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Related Manuals for Alfa Romeo 1966 to 1994 Spider
Summary of Contents for Alfa Romeo 1966 to 1994 Spider
- Page 2 ALFA ROMEO 105/115 SPIDER FAQ (covering cars built from 1966 through 1994 By Scott Johnson Copyright ’ 1996 Third Edition, Released August 2001 All Rights Reserved.
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
Driving Your Alfa Spider Spider Trivia and Other Questions Final Words Appendix A: Factory Recommended Maintenance Intervals Appendix B: Capacities and Recommended Consumables Note: This document is not sponsored or endorsed by Alfa Romeo or its parent company FIAT in any way. -
Page 4: Development And History
NOTE: Throughout this document I will be referring to these cars as, variously, 105, 105/115, and 115 Spiders. This is the model numbering system Alfa Romeo used on their cars, and assists people telling the various Spiders apart (Alfa has produced a number of different Spiders, with model numbers like 750 and 101 as well as 105 and 115). -
Page 5: Series 1
For any non-American readers, I must apologize for the ”US-centric-ness„ of this document. US cars are the cars that I am most familiar with, and so will write the most about. I will try to make an effort to note where the European models differ from the US models. However, since a number of US Spiders are being ”exported„... - Page 6 These cars were equipped with a 1570cc (1.6 liter... about 96 cubic inches) dual-overhead cam all-aluminum engine, a design Alfa is justly famous for, four-wheel disk brakes, a five speed transmission, and dual Weber carburetors. It included such (at the time quite uncommon) comforts as roll-up glass windows, a simple one-pull-two-clips-it“s-up top which actually sealed well against the weather, a real heater, and comfortable (if narrow) seating for two.
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Page 7: Spider Junior
it certainly isn“t any less comfortable than other makes or models with more conventional layouts, and may in fact be more comfortable over long trips. Spider Junior In Europe, Alfa made a lower-cost, smaller displacement Spider available from 1968 through 1972. - Page 8 For a more complete set of recommendations about what to look for and what to avoid when buying a SPICA equipped Alfa, I refer the reader to Pat Braden's Alfa Romeo Owner's Bible (available from Robert Bently publishers), at this writing obtainable at most major book stores.
- Page 9 "115.XX" Spiders (the XX being replaced by various numbers, depending on the trim level of the cars and their relationship to the rest of the Alfa Romeo line). They will be referred to as such through the rest of this document.
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Page 10: Series 2A
The increased safety requirements would eventually add over 300 lbs to the car. Because California emissions required a catalyst earlier than the rest of the country, in 1975 and 1976 Alfa Romeo imported only ”49 state„ automobiles i.e. for sale everywhere except in California. -
Page 11: Series 3
Carpeting became standard equipment for the first time in 1978, and a plethora of interior colors were introduced (tan, blue, and gray being the most notable, although black was still quite common). The cars lost an unknown but noticeable amount of horsepower as well, and as time went on became less and less driveable until the introduction of the Series 3 cars. - Page 12 according to at least one reliable source, they also lost a certain amount of character (the exact conversation was, "yeah, they went electronic, but now they drive like Toyotas", to which I replied, "yeah, but they also start like Toyotas"). While performance didn't increase noticeably at first, it did at least stabilize and, with the improved driveability of the Bosch systems, made the cars more fun than their immediate predecessors.
- Page 13 In the US, at least, the Series 3 cars were also separated into different trim levels at different times in the run: In 1982, you had the Spider 2000 and the Spider Veloce (pronounced vel-OH-chay). The 2000 had steel wheels, vinyl seats and a vinyl top, while the Veloce got alloy wheels, leather seats and a cloth top.
- Page 14 is today. Oil crises, an increased awareness of safety, a growing environmentalist movement, and an activist mood in the government and the general populace of the US combined in such a way that many people saw cars as little more than toxin-spewing deathtraps built to create profits used solely to line the pockets of automotive executives.
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Page 15: Series 4
termed "variatore de fase" by the Italian engineers. This was promptly renamed "the phaser" by the Americans involved with the team, and the name stuck. At first only used as an emissions control device, later versions allowed improved cam timing, giving better performance at high RPM but allowing controlled emissions at idle. -
Page 16: The Alfa Spider And Fiat"S Takeover
… 60s. In fact, it is said that the team that designed the Miata (which ironically included a former Alfa Romeo service rep) did extensive research with the 101 and 105 Spiders, mainly, it seems, to get that exhaust note down. - Page 17 Alfa Romeo is viewed through a very special set of colored glasses. The US market was never as important to Alfa as the ones in Europe. While it was regularly outselling Porsche in Germany, Alfa was almost willfully ignoring both marketing and dealer quality in the United States.
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Page 18: Final Comments
FIAT Spider was ever a better car than the Alfa. The Alfa Romeo 105/115 Spider has a history almost as impressive as its pedigree. What started out as an unpopular, somewhat underpowered roadster first turned into what amounted to a high- performance open race car, and then later into a high-class open touring car. -
Page 19: Things To Look For When Buying A Spider
”C“mon,„ it whispers quietly, ”quit reading the damned computer let“s DRIVE!„ Things to look for when buying a Spider Especially when considering a Series 2a, 2, or 1 Spider, the most important thing you need to look for is rust. The cars are simple enough mechanically to be repaired by just about anybody (more on this later), and interior trim is readily available and reasonably easy to replace yourself. - Page 20 fluid or gear oil. Leaks of this nature can indicate expensive repairs are needed. Pay special attention to rear ends coated with thick, greasy oil engine oil usually doesn“t drip THAT far back (and tends to be a lot less viscous than gear oil), and this could be a sign of a failed pinion seal (in and of itself not a problem, but if the owner let it go the rear axle will get and stay very, very loud).
- Page 21 first to cure this problem (you can do this with reverse as well touch fifth before engaging reverse). Many Alfisti recommend touching fourth gear rather than second, to lessen wear on the already beleaguered second gear synchro. I had one Alfisti insist that touching fifth to get it to go into reverse doesn“t work.
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Page 22: Value And Your Alfa Spider
have found Road and Track“s guide to used classics very helpful, although I“m not sure if it“s still in print. Value and Your Alfa Spider It seems a common phenomena that people who are looking to buy a car are very happy to find it is undervalued on the market, and then after purchase become incensed that this same market is holding their car back from what they now perceive as its true market value. - Page 23 car, it has a substantial appeal to the general public beyond what it holds for the enthusiast. The Spider, particularly Series 1 cars, was also fortunate that it actually WAS featured prominently in an extremely popular, very distinctive movie (The Graduate, Mike Nicols“ first film). To illustrate an example, the 105 series was produced in four major variants, the Spider, the GTV, the Berlina, and the Montreal (and no fewer than nine ”special body„...
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Page 24: Modifying Your Alfa Spider
fifties, a time when expendable income is at its highest and nostalgia its strongest. The end of production also means that the entire line will hopefully become more noticed overall, although this is small comfort for those who own cars still in the initial throes of depreciation. Finally, there is the biggest influence of all on the entire market the general condition of the economy. - Page 25 American manufacturers produced very basic cars that were available with, by European standards, a fantastic number of options. It was not uncommon to have well over four dozen different options for any given model of car, from trim to engine to body appearance (this is not to imply that Europeans, or any other national group in the world, do not have hot rod traditions of their own.
- Page 26 It should be noted that this has changed profoundly for the better in the past two decades. Mostly because of competition from both Europe and Japan, modern American cars have come light years along in responsiveness, performance, and handling. Again, Alfa Spiders aren“t like this at all. Like most European car makers, Alfa is made by and for Europeans first.
- Page 27 While Alfa started out taking the regulations very seriously (the SPICA system was a high- performance induction system adapted to cope with the American emissions regulations), they, like just about every European manufacturer except the Germans (who are culturally inclined to take everything seriously), seemed to have grown impatient and frustrated with the US government as time went on.
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Page 28: Day To Day In An Alfa Spider
physically put underneath the car without clearance problems, but, aside from the body damage problem listed above, this size tends to have an unacceptable amount of sidewall flex when fitted to stock wheels. There is also the factor of speedometer error when fitting non-stock tire sizes. (However, Alfa“s gauges are so well known for error one hardly expects any of them to be all that accurate in the first place.) Any recommendation of this sort should always be taken with a grain of salt. - Page 29 There are, however, some things that tend to wear out in an Alfa that don“t normally wear out in other cars. Some examples: TIE ROD ENDS AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. The cars tend to be very hard on the two tie rod ends that connect the center link to the steering box and idler arm.
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Page 30: The Care And Feeding Of Your Convertible Top
(however, Caribou products produce a cloth top for ~$200 US, and come highly recommended). I“m not sure what advantages there are in owning a cloth top, and it seems that the cloth tops are prone to fading. Many parts places that specialize in Alfa Romeo carry an... -
Page 31: Maintaining Your Alfa
Maintaining your Alfa Many people are afraid to purchase an Alfa Romeo of any sort because they think it will be impossible to work on, difficult to find parts for, or repairable only by a handful of mechanics. Nothing could be further from the truth. With the exception of the SPICA system, Alfa Spiders are very straightforward cars. - Page 32 Above, and you have to conform to later, more stringent rules. It is unknown exactly how many Alfa Romeo automobiles slipped by customs in this fashion. Most were probably brought in through Canada. An easy way to find out is if you have a Series 2 car titled as a 1969 model.
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Page 33: Insuring Your Alfa Spider
Alfa Romeo digest (http://www.digest.net/alfa) will usually net good results. Joining the Alfa Romeo Owner“s Club is also recommended. You will receive a monthly magazine called the Alfa Owner that will contain all sorts of useful information. You also gain... - Page 34 younger than 25) with an insurance payment noticeably greater than the payment for the car itself. The good news for Alfa owners of all types is that Alfas are considered ”good„ cars by most insurance companies. ”Good„ in that they are usually owned by adults, driven rationally (or rather, driven well), and tend not to be stolen all that much.
- Page 35 public to sign off that yes, these pictures were taken before this date, and yes, they are of that car. Keep every single stinking receipt for every little thing you have done to the car (this is one of the few ways that the do-it-yourself Alfa owner is at a real disadvantage they can only provide receipts for parts, not for installation), and keep it organized and neat.
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Page 36: Driving Your Alfa Spider
seldom purchased. Because of this, your sources will almost certainly be far, far better than theirs. An example from my own experience: my “74 Spider was once hit very hard in the rear (as I said, people love running into these cars, crumple zone worked as advertised). After two weeks, the adjuster called and told me used body panels were ”impossible to find„. -
Page 37: Spider Trivia And Other Questions
designed have always reflected this. They are built to be DRIVEN. One of the worst things you can do to an Alfa Spider (ANY Alfa, for that matter) is to let it sit or drive it conservatively. These cars are designed with the expressed intent of going fast and hard. This is not to say you should go out and be an idiot in your Spider. - Page 38 It is a tradition in Italy dating back to the days of carriages for one company to make a chassis that other companies take and design bodies for. FIAT, Maserati, and Ferrari (many of whose car bodies carry that ornate ”F„ as well) are other well-known marques who engaged in this practice in the post-war era.
- Page 39 more difficult. The dashes stayed the same from 1970 all the way to the model“s phase-out in 1994. On cars without air conditioning, the side panels of the center console are interchangeable until at least the introduction of the Series 4 cars. How do you lock the bloody doors on this thing from the inside? Well, it“s usually not a great idea to lock the doors on a Spider (do you really want them to cut your $400 top to get at your $200 radio?), but, on Series 1 and 2 cars at least, the doors are...
- Page 40 How do I flash the headlights quickly? On Series 1, 2, or 2a cars, press the headlight stalk in to flash the lights. My windshield wipers, radio, and defroster fan don… t quit when I turn the key off. Is that normal? Apparently yes, on Series 1, 2, and 2a at least.
- Page 41 The second fuel filter is under the hood of the car, in a large housing on the passenger“s side (follow the fuel lines as they come up the firewall they will go into this round housing). According to factory maintenance schedules, this filter actually needs to be changed more often, so when you do change it ALWAYS, ALWAYS DISCONNECT THE BATTERY FIRST.
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Page 42: Final Words
rather than over road hazards, especially if you have lowered the car in any way. An impact with something as innocent as a smallish rock can literally shatter an engine. Sump guards are available, but project under the car even more, and may create a risk of frame damage in an impact at speed. - Page 43 Alfa at all), you“re buying The Real Thing. This is no chopped-up econobox sedan, nor an amalgamated copy of memories of what had been. The Alfa Romeo Spider is that memory, made real in steel and aluminum, fire and noise.
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Page 44: Appendix A: Factory Recommended Maintenance Intervals
Appendix A: Factory Recommended Maintenance Intervals 3,000 6,000 9,000 12,000 24,000 36,000 Check Battery Check Fan & Check Front Wheel Change Brake and Change Engine Change Alternator Electrolite levels Alternator Belt Toe-in Clutch Fluid (or at Coolant Belt and inspect Tension one year, whichever SPICA Pump Belt (if... -
Page 45: Appendix B: Capacities And Recommended Consumables
Appendix B: Capacities and Recommended Consumables Capacities Item Capacity (U.S / English) Capacity (Metric) Cooling system 2.5 gal (includes .5 Gal for catch tank) 12.2 gal Fuel tank Fuel tank reserve 1.3-2.1 gal Engine oil - full 7.1 qts 7.8 qts Engine oil - total in circuit Engine oil - danger level 4.75 qts...