WTB - 1976 Alfetta GTAm (tipo 116) 2litre SPICA

[Davidm1600]

Hey guys, if one thing can be learnt out of all of this is that there is always someone out there with the good oil on a topic of conversation.  So thanks Anthony for providing a little clarity and confirmation to what is generally understood re this specific model.  As I indicated I recalled Vin had previously, passed comment on this matter.  So I guess the knowledge has been shared.

Now as to the banter between the guys, Cool Jesus, mate you havnt seen the half of it  .

[Cool Jesus]

David, yeah I know its all in good fun. Its been quite entertaining to see the next response.
Its the first time I've ever had anything to do with a forum and I'm pretty chuffed over the response I've had. I've already purchase a 78 Alfetta GTV from an AROCA member - '116gtv', at a very reasonable price too. I grabbed it as a parts donor, to which 116gtv's jaw dropped in horror when I told him. If my hunt doesn't prove fruitful over the next 12 moths or so, (finishing my last year at Uni), I'll pimp up the GTV for the oldies which I'm sure they'd appreciate just as much for a daily driver. I thougn I had a winner this weekend though. I was about to head up to Murwullimbah for a rusting wreck of a 76 GT which failed to sell on Ebay. It had all the right indications of a possible GTAm, even the same rims as my in laws had, however at the last minute the young bloke that owned it finally got back to me with a photo of the compliance plate for normal GT. It just wasn't worth the 11+ hrs north to pick up something I could find closer to home. I also have to chase these, as many owners don't realise the difference and still call them a GT.

Anyhow, Dehne made no mention of the car he was checking out for me, so I'll assume that line of enquiry is still ongoing. No doubt, I'll see more responses on this thread over time along with other lines of enquiries I have running aswell.

[75TS]

I purchased a sad case of a GTAM in QLD back in 94 & sold it a few years later, purchased from a chap near Noosa and nobody could get the spica working so I replaced them with carbs & insured the injection system was boxed and went with the next owner, car was red and had some non original bull bar on it. In the end  it was a case of too many projects and the new owner promised to do the car justice. I know one chap just out of sydney that can sort spica injection perfectly and the parts are still available including the thermo actuators. The car was standard apart from the injection and the GTAM plate, the tortion bars, rear spring etc looked to be standard.

Personally, a well sorted alfetta coupe would be a better bet, cheaper and go harder.

[Cool Jesus]

The car was standard apart from the injection and the GTAM plate, the tortion bars, rear spring etc looked to be standard.
Personally, a well sorted alfetta coupe would be a better bet, cheaper and go harder.

75TS, I agree, that most if not all of this tipo 116 alfettas all look good and can be modified etc, etc... I'm after this rolling chassis as a sentimental item for my in laws due to our family history around the first family Alfa. The added beauty of the SPICA and the car's little querks is that the old man can keep himself occupied as he is a mechanic by trade. One of the querks he tells me of was the throttle linkages would bind occasionally and cause the engine to flood or stall. It was a matter of freeing them up each time it occured and the car was good to go. It occured once too many times in the bush when his daughter went for a trip in it and she found herself stuck somewhere in Jindabyne. The local mechanic had no idea and dad's instructions fell on deaf ears, so the car was towed back all the to Sydney, he did his little jiggle of the linkage and the motor came back to life. This was the year he sold the car and upgraded to a damn Honda???
Anyway, I'm hoping that if I can restore one of these models for him, it will get him out of having to do the shopping with the misses or conversely he'd want to go in the Alfetta.

If you have any details, I'd love to grab them from you, I'll PM you. Any info you have would be great.

[Paul Newby]

Guys I've only just stumbled across this particular thread... Mr Sharp has just about nailed it except that the Evan Green car was an Autodelta Group 4 rally spec  Alfetta GT built in 1975 (with  Autodelta narrow valve engine) and not an Alfetta GTAm which were all built in 1976. The Green car went to Tony Edmondson and became his infamous sports sedan that he demolished at Surfers Paradise in 1979 I think.

My memories of road spec Alfetta GTAms. I recall a work friend looking at one in a Balmain car yard back around 1991. He didn't know much about Alfas (though he owned a 33) but I distinctly remember him saying it was a GTAm, I guess that was how it was advertised. I recall that there was one for sale at Castle Hill (Sydney) about 15 years ago. Also I know Tony McKone had a record of one on his club register – how did he know? Well it had a 116 11 chassis designation with an unusual  (for Australia) engine number. I think Tony may have seen this car, but it didn't have the central fuel tank. I have also seen photos online of the sorry Brisbane car that a few have mentioned. Yes, its that red and white GTAm that was for sale a few years back – it had a GTAM Australian Compliance Plate, the first one I have ever seen.

As for the three GTAms that raced at Bathurst 1976, I believe the Beninca car was written off at Sandown in 1977, the Foley car was converted back to road spec put on the lot and then sold to an unsuspecting buyer and the Autodelta car is in Sydney awaiting a return to Group C specifications.

I have been lucky to have had the opportunity to inspect the Autodelta car. It was built by Autodelta for Autodelta Australia and originally was fitted with a 16 valve Autodelta engine which was not legal for Group C. It returned to Italy and was fitted with a Spica injected Nord engine which it ran at Bathurst. In 1977 it was re-logged as a GTV so that it could run on Webers. Unique features of this car included:
Autodelta large capacity sump pan
Autodelta gearbox casing (not sure that it has its straight cut gear set, but it has a spare 5.1 final drive)
Ventilated rotors and Girling 4 piston calipers all round
Specially machined and cambered de-dion frame (to clear rear calipers)
Rose-jointed watts linkage
Adjustable rear anti-roll bar
Adjustable alloy torsion bar bridge (but missing the alloy front lower control arms)
Brackets for a centrally mounted fuel tank (not in car)

This car has a 116 11 chassis designation so it is a real GT but there is no Compliance Plate – why would there be? This car was destined for track use only. I presume though that it would have been included as part of the 25 GTAms  required for Group C homologation.

It is possible that the same applies to the Wherrett Pye sponsored Alfetta GT that was supposed to be entered for Bathurst 1976. This car already had illegal Group 2 flares and was turned into a sports sedan (still around in much modified form) and Wherrett reverted to the Autodelta built LHD 2000 GTV (105 Series) for Bathurst instead.

[Cool Jesus]

Holy SH1T, that car at the Balmain car yard would have been mum and dad's car! Paul, where's your work mate now, PM me pleeease....

[Paul Newby]

Holy SH1T, that car at the Balmain car yard would have been mum and dad's car! Paul, where's your work mate now, PM me pleeease....

Cool Jesus, my old work friend is about as elusive as those GTAms. 

I last saw him in about 1993 and then he vanished, probably to the Victorian countryside, as he always promised  that he would... 

[Cool Jesus]

So close, yet so far.....

Thanks for the info guys, even so all these little snippets of info are helpful and is exactly what I need to track this elusive chassis. Keep the intell coming in.

[Cool Jesus]

Indiana Jones, eat your heart out -The Lost Ark has been found...

Its amaizing how small this world is that we live in. Finally received a response from a number of letter drops I made to addresses that I could remember a red Alfetta sitting outside of. In my youth, I had mates living in the Castle Hill area and on occasions I'd see this little red GT outside an address. When I started my search, the GT was gone, and the front yard had been changed (hmm, new owners?). Anyhow I tried my luck with a letter and bless my sole, I've come up trumps.

As it turns out the car has been of the road since 2005 and in storage as a future project. Well the owner has a handfull of future projects and it just happened that the minister for home affairs and future projects was legislating a cull and his horde of goodies. Hence I received the call and I accepted his price.

As it turns out I think this is the bloke 'Paul Newby' was speaking of, and bless my sole I'm certain that this is mum and dad's old ride.
Here's a few teaser pics for you, however once I manage a successful Black Ops mission to get mum's old hpoto's I'll post them aswell.

I will also no doubt have many questions and posts during the restoration.

Thanks a bazillian for the input and posts.

[Cool Jesus]

more pics

[Cool Jesus]

last two pics for now

[John A Pucak]

If it's any help, I test drove a red GTam which was for sale around 2002 in Surrey Hills Sydney. The guy selling the car was of chinese backgroud and he wanted @3k. From memory it was in good nick, considering it was parked outside his terrace house on the street.

John

[Cool Jesus]

Yes mate I have a vague recollection of that one now that you've mentioned it. I'll follwo this up too. Thanks

[pep105]

Cool Jesus if thats the car mate thats an unbelievable find.

Congrats as it looks like a solid basis for restoration. I love hearing about stories like this especially given the sentimental value
and rarity of this GTAm.

You never know your luck do you

Keeping posting photos new & old

Cheers
Pep

[aggie57]

Great outcome and looks like it's still in pretty good nick as well - congratulations and well deserved.  Now of course we all want to see how you go with the project!

Alister