 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
(Dutch) Mijn auto stond in "Dagblad de Limburger" !
My current Sud is originally an august 1982 red 1.5QO. I had seen this car driving when it was still red. Later I heard some guy had it, and had it painted yellow and fitted a (then fairly new) 1.7 twin carb 33QV engine. I once met the guy when driving my Sprint and we stopped and he tried to sell me some porn videos he had in the back. Later I heard this car had crashed and was at a local wrecking yard, the guy driving the yellow Sud was the son of the owner of the wrecking yard. I wanted the engine from it but it was said he wouldn't break up the car. Later I really needed an engine for my sprint and went there. The yellow Sud was already more than a year on the wrecking place but the engine still started almost immediatly. The Sud was already fitted with replacent front wings and bonnet and had lots of spares in the back. I could buy the engine for (what is today) 450 Euro but I could buy the whole car for an extra 45 Euro, so I bought the whole car. I transplanted the engine in the Sprint and the Sud stood around engineless for another year. In the meanwhile I had bought a 1970 yellow Alfa Spider and when the Sprint had damage I decided to fix the Sud instead for reasons of practicality. The Sprint received back it's original repaired engine and was sold for 200 Euro, on the boat to Africa I think. The Sud was not that bad allthough there were weeds growing through the bonnet. After the necessary welding I sprayed the inside myself and had the outside done in Alfa Verde Caraibi, a metallic then current for the 155, allthough I have never seen it much. This was in 1997. I drove it around since, unfortunately 2 months after it was painted I got off the track at the TT Assen circuit on an Alfa club day, it's only grass there but I managed to hit a pile of tires and crumpled the right front door, I drove it like that until august 2005. In the meanwhile I traded the Spider for a 1980 Ferrari 308 and later I also bought a Lancia Montecarlo but most of the time the Sud was in use. After I worked 3 years on my Ferrari, modifying it heavily (www.ferrari288.com) I had time again for my neglected Sud. Some rust had developed, not much though and lots of small dents from living and parking in the city. I could buy 4 perfect doors for 50 euro and decided it was time for another reincarnation. First I did mechanical stuff, another gearbox from an '84 TI QV that had been laying around for 15 years, new heads because on the old ones the camlobes had grinded through the hydraulic lifters (for the third time), overhauled brakes, new brakelines and discs, wheelbearings, PU suspension bushes and everything else that was needed to make it an as new car. Then I fitted the doors and many hours of sanding followed, not much welding though. I lengthened the front bonnet a little to close the huge gap that Suds always have. A new not original front wing I kicked in with my steel nosed shoes because after 2 days of trying cutting and reshutting it still wouldn't fit. The paint I choose was Ultra Marine Blue form the RAL card, number is RAL 5002. I thought it was a rather dark serious blue color but that turned out other way... Under the hood and the door jambs I painted with a brush, on the outside I used 2-pack, I got 4 litres (a gallon) for 100 Euro from ebay that included 2 liters hardener and 1 liter thinner. I sprayed it in the open on a fresh autumn day with sun but wet ground so there was no dust, however some 100 bugs flew into the paint. After the paint hardened I sanded it smooth, first with 1200 grid paper then 2000 grid, then polished the paint with Commandant nr 4. The bugs were turned into hardly visible pits by then. The Martini inspired striping had to be there as this car was not meant to be serious, I used Porsche indian red that I had left over from when I did the Ferrari (...), the light blue I did with a roller brush from a can. When I first pushed the car outside and parked it between other, modern, cars that are almost always grey or black or some dark metallic color I thought, my god what have I done as the blue on my Sud almost looked radioactive, it is that vivid. Sometimes it is light blue, then dark blue and even purple or violet when the sun is low and red. Now I'm used to it and have fun driving the Sud. It looks much better than planned as it was a low budget, low effort project, the painted wing extensions and bumpers make it look very modern and "tuned". By the way, the sill extensions are 2mm thick steel U-profiles welded on and I really think they made the car stiffer. When I jack up the car behind the front wheel, the rear wheel lifts ground first. Real stiff rear suspension though, Opel Rekord stationcar springs cut in halves and Ferrari 308 Koni shock absorbers. The wheels are 7x15 redrilled Alpina from an old BMW with 195/45 tires. Further I have racing seats, bought from a guy in Belgium that couldn't fit them in his Opel GT. I made alu doorpanels, looks cool and makes the speakers sound very well. That's about it, I plan to drive this Sud forever, if it crashes, burns or gets stolen I will build another one.
Now on to the pictures, you can click on a thumbnail for a bigger picture. To return, best click the back arrow, then you will be taken to the same position in this page that you were before,
regards Bert Kanters, Roermond, Netherlands.
My first Sud, in 1986. An Ivory 1982 1.5 3-door.
Painted it Porsche indian red after a while, lowered, 7x13 original rewelded steel wheels.
After I got off road in a sheeps garden (no sheeps were hurt, only my pride)
When driving slow in busy evening traffic this happened.
The Sud was too far gone, patch welded in >100 places and 2 accidents was to much. Bought a 1985 Sprint QV in 1994, had it resprayed in the original black after a while and adapted ("Ferrari") Opel Manta A rear lights. During the 2 years I drove it it got lower and lower finally with 7.5x13 wheels and 175/50 tires. To my defence, it was in fashion back then.
A moped bike crashed into it and needed new door, front wing and windscreen. Painted it with a roller brush "Alfa Carabo" colors. Sold it shortly after and drove my Alfa Spider as only car for a while.
My current Sud as bought, 1996. Had minor front damage from going off road (that 1700 twin carb engine really pulls).
After stripping some welding was done.
Painted and ready for the engine that was in there 2 years earlier. Note that this engine started life in 1989 in a 33 QV, then was in this Sud, then in my Sprint and now back again in the Sud.
Traded the Spider for the 308.
These pictures are from august 2005, just before another respray. Dents, rust, rear quarter painted with a can after refitting wheel arch repair section.
Refurbished engine with good heads with good cams and valve lifters, good Sud QV gearbox, brakes done, new discs.
Preparing for respray. Advantage from choosing a standard color (RAL 5002) is, that you can buy perfect match paint in a can for doing door jams and other less visible hard to reach places.
This is a work of art called "anger". I lost my temper trying to fit this new non original wing.
When welding this window surround I couldn't see it was burning inside the car. Good that I did check before I went inside for coffee.
Now what is this? A spare Sud bonnet but what's with those stripes?
I got 4 perfect doors and welded shut the holes for the side protection and sanded them smooth, ready to mount and paint. However after mounting them it turned out they wouldn't fit flush to each other or to the front/rear wings without extra filler, not much but 1 mm spread over a large surface makes a few extra days sanding and sweating. Extended the bonnet to close the gap with the grille, also to turn the "surprised" look into a more mean look, reminiscent of the new 159 and Brera a bit. You don't notice if you don't know Suds well. BMW 7-series DE headlights, required some modification to the inner wings to make fit.
Epoxy primer, then acryl filler and another 12 hours of careful sanding.
It's blue! Notice the orange peel, but with 5 layers of paint I have something to play with.
This masking took me 2 hours, easy to make a mistake. The blue sanded with 1200, red spayed on, light blue with a roller brush.
Whole car wetsanded with 2000grit and polished. Doesn't look like a do-it-yourself job unless under a magnifying glass. Oke, and under certain light conditions.
The finished product! I polished it with commandant nr5 and waxed it after these pictures were taken, even more glow. The color is really outstanding, especially in between other, modern cars. Even a yellow small Fiat is less attention getting because people are used to them. It is very BLUE!
The old 1.7 8v engine was a bit tired and made some noises. It would have lasted for years to come probably with my use but I decided to go for the ultimate, the 4 cam 16 valve engine from the last series Alfa 33. But not with the injection system but with the good old carburettors.
First step was to acquire an engine. I got an overhauled unit from Belgium that was not driven after overhaul. It didn't look nice but was equipped with new clutch, hydraulic valve adjusters, new expensive spark plugs, new piston rings and honed cilinders. I made it a bit nicer loooking. The exhaust came with it and I needed the mounting plates from the old exhaust.
For fitting the Dellorto carbs adapter plates have to be made. The waterpump pulley from the 16v has extra grooves for power steering and airco and won't fit. I cut of the extra rings but was advised later that this is not the proper way to go as the outer ring can now seperate from the inner ring at high revs.
Checking the cilinderwalls, they were indeed honed. Starting to build an exhaust header because I'm keeping the sud discs and therefore the 33 header won't fit.
K&N seperate air filters (Renault 19 size) with "air guides" (the green stuff) home made to enhance air flow in the carbs, still on the old 8v engine.
Carbs overhaul and home made waterpump pulley from sheet steel welded together, not nice put considered save (by me).
Old engine next to the new one. Note dads' Lamborghini in the background and my brothers little A112.
New engine in. You need the 16V front crossmember. Too bad the nice 33 longitudinal suspension guides are to short for a Sud, hence the long wheelbase. I had to re-install the Sud ones later.
Not happy with the exhaust and made it again. Modification to fan and water hose.
Made a reinforcing crossbar between the lower suspension mountings. Compare Sud-33 suspension members, The Sud has the longer ones.
That was the 16V install. Did it 6 months ago and still going strong, especially at high revs. I mounted the carb without changing the jetting and that still has to be done. I have to have sorted the correct jetting on a rolling road to prevent lean condition and/or detonation. However the engine runs very nice now, like a factory engine and the fuel use is same as with the 8v, 1 liter 10 kilometer if you don't push it all the time.
Another project: polishing the good old 7.5x14 revolution wheels and put them back on. I need the 15 inch wheels for my current project, restoring my good old Lancia Montecarlo. The machine in the first pic is a potatoo sorting machine, I just put it's belt over the rim. Speed is not as high as the picture suggests, still don't put a thumb between the spokes. I used sanding paper up to 2000 grit and then Commandant polish. 12 year old wheels look like new, even better.
Specifications
Original a 1.5 95HP Red QO 1982