

I will put money on it, that its a seized steering rack, happened twice on the Sud, first time when it was 4 years old, second time, i was having trouble steering it correctly through corners, it was just hard to place correctly, and with the 33, it was just getting heavy, jack up the front and see if its hard to steer with no weight on the wheels.
With the front chassis rails cracking, take it to a panel beater or body restorer, and get the crack welded up with a TIG welder and have the area repainted.
The Alfasud used to suffer from corrosion as did the Sprint, the 33 had less corrosion issues, due to slightly better quality steel and less rust traps, when they started building the 83 onwards Sprint based on the 33, the steel was slightly better, but still had the same water/mud/corrosion traps of the Alfasud based Sprint, Colin.

[Smudge]

Thanks for the advice everyone, greatly appreciated.
As soon as I get a day off I'll jack the car up and test the steering.
Photos to follow.
I am in Canberra and the car has spent it's life between here and Cooma.
Perhaps being an inland car has helped keep the rust away ?

Anthony

[Smudge]

Here's some cheap and nasty phone photos to give you all an idea of the car.
I'm sure it's not everyone's cup of tea but it does have character.
Anyway, tried to jack it up this afternoon to check the steering only to find my cheap jack doesn't have the lift to able to get axle stands underneath. Time for a decent jack.
Out of interest, can anyone recommend the best jacking points, keeping in mind I also need to put stands somewhere ? I presume the doughnut shaped extrusions on the sills are intended for a jack but they look a little flimsy to me.

[colcol]

The best place to jack up the front is under the towing/jacking bracket in the middle of the front engine support cross member, and the place to put the chassis stands is under the metal 'donuts' under the car.
Get a jack that will fit under the jacking/towing point, but will lift up far enough so that you can put chassis stands under the metal 'donuts', simple enough?, you would think so, but years ago i purchsed a jack that barely fitted under the jacking point and then wouldn't lift high enough to get chassis stand under the car.
The cheap jacks don't have much lifting height, due to undersize travel of ram, i was more interested in lifting capacity, you live and learn, Colin.

[aggie57]

And 'Suds (these really are Suds Colin.....just newer Suds!) have a LOOOOOOT of suspension travel up front.  Its fun to watch a standard one accelerate away briskly

[colcol]

And Suds and 33's have Negative camber as standard on the front and long control arms, that don't have massive camber change as the suspension moves up and down, some cars have short control arms, with big camber changes which upset the grip of the front tyres, by changing the contact patch, Dr. Rudolph Hruska, knew what he was doing, pity about the Russian steel they used, Colin.

[Evan Bottcher]

The best place to jack up the front is under the towing/jacking bracket in the middle of the front engine support cross member, and the place to put the chassis stands is under the metal 'donuts' under the car.

Agreed with Col this is the best way to get the car securely on stands, but you will definitely need a jack with high lift.  I bought a good workshop trolley jack from Repco a couple of years ago on special <$100 as I recall - it's a big fella, very handy.

To be clear - the front jacking point is a bracket under the front cross member right at the front of the car under the radiator.  Then place your stands under the front side jacking points (those donuts).  I usually let the jack down a little to put the weight on the stands, but leave the jack in place as a reserve for the stands.  Several years ago I did put a jack through one of those donuts, the rusty sill just collapsed on it.  All fixed soon after.

[Andrew Bose]

Hi Anthony,

I would try spraying some CRC or suchlike at the bottom of the front spring mounts, if this helps it points you in the direction of the spring pan bearings which I had to replace on my previous 33. if not it doesn't cost a great deal to try so not much to lose. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did my 33s.
Andrew