1981 Alfa Romeo Spider veloce from North America - Comments

Where do I start?

To begin with, my new Spider Veloce was a grey market car in everything, but name. The ’81 model was a one-off interim model, in between a long-standing Spica injected model and prior to the following year release of an electronic fuel injected model. The ’81 included modifications to the aging mechanical Spica Injection system (for purely smog purposes). These modifications made my Alfa significantly different from previous Spica injected Alfas and totally different from the next and subsequent years of electronic injected Alfas. There were simple, one-off body trim differences too, with totally out of proportion consequences. OK…here we go:

1) From day one, off the dealer lot, the car was stubborn to start, tended to stall, demonstrated poor performance and had a disheartening pre-ignition when accelerating on level roads. Dealer and other sources confirmed that this was to be expected of this particular year model.

2) The parking lamp fuse blew, as I drove off of the dealer lot. It blew every time it rained, and I discovered months later that the one-off-year mounted front parking light housing collected water and rusted. I fixed this myself while still in warranty.

3) The interim year head gasket blew at 5k miles, warranty replaced.

4) The replacement head gasket blew at 15k miles. I systematically cleaned the head and replaced.

5) An interim year fuel line snaked back and forth under the car (an “S” shaped, un-reinforced hose). This hose would fatigue and collapse, cutting off fuel pressure and stopping the car. Happened repeatedly until; well more on that later.

6) The interim year accelerator cable that replaced a solid mechanical linkage would shear unexpectedly. This occurred in Houston freeway rush hour traffic, once when my wife was driving, just outside of warranty. I replaced it and it occurred yet again. I learned to frequently inspect and have replacements on hand.

7) Head gasket blew again at 30k miles. I systematically cleaned the head, checked for surface abnormalities and replaced yet again. This car was never over-heated.

8) Interim year smog adjustments had the engine running at 212 degrees. This was quite hot for the aluminum engine and the dealer described this as per '81 year design. Changing thermostat to cooler version had no effect, as flow restrictor in the intake manifold defeated greater cooling volume. High operating temperatures helped explain head gasket and premature valve wear.

9) Nylon belt driven fan self destructed while driving home, in freeway traffic at 40k miles.

10) Exhaust valve wore out at 60k miles.

I packaged the engine head and spica injection pump and sent to a known good Alfa expert for evaluation and repair, and then...

My expert advised me that the Spica pump was leaking gas into the oil system and that it was DOA.

I knew my Alfa was a beautiful, but unhappy thoroughbred, encumbered by an ambivalent exporter and an unsympathetic EPA. "HELP ME", she pleaded. "HELP ME". Who could resist.

I then yanked out the A/C unit, evaporator and condenser. I removed the EGR system, air pump, remaining Spica injection components, stock intake manifold, exhaust manifold and exhaust system. I removed the interim, prone-to-break throttle cable mechanism and air cleaner. I added pre-smog twin dellorto side draft carbs + intake, pre-smog factory header + Ansa exhaust. Gone went the zig-zagging fuel lines. I installed the earlier model mechanical linkage throttle system and advanced the valve and ignition timing.

Oh, boy. What a difference. My Alfa sang….gloriously. She purred as beautifully as she looked. I was hooked and the open road beckoned for another four years.

But you can't do this. Getting the car inspected was a major pain for me, as it would be for you. Much better to buy a L-jetronic fuel injected car, one model year later. BTW: I didn't mention the water pump (s), clutch (es), oil seals and other incidentals that were replaced before 70k miles.

Metallic silver with burgundy red interior... a siren's song. Sitting still or on the road... it looked fast and sexy. Whoever originally designed the car truly loved the concept. Got lots of comments and attention at fueling stations and parking lots. Lots of stares on the road. And after the de-EPA mods; oh sweet heaven.

Dang, but it was hard for the first 6 years. I had more patience than I would today. Now, I would make the dealer eat the car, long before warranty was out.

Fantastic review. Alfas have always been the temptress: Great to look at, but trouble down the road.

Sorry, but if this badly manufactured wreck yelled "Help me!" I'd say "OK" and chop it up with an angle grinder purely to put it out of its misery.

This comment from the original review submitter and in response to comment #2:

Believe me, I lay awake a few nights thinking that in the quiet of the early morning hours, in the seclusion of the garage, nobody could hear an Alfa scream. But every time you approach a Spider, regardless of the angle; you can't resist running your fingers along the ample curves, and resting yourself down into her business end. The entire time we're spurned by these steel vixens, we're convinced they're just holding out for someone better. And if we just give her a little more attention, then maybe... But in the end we're enslaved by lust and jealousy. Wicked man-killers.

Unbelievable that you had 3 head gaskets in the first 30000 miles.

Even Austin-Rover engines manage better than that...

That was the worst year of the Spica injection; the factory tried to stretch it much further than could be done. I have a '72 Spider and a '73 Berlina, and the only problem either Spica has given me was a split injector tube on the Spider, 7 years ago.

Unfortunately, emissions regs do not allow backdating to early Spica or carburetors in most jurisdictions, but I agree that an update to later Bosch injection, preferably Motronic of the last years, would've transformed the car and been clean-burning. I may yet do that to mine; drivability in cold weather would certainly be much better.

And for what it's worth, almost all the problems I've had over 15 years with my cars have been because of aftermarket human error, PO's taking short cuts or making Alfa blunders like using silicone in the engine.

Hi, thinking of getting into the the spiders, but of course I'm a uni student an don't really have that much cash, but... i love this car.

Anyway, assuming I can pick one up for around 16K AUD, how much you reckon over a 10 year life or so u'd be lookin at spending on keeping it working?

Reply back to steviedeee@hotmail.com :)

Many thanks.

I have an 81 afla spider veloce with spica. It runs but very rich. Ayone know a good mechanic in eastern Pa who can tune it??

Charlie- 215-816-2479.

From the Author: A bit of explanation. The frequent head gasket replacements were more a product of the separate oil passage o-rings that were placed in openings in the head gasket. Even viton seemed to deform over time, lose shape and start seeping oil.

Last year I thought seriously about getting back into a later MY Spider, with the final body style and Motronic ignition. Instead, I bought a midyear '86 Porsche 928 and became a friend of Rennlist.com. Best 7k I've ever spent on a car.

I traded a 78 Fiat Spider for a 1981 Alfa Veloce Spider (and a few dollars) from a sports car dealer in Clearwater, Florida.

From day one, problems. Had trouble starting the car (mechanical fuel injection of course) and this haunted me for 18 months until I traded the Alfa. It was beautiful, silver with burgundy, leather interior. Had initial problems with fuse for fuel injector, key broke in the ignition, then leaking brake master cylinder (can only use certain brake fluid), then new tires, but can't get anyone in Tampa to mount new tires because custom alloy wheels have "too small a hole" for standard mounting machines back in the 80's.

Car was constantly breaking down.

Topless cars were hard to get in 80's with no US production. Decided to move up from Fiat to Alfa, which was a big mistake. Finally took Alfa to dealer in Tampa that sold Subaru also. I was told that the mechanical fuel injection was shot. Had to remove and send to N.J. for repair. Mechanic asked If I drove this car daily and I said yes. His response, most folk drive these only on Sunday and this is not a daily driver. I traded the beautiful, but impossible, Alfa Veloce Spider in that day on a 1987 Subaru Brat Truck (which had no problems for years). I understand that 1981 was the last year of the mechanical fuel injection (and last year I bought an exotic car). I will never go "Italian" again.