I was 17 years old in 1970 and while I was into European sports cars I never had much affinity for the Alfa Duetto, it just looked old fashioned to me. I know people go on about the movie The Graduate but that was an adult movie, teenagers and guys in their 20's never watched it. So when I saw the first series 2 at the Chicago Auto Show I was smitten and vowed to get one. But they were expensive and after getting married it wasn't until 1980 that we finally got a used 1972 Spider that I still own today. Still absolutely stock with spica injection it has just shy of 400,000 miles on it. Of course I have rebuilt the engine three times, the transmission once and did a restoration back in 2000 that included replacing the floorboards but it's still a special car that I thoroughly enjoy.
Thanks for all your excellent Alfa Spider information, Tim, including your "on track" comparison of all four Spider series, with owner comments as they drove these cars back to back. Required reading for anyone considering buying a Spider! The comment about the 1750 being the sweet spot (vs. the 2.0L) could be more myth than reality. Both engines have the same stroke; the 2000 has a bigger bore. Longer strokes are typically what make an engine feel less responsive, not piston diameter. There are published comments of people who drove both the 1750 and 2000 engines commenting that the 2.0L revs as well as the 1750, i.e., "has just as much sparkle". My '73 Spider (Spica injected) revs freely to 6 grand and pulls hard all the way with outstanding low end torque. I agree with you that the Series 2 is a very nice choice: lightest weight, clean chrome bumpers, sorted and reliable Spica injection, and a torquey, free revving engine. The power steering/windows, carpeting and A/C on the later Spiders would seem out of place on the minimalist Series 2 cars. I replaced the rear muffler with a straight pipe (with the GTV chrome angled tip) and the exhaust note went from a 7 to a 9, sounding very similar to an Alfaholics exhaust system; no radio required as the exhaust tunes are great. Best $80 I've spent on the car. Keep up the great information stream! Thanks.
We europeans had a huge advantage with the series 2 compared to the US: they never got those thick bumpers. Our series 2, "coda tronca" as they are called here, kept the small, clean chrome bumpers until the end of the series when the series 3 "aerodynamico" was launched in 1983. That's why a have that nice 1982 series 2 in marrone (dark brown) here in Vienna with the small original chrome bumpers. But I still envy the italians who are first time owners because they still have the very small front number plates which make for much enhanced front view.
I bought a 74 that was converted to Dellortos by a previous owner. It's been parked for 10 years,but was covered and stored dry. Hoping to get her running.....as soon as I replace the gas tank....and fuel lines...and rebuild the carbs...and....
Before doing all this work, take out the spark plugs and shoot some oil in the cylinders, than turn it over by hand. make sure its not seized. When ready to start it, leave the plugs out and crank it over until you have oil pressure. I imagine it will have new oil and filter ? I have a 1966 Duetto with a 2ltr engine and a 1969 1750 GTV, I use 5w50 synthetic in both.
I have sump guards on both my alfas. The big oil pan (7 ltr with filter ) with its cooling fins cools the oil, no matter how hard I drive mine the oil never gets hotter than 200 F.
@@anthonypipia6990 It lowers it by one inch, but I don't go offroading with my cars anyway, so that doesn't matter. Once in awhile I hit an obstacle and it makes a lot of noise, but in my 50 years of driving Alfa's I have never cracked an oil pan. Both my 1966 Duetto and my 1969 1750 GTV have sump guards.
@@anthonypipia6990 Absolutely, an oil pan guard is a lot cheaper than an oil pan, breaking an oil pan may even cost you an engine. The guards are easy to install, only 4 bolts, and if you dent it too much just take it off and hammer it straight again, have done it lots of times. LOL.
I was 17 years old in 1970 and while I was into European sports cars I never had much affinity for the Alfa Duetto, it just looked old fashioned to me. I know people go on about the movie The Graduate but that was an adult movie, teenagers and guys in their 20's never watched it. So when I saw the first series 2 at the Chicago Auto Show I was smitten and vowed to get one. But they were expensive and after getting married it wasn't until 1980 that we finally got a used 1972 Spider that I still own today. Still absolutely stock with spica injection it has just shy of 400,000 miles on it. Of course I have rebuilt the engine three times, the transmission once and did a restoration back in 2000 that included replacing the floorboards but it's still a special car that I thoroughly enjoy.
I had a 1970 twin dell’orto 1750 kamm tail. I now have a 1969 spica round tail. Lovely cars
Thanks for all your excellent Alfa Spider information, Tim, including your "on track" comparison of all four Spider series, with owner comments as they drove these cars back to back. Required reading for anyone considering buying a Spider!
The comment about the 1750 being the sweet spot (vs. the 2.0L) could be more myth than reality. Both engines have the same stroke; the 2000 has a bigger bore. Longer strokes are typically what make an engine feel less responsive, not piston diameter. There are published comments of people who drove both the 1750 and 2000 engines commenting that the 2.0L revs as well as the 1750, i.e., "has just as much sparkle". My '73 Spider (Spica injected) revs freely to 6 grand and pulls hard all the way with outstanding low end torque. I agree with you that the Series 2 is a very nice choice: lightest weight, clean chrome bumpers, sorted and reliable Spica injection, and a torquey, free revving engine. The power steering/windows, carpeting and A/C on the later Spiders would seem out of place on the minimalist Series 2 cars. I replaced the rear muffler with a straight pipe (with the GTV chrome angled tip) and the exhaust note went from a 7 to a 9, sounding very similar to an Alfaholics exhaust system; no radio required as the exhaust tunes are great. Best $80 I've spent on the car. Keep up the great information stream! Thanks.
We europeans had a huge advantage with the series 2 compared to the US: they never got those thick bumpers. Our series 2, "coda tronca" as they are called here, kept the small, clean chrome bumpers until the end of the series when the series 3 "aerodynamico" was launched in 1983. That's why a have that nice 1982 series 2 in marrone (dark brown) here in Vienna with the small original chrome bumpers. But I still envy the italians who are first time owners because they still have the very small front number plates which make for much enhanced front view.
I love my graduate
Good information. I have owned many Alfas. It's 'Speeka' not 'Spika'.
I bought a 74 that was converted to Dellortos by a previous owner. It's been parked for 10 years,but was covered and stored dry. Hoping to get her running.....as soon as I replace the gas tank....and fuel lines...and rebuild the carbs...and....
Before doing all this work, take out the spark plugs and shoot some oil in the cylinders, than turn it over by hand. make sure its not seized.
When ready to start it, leave the plugs out and crank it over until you have oil pressure.
I imagine it will have new oil and filter ?
I have a 1966 Duetto with a 2ltr engine and a 1969 1750 GTV, I use 5w50 synthetic in both.
Problem with these cars, oil pan too low!!!
I have sump guards on both my alfas.
The big oil pan (7 ltr with filter ) with its cooling fins cools the oil, no matter how hard I drive mine the oil never gets hotter than 200 F.
@@alfamontydogdo you hit anything with the oil pan guard? Doesn’t it lower the clearance even more?
@@anthonypipia6990 It lowers it by one inch, but I don't go offroading with my cars anyway, so that doesn't matter.
Once in awhile I hit an obstacle and it makes a lot of noise, but in my 50 years of driving Alfa's I have never cracked an oil pan. Both my 1966 Duetto and my 1969 1750 GTV have sump guards.
@@alfamontydog I’ve got a 79 spider that was wondering if it was worth putting an oil pan guard on but many speed bumps and pot holes in New York
@@anthonypipia6990 Absolutely, an oil pan guard is a lot cheaper than an oil pan, breaking an oil pan may even cost you an engine.
The guards are easy to install, only 4 bolts, and if you dent it too much just take it off and hammer it straight again, have done it lots of times. LOL.