new Sprint purchase

blazingsud · February 01, 2016, 01:14:39 PM

howdy

added 78 Sprint to my Alfasud farm yesterday. [two 76 1.2 4drs]
red /tan has a 1.5 dual carb set up.
Finally a car that moves!
Body seems pretty good, it was resprayed some years ago & re trimmed.
Pretty dirty under the hood, I think it must have sat unused for awhile, so plenty to clean up.
Electrics are usual Alfa & everything will need to be cleaned up [buy Deoxit shares now].
Most pressing are handbrake, high beams & getting the wipers to wipe across the screen, [they work when off the screen!]. New seat belts, fronts hardly retract & the rears have been changed from inertia to fixed.
Drove it home Ok, I think its needs a good Italian tune up, then road worthy & club plates. still on original plates, but I cant really justify the extra cost.
So happy to be driving a Sud. The steering & brakes seem a lot heavier than what I remember, but then its been 35 years since I drove a Sud!

Thinking already of a 33 1.7 front end & rear handbrake. [Does AROCA still do dirt motorkhanas??], Recaro seats & a nicer wheel than the wooden wheel that wouldn't be out of place on an old yacht....

Nigel

blazingsud · February 01, 2016, 01:15:49 PM

the tiller

blazingsud · February 01, 2016, 01:16:29 PM

tan

blazingsud · February 01, 2016, 01:17:01 PM

obligatory under the hood shot

blazingsud · February 01, 2016, 01:45:41 PM

thinking wheel offset at 20mm on these MOMO rims vs 39mm std could be the reason steering is heavy.
Any comments?

amichie · February 01, 2016, 04:29:45 PM

Lovely car. I was watching this on ebay. Looks like a great buy.

colcol · February 01, 2016, 09:21:32 PM

If the steering is heavy, then you must be an old bloke like me or, it needs a wheel alignment, the strut bearings are full of rust and have seized up, the steering rack is full of water and has seized up.
Jack the front of the car up and turn the steering wheel and it should be easy to turn, if it is not and is groaning, like the driver, see above, Colin.

Garibaldi · February 01, 2016, 09:24:53 PM

Quote from: blazingsud on February 01, 2016, 01:14:39 PM
howdy

added 78 Sprint to my Alfasud farm yesterday. [two 76 1.2 4drs]
red /tan has a 1.5 dual carb set up.
Finally a car that moves!
Body seems pretty good, it was resprayed some years ago & re trimmed.
Pretty dirty under the hood, I think it must have sat unused for awhile, so plenty to clean up.
Electrics are usual Alfa & everything will need to be cleaned up [buy Deoxit shares now].
Most pressing are handbrake, high beams & getting the wipers to wipe across the screen, [they work when off the screen!]. New seat belts, fronts hardly retract & the rears have been changed from inertia to fixed.
Drove it home Ok, I think its needs a good Italian tune up, then road worthy & club plates. still on original plates, but I cant really justify the extra cost.
So happy to be driving a Sud. The steering & brakes seem a lot heavier than what I remember, but then its been 35 years since I drove a Sud!

Thinking already of a 33 1.7 front end & rear handbrake. [Does AROCA still do dirt motorkhanas??], Recaro seats & a nicer wheel than the wooden wheel that wouldn't be out of place on an old yacht....

Nigel

Col, which steering wheel should he use?

Craig_m67 · February 01, 2016, 10:31:23 PM

Quote from: blazingsud on February 01, 2016, 01:15:49 PM
the tiller

Polish the spokes and re do the wood a dark colour, grab a centre from a later sprint. I also concur, you will have rusted strut bearings

blazingsud · February 01, 2016, 10:32:58 PM

Thanks Colin. Last time I had a Sud that worked it wasn't that old!( and neither was I)
Also need to find the lift off "clunk" from the left side.

Is the Sud rear muffler the same as the Sprints?

Alfa.mg · February 02, 2016, 11:00:16 AM

Very cool

colcol · February 02, 2016, 09:35:29 PM

Mr. Garibaldi, [if that is your real name], the best steering wheel to use is the correct one from that model.
I know that cause, on the twin carb Sud i had, the steering wheel i was painting and putting a leather cover on the one for the car, so i was using a steering wheel off a single carb Sud, to keep me going, because the Sud doesn't have a spline, so i couldn't use a large pair of vice grips, i was using this wheel which wasn't quite right, but it was temporary until i fixed the proper one, one day turning right in Doncaster, just up the road from Lance Dixon, and the steering wheel locked up and a nearly hit several cars as the wheel wouldn't turn.
Turns out the single carb steering wheel has a slightly different canceller peg and it broke off the assembly and locked everything up, and i was only able to turn the wheel with brute force by breaking the canceller assembly, which are as rare as rocking horse droppings, laugh about it now....but then, no such problems with a good 33, Alfa improved those switches for the better, Colin.

Sportscar Nut · February 02, 2016, 09:55:35 PM

Sprint looks great and believe the rear mufflers should be the same given floorpans are identical.

Col makes me laugh - locked steering wheel. I use the thicker S3 Ti steering wheel on my Sud and keep the leather original on the wall in my garage (only gets put if car is on show) so understand the indicator cancel issues!

blazingsud · February 04, 2016, 11:36:58 AM

Thanks for replies.

I sprayed some Inox & dribbled some bicycle synthetic lube into the bearing area , as the shock boots are torn (RWC item I guess too). Much better but still binds at full lock.
Wheels of ground it feels pretty ok, no binding at lock, so guessing it the strut bearings as the rack should be crap every where ?

I can find original strut bearings from Italy $45 ea, or a plastic version, I presume that's the cage from Just suds - same priceish, or another Ebay vendor from Hong Kong, that are about $18, but you need to leave out a washer as they are thicker. Best option?

What is the going wrecker price in a 33 front end for a change over? There is a complete 33 1.7 IE for sale at $850, which to me seems a better option. Thoughts?
It also has a/c and as my sprint has a/c fitted I could use the mount. As my sprint has a twin carb fitted the old single carb compressor mount doesn't fit any more. Yes I know it'll run backwards, but for summer & wife it's a good option.

Bushes for suspension. Go original or poly? In the past I thought poly squeaked, is that still the case?

Shocks? My struts have the small bolt at the bottom. Apart from trying to source some old Konis, what else is recommended to fit. Searching the net doesn't give any current info.

Thanks nigel

colcol · February 04, 2016, 09:18:54 PM

Ok, for the strut bearings, get the correct ones, as there are many variations, they fill up with water and mud and seize up, i like the 87 onwards for 33's, as they are sealed, but they are different to earlier ones.
The front suspension has six bushes, they are still available and easy to replace, just need a small press or bush pulling tool, the bushes i purchased new from Italian Automotive Spares in Brunswick.
I would stay away from poly bushes, as the suspension has to have to have some compliance, i remember seeing a wish bone mount pulled out of the body on a Sud, as all the compliance and movement was going on the mount and it just failed, the Suds are a good little handler anyway, and if the standard bushes are good, don't mess with the unknown.
If your struts have a bolt in the bottom, thats good news as the standard damper has been replaced by an insert, on the standard damper, you grind the top off the strut with an angle grinder and the leaking SPICA falls out, then you drill a hole in the bottom of the strut [12mm], push the replacement damper thru the strut and pull it down from the bottom with the bolt, Colin.