Alfa Romeo. The name alone is enough to set a car nut’s heart aflutter. So much history, romance, myth and legend encapsulated within those two words. So much in fact, that you tend to forget that the majority of their products for the last 40 years or so have been front wheel drive econoboxes based on Fiats. Ah, but that’s never really the whole story is it? Even the least celebrated of Alfas (think the late 80s/early 90s fare) somehow manage to feel quite special when you’re sitting behind the wheel. Even cars that were critically panned like the early 155s somehow come alive when you’re giving them some stick on a nice winding road. Alfa always knew what it took to make a car feel a bit special.
At least that’s what I told myself when I stumbled headfirst into this particular episode of my automotive misadventures. To be fair, I actually do believe the above to be true, having driven a handful of 80s/90s Alfas and finding them to be quite lovely to drive, even with some bits not working. I have wanted to own an Alfa for as long as I knew about their existence, but things never lined up well enough for me to actually get one. The really good Alfas were rare to begin with here and after the usual things like rust and attrition had taken out a few the survivors were firmly ensconced in the hands of collectors. So the only possible options were the 80s/90s cars.
Behold, the 80s glorious-ness!
I’m lucky enough to have driven a couple of Alfasuds and their handling abilities permanently imprinted onto my psyche; it seemed like you could go into a corner at ANY speed you wanted and the little Alfa would just scoot around! A Sud would have been ideal but there are only about 4 cars left in the whole country and they are all with owners who love them, but a couple of Alfa people told me that the replacement 33 was actually something of a hidden gem, being Sud based.
Now this doesn’t track well with everything that has been written about them, because the 33 is generally considered a step or two back from the Sud, with a fair bit of de-contenting (rear drums instead of discs for example), and diminished capabilities. “Alfa tried to make a Golf and failed” just about sums up the conventional wisdom. But a vocal minority insisted that this conventional opinion was wrong, that in fact the 33 was the next best thing to an Alfasud, and with a few tweaks could even exceed its legendary predecessor. In early 2018 I was going through a bit of a tough time and felt that a good way to get my mind off things would be to buy a project car and what better choice than an Alfa Romeo? Yes, I can hear you rolling your eyes from here!
The budget for this whole thing wasn’t big, so the purchase would have to be cheap for it to make sense. The network of Italian car enthusiasts in this country is active and very encouraging so the moment I put the word out that I was thinking about a car, a few options were sent my way. I would have really liked a 164 or a 155 but those were significantly more expensive, so the final choice came down between two 33s. One was a top of the line 1.7 Sportwagon, while the other was a basic 1.3 hatchback. The Sportwagon is actually becoming a collectible now and this example was one of very few in all of Asia, but it did have some issues with the ECU, to which a solution still hadn’t been figured out by the owner.
The Sportwagon, which I should have bought.
So I decided to buy the hatchback, which was cheaper anyway. Since I anyway planned to do a full build on the car, I wasn’t too bothered by the overall condition, but I got it inspected anyway just to see if I’d missed anything while looking it over. The owner of the inspection service I used (who is also a good friend) practically burst out laughing when I booked the 33 in for an appointment, and after the inspection he made it a point to say “I REALLY don’t think you should buy this car”.
He was right of course; by any objective assessment, it was a complete shed. Oil leaks, worn shocks, suspension needing a rebuild, running on 2 or 3 of the 4 cylinders, interior completely shot, broken and missing plastic trim and more besides. The only positive was that the body was in decent shape with no crash damage and almost no visible rust. So of course I bought it(!) and had it transported over to a workshop that was famous for their work with Italians. If you’re wondering whether I drove the car before I bought it, the answer is, nope. Had I even driven a 33 at all? Also, er, nope.
This is the closest I got to even sitting in it.
So the car got to the workshop and they began to strip it down. The idiot optimist that lives in me assumed that they wouldn’t find anything too problematic, but there’s a reason I said “idiot” there. Once the car was stripped, it turned out that it had originally been a left hand drive car which had been converted to right hand drive, and also had been fitted with air conditioning at that point. While this seemed to have been done reasonably well, whoever did the conversion didn’t bother covering the holes in the bulkhead made by moving everything around, so on the left side there was a gaping space covered by a sheet of tin!
At this point I should explain that the Alfasud and the 33 obtained a large part of their structural rigidity from a dual bulkhead/firewall, as they have inner and outer bulkhead between engine and passenger cabin. This acts like gigantic strut brace, which apparently helps their handling abilities. On my 33, the inner bulkhead was about 60% not there! So reconstructing it properly became job 1 on the to do list, along with addressing any other structural issues.
A view of the front end, with the double bulkhead clearly visible.
Thankfully there weren’t too many other major problems. There really wasn’t a lot of rust for an Italian car, only a few patches here and there, which were quickly dealt with. I was curious to find out more about the conversion so I did some investigating and eventually found out that the Alfa Romeo agent in Sri Lanka in the late 80s/early 90s had actually been issued this car for free as a demonstrator. It had originally been part of a batch ordered by the Italian Police, but was surplus so had not been collected. So it must have made perfect sense to someone at Alfa Romeo to ship this car over to the new dealer in the remote tropical island.
Pretty much what it would have looked like
Anyway, that’s what had happened and since LHD cars are not allowed over here, the local agent had converted it to RHD as quickly as possible without worrying too much about the details, and eventually sold the car which was supposed to be a demonstrator on to a paying customer. That sort of approach to doing business is why Sri Lanka no longer has an Alfa Romeo agent! Be that as it may, my plans for the car were quite extensive; I wanted to replace the stock 1.3 with a 1.7 as found in the top spec cloverleaf model (the workshop had an engine they were willing to sell me), top it with twin Webers, put on a custom exhaust, lowering springs and sport shocks, fully refresh the suspension and fit aggressive wheels and tires. I also discussed the possibility of converting the rear drums to discs (why? I’m not sure).
This was the goal, more or less.
But the first order of business was to finish up the bodywork, which progressed quite nicely. The paint was completely stripped to bare metal, the little rust that was found was sorted and the bulkhead was repaired properly to how it was supposed to be. Within a couple of months all the body repairs were done and they were ready to start painting.
The bulkhead, properly sorted.
Unfortunately, this coincided with a couple of things going wrong in my life, starting with the end of a relationship, which led to a series of sub optimal decisions that ended with me crashing into a 4 foot deep ditch while trying to correct a slide during a visit to a racetrack. The bills that resulted from that episode both provided a rude awakening and also took away the fund I had built up for “Progetto Trentartre”, so I asked the workshop to stop work for the moment while I sorted my life and my finances out. That conversation happened in September 2018.
For the next two years I basically forgot about the Alfa as I simply had a lot of more pressing things on my plate. I would occasionally get gentle reminders from the guys in the workshop about it but they were ok for it to be there, so I was too. Finally in September 2020 I got a message saying that they really needed the space and could I move it out. This was a real problem because at this point the car was basically just a shell since all parts were out of it. I didn’t have the space to store it, and I really didn’t have the time or the money to finish the project, so I tried to see if anyone would be interested in buying it off me.
Would YOU pay money for this? Neither would most sane people, it turned out.
Unfortunately even Alfa 33s in good shape are not exactly in high demand so a non running project Alfa 33 was obviously about as desirable as a used diaper, so there was exactly zero interest. I was just about getting ready to ask them to scrap the thing and be done with it when one of the owners of the workshop, a guy we call Sri Lanka’s “High priest of Italian cars” (No kidding, the man owns FOUR classic Alfas, one modern Alfa and a couple more Italian cars besides) started a conversation about taking on the project.
He was one of the people who encouraged me to get the car in the first place and he had a soft spot for the 33. His offer didn’t even cover my costs on the project thus far, but it was better than nothing and at least the car would get done. So we shook hands and my Alfa Romeo ownership officially ended. COVID has slowed progress on the car but it is definitely seeing progress and last I heard from him the paint was underway, in a classic Alfa red no less. It really will be nice to see the car completed and on the road, and he’s even offered me first refusal if and when he decides to sell it, though I’m not sure that’s an offer I’ll take up!
Red manages to make even mundane cars look interesting, somehow.
So what did I learn from this whole episode? First up, buying a car to distract yourself from stuff you need to address is never a good idea (duh!). Next, If you’re going to do a full on restoration project, try to pick a desirable car to do it on (gee, ya think?). And finally, If you really want to own an Alfa, it’s a much better idea to buy one that actually works well enough to be driven!
One car – three life lessons! The 33 was never sold in North America, and Alfa Romeo left the North American market for several years in 1995, with the 164 as the last model sold here. I’ve read several articles about their return to North America, and they now sell the Giulia 4-door sedan and Stelvio SUV in standard and Quadrifoglio versions here. Alfa’s Wikipedia page is quite interesting – they’ve built and sold quite a wide range of vehicles, including police cars, trucks, buses, and vans, and even aircraft and marine engines. My favourite Alfa, though, was always the old Spider 2-seater, and it’s not unusual to see one out with the top down on a summer day.
Alfas current product line up is the best it has been in decades, but they still aren’t doing well compared to the German brands. It’s really sad, but the long term future of the brand remains in question.
I do love the spider, sadly have never seem one up close as we don’t have any here.
This has to be one of the best COAL articles ever! I had a similar experience with an X1/9. My mind has been blocking out the experience, despite owning it for 10+ years. I did get it finished, and sort of broke even, depending on whether my wife or I do the math. Good for you for saving it from almost certain death!
I’m guessing that your math is more favorable than your wife’s?
Thank you for the kind words, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I’m quite familiar on “project car math” too haha!
What car were you driving when you crashed into the ditch?
It was the Miata. One of my dumbest moments overall.
Life lessons come in all shapes and sizes.
I’ve always had a soft spot for the Alfasud. Such a remarkable little car. I can see why you were so infatuated, even in 33 form.
It’s good to know that it is being resurrected anyway.
They do indeed Paul, and I guess it’s up to us to take the learning.
The ‘Sud is truly one of the all time greats, in my humble opinion. Like most people I was dismissive of the ultimate capabilities of FWD cars, but those little Alfas just completely demolished the preconceptions.
I’ll try and do a follow up on the car when its finished. The ultimate plan is a little less ambitious than mine, but it should still be quite nice.
Great story! Have always admired the Alfasud and would love a Sprint in 1.7 fuel injected form. But as mentioned never sold in North America, and probably becoming rare in Europe.
Is the Fiat 131/Mirafiori/Brava in the background getting a full restoration? Would love one of those “restomodded” as an alternative to old 3 series BMWs.
Thank you Peter.
Yes the 131 was getting a full re-doing. It was a relatively solid example, which is rare since most of them rusted badly here. The new owner wanted it to be stripped and rustproofed, with all the mechanicals refreshed as well, I believe.
The uninitiated might get the idea that project cars seldom turn out well. They would be making the correct conclusion! The whole project car phenomenon is fraught with peril. Primarily because 90% of the project’s viability is due to the buyers initial optimism. The worse shape that the car is in, the more enthusiasm the buyer will provide. Unfortunately this source of energy is rapidly dissipated and the crushing reality sets in. That spells the end of many projects.
It takes a lot of resources to successfully complete a major project, many are sold partially completed and will make their way through a number of future owners until they are finally completed. The best course for most of us, is to start out with an intact, running, driveable vehicle. If you are able to drive the car you can determine the repairs it needs and you will get a lot more satisfaction out of the experience.
I currently daily a 1974 Chevrolet C10 pickup, and it’s been a “running/driving project” for two years. I don’t have a regular commute, and I/we’ve got other vehicles to drive when it has to stay parked. We have done a lot to the truck, and it’s a joy to drive around. You wouldn’t believe the smiles and thumbs up and waves and starting of conversation it provokes.
This is in sharp contrast to my previous project truck, a 2004 GMC Sonoma crew cab that bled me dry. The most I got to drive it was backing it off the trailer. I lost money and it was a thorn in my side for the 1.5 years I owned it.
Of course, there is the “coulda shoulda woulda” retrospective, but your lesson is well taken. I drove the ’74 home, and have managed to keep it on the road for the majority of the time since. It sure makes up for the incredible blunders I made with that junk GMC crew cab.
You’ve hit the nail right on the head! This was something that I sort of did know, but sometimes you need to learn lessons the hard way. With hindsight, the Sportwagon would have been a much better choice because it only needed a few things and was in far better shape.
I’m hoping the lessons learned here stick when it comes to future project cars.
I don’t know that I ever realized the 33 was a hatchbacks, I thought they had a trunk lid like the 75/Milano It’s sort of like the Dodge Shadow over here in that respect. And only in that respect…
Wow, when you buy a project car, you go all out from the beginning. I tend to tackle the most needed bits first so that if it doesn’t work out, cutting bait is easier. But usually I manage to change the wiper blades just fine so…
Still, I reckon it’s better to have had an Alfa and lost (it) than to never have had an Alfa at all…Bummer you never got to drive it, though in the condition it was in it likely wouldn’t have been all that anyway at the time.
Guilty as charged, my approach seems to always be “ambitious but a little bit rubbish” as they used to say on Top Gear. Your approach is by far the most sensible, and is one that I’ve been trying to adapt to lately.
I’m actually glad I didn’t drive it in the shape it was, hopefully when it’s done the new owner will let me have a spin. Just hoping that doesn’t make me want to buy it back though!
That said, I really do want to own an Alfa at some point.
Excellent article; I always look forward to your submissions. Kudos to you for giving this vehicle a shot, harsh lessons notwithstanding.
Thanks for the kind words. I’m happy it will eventually be back on the road.
My dad owned a Sportwagon. He says it’s the best driving car he’s ever owned, but the ‘Alfa Romeo’ letters fell off the back within two weeks. He never had any larger issues with it, but whenever he had to visit the dealer there were angry customers there. It’s also one of those cars that disappeared off the road really quick.
Thanks for your story. I have had similar experiences with an old car and renovating an old house. I should have increased my repair costs by somewhere between double and triple, due to issues that were not visible going in : )
Renovating anything old seems to only ever deliver the same result.
Another good story .
I still have not yet learned, I buy some old derelict thinking how nice they were in 1953 or whenever….
As long as you like looking at it it’s a win .
I hope you remember to come back and post how it runs and drives when it’s finally finished .
-Nate
Thanks Nate. That’s what I tell myself usually too haha. Will definitely update on how it turned out when it’s finally done. That may take a year or two, last I heard.
Sajiv ~
The smart thing to do is : look at the higher priced vehicles on offer , especially the older restorations as minor blemishes, paint chips, dings, rusty / scratched chrome and inoperable window lifts etc. an all be used as serious leverage the price to where it’s maybe affordable and the little things are easily addressed by any competent GearHead and the cosmetic fluffs I simply ignore because if I can’t drive it any where, as much as I want, it’s worthless .
OTOH, if your friend fixes it up what could possibly go wrong when you re purchase it ? .
I recently did this on an old worthless Moto I sold, he got it running and did a few repairs, I bought it back and am still riding and enjoying it and I don’t regret a single penny I’ve dumped into it…
If your @$$ is happy in the seat, GO FOR IT ! =8-) .
-Nate
This is definitely the best way to go about it, and is how I’ve started to approach potential future buys. A sound driver with some flaws is the sweet spot, as you say.
As for the Alfa, well, being an Alfa the list of things that could go wrong is usually endless. But I can’t pretend it isn’t tempting!
If youre going to rebuild an old car start with the best most complete example you can find Ive rebuilt several one was a basketcase which took ages the others were running or at least complete cars
Those Alfa Suds were sold here and Ive seen a couple of good examples in backyards awaiting someone to restore them but of you cant do the work yourself you are better off buying a good one already done.
Exactly right, going with something in good shape to begin with is always the best idea!
I’ve just once briefly test-driven a ‘Sud, and it was every bit as as good as they said – albeit with a rather ridiculous pedal box, seemingly designed for size three shoes and an owner with an offset body – but alas, on a closer look, the doors had literally no bottoms and there was obvious bog in that very firewall you mention. I also knew Alfa parts were expensive, a con really, given the ordinary quality, so I got wise and left it in the dodgy caryard, despite the doubtless-desperate sales sleaze still talking to me even as I drove away in my own car.
I must be amongst the few who likes the 33, and the 4wd wagon is a proper good-looker. I’ve only passengered in one, and though it was pretty flexy-feeling in the body, the Italian-descended owner was unmerciful to it, in response to which it just flew, and squashed me against the side window round corners too. It also retained the magnificent flat-four Alfasud popcorn exhaust noise.
If you can, buy it back when it’s done: the price paid will be penance for your previous cruel abandonment. Done up properly by a good Alfisti, I suspect it’ll offer most of what a ‘Sud could anyway.
And you’ll even get to drive it.
The drive really does stick with you, even if the rest of the car is falling apart.
I don’t know whether I’ll be in a position to do so, but will definitely think about buying it back if and when it comes up for sale.
Well written article Sajiv. Feel sorry for what happened to you.
After reading most of the comments, I too think what I did was right with my 33.
My other project OTOH (an empty rolling bondo shell with correct documents thankfully) reached 10 years this April. Still about 70% done and 10 times the purchase price spent already (sigh). Same mistake you did but I had no choice then.
Got the 33 running soon and then kept on fixing bits that needed fixing. New (used) dashboard went in after 6 years of ownership, that is last February. Still some cosmetic fixes are needed. It is currently my daily driver and touch wood, has no issues whatsoever. Only trouble is noisy ricey boys trying to race me when I’m minding my own business. Complete overhaul of A/C (compressor, condenser, evaporator, filter, expansion valve..all of it) is still useless and saps so much what’s left of low end power.
While the Busso V6 makes you feel special, the boxer gives a wider grin. It sounds great at WOT and so you do it often (twin spark engines have no chance) and really comes alive above 2k rpm (maybe cam shafts are worn after 250k kms, never driven a new one to compare) and still couldn’t find a spot on a road to hit 4k, even in 2nd gear! However, you have to keep up revs yourself before you shoot uphill or overtake. So it is quite engaging, working out shifts to keep it in the power band, albeit too much work compared to a modern turbocharged 3 pot auto crossover. Proper old school experience offered in 90s, that is how I see it.
Hope that 33 would be fixed properly and you would get to drive it in 1.7 form. It is the low COG and shuttlecock like dynamics (engine ahead of front axle), minimal rust unlike the Sud, sound and the overall lightness that keeps me hooked.
Bought a yellow 1985 33, totally non_original, with yellow interior, and it is running ok. The 1.7i is fantastic. Above 3000rpm it is like a race car. It does break down occasionally though.