fred
Posted a lot
WTF has happened to all the Vennies?
Posts: 2,957
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Reading your comments I think your heart is already set on the Alfa I would go where your heart is needing Get the Alfa, Cortina is a gem, but like some have said, been there done that time for a change ;D
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Last Edit: May 1, 2013 6:27:01 GMT by fred
'79 Cossie ran Cortina - Sold
2000 Fozzer 2.0 turbo snow beast
'85 Opel Manta GSI - Sold
03 A class Mercedes
Looking for a FD Ventora - Anyone?
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AB car pix
Posted a lot
Car mag' snapper
Posts: 1,337
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All mods are illegal in France?! That's just plain ridiculous! No way around it?!?!
As for the decision, go get one! ;D
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1979 Chrysler Horizon 1.3 GL 1980 Ford Granada 2.8 Ghia 1985 Ford Sierra 3dr 1985 Ford Escort Mk3 1988 Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth 1989 Ford Escort 1.3 Popular 1995 Volvo 960 1996 BMW 525i 1998 BMW 323i 1999 BMW 530d 2003 BMW 530i . www.facebook.com/ABCARPIX
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Check Alfaholics - they have cars for sale too. True, but they're kinda pricey! You get what you pay for of course, Alfaholics are awesome. But you're probably better off looking where you already are.
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Bioshock
Posted a lot
It aint hip to be square.
Posts: 1,861
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Alfa. Much as I love the Mk1, I like the Guilia a lot more
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Almera GTI = ugly bird who turns out to be great in the sack = Win
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79cord
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,615
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Father had a Giulia Super 1600 when new & loved it; cruising around @ 100mph regularly in the '60's (after terrifying a salesman test driving a Ford Falcon). Sold it after mum managed to damage both frt & rear in a roundabout (she had a somewhat tinny Cortina 1200 before that). Later bought a new '74 Golf that he found incredibly harsh riding & twitchy despite having similar wheelbase. Still remembers the close pedals/ distant steering wheel so you may want a deeply dished wheel. & was told a story by an ex-Alfa service mechanic of a customer asking about blocking off the top gears having been unable to keep up with his mother driving one. Though he has since bought a '65 GT Veloce coupe with a dubious history that still doesn't drive happily after many years trying. Not an easy choice having to let go of a car you know for one you don't though.
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I'm a mk1 cortina man through and through,but its nice for a change and that alfa (white one you picutred) loookkss gorgeous , hard decision . can always put better suspension on the cortina (gaz coilovers) and wider wheels better tyres ,escort brakes and you have a neat handling mk1. but sometimes you got to move on and sell up-ive been there and usually when you do its for the better
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,256
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Giulia or Cortina? ChasR
@chasr
Club Retro Rides Member 170
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Did you guys miss the part where he said that modofying your car in France is outlawed? .
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Has to be the Alfa! Ever since the Italian Job, I've lusted after a decent 60's one.
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Bioshock
Posted a lot
It aint hip to be square.
Posts: 1,861
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I've seen hundreds of modded French cars. Are all of these illegal? Also what about French registered Rally Cars, they have to be road legal, yet are modded beyond belief
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Almera GTI = ugly bird who turns out to be great in the sack = Win
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Did you guys miss the part where he said that modofying your car in France is outlawed? . doh.
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Do you have the option to buy an Alfa without selling the Cortina straight away? The least risky option is to own the 2 side by side to help you make your mind up. Sorted....
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,880
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I was also very close to buying an Alfa 105 earlier this year, and in a similar situation of looking for a classic to daily drive (24,000 miles a year or so) and did lots of research on the subject. Whilst I was looking at the 105 coupe, lots of it crosses over. The 105 Alfas are very useably every day, with a minimum of 90hp, an overbuilt cooling system, 4 wheel servo assisted disk brakes and a 5 speed all synchro gear box they will sit with any modern traffic quite happily. The 105s have got such a strong following that parts are surprisingly easy to come by and can be quite reasonably priced. If you're going to be doing the work yourself, I wouldn't expect it to cost any more than the Ford to run. You will find most 105 owners have got money and so think nothing of sending it to somewhere like Alfaholics to have the suspension overhauled for a heafty 4 figure sum, and I think this attitude is what gives the impression that they're costly to run. On that note if you buy an Alfa and want to join the clubs prepare for grey hair and beige slacks.... Nice enough people, just can kinda feel a bit out of place as a 20 somthing! That said, you're unlikely to find one to buy that'd currently being used as a daily driver, and so the first few months of pressing it into heavier surface is likely to show up problems that the 'take it out once a month on a sunny sunday' owner wouldn't have faced for a year or two. Those first couple of months can be quite trying, especially when you know you've sold a car that you've spent years perfecting, takes some will power to keep going and come out the other side.... Once you get through this they should be as reliable as any other old car. It's all fairly simple stuff, twin Weber 40s, normal distributer ignition, live axel at the back etc. Thinking of the spec, I'm sure you're aware that numerous updates happened over the years, one of the big ones is the swap from the single circuit Dunlop disk brakes of the early cars to the dual circuit ATE system in the later cars. The later brakes not only stop you better but require less maintenance from what I was told. On the engine front, I can tell you the 90hp 1.3 is a wonderful engine. Like my 90hp 1.3 Lancia engine it sings through the gears, up to the redline in no time at all and is really fun to drive. Compared to 48hp it's gonna feel wild! But it's worth nothing that it is still only a 1.3, and to make that 90hp peak torque is quite a way up the rev range. They are engines that need to be driven the Italian way, revved like mad! It probably wont feel much faster than your current engine till you get past 3.5/4k. The 1.6 has noticeably more bottom end and midrange grunt making for a more relaxed drive. Whether its a problem kinda down to your engine preferences, personally I like the revvy 1.3 Alfa rust is no different to Fiat rust, Lancia rust (or Ford rust for that matter) and repair panels are available easily. That said they can be pricey so as with most cars this age it's generally advisable to buy on shell condition over everything else! On the point of modifications, I wouldn't be worried Every car I've owned I've always instantly thought needed modifcations. I'd be planning the mods before I'd bought the car. Then I test drove an Alfa 105, I'd just stepped out of my Rx7 with heaps of mods, and I was blown away. I distinctly remember thinking ' this is standard and I don't want to change anything'. That may have been an over statement, I mean a nice set of wheels and subtle drop and nice Nardi steering wheel does wonders for the 105 coupes, but the point was nothing needed modifying for the car to be enjoyable to own and drive. You mention the special feeling, a Guilia will certainly give you that every time you cast your eyes across the dash, with those two huge dials and the wood trim and all the little chrome details. It is a nice place to be. So yeah, buying an Italian 60s designed, 70s constructed sports coupe/saloon good plan, do it. ;D But does it have to be a Guilia Saloon? Guilia Saloons are cool, don't get me wrong just wondering if you've considered all options? If you need 4 doors then ignore me here, but if you're only looking at the Saloon because the Coupes sell for too much, then have you considered a Spider? s2 kamm tailed spiders ('72 onwards) are still very pretty and essentially the same car underneath and don't command Coupe money. Also sunny day, roof down, classic Alfa spider, takes some beating I think it's also worth mentioning that as I said before I almost bought a Alfa Guilia Coupe. I was swayed by the Lancia in the end. The Fulvia is everything that the 105 is in so many ways. It's still a 90hp twin cam 8v 1.3, its still 5 speed gearbox, it's 4 wheel disk brakes ( 4 pot callipers up front no less) and importantly it has all of the special feeling that the Alfa has with a little extra Lancia quirkyness. One of the biggest draws though was that, excluding the HF models, the Fulvia's are half the cost of the 105s to buy. Downsides are FWD, though if you've not driven one it's like no other FWD, and parts availability is worse, though there are a few specialists who can get most bits if you need them. Fulvia Coupes can be had for Guilia Saloon money, but really are 2 seaters. If you do need the 4 doors 4 proper seats then Fulvia Berlina s2 (you want the s2 for the best engine/brakes combo) go for peanuts, maybe not quite as pretty as the Guilia, but much much cheaper and just as fun to drive. Saw one with T&T but needing a little TLC go for £2500 on eBay few weeks back... This looks tidy www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C379037
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unitybonez
Part of things
Blowing Pintos
Posts: 870
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Did you guys miss the part where he said that modofying your car in France is outlawed? . Not anymore than in the rest of europe but that doesnt seem to stop people from doin it. Of course its a risk, which i know too well about, but it is what it is. You want a kool car, you take the risk. As for the original question i sure love the Giulia, specially the first one you posted with the "pentagram" rims, but i bet that with the money needed to buy one you could turn the 'tina into a nice street machine.
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Sent from my ouiji board.
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Clement
Europe
ambitious but rubbish
Posts: 2,095
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unitybonez> I'm not messing with insurance, sorry. I was going to, but thinking about it, it's not worth it. Rally cars usually are Goup N cars, which are homologated in their own right. Other unhomologated modifications are outlawed. Plus don't forget I have a 1200cc Deluxe, which is pretty much the worst base for a 'street-machine'. Drum brakes all-round, 3 main-bearing engine, light-duty suspension, etc. I'd really have to go the whole way to make it as sporty as a Giulia! goldnrust> When I first got into old cars a few years ago, there was this magazine that was advising the best 100 cars to buy as a first classic car. Of these I fell instantly in love with two : the Fulvia coupé and the Giulia sedan. I have nothing against a spider or a Bertone, it's just that the sedan is incredibly appealing to me. I love the idea of a four-seater with a big boot, and there's a huge amount of quirky little details on what seems to be a boxy saloon! For example I love that line, that starts above the headlight and ends at the base of the windscreen: That said, the Fulvia coupé is outstanding as well, but sorry to be young and foolish, but I want rear-wheel-drive ;D alolympic> Having the two cars at the same time is not really a money problem, it's more about me not wanting to have to maintain, insure & garage two cars that have essentially the same use I love these stories about old Alfas, keep 'em coming! I don't mind having to sort out niggles on a newly-daily-driven car, when I bought the Cortina it hadn't been properly used for 16 years... It helps knowing the car, and makes it your own more than any administrative paper can
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,880
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That fair enough. It's cool that you've not been blinkered to just one option. It sounds like the Giulia is the car for you then Make it happen! It does appear the Giulia can go sideways if that's your thing Also....
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Last Edit: May 2, 2013 12:01:35 GMT by goldnrust
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Clement
Europe
ambitious but rubbish
Posts: 2,095
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I kinda have the opposite problem: there aren't many cars that I don't like, even car 'styles' or eras. Some I just love more than others By the way, the Fulvia is one of the very few FWD cars that I like because they are FWD. Back then it was the future, technological and advanced! Reading your thread, it's undoubtedly best that I keep practising working on cars because of this, I'm not ready for that just yet.
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unitybonez
Part of things
Blowing Pintos
Posts: 870
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I'm saying this just for the sake of it and I'm definitley not trying to convince you, but the point is that if you put a 2.0 liter pinto in there nobody is gonna know but you, it still has a carb, a dizzy and its a proper retro engine. Of course if you want a DOHC or a ZTEC things are diffrent and would be obvious, but a pinto is the perfect solution IMO. In stock form will be a big inprovement already. Unless its fcuked up like mine that is LOL
As for the brakes many cars of the era had discs up front, and I'm sure there are conversion kits for the MKI, and again, who is goin to know? Its not like you are puttin giant fiesta body kits on a classic or moddin it in such a way that its obvious, you are just inproving it, and with retro parts too.
As for the insurance bit i don't see how they are goin to know. But hey, whatever makes you happy as i said.
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Sent from my ouiji board.
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,880
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Yeah, like yourself there are few FWD cars I can get excited about and the Fulvia is one of them. I did miss RWD, but after a couple of weeks I kinda forgot about it. Realistically with 90hp I don't often break traction in the Fulvia enough to be reminded of it and pushing on round bends the Fulvia seems to 4 wheels drift rather than understeer. I know this is a coupe not saloon, but this is the 1300 engine, just listen to how it screams That should be enough of a reason to get one!
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Clement
Europe
ambitious but rubbish
Posts: 2,095
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unitybonez : if there's a problem (ie someone gets hurt), they'll send an expert. And it won't take much more than someone who can read numbers on an engine to tell the block isn't the one the car left the factory with. And they won't care about anything else! I don't want to spend my life paying for that, when there's a readily-available legal solution consisting in an Alfa Romeo ;D
goldnrust> I'm at work but I'll watch that after work, I'm all giddy already!
I've advertised the car on the Cortina club's forum. We'll see how things pan out, I'll put up a 'for sale' ad here in a while.
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Last Edit: May 7, 2013 10:27:50 GMT by Clement
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another ford fan here but i'd say it's time for you to go alfa too - they are sweet!
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