Air cleaner intake 105 GTV

[Mr Frog]

Good evening. I have a series 1 1750 105 GTV with a 2l engine in it. I was doing a bit of cleaning up after fitting a new fuel regulator, and noticed for the first time that the air intake opening points directly towards the engine, and that there is what appears to be an opening for an air intake hose lower down on the front RHS between the radiator and the front wheel bay. Should the car have an air hose fitted?

[LukeC]

No, there should not be a hose between the air cleaner and any cold air intake. The intake you are probably referring to the radiator could be from a US car (they had them on Spica injection equipped cars). It is possible the car has had the radiator support panel replaced or it may be one of those Alfa anomalies though... fitting a US part to a Euro/Aus car. They may also have been fitted to very late cars, but I'm guessing here.

Post an image so I am not giving you a bum steer.

I have seen these on a couple of cars.

However, all 1750s and 2000s post series 1 cars should have a steel plate on the side of the block and a "warm air intake" hose to the air cleaner. not sure about 1600 and 1300 Juniors. This plate is very rarely there these days.

Years ago when judging at the Sydney concourse I advised Richard Gentle that his superb plum coloured 2000 GTV was missing this plate. Next year: it was there!

[Mr Frog]

Here is the oval cutout in the front, between the overflow hose and the water bottle on right. Sorry about quality of picture.

[LukeC]

That is the same as all smooth nose 105s. Is is not a cold air intake.

This is what I have seen on a few Alfas: Ben Sims' (Balfa) car has one of these:

[Mr Frog]

Much appreciated thanks Luke.

[Balfa]

I was tinkering on the car tonight so I took some pics to confirm I do indeed have the mysterious air intake thingy.



Does it serve any function? nah. Does it make the car special? I like to think so

[aggie57]

I was at "Best of France and Italy" today, an annual car show held at Woodley Park in Van Nuys (a suburb of LA).  There were over 100 Alfa's including a bunch of GTV's with bonnets open and I was intrigued about this air intake thing so looking around it seems that:

- all the US spec 105 series cars with SPICA have them.  GTV, Berlina, and Spider.
- the radiator expansion tank is mounted on the left inner guard, behind the battery on non-A/C cars. 

Here's a couple of photo's, one of the GTV that has been converted to Webers and another of a Spider still running Spica. 

Hope this helps.

[Mr Frog]

All very interesting. I suspect the cutout is universal, and used for specific purposes - such as the spica injection cars.

[aggie57]

All very interesting. I suspect the cutout is universal, and used for specific purposes - such as the spica injection cars.

Not sure about that - I'm pretty certain my 105 doesn't have the cutout.