Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ellis]

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Whether it was a mild xenophobia or wariness I took very little interest in "foreign" cars in the 1960s and 1970s. My late father bought a new Volvo 121 4 door in 1965 - CEY 737C and that was the only foreign car he ever owned. It was replaced exactly a year later by a new Triumph 2000 - EEY 987D.

By the early 1970s many people, around here at least, were replacing their Austin/Morris 1100/1300s with Datsun 100A Cherrys and Datsun 180s were replacing 1960s Farinas.

Then in 1976 one villager bought an Alfa Sud. A foreign car and Italian at that! I used to listen to the eager sound of the engine and the raspy exhaust note as it passed. I tried to keep up with it on a country road with my Wolseley 18/85 one afternoon and failed.

Then, in January 1977 an old school friend called and he had a new Alfasud Ti in dark blue. I waited to be offered a try in it and in the end asked.
I was rewarded and I thought it was fantastic. The engine was sporty, it cornered as if on rails, the driving position encouraged brisk driving and if not powerful in absolute terms the engine felt unburstable. The 5 speed gearbox was novel.

I wanted one! My recently widowed mother pulled a face- Italian car!
And Alfasuds only had 6 months warranty then.

Sadly most Aflasuds rotted away early but I'm sure they gave their owners much pleasure before they did.

What do you think of the Alfasud?
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Starting Handle Expert

1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

[kevin2306]

i had an alfasud in the 80's. superb car but it was hard to find a panel on it without rust! great all the same

kev

[gresham flyer]

That was the problem with Italian cars of that era.....RUST.

The Lancia range did not fair any better.

I like foreign cars but pre 1970`s styling is better.
G.F

[Fluffle-Valve]

I left the army in Jan 1980, stayed in Germany and I think by June that year, I had brought myself an old'ish Alfasud. Bright Red and I loved it. Me and my mates used it to go to more pubs out of town and the most sober one drove it back.
It was at the time a pocket rocket and the engine rev'd freely. After having it for a couple of years the rot started and it was due the German TUV. The same as our MOT, but it was two yearly over in Germany. (I think it still is now?) I traided it in for an even older Opel Kapitan that I saw in a car shop window. I fell in love with the Kapitan.
One like this one below.

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Series 3 1972 LWB Truck Cab Pick Up. My daily drive.

[MikeEdwards]

A mate of mine had an Alfasud, ETU---S*, which had recently been imported from South Africa and didn't have a speck of rust on it, anywhere. Sadly it didn't have any rustproofing to speak of either, and although we kept pushing him to do something about that he didn't, with predictable consequences. Last time I saw the car it had holes in the top of the doorskin you could put your hand through.

My only recollection of the car is that the choke was on the bottom of the steering column, and my mate used to adjust the choke by sticking his hand down through the gap in the wheel, which scared me just a little.

(* dashes are because I can't remember, not a privacy technique)

[solomorris]

The alfasud in Uruguay was well known, simple mechanical sports but problems with oxidation.
Difficult to find parts even today are circulating on the street

[Greg]

[Riley Blue]

My only Sud experience was driving from Somerset to Leeds to look at one that had been described as 'mint', 'low mileage' and 'one careful owner'.
When I took it for a test drive a rear brake hose split, it had 50p size holes in both inner wings and the imprint of its alternator on the back of the radiator from when it had hit something. I didn't buy it.

[JC T ONE]

The only Alfasud I know of, and have seen in the past 20 (or more?) years, is a race car.
It has been for 30 or more years (hence why its still around)

The owner cut it open, and removed all the styrene foam, from all the hollow parts of the shell.


Jens Christian
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http://www.eurods.eu/wp/index.html

[PAUL BEAUMONT]

At least its cylinders were in the right place!!

[marcusdwyer]

Oh yes, I remember this car, a true beauty!

[peter scott]

Apart from company cars the only brand new car I ever bought was a Mk111 Escort. This was a great disappointment in several ways so I sold it and bought a 1500 Alfasud for £1100. In terms of performance a handling the Alfa was just a dream in comparison to the Escort.

Peter


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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[peter scott]

Apart from company cars the only brand new car I ever bought was a Mk111 Escort. This was a great disappointment is several ways so I sold it and bought a 1500 Alfasud. In terms of performance a handling the Alfa was just a dream in comparison to the Escort.

Peter


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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[V8 Nutter]

Back in the eighties we had one in that had broken a cam belt. Not the easiest car to work on. We also replaced the handbrake cables that was even worse than the engine. We had another one come in for engine but it was so rotten underneath we advised the owner not to spend monay on it.

[baconsdozen]

It must have been early eighties when a guy who lived opposite me started up a business dealing and repairing these. Even then he'd comment that they were a brilliant car apart from the bodywork. I used to pop over once in a while and he seemed to always have a welding torch in his hand.
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Thirty years selling imperial hand tools for old machinery(Now happily retired).