Another one to keep me busy!

[Alfamet]

Deal done. Deposit paid. Delivery very soon!

[Kegsti66]

Nice one Colin, I had seen this advertised.
SA spec , am i correct in saying a cloverleaf in a four door shell as South Africa only produced the four door shell?
Good to hear you are in good health now.
Keith

[Alfamet]

Cheers Keith.
Yeah. It’s good to be back to full health. Thank you and you’re right. It’s basically a five door S3 Ti in Green Cloverleaf 105bhp specification.

All Alfasuds from South Africa were designated Export and not Alfasud and intended for their home market only.

They were assembled at Alfa Romeo’s South African plant in Brits from CKD (Complete Knock Down) kits delivered from Italy but with a large proportion of locally supplied components to satisfy trade agreements at the time.

Thus, all SA-made Exports (Alfasuds) contained unique content, such as seats, interior trim, paint colours and even door mirrors.

Sorry to be such an anorak but these little cars have always fascinated me!

My first Alfasud was a red 1981 four-door (booted non-hatchback) South African Alfa Romeo Export 1.5 (same as an S3 Alfasud SC) way back when so we've come full circle with my latest purchase.

I’d been following this particular car for ages but I couldn’t really progress with purchasing it due to poor health but now that I’m fit again I’m very pleased to have secured it.

There were only fifty Export GTAs made as a run-out model prior to the SA plant starting production of the 33 and it is believed that there are only seven GTAs remaining worldwide. There is another one in this country but it’s whereabouts is unknown. Mine is documented as being the last but one ever made.

[Gary Orchard]

Hi Colin
Is that the car that featured in Autoitalia magazine with the Giardinatta a while ago ?
Do you or anyone else know how much assembly was done in South Africa e.g. were complete body shells built there or where they shipped out there as pre built body shells and just assembled out there.
Looks like it’s in great condition from your picture - I’m sure you will enjoy it when it arrives

[Alfamet]

Hi Gary.

I was able to do a bit of research before I bought the GTA, predominantly to establish that this was a genuine and authentic Brits-built vehicle.

I saw the actual car as it'd appeared on a South African auction site so knew of it's history and provenance before it was imported into this country. Here it is:

https://auction.oldjwauctioneers.com/lo ... lfasud-gta

It had also appeared in an article on a South African website:

https://www.drivenmag.co.za/the-forgotten-gta/

So mine is not the other Auto Italia-featured GTA that you're referring to although that one was also subsequently imported to the UK. Along with the Giardinetta, here they are while on SA registration plates:

https://drives.today/articles/309/compa ... ucock.html

[Alfamet]

Do you or anyone else know how much assembly was done in South Africa e.g. were complete body shells built there or where they shipped out there as pre built body shells and just assembled out there.

Definitely CKD kit from from Italy Gary. A bit like a big Airfix kit! So, engine, transmission, running gear and bare body shell arrived at Brits (none of the body panels were manufactured in SA) with final assembly by local labour at the plant completed with locally supplied components.

Cars were finished in colours and paint codes unique to and sourced from South Africa at the Brits factory.

Only very early (S1) Export models had the quad headlight Ti front grille, all later models having a pair of rectangular lights.

[Gary Orchard]

That’s really interesting to know how they arrived into SA
I wonder what sort of protection the body shells had during transport if they were painted once they arrived at the SA factory?
Maybe they were painted in primer in Italy before being shipped as otherwise I guess the corrosion issues would have been worse than usual !
A very rare car you have there and I am looking forward to seeing it

[Kegsti66]

Thanks for the update and info Colin.
Super car and i hope you enjoy your future journeys.

[Alfamet]

That’s really interesting to know how they arrived into SA
I wonder what sort of protection the body shells had during transport if they were painted once they arrived at the SA factory?

I read a long time ago that apparently the body shells and metal panels were hot dipped at the factory in Italy before being shipped out in CKD kits to the Brits plant in SA.

[Alfamet]

That’s really interesting to know how they arrived into SA
I wonder what sort of protection the body shells had during transport if they were painted once they arrived at the SA factory?

I read a long time ago that apparently the body shells and metal panels were hot dipped at the factory in Italy before being shipped out in CKD kits to the Brits plant in SA.

I'll be able to comment on how effective the factory hot-dipping was very soon Gary as I take delivery of my car next week. Certainly, from an initial inspection, there's no rust evident and no so need for any welding entirely due to the sunny climate of South Africa, but the engine compartment needs detailing because of the hot dusty conditions encountered in it's previous life overseas.

On the downside, some of the interior has suffered a little sun fade, but I can live with this due to the car's overall very good condition.

More photos here soon..

[Gary Orchard]

Looking forward to seeing the pictures
Good news that there is no rust in the body
I guess the trim might be difficult to get as some of it was unique to the SA cars

[looloosud1984]

Colin. I have a friend who is from SA and still has family there. It may be a long shot but if you need anything I can always see if he could help source parts.
Lou

[Alfamet]

Looking forward to seeing the pictures
Good news that there is no rust in the body
I guess the trim might be difficult to get as some of it was unique to the SA cars

Yes. You're right Gary.

My first ever Sud was a South African car, a red 1982 Alfa Romeo Export 1.5 four door and it did indeed have seats and door cards trimmed completely differently to Italian Series 3 cars. The upholstery was a tan-coloured wide-ribbed cord cloth and the door cards were also different and finished in a sort of fine-grained vinyl. The front seat headrests were unique to SA cars too.

The GTA follows a similar theme in that the seats, door cards and headrests are all unique to the model. Pictures to follow shortly.

[Alfamet]

Colin. I have a friend who is from SA and still has family there. It may be a long shot but if you need anything I can always see if he could help source parts.
Lou

That's great Lou. Thanks for the heads-up!

[Alfamet]

In my garage at last!

[Alfamet]

Now that the Sud is safely in my garage, I've had the chance to give it a proper going over. At some point in the recent past, an electrical fuel pump has been fitted but it's noisy in operation and doesn't deliver fuel efficiently so I'll be returning fuel delivery back to a mechanical fuel pump. I also purged the fuel tank of old petrol and refilled with fresh super unleaded. Early days yet but I'm pleased with the sound base of a unicorn of a solid, rust-free bodyshell. Further updates and photos to follow.

[Alfamet]

I'm getting to know my GTA a little better and more importantly learning more about it's provenance and past life.

There's loads of paperwork, receipts and the like that came with the car and, apart from anything else, there's some very interesting reading.

It's received regular servicing and maintenance from 1984 right up to 2012 when its first owner passed. It then spent a few years in dry storage until it's second South African owner carried out a lot of recommissioning. Included was reconditioning and rebuilding of the front brake calipers, front and rear shock absorbers and brake servo. A new battery, radiator and tyres were also fitted.

It was then that the electric fuel pump was fitted, which is a sort of non-standard component and doesn't really do the job, so I've started to replace with original, factory-fit mechanical parts and new fuel lines.

It's great to be back! I'm really enjoying myself again owning a Sud! And it's tax and MOT exempt too. Ideal.

[Kegsti66]

Great to hear Colin, pleased to hear it has been well cared for and that you are enjoying getting back to your old self.

[Alfamet]

Thanks mate. I hate to sound like a broken record, but it really is good to be back to near enough full health and to be surrounded by Sud-ness, not sadness, again.

A quick update on progress. As I thought, the electric fuel pump is kaput so I've junked it. I've fitted a new mechanical fuel pump and inline filter and have stated to strip down, clean and rebuild the carburettors.

All simple mechanical stuff so far but sorting out the car's wiring will be my next task. Whoever retrofitted the electrical fuel pump in it's previous life made a right dog's dinner of things and has messed about with random taped connections all over the shop so I'm busy with my circuit tester to find out what's needed to return the wiring harnesses back to factory. It's a time-consuming job but I know that it'll be right once it's done. And yes. I'm really enjoying myself! Suds are great, aren't they?!

[Alfamet]

As previously mentioned, I'm having real fun (not) sorting out the GTA's wiring harnesses and my multimeter is definitely proving it's worth.

So, to keep me upbeat and to remind myself that it's all going to be worth it in the end, here's a few more pictures of my Sud in her present state:

The rear spoiler is a one-off design from the factory.