Tag Archives: Alfa Romeo 164

1991 Alfa Romeo 164 S project

No platform for car sales can match the extremes in pricing found on Craigslist. In the case of today's Alfa Romeo 164 S, we are witnessing the lower limits of pricing. And, whereas most great Craigslist deals are snatched up immediately, the reality is that Alfa 164s just don't sell all that quickly. So, this listing isn't liable to end after mere hours or days on the market.

The rust-free, assembly-required 164S is priced about right, in our opinion. It is not all that common to find a serviceable 164 for sale in this price range, much less a 164 S, with its sport bodywork and 200hp V6. Consider the included 164L parts car, though, and the deal is really quite sweet.

1991 Alfa Romeo 164 S project car red rear quarter side
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Year: 1991
Model:  Alfa Romeo 164 S
Engine: 3.0L V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage:  N/A
Price: $2,395
Location: Seattle, WA area

1991 Alfa Romeo 164 S project car red interior alcantara
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CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 Alfa Romeo 164 S

1991 Alfa Romeo 164 S Project Car!
Over 10k in new parts and upgrades. 
All parts + full parts car are included, 
so NO ADDITIONAL PARTS NEED PURCHASED to finish this project! 

Full new, custom Alcantara gray with red interior. 

NEW: 
New Carpets, New headliner. New sport springs. New urethane bushings. 
New shocks & struts. New windshield. Upgraded wheels. New tires. 
New performance wheels. New timing belt. New water pump. New hoses. 
New speakers. New thermostat. New cap/rotor. New valve covers & gaskets. 
Most other engine parts are new as well. Too many other new parts to remember!
Custom carbon fiber intake cover. 
Freshly painted, minus hood & trunk lid. 
Zero Rust. 

Clear title. Car has never been involved in an accident. 
Always stored inside. Same owner for over 13 years, 3 owners since it was new. 

Open to Porsche 911/930 performance parts, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Citroen, or Lotus parts as trade/partial trade. 

All manuals & tools, factory service books & CDs.

1991 Alfa Romeo 164 S project car red engine carbon fiber intake
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The ever-important timing belt and water pump service tasks are checked off for the 10:1 compression ratio V6. All four corners have new shocks, which are becoming more difficult to source for 164s these days. Sport springs can sometimes be a bit stiff on the 164, but the poly bushings should serve to tighten things up to a more agreeable degree. If the paint checks out, this car stands to present very well once pieced together. And if it doesn't, we'd recommend just repainting everything when finishing up the paint work on the hood and trunk lid. Finally, the interior, though not original, is classy enough to keep in theme with the original.

We've been guilty of biting off too much at one time in past projects, so we really like the realistic scope of this project. Finish up the paint, get everything all bolted up, and enjoy. Swap out the ronal wheels for something closer to your taste, if necessary, and decide on whether or whether not you'll run the S-spec rear spoiler. And when you're done, you'll have a clean 164 S without outstanding mechanical needs. And a parts car. And a lot of money leftover. Not bad!

-Graham

1991 Alfa Romeo 164S

Let's see this Alfa Romeo sports sedan theme through; spoiler alert: tomorrow's post is going to be a modern Giulia.

The 164 breaks with Alfa's tradition of basing its sports sedans on its sports cars.  The internet at large will be quick to point out that the 164 shares DNA with the Saab 9000, Fiat Chroma, and Lancia Thema, and it does share much of the floorpan with those sedans.  But, having owned two 164s, I can tell you that they share shockingly few components with that trio.  At first glance, it's not a very appealing Alfa sports sedan - shared platform, and FWD at that.  Drive one, though, and you'll quickly understand.

The 164 doesn't weigh as much as you might expect.  Combine the relative light weight with excellent steering feel, a comfortable and controlled ride, and a torquey V6, and the car really excels at daily driver duty.  In S guise, the V6 makes 200hp, thanks to the vaunted S cams, a bump in compression ration.  Piston cooling jets, a water to oil engine oil cooler, and a bumped-up oil pump curve ensure durability at the increased power level.

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Year: 1991
Model: Alfa Romeo 164S
Engine: 3.0L V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 134,363km
Price: auction

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The Alfa Romeo 164 is a four-door executive saloon that was manufactured by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo from 1987 to 1998 and designed by Pininfarina.

Alfa brought the 164 to American shores in 1991, and all of those cars were equipped with the beautiful 3.0-liter motor. This engine, with its exposed intake tubing, was as satisfying to drive as it was to look at and in SOHC 12-valve form was rated at 183 horsepower in the base and “L” versions and 200 horsepower in the “S” cars.

1991 Alfa Romeo 164S. The exterior is White with a Black interior. 5 Speed manual transmission. 134,363 km. V-6 Engine. FWD. Sunroof. Options include power windows, power mirrors, power seats, heated seats, air conditioning. In showroom condition.

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CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS: 1991 Alfa Romeo 164S

The mileage and perceived condition of this example are desirable.  Missing is any record of engine and suspension service.  The electronic shock absorbers and their bearings are difficult to source, if broken.  The engines are robust, but it never hurts to reiterate that timing belt service must be kept up on.  In general, these cars are outside of their design lifetime in age, if not mileage, so elastomeric components will be worn out - belts, hoses, seals, suspension bushings.  It's nice to see a record of what has been replaced.

Having only dredged the bottom of craigslist for 164s, the price of this one is a bit rich for my blood.  That said, the 164S is sort of favored to the 164Q for those who want similar performance, but can't stomach the service requirements of the 24V Busso of the 164Q.  At this price, I have a feeling that an outsider to the Alfa world will make a foray into Alfa ownership.  With this particular car, they will more than likely emerge unscathed.

-Graham

1993 Alfa Romeo 164L

Talk about a rare occurrence: the opportunity to buy a 164 from the notable AlfaBB member and AROC 164 tech expert, Alfisto Steve!  Those of us who have been fortunate enough to own a 164 can probably recall Alfisto Steve fielding one of their 164 questions at some point on the AlfaBB.  And, we on the AlfaBB appreciate his succinct 164 updates in the What did you do Alfa related? thread.

Based on the information provide in the listing, it appears that Alfisto Steve has been familiar with the car for quite some time now - first when it was owned by a friend in Florida, and since 2004 when a friend in VA brought it up to Alfisto Steve's area.  Alfisto Steve even went through the car back in 2004, after it made the trip from FL to VA.  Check out the AlfaBB thread for BB4, as the car is known, here: BB4 on AlfaBB

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Year: 1993
Model: Alfa Romeo
Engine: 3.0L V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage:  229,00 mi
Price: $2,800

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1993 Alfa Romeo 164

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1993 Alfa Romeo 164L w/5-speed

My rehabbed 1993 164L is currently insured, tagged and with VA state inspection valid until May

2019. I have owned this 164 since March 2016 but I have known of this car and the three previous owners since 1996. I have many of PO’s service records. My old JAX, FL friend David bought it out of a lease sale in 1996, He had transmission replaced during his ownership. He sold to Joel in Orlando and my friend Michael who gave me the car in 2016 bought it in 2004 from Joel. It ended up in my garage in Feb 2004 for the first freshening up after he drove it up from FL to VA. So Michael and family had it 12 years.

I went through the complete car in 2016-2017 and put it back on the road in May 2017. I have a 5 page story board on my Alfisto Steve BB4 rehab process in the 164 section of the alfabb website. The car is now known as my BLACK BEAUTY IV (BB4).

Once I replaced a bad Bosch motronic engine ECU (computer), it returned to life and has been moving forward towards its current daily driver status in my stable along with my other black beauties - 91 BB1 164L automatic and 91 BB2 my 164S.

The complete interior sans re-dyed carpet has been replaced including all window regulators and necessary switches. It now has a later 1995 164 steering wheel an air bag.

The car was repainted all black in 2017. While not a concours paint job, it shows well. Hood was replaced before paint job.

The car has 5 newly painted 164S wheels with 205-65-15 tires.

The engine got new timing belt and tensioner in 2017 along with refaced flywheel and new clutch.

The fuel system has had cleaned and tested fuel injectors installed , fuel tank pump, hoses, check valve and filters replaced.

The A/C system has had condenser, compressor, evaporator, expansion valve and receiver dryer replaced and has been converted to R134a. It blows reasonably cold for a 164 model considering how the black paint soaks up the sun. I keep it in the garage which helps when starting off driving on a hot summer day.

The radiator, cooling fan, heater core, blower motor and cabin air filter have been replaced. It has PEX shut off valve to further isolate heater core heat from a/c in summertime to aid the a/c cooling.

The brake rotors, brake pads and some of the brake lines have been replaced as needed.

The front springs, struts, lower bearings, bump stops and boots have been replaced.

It has low mileage cat convertor new O2 sensor, new 164L mid muffler and Cisam 164S rear muffler.

It has the Euro Facelift Bosch H1 projector headlight upgrade which makes a whale of a difference for night time driving.

The odometer in the speedometer cluster failed shortly after I got car running and it has been replaced with a lower mileage unit with working trip odometer. Chassis mileage approximately 229K odometer currently 126377.

The sun roof still needs some work to be fully operational. It opens up and down fine but does not retract well. I never use it as I like to use air conditioning too much.

I am downsizing my Alfa collection as I am moving to Florida, so only keeping my 164S in FL (new house rules). My daughter is getting back my 164L w/AT to drive here in VA, henceforth the reason for the sale of this spare 93L.

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Alfisto Steve sometimes gently points out the fact that he is a retired Navy aircraft mechanic.  His experience repairing complex machinery is abundantly clear in the way that he maintains his Italian landcraft.  Since taking possession of this black 164, he has managed to address issues with all of the major systems.  Notably, he's completed the following:

  1. Installed Bosch projector headlights
  2.  A/c system converted, replaced condenser, compressor, evaporator, expansion valve and receiver dryer
  3. Replaced radiator and cooling fan
  4. Replaced timing belt and tensioner
  5. Replaced clutch and refaced flywheel
  6. Replaced front struts
  7. Replaced cat, center and rear mufflers
  8. Replaced brake master cylinder and some brake lines
  9. Replaced fuel pump and rubber parts inside tank, fuel injectors and fuel hoses.
  10. Repaired window system wiring, three window regulators and broken door handle
  11. replaced headliner, seats and dyed carpet
  12. Installed 5 nearly new matching tires on freshly painted 164S wheels
  13. Repainted exterior all black

While this is not the freshest 164 in terms of mileage, nor is it necessarily the most original, with its painted black lower trim and S style wheels, we have no qualms in recommending this example to anyone looking to buy their first, or second, or possibly tenth Alfa.  Condition, mechanical and cosmetic, is far above what most examples present at this price.  And, the Bosch projector headlamps, 164 S wheels, and the twin tip S style rear muffler are welcome modifications.  Take a look at his custom plate, and then ask yourself, "ALFA 4ME"?

-Graham