I used to own an alfasud back in the day, great to drive but things would literally fall off it as you were driving along, and when it rained you could hear the rust forming. I'm sure it was dissolving on its own. I still smile when I think about it though, can't say that about many cars. Nice vlog Freddie. Atb
@@brianglendenning1632 totally agree with this Brian, spot on. Can't remember what year mine was, but it had a boot, not a hatchback, so an early one I think. The driving position was awful, the pedals were offset, the gearbox had a mind of its own. Everytime I hoovered it out, random bits of interior would shoot up the vacuum tube, trim clips, screws, bits of plastic etc etc. Despite all this, I miss it, it had a lovely exaust note, and it handled well. Characterful I think is the word. Ironically, it never actually broke down, but it always felt like it was about to...atb
@@stuckintheeighties487 sounds like an Alfasud with the little boot but looked like a hatchback. Handbrake rarely worked (perhaps just mine - previous owner had fitted Brembo or something similar), lights/wipers would operate according to their own wishes at times, door locks would play up. Sounded great. Despite all the faults I loved it - bought a new Corolla (needed reliability and air conditioner) and despite it being a vastly better built and designed car it was not as much fun to drive. Set of RE91 (been a while…really soft tyres) and it was insane around corners.
I still have one!! 1982 1.5 Sprint Veloce - Rosso. I've had her for 38 years, only the second car I bought and I fell in love She still comes out on National Alfa days and sunny weekends - a joy to drive and she gets lots of admiring looks
The only car I firmly remember in my childhood was my dad's Alfa Sprint Veloce. I truly believe it is the car that sparked my passion for cars. Loved the video, thanks for taking me down the road of nostalgia.
It’s truly inspiring to see a younger gentleman appreciate the older Alfa Romeo’s (Alfasud) from the late seventies. It’s a timeless design that’s still relevant and much sought piece of automotive history despite its flaws. Great tasteful presentation.
I've been watching your videos for awhile now, but I figured an Alfa Romeo video was a good sign that I should comment for once. I absolutely love your channel, I have yet to see a video I didn't thoroughly enjoy. There's something about the balance of doing reviews and being entertaining that you seem to nail in an effortlessly cool flow. I love the road-trip vibe of most of your videos. It really helps that I'm a huge Triumph, Moto Guzzi, and Alfa Romeo fan. I have an Alfa Romeo GTV6, a '73 Triumph Tiger, and a new Fiat 500 as my daily driver. Are we related?
Nel corso degli anni di produzione la protezione della carrozzeria dell' Alfasud e della Sprint sono migliorate fino ad allinearsi con le caratteristiche delle altre vetture prodotte all'epoca. Anche le Volkswagen dell'epoca avevano problemi di ruggine! Comunque concordo, una bellissima automobile dell'epoca!!
When I was younger, my elder brother used to drop me to school in these. In the early 80’s he had a blue 1979 1.3. In the mid 80’s he moved to a 1.5 Green Cloverleaf in white. He later migrated to GTV’s and GTV6’s. The bug stayed with me. I’ve owned over 40 Alfas now including a 33 QV, a 164 24v QV, lots of 916 GTV’s including the GT V6, lots of 916 Spiders, a GT, a number of 147’s, lots of 156’s including a GTA, lots of 166’s including a 3.0 Super Lusso and TS facelifts. I still have an 89 75 3.0 V6 Veloce and a pair of 1994 164 QV’s (white and red); the red has the super rare optional electric Recaros. They do get under your skin! My favourite? The facelift 166 2.0 TS Ti. I loved that car, not much power but just a thoroughly well built Alfa. Bellissimo
excellent video, I drove my slightly newer series 3 Sprint Green Cloverleaf only yesterday and can attest to all your comments.... it doesn't handle like a 39 year old car.... but yes the brakes aren't up to modern standards. but still love it... owned for 29 years and counting. the Russian steel thing is a urban legend as far as I have researched, the rust was more as you said, poor rust proofing, and apathy from the workers...cheers Peter
It wasn't Russian steel but cheap Italian steel . Unpainted body shells were left outside while the workers were either on strike or taking time off to attend to the harvest on their family farms. However almost all cars of whatever make in the 1970's rusted badly, even the supposedly wonderful MK1 VW Golf.
@@philhawley1219 yes Phil, as I said, I don't believe the Russian steel legend.... as you say, all cars from that era rusted, the italians were possibly worse but I would say by the 80s they had got some control of it..... my 83 car still exists and has 120k on the clock...so hasn't lived indoors all its life.
And poor paint quality due to the restrictions on many markets to use water based paints. Remember all brands had issues that time, and remember Mercedes that had those problems All the way through the 1990s.
Mine was a 1981 1.7 Sprint Veloce , white color. Bought it in Santiago de Chile , No Rust issues ever , just a lovingly beautiful Italian practical Sport car. My little boys loved it !
I had 2, back to back, a 1986 1,5 QV and 1988 1,3 Still consider them probably the best compact car ever made. I drove them for years, only hard and they were indestructable. The handeling and what you coud do with them was off the chart. Weak fan and heating in heavy winter ment I had to put a blanket over my legs but the way these drove was just unlike anyting else. Both my cars are still around. Such memories. Thinking of getting one again. By the way, they were not built with russian steel. The largest steel factory in Europe is right next door to Alfa’s South plant. And both were state owned so the made up story of using russian steel is just silly. The steel is Italian and there was nothing wrong with it. The issue was that the local workers use to occasionally leave the bodies unprimed and unpainted to just sit and oxidize and then just paint them over when they got back to it. Neither of mine had any issues with rust and we do salt our roads in winters. I also spend months each year on the seaside with salty air.
Absolutely brilliant, it took me back to the 90s when one of my college mates had a metallic green AlfaSud. I seem to remember it was always leaking when it rained but to me it was something different to see and the one you were driving looked fantastic. I've only ever owned 1 Alfa and the driving experience is one of the best. Thanks for the content guys, always on point!..
Daz, most people only ever own one, and there's a reason for that....but, like Clarkson said, you're not a petrolhead if you haven't owned one. Respect. Atb
Such a perfect video! Flawed masterpiece is the perfect description of the Alfa Romeo brand. My first Alfa was a 1967. In later years they shortened the name to GTV but mine was called the Giulia Sprint Gran Turismo Veloce. It was 9 years old in California and did have some rust and a crumbling interior, but what a joy to drive! I unwittingly outran the police on several occasions. I only found out later when a coworker told me that they knew where I worked and had been trying to catch me in their overweight, bad handling American police cruiser. 😄 They never did catch me.
The magic continues guys. My brother (the elder of course) introduced me to Alfas..Alfasud..then GTV..there was nothing like them. They were all a pain in the arse. But when they were sweet, well, they were brilliant. Thanks for the vid guys. All of your content is fun, entertaining, and beautiful to look at at. Magic.
They used to be known as "collectors cars" as you drove down the road then went back to collect pieces that had fallen off! But I have had many and they were amazing cars to drive, pure fun!
Must have been a European thing. Mine lasted 10 years without rust except for around the rear window which I fixed and made it so it couldn't rust again.
@@baird55aus the 70's cars rusted like crazy, it became better around the 80's till the end. Mine is from 83, from the moutains, so it has known salty roads, and the rust is only on the rear fenders and windows seals. i should have it completely treated one day
Back in the 80's there were anothers cars brands that had rusth issues like Toyota, Fiat, Seat. I remember Toyotas Corolla, carina etc all of them tended to rusth very quikly, even Mercedes had that kind of problems in that times. It was a common issue for those times where manufactures began to reduce the thickness of the body material
That car is absolutely stunning. Another great video Freddie. Watching you 'smelling' the car reminded me of when I went to Classic Car Journey in Ambergate and just kept smelling all the old cars
Freddie, this is a fantastic review of a car that I was fortunate enough to own back in 1978/9, reg CLK 827T. Bought new from Alfa Romeo Edgware road (the importers back then) and it was one of the best handling cars I have ever owned before or since. A total joy to drive for a young chap at that time, and the sound was fantastic. However... during the course of just one year, the gearbox failed and was replaced under warranty three times, and (wait for it), it also had to have its engine replaced twice, again all under warranty. The service department at Alfa sadly got to know me very well. After one too many very late return trips to Edgware Road on the back of an AA Relay truck, I wrote in the dirt on the car some very caustic comments, which would be seen as VERY non PC these days. Needless to say they washed it all off before too many customers turned up next morning... Whatever else, it really was a lovely car to drive, and despite the issues I can still remember the pleasure I got from driving it late at night, unreasonably fast on the country roads of West Sussex, listening to a cassette of Supertramp, Crime of the Century... Got my first ever ticket in it, 58 in a 30 mph village (suitably called Cocking) at 03:03 am (can you believe it?) back in the days when the police were out at that time of night. Oh the Joys and follies of youth, what a lucky and spoilt young man I was. Love your VLogs by the way, am a great fan. BTW, if you ever fancy test riding a 1977 Triumph T160 that I have owned from new, let me know...
Hi Freddie. I had a bright Orange 1.5 Sprint Veloce with check material on the seats and a black plastic louvre on the back window. It was probably the coolest I’ve ever been. Thanks for the work you put into the channel. It’s very much appreciated.
I loved this video, as always you both put all your talent in it and the sunset could not be a better complement at the end.. I'm so happy of telling you about the car, you made a masterpiece, thanks very much to Monica and Freddie
Muchos gracias, Andres!🙂 Thank you so much for lending me your beautiful Alfa. We loved it so much, Monika wants to buy one!😍🚗 Delighted you’re happy with the video
Hi, When cars were cars ,REAL STYLE , men were men and it do need power steering ,just do not have one in the UK, unless you have room in your lounge . They also had a clover leaf version all with boxer engines . The T 42 steel from the tanks was sold to raise money for a Coka Cola or Pepsi factory in Russia . BMC in the UK made cars and vans with it and after 3 years you had a perfect sugar sifter with holes in the roof . Honda also used it on early Civics P reg . How many classics can you find, drive, car or bike , in your remaining days out there ? Another amazing video once again , thanks Freddie and Monika, your a joy to watch . Take care and find the classics .🤩
But the Russian steel was NOT used in the Alfasud. The steel came from the new steel mills in Taranto, same as used for the Alfa factory in Milan. The Russian steel myth was an invention of the British press a long time ago and has been repeated so many times it is now accepted as fact. The whole stor is in my book 'Alfasud - The Complete Story' with all of the official sources quoted.
@@chrismartin9421 The steel might have been made there, but what went in to it? as Lancia and Fiat rusted out around the same time, quicker than you could drive down the road . Got to agree Alfa and Lancia were great cars,, but AFTER TWO Lancia, s around that time, just had to go LOTUS . No rust .
It's just sooo good ! You are literally for me the Tourism Ambassador for Tenerife at this point... It's an amazing channel and i hope it keeps growing !
Thanks Freddie. Grew up in the muscle car era stateside, and had never heard of Alfa Romeo until the movie “the graduate”. New car smell (overused) , old car smell, classic! Well done.
I've owned two of these in the UK back in the day. One was a very early model 1.5 Sprint in orange, which didn't have a massive rust issue. I sold it for good money a couple of years later. Then a few years after that I bought a much newer one, a 1.5 Green Cloverleaf in white (plastic bumper model), which literally rusted to bits within a couple of years. Broke my heart! Amazing cars.
love your passion for these cars Freddie. The panel alignment on the Sprint just shows what a quality build.that car was. They most definitely don't make them like they used to.
Amazing. I used to have a later model 1984 quadrifoglio verde. Had my fair share of the problems with it but it still has a warm feeling in my heart even though I sold it some 30 years ago. Of course, I had to respray it after just 10 years, and sometimes in the morning, it wouldn't budge so I had to go to work in my spare car but I loved every minute of driving in the afternoon when it started like nothing happened in the morning.
Bought one, 2 year old in 1981. Sills were rusted. But, by God, was it fantastic to drive. One of the best handling cars, I’ve ever owned. More and more twisties please, it begged!
What a nice video Freddie and Monica. That car, a little more modern, '84, was owned by my school teacher and to get honors, she invited the top 10 of the class to an ice cream and took us in her car. Wow, what memories.... That unit is spectacular. Driving along the roads of the north of Tenerife, at sunset listening to Fleetwood Mac on cassette and parking in El Mirador to have a barraquito....then I woke up😂😂😂
That took me back. I owned an Sud 1.5 ti. Never was 105 bhp more enjoyable. Superb handling and ridiculously quick for its size. Every car manufacturer's development department had a couple of Suds to compare against their new models. A great car with shockingly poor quality. My car failed its 3rd MOT due to serious structural corrosion.
I had a black alfasud 1.5ti 30 years ago. Absolutely loved it. Still remember razzing around in it. Had holes and filler all over it. The flat four revved forever. Unfortunately the engine blew up on the motorway dumping oil over the brake discs. Very sad day.
Yes, a lovely car. This summer I started to renovate my Alfasud QO 1983, that I bought together with an extra engine six years ago for 650£. Ok, the breakes were out of function and the furl pump too. And there are rust in one door and one back wheel house and in the bonnet floor. I do go over everything, have almost finished the right side of the car and repaired the break system. It's fairly ok in the metal, despite the orgine here in salty Sweden. I'm so much looking forward to have it on the road again. And in the spring I will have the exterior repainted original Ivory, and then wrap it in foil , probably red. I need to have foil, not due to salty weather, but to stop all the stone shot from all gravel on Swedish roads. Its going to be a gem to drive.
Superb video Freddie, well produced, with a great narrative and attention to all details, we almost get the smell of the interior of the Alfa. In Portugal you can find a couple of those in good condition. You are welcome to visit and drive. Thank you for sharing.
Great video. I uses to own one for a few years and it would still be one of my favourites. Responsive and really engaging for sure. The only one that was better was my 156 gta. I had to sell the sprint due to crippling monthly repair bills, but despite that would love to have another.🙂
Classy car and so rare now in the UK. That diagonal stitching on the door cards has been carried through into the later 916 and the slight growl reminds me a little of my 2.0 JTS GTV. Bellissimo!
My best friend at secondary school had the use of exactly this model car, it was his mother's, we used to take it down skiing and on the open road it was a great car, surprising amount of torque and power if you revved it, handled really well and it really is all you need in a car, it had some weird mechanical details such as inboard front discs, the handbrake operated the front brakes , but it was fairly easy to work on and I would drive 1 today if you could find 1 in good cond...
Brings back memories of me being 19 years old in 1989 and owning a sprint. Loved it until it rotted away. One of my favourite cars over the years, of owning over 45 cars....
Pure wonderfulness and a lovely video - a classic Freddie and thanks for paying attention for good audio; it makes a huge difference. Thanks also to Monica for good filming too. OK, any car with four headlights is a winner.. Next challenge - find a 131 Supermirafiori to review. Should never have sold mine - big mistake, but it was orange, had biodegradable wiring and door panels that changed molecular content by the second - I kept Halfords paint dept and Ku-Rust employed for years…. Y’know, cars aren’t make like they used to be..
I owned a silver Sprint 1.5 later version with the plastic bumpers and door inlays. What a car. Didn't like hot Australian weather and had an occasional alarming tendency to cut out while idling to turn in the middle of an intersection as a result of vapor lock due to the fuel line running just under the hot metal bonnet. Another magic Alfa moment was when I once pulled into a service station that had a slightly inclining car park. I came to a stand-still. pulled up the handbrake (hard) and went in to buy something in the shop. I came back out to my car but it was gone! I looked down the sloping entry car park to see two burly blokes straining at the back of the vehicle only just having saved it from rolling backwards out across the busy main road and into a set of shops opposite! From that day forward I carried a brick "tyre wedge" in the car to compensate just in case, for the historically bad hand brake lol. When it ran badly it was a shocker but when it ran well, it was a young man's four wheel dream! Fondest memories thanks for the video.
Such a pity. Alfasuds really took off in the UK and were everywhere in the 70s. They could have been the saviour of Alfa Romeo instead of its death knell. Great video Freddie.
Actually, there were a few cars with similar styling. The VW Scirocco was famously also styled by Guigario, but there's also the Toyota Corolla SR5. These three cars shared almost the exact side profile. I have very fond memories of racing around Barbados in the early '90's in one of those. And later I owned one in Trinidad. Not quite as sonorous as the 'Sud but so much fun! The SR5 only came with rectangular headlights, but early models of that generation of corolla had 4 round headlights that can be bolted onto the SR5. So an Alfasud knockoff can fairly easily be done. As a precursor of the coveted AE86, the 4AGE engine and well tuned suspension are both available to develop a fabulous '80's runabout, or even a daily driver in the same vein as the Sud.
Used to have exactly same car only in red.....changed steering wheel for a time period wooden one....absolutely loved it ....stripped and rebuilt engine then sold it on when m o t failed....pockets only so deep at that time....would love to have one again but rare as hens teeth and commanding serious money .....at under 100hp but lightweight they sure did shift in the day aswell
I had eleven Alfasuds from a 1973 1200 4 door via the Ti, Sprint, 1500's and a late one. Some were rusty, some were ok and I never had a single electrical drama on any. 30 years asfter the last was sold, there are few if any cars that I retain such affection for.
It does look a bit Delorean-ish from the side actually! Great video Freddie, loved it! Hats off to Monika too for the filming and editing, the music was totally on point 👌🏻
Fantastic example of the Sprint you have there I had three here in South Africa, the last been the series 3. Fantastic cars. Not one of them rusted at all. Alfa had a factory in South Africa and I wonder if they were built here thus no rust. Now going to try find out which model's were bult here.
Allmost had me in tears...my 2nd Alfa Romeo Such a beautiful awesome car.Sold mine to my neighbour.Only proof that I had one is the chest freezer that I bought with part of that money.
I don't know what it is about you Freddie, but you could honestly talk about the dynamics of drying paint, and your enthusiasm and willingness to learn would make it the most interesting documentary. Keep it up guys 💪
I've had quite a few Alfas from a 72 Giulia 1600 Super to a 155 Silverstone with plenty of 33s and a Boxer 145 in there too. The 33 was the larger successor to the Sud and they are superb drivers cars. I had some 1700s including sport wagons, but the 1500 was the peach. Never had a Sud but I dream of having a Sud sprint. Point to point one of the quickest std road cars you could buy, they're outstanding. A mate had a Moonstone blue 3 door Cossie with about 350hp and he was gob smacked at how quick my 2L 33 was, and even more amazed when I told him it was a 1500.
Lovely Sprint.You can still find miracle rust-free survivors,I have a super rare Alfasud Giardinetta in South Africa,every panel completely factory original with zero rust anywhere.
Beautiful car! Brings back memories from my childhood where my friend owned one that always broke down. But it was fun... We loved it. Amazing videos, please keep up the great content
The favourite car I owned as a youngster was a 1.3 Sud. Such a sweet sweet car to drive. Drove the Sprint but couldn’t find a non rotten one. In my all time top 10 cars definitely
If it still existed, I would love to hear your review of my parents 1977 Volkswagen lime green Dasher. " look at the elegent stitching on this vegan leather (vinyl) interior. I love the way it grips your air conditioning free moist skin and holds you in place with only a lap belt. Pure practical German Engineering. The lime green paint sparkles beautifully in the rare Pacific Northwest Sunshine 🌞." Love you guys and all the videos you put up. You're both bringing so much joy in a world that is often lacking.
Still pine for my old sprint veloce. 1.5 with two twin choke webber 42s. What a drive. Held the road like it was on rails. Would love to have found out the bhp on it but too busy enjoying the car.
Love these retro reminders both. I had a 1.3 not even for a year. A 1.3 engine, smooth as butter engine great handling but it did dissolve as-did a lancia i once had. Nice cars beautiful looking, i think they were all 5 doors in uk. My friends parents had a 20GTV, with the speedo in centre of dash 2 litre twin cam, was a beast compared to most other cortinas an vivas etc. my poor alfasud lost a wheel, the studs broke through metal fatigue. My father a garage owner took it off me and scrapped it due to their reputation for rot. Was a car you got out of, looked back and had a smile😂
Lots of fun. The Alfa is a truly beautiful car. I panicked a bit when I saw the Hyundai stopping in front and you were still talking. I thought oh dear !!
As Im sure most have said, that is a great video. As someone that has spent a lifetime roading and racing 70's and 80's italian cars, both mundane and exotic,I can identify with rubbish driving positions, biblical rust and electrical issues almost as bad as the rust (actually often caused by same rust) and I still love them. The engines are fantastic, the handling great and in the case of my current "classic", a 22yr old Punto Cabriolet 1.2 16v, they make every journey fun. You'll always smile driving an Italian car....until it breaks down!
I had a '79 Sprint Veloce, white with brown velour. It was beautiful, and beautiful to drive when it was going right, but it died of terminal rust in 84. By terminal I mean it didn't just need a repaint, it needed all the welds to be undone to get the rust out of the seams, which would have cost twice what it was worth. The steel was actually Polish, and did contain oxide from new, but the main reason for the rust was that it was allowed to 'weather' outside and not cleaned up before assembly. The boxer engine is short but it still hangs out completely in front of the front axle, a bit like a backwards 911, so there was some understeer. You can see the suspension towers in the rear section of the under-bonnet area. The dampers on mine were duff from new, and so were the replacements. Until replaced by non-OEM units the handling was worryingly unpredictable. Despite proper running in, mine blew both head gaskets at 15000 miles. So the build issues weren't just to do with the body. The inboard front brakes were a nightmare as they didn't auto-adjust for pad wear and had to be set up about once a month by a lockable hex screw on top of each caliper. This needed a series of socket extensions and arms and hands like ET. Even when adjusted the brakes were a bit rubbish but if you didn't attend to this regularly you could suddenly find they had gone AWOL. Still on the brakes, the bias was set quite far forward so less enthusiastic drivers could find the rear pistons had actually seized through lack of use. As with the suspension, surviving cars have often been fitted with better brakes, usually from the later Alfa 33. The lovely door handles feature on several italian cars, including the Dino 308gt4 I bought about ten years later. The interior was really stylish but incredible cheap. I love that you were admiring the chrome on the window winder, which looked like it was about to fall off! I have only size 7 shoes but I still had to bend the pedals so I didn't continually press the brake as well as the accelerator. Fortunately I have an italianate body with long arms and short legs so my actual driving position wasn't too bad. The switch gear was, um, eccentric! Despite all the problems I still look back very fondly on my Sprint. And the shape looks so pretty still today!
Another first class presentation Freddie, you and Monika make a great team. It has been said by a well known TV motor show presenter that you are not a true petrol head if you have never owned an Alfa Romeo, I've always considered myself to be a true petrol head but to be honest the nearest I've been to owning an Alfa is a small number of Fiats and a Lancia and on that bombshell I'm looking forward to your next vlog.
Love the videos, especially when cars are involved. Found your channel when you did the Caffeine and Machine video. Been watching ever since, and therefore keep looking at bikes! Tenerife certainly has some cool classics knocking about, I’d love a classic BMW, not as prone to rust as an Alfa 😅
Wanted one of these as my first car back in the day, ended up buying a Fiat 128 3p instead, mostly because these were very rare in Sweden, but thanks for this video, such a beautiful car
Hi Fred, I'm a old guy, had quite a few alfa romeo back in the day alfa sud green clover leaf, gtv6 and giulietta x3. You have the passion for these cars as I had many years ago. Also had mk 1 escort Mexico, cortina 16e and lotus cortina plus lancia gte and scimitar v6. Plus many more . As I am a biker at heart I have a Ducati 750ss and gsxs 1000 at present you would be more than welcome to road test i f you ever come back to the UK. Love your utube input.
That is a mind blowing selection of vehicles you’ve had/have- automotive dreams, John🤩 I would be over the moon to have the chance to do a video on your Ducati. If you’d consider lending it to me for a day, please do drop me an email so I can save your details. My email is: dob.bs@outlook.com Thank you, John!🙂
I owned a 1.3 gold cloverleaf Sud and later a 1.5 green cloverleaf sprint. Two of the best cars I’ve ever owned. I just wish I’d had a barn to stash them in and I still owned them.
I remember the old adverts for the Alfa Sud “More balls than a golf”. Brilliant for the age, the advert then explained that if you completely filled both cars with ping pong balls then the Alfa could hold more. 😃
yet another great video..here in the states..if you mention Alfa Romeo...peoples eyes light up with that "oh really" look lol..our first thought are of the racing cars of old..love how the owner hasnt tried to "update" the car replacing the cassette deck..very nice...
Exactlly I had wanted to keep it original because when I drive this car I feel like if I were in my youth again when I drove my brother's FIAT 127 Sport
Quad Lights at the FRONT not the Back..On another Note, this is a real 'Time warp' Car and does remind me of the total fun I had in mine all those Years ago. Quite possibly the best overall handling Car I have EVER driven, even better than my current Maserati Gransport, yes it IS/WAS THAT Good.
I’m old enough to have test driven this and the Alfasud. Lovely engine but notorious for rust. Terrible factory issues. Kept my Sirocco Mk.1 and Golf Mk 1 both designed by the Alfa’s Ital design.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
I used to own an alfasud back in the day, great to drive but things would literally fall off it as you were driving along, and when it rained you could hear the rust forming. I'm sure it was dissolving on its own. I still smile when I think about it though, can't say that about many cars.
Nice vlog Freddie.
Atb
Fantastic insight, thank you so much for sharing🙌🏻
Hi have a look at How Many Left Uk, great fun.
I had a 1979 ‘Sud - experienced all those issues and more. But, when it was in tune and the planets align, it was was so good.
@@brianglendenning1632 totally agree with this Brian, spot on. Can't remember what year mine was, but it had a boot, not a hatchback, so an early one I think.
The driving position was awful, the pedals were offset, the gearbox had a mind of its own.
Everytime I hoovered it out, random bits of interior would shoot up the vacuum tube, trim clips, screws, bits of plastic etc etc. Despite all this, I miss it, it had a lovely exaust note, and it handled well. Characterful I think is the word. Ironically, it never actually broke down, but it always felt like it was about to...atb
@@stuckintheeighties487 sounds like an Alfasud with the little boot but looked like a hatchback. Handbrake rarely worked (perhaps just mine - previous owner had fitted Brembo or something similar), lights/wipers would operate according to their own wishes at times, door locks would play up. Sounded great. Despite all the faults I loved it - bought a new Corolla (needed reliability and air conditioner) and despite it being a vastly better built and designed car it was not as much fun to drive. Set of RE91 (been a while…really soft tyres) and it was insane around corners.
I still have one!! 1982 1.5 Sprint Veloce - Rosso. I've had her for 38 years, only the second car I bought and I fell in love
She still comes out on National Alfa days and sunny weekends - a joy to drive and she gets lots of admiring looks
The only car I firmly remember in my childhood was my dad's Alfa Sprint Veloce. I truly believe it is the car that sparked my passion for cars. Loved the video, thanks for taking me down the road of nostalgia.
Gorgeous then and the styling looks great still.... Alfas are special places to be
It’s truly inspiring to see a younger gentleman appreciate the older Alfa Romeo’s (Alfasud) from the late seventies. It’s a timeless design that’s still relevant and much sought piece of automotive history despite its flaws. Great tasteful presentation.
I've been watching your videos for awhile now, but I figured an Alfa Romeo video was a good sign that I should comment for once. I absolutely love your channel, I have yet to see a video I didn't thoroughly enjoy. There's something about the balance of doing reviews and being entertaining that you seem to nail in an effortlessly cool flow. I love the road-trip vibe of most of your videos. It really helps that I'm a huge Triumph, Moto Guzzi, and Alfa Romeo fan. I have an Alfa Romeo GTV6, a '73 Triumph Tiger, and a new Fiat 500 as my daily driver. Are we related?
A man with taste! 👍
Is it a 70s or. 90s GTV6? I’m just off to find my favourite Busso video 😂
Nel corso degli anni di produzione la protezione della carrozzeria dell' Alfasud e della Sprint sono migliorate fino ad allinearsi con le caratteristiche delle altre vetture prodotte all'epoca.
Anche le Volkswagen dell'epoca avevano problemi di ruggine!
Comunque concordo, una bellissima automobile dell'epoca!!
My very first car...a red Alfasud TI. King of rust...but good memories.
When I was younger, my elder brother used to drop me to school in these. In the early 80’s he had a blue 1979 1.3. In the mid 80’s he moved to a 1.5 Green Cloverleaf in white. He later migrated to GTV’s and GTV6’s.
The bug stayed with me. I’ve owned over 40 Alfas now including a 33 QV, a 164 24v QV, lots of 916 GTV’s including the GT V6, lots of 916 Spiders, a GT, a number of 147’s, lots of 156’s including a GTA, lots of 166’s including a 3.0 Super Lusso and TS facelifts. I still have an 89 75 3.0 V6 Veloce and a pair of 1994 164 QV’s (white and red); the red has the super rare optional electric Recaros. They do get under your skin!
My favourite? The facelift 166 2.0 TS Ti. I loved that car, not much power but just a thoroughly well built Alfa. Bellissimo
You really have caught the Alfa virus 💚🤍❤
excellent video, I drove my slightly newer series 3 Sprint Green Cloverleaf only yesterday and can attest to all your comments.... it doesn't handle like a 39 year old car.... but yes the brakes aren't up to modern standards. but still love it... owned for 29 years and counting. the Russian steel thing is a urban legend as far as I have researched, the rust was more as you said, poor rust proofing, and apathy from the workers...cheers Peter
It wasn't Russian steel but cheap Italian steel . Unpainted body shells were left outside while the workers were either on strike or taking time off to attend to the harvest on their family farms. However almost all cars of whatever make in the 1970's rusted badly, even the supposedly wonderful MK1 VW Golf.
@@philhawley1219 yes Phil, as I said, I don't believe the Russian steel legend.... as you say, all cars from that era rusted, the italians were possibly worse but I would say by the 80s they had got some control of it..... my 83 car still exists and has 120k on the clock...so hasn't lived indoors all its life.
And poor paint quality due to the restrictions on many markets to use water based paints. Remember all brands had issues that time, and remember Mercedes that had those problems All the way through the 1990s.
Mine was a 1981 1.7 Sprint Veloce , white color.
Bought it in Santiago de Chile , No Rust issues ever , just a lovingly beautiful Italian practical Sport car.
My little boys loved it !
I had 2, back to back, a 1986 1,5 QV and 1988 1,3
Still consider them probably the best compact car ever made. I drove them for years, only hard and they were indestructable. The handeling and what you coud do with them was off the chart. Weak fan and heating in heavy winter ment I had to put a blanket over my legs but the way these drove was just unlike anyting else. Both my cars are still around. Such memories. Thinking of getting one again.
By the way, they were not built with russian steel. The largest steel factory in Europe is right next door to Alfa’s South plant. And both were state owned so the made up story of using russian steel is just silly. The steel is Italian and there was nothing wrong with it. The issue was that the local workers use to occasionally leave the bodies unprimed and unpainted to just sit and oxidize and then just paint them over when they got back to it.
Neither of mine had any issues with rust and we do salt our roads in winters. I also spend months each year on the seaside with salty air.
Absolutely brilliant, it took me back to the 90s when one of my college mates had a metallic green AlfaSud. I seem to remember it was always leaking when it rained but to me it was something different to see and the one you were driving looked fantastic. I've only ever owned 1 Alfa and the driving experience is one of the best. Thanks for the content guys, always on point!..
Daz, most people only ever own one, and there's a reason for that....but, like Clarkson said, you're not a petrolhead if you haven't owned one.
Respect.
Atb
Such a perfect video! Flawed masterpiece is the perfect description of the Alfa Romeo brand. My first Alfa was a 1967. In later years they shortened the name to GTV but mine was called the Giulia Sprint Gran Turismo Veloce. It was 9 years old in California and did have some rust and a crumbling interior, but what a joy to drive! I unwittingly outran the police on several occasions. I only found out later when a coworker told me that they knew where I worked and had been trying to catch me in their overweight, bad handling American police cruiser. 😄
They never did catch me.
Dan this is BRILLIANT! I have the most glorious mental picture in my head of this😃🇮🇹🚗🇺🇸🚔
The magic continues guys. My brother (the elder of course) introduced me to Alfas..Alfasud..then GTV..there was nothing like them. They were all a pain in the arse. But when they were sweet, well, they were brilliant. Thanks for the vid guys. All of your content is fun, entertaining, and beautiful to look at at. Magic.
Thanks for taking us back to a golden era for cars, motorbikes and for music too...
French people would say:"La classe!"
Cheers from Algiers.
They used to be known as "collectors cars" as you drove down the road then went back to collect pieces that had fallen off! But I have had many and they were amazing cars to drive, pure fun!
Must have been a European thing. Mine lasted 10 years without rust except for around the rear window which I fixed and made it so it couldn't rust again.
@@baird55aus the 70's cars rusted like crazy, it became better around the 80's till the end. Mine is from 83, from the moutains, so it has known salty roads, and the rust is only on the rear fenders and windows seals. i should have it completely treated one day
Back in the 80's there were anothers cars brands that had rusth issues like Toyota, Fiat, Seat. I remember Toyotas Corolla, carina etc all of them tended to rusth very quikly, even Mercedes had that kind of problems in that times. It was a common issue for those times where manufactures began to reduce the thickness of the body material
I've owned 10 Alfa's over the last 30 years, but my first is still my favourite, Alfasud 1.2 Ti, always breaking down but still a gem when working!
What a great feature the Alfasud Sprint was a very fine car.Trip down memory lane when all with life was more easy and simple.Thanks a million .
That car is absolutely stunning. Another great video Freddie.
Watching you 'smelling' the car reminded me of when I went to Classic Car Journey in Ambergate and just kept smelling all the old cars
Freddie, this is a fantastic review of a car that I was fortunate enough to own back in 1978/9, reg CLK 827T. Bought new from Alfa Romeo Edgware road (the importers back then) and it was one of the best handling cars I have ever owned before or since. A total joy to drive for a young chap at that time, and the sound was fantastic. However... during the course of just one year, the gearbox failed and was replaced under warranty three times, and (wait for it), it also had to have its engine replaced twice, again all under warranty. The service department at Alfa sadly got to know me very well. After one too many very late return trips to Edgware Road on the back of an AA Relay truck, I wrote in the dirt on the car some very caustic comments, which would be seen as VERY non PC these days. Needless to say they washed it all off before too many customers turned up next morning...
Whatever else, it really was a lovely car to drive, and despite the issues I can still remember the pleasure I got from driving it late at night, unreasonably fast on the country roads of West Sussex, listening to a cassette of Supertramp, Crime of the Century... Got my first ever ticket in it, 58 in a 30 mph village (suitably called Cocking) at 03:03 am (can you believe it?) back in the days when the police were out at that time of night.
Oh the Joys and follies of youth, what a lucky and spoilt young man I was.
Love your VLogs by the way, am a great fan. BTW, if you ever fancy test riding a 1977 Triumph T160 that I have owned from new, let me know...
Hi Freddie. I had a bright Orange 1.5 Sprint Veloce with check material on the seats and a black plastic louvre on the back window. It was probably the coolest I’ve ever been. Thanks for the work you put into the channel. It’s very much appreciated.
This was my first car as a teenager. Great memories in that car. Really well done video mate. Thanks for bringing back some good memories.
I loved this video, as always you both put all your talent in it and the sunset could not be a better complement at the end..
I'm so happy of telling you about the car, you made a masterpiece, thanks very much to Monica and Freddie
Muchos gracias, Andres!🙂
Thank you so much for lending me your beautiful Alfa. We loved it so much, Monika wants to buy one!😍🚗
Delighted you’re happy with the video
Hi, When cars were cars ,REAL STYLE , men were men and it do need power steering ,just do not have one in the UK, unless you have room in your lounge . They also had a clover leaf version all with boxer engines . The T 42 steel from the tanks was sold to raise money for a Coka Cola or Pepsi factory in Russia . BMC in the UK made cars and vans with it and after 3 years you had a perfect sugar sifter with holes in the roof . Honda also used it on early Civics P reg . How many classics can you find, drive, car or bike , in your remaining days out there ? Another amazing video once again , thanks Freddie and Monika, your a joy to watch . Take care and find the classics .🤩
But the Russian steel was NOT used in the Alfasud. The steel came from the new steel mills in Taranto, same as used for the Alfa factory in Milan. The Russian steel myth was an invention of the British press a long time ago and has been repeated so many times it is now accepted as fact. The whole stor is in my book 'Alfasud - The Complete Story' with all of the official sources quoted.
@@chrismartin9421 The steel might have been made there, but what went in to it? as Lancia and Fiat rusted out around the same time, quicker than you could drive down the road . Got to agree Alfa and Lancia were great cars,, but AFTER TWO Lancia, s around that time, just had to go LOTUS . No rust .
So interesting, thank you for sharing this extra insight🙂👌🏻
I have at least one more classic before we leave Tenerife!🏍👌🏻
It's just sooo good ! You are literally for me the Tourism Ambassador for Tenerife at this point... It's an amazing channel and i hope it keeps growing !
Awesome video and awesome content thanks Freddie and Monika
Thanks Freddie. Grew up in the muscle car era stateside, and had never heard of Alfa Romeo until the movie “the graduate”. New car smell (overused) , old car smell, classic! Well done.
I've owned two of these in the UK back in the day. One was a very early model 1.5 Sprint in orange, which didn't have a massive rust issue. I sold it for good money a couple of years later. Then a few years after that I bought a much newer one, a 1.5 Green Cloverleaf in white (plastic bumper model), which literally rusted to bits within a couple of years. Broke my heart! Amazing cars.
love your passion for these cars Freddie. The panel alignment on the Sprint just shows what a quality build.that car was. They most definitely don't make them like they used to.
Incredibly simple yet stylish car !!
Amazing. I used to have a later model 1984 quadrifoglio verde. Had my fair share of the problems with it but it still has a warm feeling in my heart even though I sold it some 30 years ago. Of course, I had to respray it after just 10 years, and sometimes in the morning, it wouldn't budge so I had to go to work in my spare car but I loved every minute of driving in the afternoon when it started like nothing happened in the morning.
What a stunning car - great video, glad I found your channel!
I’m so glad you made that video man! You into the bikes, that I like and into the cars that I like as well… doesn’t get much better! Keep it up bro!!
Bought one, 2 year old in 1981. Sills were rusted. But, by God, was it fantastic to drive. One of the best handling cars, I’ve ever owned. More and more twisties please, it begged!
What a nice video Freddie and Monica. That car, a little more modern, '84, was owned by my school teacher and to get honors, she invited the top 10 of the class to an ice cream and took us in her car. Wow, what memories.... That unit is spectacular. Driving along the roads of the north of Tenerife, at sunset listening to Fleetwood Mac on cassette and parking in El Mirador to have a barraquito....then I woke up😂😂😂
Fantastic insight, and what a brilliant top 10 prize!🏆😃
That sounds like a spot on dream!😆🎶🚗🗻
That took me back. I owned an Sud 1.5 ti. Never was 105 bhp more enjoyable. Superb handling and ridiculously quick for its size. Every car manufacturer's development department had a couple of Suds to compare against their new models. A great car with shockingly poor quality. My car failed its 3rd MOT due to serious structural corrosion.
Stunning looking car, there's many faults but always something very special about an old Alfa Romeo.
Cheers Freddie and Monica
I had a black alfasud 1.5ti 30 years ago. Absolutely loved it. Still remember razzing around in it. Had holes and filler all over it. The flat four revved forever.
Unfortunately the engine blew up on the motorway dumping oil over the brake discs. Very sad day.
Yes, a lovely car. This summer I started to renovate my Alfasud QO 1983, that I bought together with an extra engine six years ago for 650£. Ok, the breakes were out of function and the furl pump too. And there are rust in one door and one back wheel house and in the bonnet floor.
I do go over everything, have almost finished the right side of the car and repaired the break system. It's fairly ok in the metal, despite the orgine here in salty Sweden. I'm so much looking forward to have it on the road again. And in the spring I will have the exterior repainted original Ivory, and then wrap it in foil , probably red. I need to have foil, not due to salty weather, but to stop all the stone shot from all gravel on Swedish roads.
Its going to be a gem to drive.
I live in Australia and have the exact same 81 sprint veloce. Fantastic little car with such a great note to the engine
Superb video Freddie, well produced, with a great narrative and attention to all details, we almost get the smell of the interior of the Alfa. In Portugal you can find a couple of those in good condition. You are welcome to visit and drive. Thank you for sharing.
Great video. I uses to own one for a few years and it would still be one of my favourites. Responsive and really engaging for sure. The only one that was better was my 156 gta. I had to sell the sprint due to crippling monthly repair bills, but despite that would love to have another.🙂
Classy car and so rare now in the UK. That diagonal stitching on the door cards has been carried through into the later 916 and the slight growl reminds me a little of my 2.0 JTS GTV. Bellissimo!
My best friend at secondary school had the use of exactly this model car, it was his mother's, we used to take it down skiing and on the open road it was a great car, surprising amount of torque and power if you revved it, handled really well and it really is all you need in a car, it had some weird mechanical details such as inboard front discs, the handbrake operated the front brakes , but it was fairly easy to work on and I would drive 1 today if you could find 1 in good cond...
Brings back memories of me being 19 years old in 1989 and owning a sprint. Loved it until it rotted away. One of my favourite cars over the years, of owning over 45 cars....
Pure wonderfulness and a lovely video - a classic Freddie and thanks for paying attention for good audio; it makes a huge difference. Thanks also to Monica for good filming too. OK, any car with four headlights is a winner.. Next challenge - find a 131 Supermirafiori to review. Should never have sold mine - big mistake, but it was orange, had biodegradable wiring and door panels that changed molecular content by the second - I kept Halfords paint dept and Ku-Rust employed for years…. Y’know, cars aren’t make like they used to be..
Thanks for all you’re work and information on the Alfa Romeo. I had a Alfa Junior in the 60s beautiful car. Very sporty looking car.
Thanks Raymundo!
I owned a silver Sprint 1.5 later version with the plastic bumpers and door inlays. What a car. Didn't like hot Australian weather and had an occasional alarming tendency to cut out while idling to turn in the middle of an intersection as a result of vapor lock due to the fuel line running just under the hot metal bonnet.
Another magic Alfa moment was when I once pulled into a service station that had a slightly inclining car park. I came to a stand-still. pulled up the handbrake (hard) and went in to buy something in the shop. I came back out to my car but it was gone! I looked down the sloping entry car park to see two burly blokes straining at the back of the vehicle only just having saved it from rolling backwards out across the busy main road and into a set of shops opposite! From that day forward I carried a brick "tyre wedge" in the car to compensate just in case, for the historically bad hand brake lol.
When it ran badly it was a shocker but when it ran well, it was a young man's four wheel dream! Fondest memories thanks for the video.
Such a pity. Alfasuds really took off in the UK and were everywhere in the 70s. They could have been the saviour of Alfa Romeo instead of its death knell. Great video Freddie.
This is so interesting- I did wonder how common a sight they were on the UK streets in the 70s and 80s.
Thanks Jon, really glad you enjoyed it🙂
I had an identical car, same colour, 1978 but RHD......I loved that car.
A beautiful car! Has to be up there with the E-type, and Dino 246 as one of the most beautiful of all time.
Actually, there were a few cars with similar styling. The VW Scirocco was famously also styled by Guigario, but there's also the Toyota Corolla SR5. These three cars shared almost the exact side profile. I have very fond memories of racing around Barbados in the early '90's in one of those. And later I owned one in Trinidad. Not quite as sonorous as the 'Sud but so much fun! The SR5 only came with rectangular headlights, but early models of that generation of corolla had 4 round headlights that can be bolted onto the SR5. So an Alfasud knockoff can fairly easily be done. As a precursor of the coveted AE86, the 4AGE engine and well tuned suspension are both available to develop a fabulous '80's runabout, or even a daily driver in the same vein as the Sud.
I love the Atmosphere of your videos, my grandfather had a AlfaSud, sublime
Thanks Simone🙌🏻 🙌🏻
Beautiful car and video and bonnet closings are the same as the X 19 it was nice to see the other classic cars well done
A lovely car and a great review Freddie, fantastic provenance
Used to have exactly same car only in red.....changed steering wheel for a time period wooden one....absolutely loved it ....stripped and rebuilt engine then sold it on when m o t failed....pockets only so deep at that time....would love to have one again but rare as hens teeth and commanding serious money .....at under 100hp but lightweight they sure did shift in the day aswell
I had eleven Alfasuds from a 1973 1200 4 door via the Ti, Sprint, 1500's and a late one. Some were rusty, some were ok and I never had a single electrical drama on any. 30 years asfter the last was sold, there are few if any cars that I retain such affection for.
It does look a bit Delorean-ish from the side actually! Great video Freddie, loved it! Hats off to Monika too for the filming and editing, the music was totally on point 👌🏻
Beautiful. Classic Italian driving position. Surprised prices so low - prob fear factor, but evidently this is a special one !
The only car i ever bought back a few years later after selling it . sadly the rust was terminal . amazing Car loved it
Fantastic example of the Sprint you have there
I had three here in South Africa, the last been the series 3. Fantastic cars. Not one of them rusted at all. Alfa had a factory in South Africa and I wonder if they were built here thus no rust. Now going to try find out which model's were bult here.
Allmost had me in tears...my 2nd Alfa Romeo
Such a beautiful awesome car.Sold mine to my neighbour.Only proof that I had one is the chest freezer that I bought with part of that money.
I don't know what it is about you Freddie, but you could honestly talk about the dynamics of drying paint, and your enthusiasm and willingness to learn would make it the most interesting documentary. Keep it up guys 💪
That’s very kind of you to say so, thank you Oliver🙂🙌🏻🙌🏻
Nice video! That is the alfasud of my uncle Andrés! He told me you saw the other alfa, gtv, spider... I hope you like them. Cheers
I've had quite a few Alfas from a 72 Giulia 1600 Super to a 155 Silverstone with plenty of 33s and a Boxer 145 in there too.
The 33 was the larger successor to the Sud and they are superb drivers cars. I had some 1700s including sport wagons, but the 1500 was the peach.
Never had a Sud but I dream of having a Sud sprint.
Point to point one of the quickest std road cars you could buy, they're outstanding. A mate had a Moonstone blue 3 door Cossie with about 350hp and he was gob smacked at how quick my 2L 33 was, and even more amazed when I told him it was a 1500.
I had the 1.5 Green Cloverleaf sprint from mid 1980s. Apart from the red paint fading it held together well in five years I had it. Lovely car.
I picked up my Alfasud Sprint last June in an online auction from Surrey it lives in my car port in the West Midlands now😁
Wonderful video! I felt like I was driving it when you first took off. Love old Alfa's!
so jealous that you got to drive this one! ... and to drive it around Tenerife! Amazing!! ... subscribed to you channel now!
Lovely Sprint.You can still find miracle rust-free survivors,I have a super rare Alfasud Giardinetta in South Africa,every panel completely factory original with zero rust anywhere.
I've always loved those Alfas. Beautiful car. Went to look at one for sale back in the late 80s but it had already succumbed to the dreaded rot!
Beautiful car! Brings back memories from my childhood where my friend owned one that always broke down. But it was fun... We loved it. Amazing videos, please keep up the great content
The favourite car I owned as a youngster was a 1.3 Sud. Such a sweet sweet car to drive. Drove the Sprint but couldn’t find a non rotten one. In my all time top 10 cars definitely
If it still existed, I would love to hear your review of my parents 1977 Volkswagen lime green Dasher. " look at the elegent stitching on this vegan leather (vinyl) interior. I love the way it grips your air conditioning free moist skin and holds you in place with only a lap belt. Pure practical German Engineering. The lime green paint sparkles beautifully in the rare Pacific Northwest Sunshine 🌞."
Love you guys and all the videos you put up. You're both bringing so much joy in a world that is often lacking.
Still pine for my old sprint veloce. 1.5 with two twin choke webber 42s. What a drive. Held the road like it was on rails. Would love to have found out the bhp on it but too busy enjoying the car.
Lovely car and well presented, congratulazioni amico ❤
Amazing condition that sprint in after 40 years and still the shape looks good.
Freddie Dobbs's channel is getting better and better as time goes by
Love these retro reminders both. I had a 1.3 not even for a year. A 1.3 engine, smooth as butter engine great handling but it did dissolve as-did a lancia i once had. Nice cars beautiful looking, i think they were all 5 doors in uk. My friends parents had a 20GTV, with the speedo in centre of dash 2 litre twin cam, was a beast compared to most other cortinas an vivas etc. my poor alfasud lost a wheel, the studs broke through metal fatigue. My father a garage owner took it off me and scrapped it due to their reputation for rot. Was a car you got out of, looked back and had a smile😂
Lots of fun. The Alfa is a truly beautiful car. I panicked a bit when I saw the Hyundai stopping in front and you were still talking. I thought oh dear !!
As Im sure most have said, that is a great video. As someone that has spent a lifetime roading and racing 70's and 80's italian cars, both mundane and exotic,I can identify with rubbish driving positions, biblical rust and electrical issues almost as bad as the rust (actually often caused by same rust) and I still love them. The engines are fantastic, the handling great and in the case of my current "classic", a 22yr old Punto Cabriolet 1.2 16v, they make every journey fun. You'll always smile driving an Italian car....until it breaks down!
I LOVE this! Thank you for sharing🙂🙌🏻
I had a '79 Sprint Veloce, white with brown velour. It was beautiful, and beautiful to drive when it was going right, but it died of terminal rust in 84. By terminal I mean it didn't just need a repaint, it needed all the welds to be undone to get the rust out of the seams, which would have cost twice what it was worth. The steel was actually Polish, and did contain oxide from new, but the main reason for the rust was that it was allowed to 'weather' outside and not cleaned up before assembly.
The boxer engine is short but it still hangs out completely in front of the front axle, a bit like a backwards 911, so there was some understeer. You can see the suspension towers in the rear section of the under-bonnet area. The dampers on mine were duff from new, and so were the replacements. Until replaced by non-OEM units the handling was worryingly unpredictable.
Despite proper running in, mine blew both head gaskets at 15000 miles. So the build issues weren't just to do with the body.
The inboard front brakes were a nightmare as they didn't auto-adjust for pad wear and had to be set up about once a month by a lockable hex screw on top of each caliper. This needed a series of socket extensions and arms and hands like ET. Even when adjusted the brakes were a bit rubbish but if you didn't attend to this regularly you could suddenly find they had gone AWOL. Still on the brakes, the bias was set quite far forward so less enthusiastic drivers could find the rear pistons had actually seized through lack of use. As with the suspension, surviving cars have often been fitted with better brakes, usually from the later Alfa 33.
The lovely door handles feature on several italian cars, including the Dino 308gt4 I bought about ten years later.
The interior was really stylish but incredible cheap. I love that you were admiring the chrome on the window winder, which looked like it was about to fall off! I have only size 7 shoes but I still had to bend the pedals so I didn't continually press the brake as well as the accelerator. Fortunately I have an italianate body with long arms and short legs so my actual driving position wasn't too bad. The switch gear was, um, eccentric!
Despite all the problems I still look back very fondly on my Sprint. And the shape looks so pretty still today!
Another first class presentation Freddie, you and Monika make a great team.
It has been said by a well known TV motor show presenter that you are not a true petrol head if you have never owned an Alfa Romeo, I've always considered myself to be a true petrol head but to be honest the nearest I've been to owning an Alfa is a small number of Fiats and a Lancia and on that bombshell I'm looking forward to your next vlog.
Nicely done, Lee!!😆😆😆
It’s a beauty, beautifully described Freddie.
Love the videos, especially when cars are involved. Found your channel when you did the Caffeine and Machine video. Been watching ever since, and therefore keep looking at bikes! Tenerife certainly has some cool classics knocking about, I’d love a classic BMW, not as prone to rust as an Alfa 😅
Great to hear you found the channel from the C&M video! Nice shout- I’d take the 840CI🤩👌🏻
Great video as always Freddie and Monika. Good timing too, I'm considering a modern Alfa for myself at the moment.
Thanks Ronan- this test drive has made me consider a modern (ish) Alfa too🙂
I love it Freddie. So well designed. Thanks for showing us.😍❤️😍
Glorious Sprint.
Video spoiled by far too many adverts.
I remember working on one at 16 ,it was 1982 and the car was 3 months old and red rusty underneath,
Wanted one of these as my first car back in the day, ended up buying a Fiat 128 3p instead, mostly because these were very rare in Sweden, but thanks for this video, such a beautiful car
Hi Fred, I'm a old guy, had quite a few alfa romeo back in the day alfa sud green clover leaf, gtv6 and giulietta x3. You have the passion for these cars as I had many years ago. Also had mk 1 escort Mexico, cortina 16e and lotus cortina plus lancia gte and scimitar v6. Plus many more . As I am a biker at heart I have a Ducati 750ss and gsxs 1000 at present you would be more than welcome to road test i f you ever come back to the UK. Love your utube input.
That is a mind blowing selection of vehicles you’ve had/have- automotive dreams, John🤩
I would be over the moon to have the chance to do a video on your Ducati. If you’d consider lending it to me for a day, please do drop me an email so I can save your details. My email is: dob.bs@outlook.com
Thank you, John!🙂
I owned a 1.3 gold cloverleaf Sud and later a 1.5 green cloverleaf sprint. Two of the best cars I’ve ever owned. I just wish I’d had a barn to stash them in and I still owned them.
Love the Alfa Romeo, what a stunning car, another great video Freddie thank you
I remember the old adverts for the Alfa Sud “More balls than a golf”. Brilliant for the age, the advert then explained that if you completely filled both cars with ping pong balls then the Alfa could hold more. 😃
I had this car and was Fantastic !
My previous Pontiac Firebird V8 350 was a Thirsty Truck compared.
Had a 1981 Sprint, then a 1984 Sprint… loved them but always something going wrong or parts falling off. Great drive, but wish they were rear drive!
yet another great video..here in the states..if you mention Alfa Romeo...peoples eyes light up with that "oh really" look lol..our first thought are of the racing cars of old..love how the owner hasnt tried to "update" the car replacing the cassette deck..very nice...
They have a priceless nostalgia and romance about them🙂👌🏻
Totally agree- it’s so much better being conpletely original
Exactlly I had wanted to keep it original because when I drive this car I feel like if I were in my youth again when I drove my brother's FIAT 127 Sport
My favourite motor car of all time ever honestly bravo grazie grazie Mille ciao ciao
Quad Lights at the FRONT not the Back..On another Note, this is a real 'Time warp' Car and does remind me of the total fun I had in mine all those Years ago. Quite possibly the best overall handling Car I have EVER driven, even better than my current Maserati Gransport, yes it IS/WAS THAT Good.
I’m old enough to have test driven this and the Alfasud. Lovely engine but notorious for rust. Terrible factory issues. Kept my Sirocco Mk.1 and Golf Mk 1 both designed by the Alfa’s Ital design.
Not watched the video yet but I already know it’s going to be filled with Freddie going “Oooooh” & “My dream car” 😂😂