where to open the boot?

1750GTV · April 03, 2009, 11:16:04 PM

Quote from: pep105 on April 03, 2009, 10:04:20 PM
yep passenger side it is

Im that height you know 5'11" or maybe a pooftenth under but I can reach the boot lid because the f8kin thing wont open on its own.

My bootlid used to do the same thing until I replaced the old, crappy seal - it seemed to bind the bootlid without actually being sticky, if you know what I mean. Now it opens easily when I pull the release. I have seen a 105 coupe with the boot lever on the RHS, though the owner had shifted it there because he got sick of opening the passenger door to open the boot.

The bonnet release on my car is also on the LHS, though the bonnet opens easily when the lever is pulled.

QuoteChris are u Italian or did you take classes ?

I'm Australian born & bred (my maternal grandmother was Italian) though you guys would probably think of me as foreign as I'm a Queenslander - but hey, I can live with that

I speak enough Italian to find my way around in Italy and stay out of trouble - usually ....
I did get into a bit of bother once when asking a taxi driver to take me to the local casino (gambling house) not realising that my pronunciation meant brothel (casino) rather than gambling house (casinó). It's all in the way you roll your tongue - make of that what you will

Regards,
Chris

pep105 · April 03, 2009, 11:16:23 PM

1750GT - If I asked my wife to help with the boot she would definately tell me to piss off

Dave - bella machina 105/115 Gt Jnr as well, io non parlare italiano tanto bene but me no speak good england either !!!!

Gary Pearce · April 04, 2009, 07:22:45 AM

For the record, all Giulia Sprint GT/GTV etc prior to 1968 had the boot release on the right hand side regardless of drive. Also the change to the left side usually included a plastic lever. The pop up of the lid can usually be achieved by simple adjustment of the boot catch. 3 10mm bolts.

alfagtv58 · April 04, 2009, 03:40:46 PM

Quote from: Gary Pearce on April 04, 2009, 07:22:45 AM
For the record, all Giulia Sprint GT/GTV etc prior to 1968 had the boot release on the right hand side regardless of drive. Also the change to the left side usually included a plastic lever.

Thank god, I thought I was starting to go crazy.....I was sure I remembered the boot release on the RHS of my old 105!!!!!! I was even starting to come around and think, hmmm maybe it was the LHS.

Team Jacobs · April 04, 2009, 04:33:49 PM

I can add my 72 105 GTV2000 has the release on the LHS and is plastic , mine being colour coded !

Jack · April 05, 2009, 12:31:48 AM

Quote from: Davidm1750 on April 03, 2009, 03:38:22 PM
This is such a simple question and answer.

To the best of my knowledge all 105 coupes have a chrome level located on the LHS of the car, and yes located on the b piller, approximately 1/2 way up from the cill.

The Spider is the exception where it is inside the cab it'self!
How trivial but true!
Motore felicemente i miei amici.

1750GTV · April 05, 2009, 09:03:53 PM

Quote from: Gary Pearce on April 04, 2009, 07:22:45 AM
For the record, all Giulia Sprint GT/GTV etc prior to 1968 had the boot release on the right hand side regardless of drive. Also the change to the left side usually included a plastic lever.

Very interesting. I wonder why they did it that way for the LHD market?
The guy to whom I was referring drove a late model 2000GTV - he installed and wired up another release on the RHS B-pillar. He left the factory fitted plastic one in the passenger side door jamb though it wasn't connected to anything.
He also owned a Duetto which I think had the boot release on the RHS (drivers side) B-pillar as well.
Chris

Gary Pearce · April 06, 2009, 10:42:11 AM

I believe......that in the original design (the parts manual shows it on the right) it was felt that the boot would be opened from the curb side....hence the passenger side. Also the bonnet release accessable to the driver on the left.
There was never any change for these two items in R/H/D vehicles. Along with many may other items on the car including the shape of the floor and the seats in series 1 1750, us R/H/drivers are inflicted with compromise. This is nothing new amongst most manufacturers.
Now I believe........based on motoring writers comments and customer feedback as the model progressed in the major market (L/H/D) the preference was for the boot release to be on their drivers side for convienience hence the change in about 1968. For the rest of the market (R/H/D) we would have to just go along with it. So from then on it is on our passenger side.

Davidm1600 · April 06, 2009, 12:37:06 PM

Well all I can add to this is that my '69 1750 GTV's bootlid release is chromed not plastic, and is on the LHS. Apart from 2L 105 GTVs which may be different, all 105s (inc. early Gts, Gt Veloces, 1300 GTj and 1600 Gtj's I have ever seen have had it on the LHS and in chrome ? So go figure, is this another Alfa 105 idiosynchsy, like whether your car was fitted with Webers, Solexes or Dellortos ??

1750GTV · April 06, 2009, 12:47:35 PM

Quote from: Gary Pearce on April 06, 2009, 10:42:11 AM
Now I believe........based on motoring writers comments and customer feedback as the model progressed in the major market (L/H/D) the preference was for the boot release to be on their drivers side for convienience hence the change in about 1968. For the rest of the market (R/H/D) we would have to just go along with it. So from then on it is on our passenger side.

Poor Italians - you'd expect them to be a bit confused. After all, they only started driving on the left hand side of the road after WWII, didn't they?

I've often looked at the amount of room my front seat passenger has in the footwell and been a bit envious. The transmission bell housing seems to take up a lot of room on my side.

Then there are all the other little things - heater controls on the wrong side, wiper switch on the wrong side, indicator/light control on the wrong side, etc. It's the price you pay for driving a car designed for LHD customers on our roads - and it's not only Italian cars, the Germans are just as bad.

Chris

1750GT · April 11, 2009, 08:21:13 PM

Yeap, one of the the idiosyncrosies of driving Euro cars in OZ, as you say, same goes for all the Euro's, although the newer cars do integrate things a little better, like having boot/bonnet releases on the right side. I have Mark 2 17fidy and the boot release is on the LHS, but it's actually a chrome job rather than plastic?

All forgotten though on the twisties!

1750GT

cjheath · April 29, 2009, 02:37:29 PM

Quote from: Davidm1750 on April 06, 2009, 12:37:06 PM
Well all I can add to this is that my '69 1750 GTV's bootlid release is chromed not plastic, and is on the LHS.

Same as mine, except during restoration I had a second one fitted on the RHS so I can get to it as I get out. It's a good backup in case the cable breaks too... I modified the latch mechanism so the second cable comes in at a 15 degree angle to the first.

1750GT · May 09, 2009, 11:32:10 PM

Good thinking 99, have put this in the note book for when I do body work on mine.

1750GT

Shire_GTV · May 14, 2009, 11:42:18 PM

Hi Folks,

I heard on the grapevine somewhere that certainly all the post 68' (1750's & 2000's) had the boot release on the LHS, it was simply left there from the conversion from LHD. I was told by someone ages ago that the one exception to this (home conversions not included) are the RHD Alfa's from South Africa supplied in knock down form. When they assembled them they took the time to change the position from left the right.

Cheers

Mark Fletcher · May 15, 2009, 11:28:36 AM

I can understand why anyone other than an Alfa or Fiat owner would have no idea where to look... but it is a great place for it... secure and from a design point of view reduces the clutter on the outside of the car.

What other cars have this feature - Fiat 124 I think... not aware of any others?