Monthly Archives: June 2020

Fiat, Italdesign

1987 Fiat Panda 4×4 Sisley

The Fiat Panda is a good reminder of how absurd the new car market is these days. The 4x4 variant of the Panda was an odd option, purchased by those with some sort of need for four-wheel-drive, but otherwise fairly rare. Today, it can seem as though Panda 4x4 type four-wheel-drive economy cars are the norm - think Ford EcoSport, Buick Encore etc - and that traditional economy cars are the exception.

We've mentioned before that many people find our website in search of the Panda 4x4 Sisley edition. It's basically an Italian version of the Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer edition, or the Subaru Forester L.L. Bean edition - a collaboration between an outdoor lifestyle clothing company and a vehicle with some level of outdoors or off-road potential.

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Alfa Romeo, Pininfarina, Uncategorized

1995 Alfa Romeo 164Q

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The typical eBay hunt for Alfas starts by sorting from old to new, and often, sorting by manual transmissions only as well. Automatics are acceptable in two circumstances - with Milanos, because an automatic rear transaxle is too weird to ignore, and on 164s, because according to many, they fit the character of the car very well. Not our first choice, but we can how some might enjoy it. Now, when scrolling through the prospects, there is a distinctive split between 1995 and 2016 where Alfa pulled away from the North American market. It's right at that split that we find the most special 164, the 164 Q.

The 164 platform makes no case for itself on paper - FWD, mid-size, shared with Fiat, Saab, and Lancia - and yet on the road it is one of the most engaging sedans we've driven. Power is available early in all models, the steering is direct and responsive, and the ride is firm but capable of handling potholes. The 164Q improves on the basis of the 164 with a 232bhp 24V version of the Busso V6 and electronically controlled dampers. The dampers we could do without - they're getting difficult to source these days - but the extra maintenance requirements of the 24V V6 are justified by the impressive acceleration. Merging onto the interstate in a 24V 164, you will be tempted to wring out 3rd, if not 4th gear.

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Ferrari

2005 Ferrari F430

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Yesterday's Lamborghini Gallardo was an example of the model that ushered Lamborghini into an era of building user-friendly and tractable automobiles. With Ferrari, we would say that the 360 was the first Ferrari model offering a reasonable ownership experience. The F430 added refinement to the aluminum monocoque from the 360, and introduced the first new V8 to the Ferrari lineup since the original Dino V8 was first offered.

Styling, too, was an update to the 360. The same basic form is present, with tightened edges and updated details that we really enjoyed during its time as a new car. Looking back, the 360 has aged slightly better, but the F430 still holds its own among the modern mid-ship V8 Ferraris.

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Lamborghini

2004 Lamborghini Gallardo

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The Gallardo is the first Lamborghini design from the ground up by Audi after getting its first taste of engineering Lamborghinis with their reengineering of the Diablo in the 90s. Only two years after acquiring Lamborghini, Audi set it engineers upon the task of civilizing the aged Diablo platform, resulting in the Diablo VT 6.0. With the Gallardo, the lessons learned from the Diablo VT 6.0 led to the first of the modern refined supercars that have become the norm today.

The Gallardo relied heavily on Audi parts bin components, and to good effect. HVAC and stereo systems were lifted directly from the Audi A4 rather than sourced from a low-volume aftermarket supplier unable to deliver the refinement that a major supplier to OEMs ever could have. Lamborghini was able to sell the Gallardo on its merit alone, whereas it had previously traded in old-world charm and the exoticism of its brand. The danger here is that old-world charm is somewhat timeless, while an all-out effort on vehicle development can lead to a car that feels dated 15 years after its introduction.

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Alfa Romeo, Italdesign

1977 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GtV

We love type 116 Alfas. Driving them, working on them - all of it. And, we've had our Milano Verde out a little bit lately, enough to notice that the transaxle has been moving up and down too much to apply the throttle smoothly. Thankfully, we had an upper transmission mount sitting on the shelf. With the rear of the car up on jack stands, we were able to quickly drop the transaxle a couple of inches, yank the old mount out with a socket and a 3-arm puller, and hammer the new mount in. The result? A much smoother driveline without the clunks associated with throttle application that we had been experiencing. We are so used to month-long projects that any chance to make a large improvement in 30 minutes is always welcome.

With type 116, or transaxle cars, there is really little that can't be quickly remedied in the garage. What takes more time is rust repair - and this example doesn't need much of that. On an Alfetta, said to be manufactured from a defective alloy of steel, finding a rust-free example is becoming increasingly challenging.

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Alfa Romeo

1988 Alfa Romeo Spider Quadrifoglio

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The Alfa Romeo Spider was getting long in the tooth even before the Mazda Miata crashed the scene in 1989. While the Miata offered a glimpse into the world of 1990s automotive styling, the Series 3 Spider was moored to its mid-60s origins, with little more than bumpers, taillights, and minor bodywork to distinguish it from earlier models. Little surprise, then, that the Miata glided right past the Spider and replaced it in North America.

Today's example comes from the makers of Corsa steel wheels, another fitting ode to the past. In the past 15 years, the clean look of a well-proportioned steel wheel has become just as acceptable to many enthusiasts as the alloy wheels that were offered as upgrades from the factory. A good example of this is the use of Volkswagen Corrado steelies on many MK1 and MK2 Volkswagens. Corsa seems to have decided that this trend will stick around, and offer what seem to be thoughtfully sized steel wheels for a number of cool enthusiast cars. We have no affiliation with the brand whatsoever, but thought that the anochronistic steel wheels fit the throwback Spider theme pretty well.

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Lancia

1989 Lancia HF Integrale 16V Swap

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Yesterday we took a look at Lancia Flaminia to make a case for how to spend $40,000 on a Lancia. Today's 16V-swapped Lancia HF Integrale is how we imagine a lot more folks would approach this hypothetical exercise. There's a lot to like here too - can we change our response?

Let's get into some armchair engineering to understand why someone would go through the trouble of swapping in a new powertrain to increase peak horsepower by 15hp. When a waste gate spring would very likely bring about a similar result, why go through the trouble of swapping in the 16v mill? To us, it looks like most of the benefit is in the top end. The 8V turbocharger can't overcome restriction as well past 5300RPM, whereas the 16V breathes better, allowing it to increase torque by 4% at 5500RPM compared to the 8V at 5300RPM. We've never driven either, so we're curious to know if the difference is noticeable.

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Lancia, Pininfarina

1961 Lancia Flaminia Coupé

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Say you've got $40k desire to own and drive a Lancia. That buys a lot of Fulvia Coupe, not to mention 4-5 Fulvia Berlinas. It's also enough to get you into the Delta HF Integrale scene - even a later 16V car if we are not mistaken. And if you want something with direct ties to one of the most impressive innovations in powertrain engineering in the 1900s? You could find a very decent example of a Flaminia.

The Aurelia introduced the world to the V6 engine, and the Flaminia brought the technology into the next decade. The sliding pillar suspension found in the Aurelia was replaced with a double wishbone setup, while the braking system was upgraded to discs front and rear. And, for those who love idiosyncratic layouts, the rear discs were mounted on the rear-mounted transaxle, just like the drums in the Aurelia.

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