1500ti restoration. Ex racer

[junior]

Due to the petrol fiasco I have had to run around in the Sud for a few days as it was the only car with fuel in it, the local garage is being refurbished, and so its a 20 min run to the next one.
I had to go that way so tried, but it was shut so a bit annoyed then realised there was a friendly scrap yard around the corner and nipped in to ask if I could pop the Sud on the weigh bridge. I was told to help myself, its over there !

Sud weighed in at 800 kilos. Yeah!

After years of going around scrap yards around the south of England I cannot get over how nice the people are near Hereford and Worcester.

[alfadave]

Scrap yard weighbridges are always set low!

[Veesix75]

If I remember rightly your sud has fibreglass bonnet, boot and wings, and Perspex windows ?

If so 800kg is about right.

[junior]

Bonnet boot and perspex windows, but not wings.

I think that is what you may have suggested in the past as I saw it on the screen and just thought `Bang on '.

But then could not recall why I thought that.

Engine has settled down very well had to knock back the tick over a bit and that is all. Starts very easily as well.

Was cycling back from Tewkesbury today and heard a subdued but familiar engine note and then a series 3 Sud appeared being driven smoothly. Good to see. Near leigh Sinton if its anyone on here.

[Veesix75]

Well, my all steel and glass sud racer with a boot weighed in at 825kg on Mallory Parks scales, my sprint with Perspex and aluminium boot floor weighs a very ‘trim’ 775kg on Cadwell parks scales.

My race wheels are very light tho and probably help by at least a kg each, 33 rear axle is probably 5kg lighter than a sud beam.

Yous will be 800 Max, might be a smidge under on the scales above

I think you and I are also lightweight so sub 900 with driver and fuel

[junior]

Oih ! No one has called me a lightweight since I missed giving a lecture due to too much special Vodka.

An don't ask why it was special as I cannot remember for some reason.

I think your right though as my overly big tyres must weigh quite a bit extra. It all adds up bit by bit.

I am always impressed by how good my mpg is as well, but again its just moving weight around that governs that in many ways.

[KevJTD]

Makes me smile when I read about the latest "lightweight" Lamborghini or Ferrari and it's around 1,600 kgs!!

[junior]

Had a good day at Shelsy Walsh despite the weather. My chum was going to drive it up on a demo but his clothing din't pass inspection so we ended up on the end of a cavalcade. That was fun on the first run and a bit slower on the second as the mini's got in the way so to speak. Car going very well and still lots of fun. Fires up easily every time.

[rsfruitbat]

Still looking good
Rsfruitbat

[junior]

Still looking good
Rsfruitbat

Thanks. Have just heard about a Citroen DS I may be able to afford, and have been thinking about something bit calmer for a while. Also a bad shoulder doesn't like getting in and out of the Sud. So have decided to sell. Put it on e bay at £17,500 and will see what interest occurs. Seems an awkward car to value.

Many thanks to all on here who helped with advice on posting, people, services and technical issues. You have been a great help esp when my skill set was lacking, or my motivation dulled. Thanks for the website as well Kev and Shrew.

[Kegsti66]

Good luck with the sale James, sad to loose a member of the community but lets hope the new owner appreciates the work you put in, saving this special car.
Thanks for sharing your journey.
Good luck with your replacement car, post us a picture. I presume it is a classic DS you are talking about

[junior]

Yes a proper DS. So a bit daunting after a stripped down car, but when I had the GT Junior along with another chap in the Alfa club we used to comment that the only problem with owning a classic Alfa was it kept you from buying a Citroen DS.

Also I have learnt a lot from owning the Sud and it was a good car to learn on with no great surprises and a very well thought out design.

Amazed at how many people have viewed it since mid morning. 350 odd, but guess that's the modern way.

[KevJTD]

Guy in the unit next to me is mad keen on Citroens, has quite a few XMs and a few DS too I think, if you need any help or advice I can get his number for you, decent bloke,
Good luck with the sale

[junior]

Hi Kev. Yes, that would be very useful as all my Citroen knowledge went from diesel Visa's onward.

One of my mates had a super XM did 220 k in it. Might even still be alive that one.

Not seen the DS that I have been alerted too, so a bit more knowledge before I go would be great.

Lots of people looking, but no viewings yet. Mind you the car is running very well since going up Shelsy in the rain.

Thank you .

[KevJTD]

Well if you want an XM I know he has one for sale, if not more. He's as mad for the French cars as we are for Italians!
I mentioned to him that the hydraulic lines for the suspension gave me enough grief when the cars were current on the used car lot with high pressure lines rusting out and they being so small bore that a trip to the dealer was the only option.
He says there is 2 sizes, small and smaller! but he has the tool to make his own.
I'll get his number for you, certainly knows his stuff.

[KevJTD]

PM sent

[junior]

Well the Sud is not getting much in the way of interest, I am finding it hard to gauge as often you get offers or comments but this time there is nothing. Not on ebay or car and classic. Quite odd. Don't know if to wait a bit or keep dropping the price.
Looking at what else is going for the same money I don't feel its too wrong, but evidence could be saying otherwise.

It blew a fist sized hole out of the back box going up Shelsy Walsh and so fitted a Jetex back box with which it feels happy and sounds just as good.

Been to see a nice DS, but cannot store it until one is sold. Thanks for the contact Kev.

[Veesix75]

Hi James. Sometimes you have to hold out and a buyer turns up.

The economy won’t be helping. Plus personally some things are just over priced so it’s hard to compare.

The other aspect is you have a bit of a hybrid car, it isn’t a fully fledged road car and nor is it race ready. Leaves you in the middle ground of someone that wants a stripped out road car or a track day car.

The spec doesn’t lend itself to a classic race series regs, it would need a 1500cc motor, some require standard body (so no big arches etc), although most do allow an invitation class for cars close but not quite to regs. But you’d also need suspension work perhaps to be competitive as a racer, seat, harnesses, extinguisher etc .

I don’t know if this has sold, but I do know the car and it is race ready and there is no way you could build it for the price - https://racecarsdirect.com/Advert/Detai ... alfa-romeo

It’s the only comparison I can see, some of the original trofeo suds sell high value across Europe but others have remained for sale for years, I see them pop up again.

Largely unhelpful reply but I think the hybrid nature of your car will narrow the buyer pool. Still, I love it and I bid on it when it was at Anglia car auctions many years ago, and I kicked myself for dropping out of bidding too early.

[junior]

Oh wow that is an excellent race car. Great link. God answer as well. Thanks.

I can understand your annoyance of not buying it at auction, as the chap who bought it just put it on e bay for more.

You might have got it for less than I paid.

Its back into service at the moment as the Lancia is suddenly showing no oil pressure. So until I can get a new sender fitted it will not be moving.

[KevJTD]

Hi James. Sometimes you have to hold out and a buyer turns up.

The economy won’t be helping. Plus personally some things are just over priced so it’s hard to compare.

The other aspect is you have a bit of a hybrid car, it isn’t a fully fledged road car and nor is it race ready. Leaves you in the middle ground of someone that wants a stripped out road car or a track day car.

The spec doesn’t lend itself to a classic race series regs, it would need a 1500cc motor, some require standard body (so no big arches etc), although most do allow an invitation class for cars close but not quite to regs. But you’d also need suspension work perhaps to be competitive as a racer, seat, harnesses, extinguisher etc .

I don’t know if this has sold, but I do know the car and it is race ready and there is no way you could build it for the price - https://racecarsdirect.com/Advert/Detai ... alfa-romeo

It’s the only comparison I can see, some of the original trofeo suds sell high value across Europe but others have remained for sale for years, I see them pop up again.

Largely unhelpful reply but I think the hybrid nature of your car will narrow the buyer pool. Still, I love it and I bid on it when it was at Anglia car auctions many years ago, and I kicked myself for dropping out of bidding too early.

without naming names, is that a certain car built for our scottish friend, previously in red? spec looks like the one he had built at brunswick
available for a fraction of the build cost too

[Veesix75]

Hi Kev

Yes it is Rodger’s old car, now owned by a chap appropriately called Mario (the current seller). I last saw it at Brunswick when I went down for a bit of maintenance.

The engine alone would be close to asking price today if paying to have one built, but at most you’d get the engine and box built for the asking price. The wheels would be c£1500?

Just to buy a steel crank, steel rods, forged pistons, steel valves, billet cams and the twin 45’s - £5k plus if your lucky, and that’s just to have them sat in boxes never mind having it built.

It’s a nice well spec’d race car, but people want fords and vw’s etc. in fact I see more Dolomites than Alfas in the pre 83 series.

[junior]

Well I have the Sud still so have started to improve it a bit more. Went through it today and all was well bar the radiator was loose and the gearbox low on oil which surprised me.
Then lowered the passenger seat so my partner can get in and out more easily.
The tick over and acceleration is super and it hauls itself around corners very well.
Sadly on the way back it lashed with rain and it was all muddy again when I got home. Sigh.