30 years of a 33

[colcol]

Well its now 30 years since i purchased my 33 from Talbot Motors in Collingwood.
Since that day, my life has changed, i become someone who is interested in cars, to a absolute car nutbag, "You cannot call yourself a car enthusiast unless you have owned an Alfa" - Jeremy Clarkson.
Who would have thought that the sometimes derided 33 could have lasted this long, but if you look after it, with correct servicing, it will look after you.
It still brings a smile to my face when i drive it, and a frown, when the speedo stops working, but turn on the wipers and it works again, if it was a good Italian speedo, it would work, but being a French Jaegar, what would you expect.
The expensive to produce boxer motor, has a character all its own, and smoothness and beat, that seen production from the 1200 Sud in the early 70's, all the way to the mid 90's with the 1700, 16 valve in the 145-146 series.
The 33 was Alfa Romeo's biggest selling model, with the series 1-2-3 running from 1983 till 1994, as an Alfa Dealer once told me, the 33 kept his dealership going, no one were buying the expensive cars in the early 90's, but were getting into 33's at $25g, and he points out, he still services them today, Alfa produced over one million cars.
They are now getting a bit thin on the ground, being scrapped due to poor airconditioning and heavy steering and electrical issues and not being looked after properly, they can become an unreliable money pit, when was the last time did you see a 33 on the road, except for some old bloke driving between Rossana and Kilsyth everyday?
Still on full registration and original engine block, but on second hatch, as they are a bit prone to rust.
Spare parts are getting a bit rare, but with help from club supporters like Italian Automotive Spares, you can still get consumables.
Between 1987 and 2002, it did double duty as a Sprint car for TWO drivers, with the owner being outdriven by his more talented co driver, which the more talented brother was called 'Michael' and the less talented owner driver being called 'Ralf', go figure.
It was sometimes suggested that i actually owned two 33's, a road car and sprint car, but it did double duty, with little complaints.
Here is to many more enjoyable years motoring, Colin.

[Joe Garra]

Well done! Did Mick Fuoco sell you it? He sold me my first Alfa, a 75 Red Twin Spark in 1988, and i've been hooked since!

[Frank Musco]

Congratulations Colin! What a great car. I look forward to seeing you on the road for many years to come. Snap...Crackle...Pop!!!

[Paul Gulliver]

Col Col , I had to go and get a box of tissues half way through reading that post. Well done, I think your 33 got the winning ticket when it comes to owners.

Gully 

[Garibaldi]

Col, are you sure you don't want to trade it on a Camry? 

[carlo rossi]

shouldnt you be holding a party or something
after all its 33 years since the 33 first was sold

the 33/33 event

[aggie57]

Congratulations Col. Nice post and lucky 33 to be chosen by you 👍🚗

[colcol]

I actually used to wonder about being called 'Ralf', i thought it was something to do with a character called 'Ralf-mouth', who was a loud mouth, [just like me], then one day i was helping put the cars on the grid, at Winton,when the timing chief, asked me over the headphones, who was in the 33, was it 'Michael' or 'Ralf'?, someone replied, "it must be Michael, because 'Ralf is putting cars on the grid", then the penny dropped, it was like having Ayrton Senna as your team mate, Colin.

[Sportscar Nut]

So enjoyable to read Col and shows your appreciation of the Alfa Boxer! My Sud also came from the Talbots stable (Peter Hayman).

To be fair, Ralf was not a bad steerer - just had a better brother.

[colcol]

Back in 86, i purchased my 33 from Talbot Motors in Collingwood, some of the other Dealers i remember were,
1. Alfa City in Peel St. West Melbourne,
2. Henly Motors in Bourke Rd. Camberwell,
3. Henly Motors in Burgundy St. Heidleburg, [short time],
4. Fairdale Motors, in Whitehorse Rd. Blackburn,
5. Straightway Motors, in Nepean Highway, Mentone?,
6. Clements Sporting Cars, in Ormond?,
7. Max Kirwin Alfa Romeo, Plenty Rd., Bundoora, [short time],
8. Berwick Alfa Romeo, in Berwick,
9. Gil Gordon Alfa Romeo, Geelong,
10. Peter Stapleton Alfa Romeo, Ballarat,
11. Bennica Motors, Surrey Hills,
Thats all i remember, but feel free to add any more that i may have missed, the Alfa Romeo landscape has sure changed, but we still are passionate about our cars, Colin.

[VeeSix]

Snap, crackle, pop    great read Colin, I think I remember reading somewhere that Joe bought his 164 brand new as well, a 164 I purchased recently had a Beninca decal on the rear window, are they still a dealer or just mechanical/service shop?
I ended up having every 33 model except the wagon, I even had one of the very first single carburettor ones at one stage, had the headlight wipers on it before they went to jets, apparently I read that this particular model was not intended for Australia but England and only came here because Australian models were not ready at the time, I think my favourite 33 off memory was a 1987 Ti 1.7 twin carburettor, had red carpet in it, a real fun zippy model, my last 33 before I went all V6 for my personal fleet was a 1992 Permanant 4, since purchasing that 33 Colin, what other 33 or Alfa Romeo models have you had up till now?

[tuf105]

Dealer Guide July 1989...

[tuf105]

Victorian Dealers May 1985...

[colcol]

Hello VeeSix, had only one 33, a 84 TI, also had a 'loaner' car for about 4 years, that was my favourite Alfa Romeo, a genuine twin carb, Sud, that i looked after for my brother, my other car is a 2002 Alfa Romeo 156 JTS.
Bennica Motors in Surrey Hills only do servicing now and haven't sold new cars for about 30 years, highly regarded by their regular customers.
Joe Bennica used to drive a 33 as well, up to about 5 years ago, but now has a 156 JTS, i know that for sure as he passes me sometimes on the way home from work, on the Eastern freeway.
The first 200 1700 cc 33's sold in Australia had mechanical tappets, as they hadn't finished the production of the hydraulic tappets on the early 1700's, very rare motors, as i spent years looking for the big bore Boxer motor for the Sud, Colin.

[lombardi]

The 33 like the sud was an important political tool in Italia at the time, as the north ie Milano was the leader in made in italy , the alfa plant in Napoli was the political answer to bring some employment and stability to the mezzogiorno area del bel paese. Problem was that a lot of farmers not used to having mundane 9 to 5 monday to venerdi jobs found the transition difficult and production especially for the sud was problematic and hit many hurdles , this underlined the sud's and 33 exceptional design quality.  Movies have been made of the struggle to bring the North  ( alt'italia thinking to the south ) The Sud and the 33 will go down in Italian History as a awakening of Industrial revolution and should be applauded ....