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  • DukeOfUndersteer

    Nov. 12, 2009 12:02 p.m. DukeOfUndersteer Dork

    Anybody ever heard of these? Limited edition with a Ferrai 308 V8 wedged in it! Found one for sale in England for $8,000! Man, we never get anything cool over here...

    http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/51848

  • Carson

    Nov. 12, 2009 12:10 p.m. Carson Dork

    Yep. It shared the chassis with a Fiat and an Alfa America didn't get and the Saab 9000 that America did get.

    I guess you could make your own. 9000s are cheap. 308 V8s are not.

  • 93celicaGT2

    Nov. 12, 2009 12:10 p.m. 93celicaGT2 SuperDork

    Uh.... is that FWD?!?!

    Motor looks in there all kinds of wrong.

  • Travis_K

    Nov. 12, 2009 12:15 p.m. Travis_K Dork

    Its pretty much an alfa 164 or saab 9000 (a little more like the saab) with a really big heavy engine in the front. They are kinda cool, but i think people have said the turbo 4 cylinder version of that car handles better and it just as fast. It doesnt have a flat plane crank like a ferarri engine either, so it doesnt sound as cool. It would still be fun to have. but its not any great loss we didnt get them here.

  • Kia_racer

    Nov. 12, 2009 12:30 p.m. Kia_racer Reader

    No thanks, not a big fan of pulling the engine just to change the plugs.

  • RossD

    Nov. 12, 2009 12:35 p.m. RossD HalfDork

    In reply to Kia_racer:

    What are you talking about just drill some holes in the dash and you can change them while in the car!

  • 81gtv6

    Nov. 12, 2009 12:56 p.m. 81gtv6 Reader

    It would be cool to have just because, but ya the turbo ones are better.

  • pres589

    Nov. 12, 2009 1:17 p.m. pres589 Reader

    V8 was built by Ducati, IIRC, but it's a twist on the Ferrari V8. And I would much rather have a 9000 Aero, I think.

  • Travis_K

    Nov. 12, 2009 1:25 p.m. Travis_K Dork

    The Alfa 164s are supposed to be the best of those cars. I dont really care for fwd v6s though, too hard to work on. For anything bigger than a 4 id prefer rwd.

  • Adrian_Thompson

    Nov. 12, 2009 1:42 p.m. Adrian_Thompson Reader

    I think the best use for these cars is an engine donor for some other fun project. Any one remember the Mid engined Alfa rally car using a 308 engine? I had the old Cars and Cars Conversion magazine with an article on it for years, it's lost somewhere between three adress in the UK and the move here 15 years ago. Googling isn't much help, but the same guy built a mid mounted 4wd Pug 306 using a Cosworth V6 more recently.

  • carguy123

    Nov. 12, 2009 2:56 p.m. carguy123 Dork

    That engine would look good in the back of my middie locost!

  • DukeOfUndersteer

    Nov. 12, 2009 3:02 p.m. DukeOfUndersteer Dork

    Adrian_Thompson wrote: Any one remember the Mid engined Alfa rally car using a 308 engine?

    Wasnt that the Lancia Stratos? Wait, no that had the Dino V6 in it....

  • BoxheadTim

    Nov. 12, 2009 3:06 p.m. BoxheadTim Reader

    I keep being tempted by those as they occasionally turn up for sale here in the UK.

    Yes, they're FWD. The engine is a detuned version of the Ferrari V8 but IIRC it's got a different crank or somesuch. Part of the appeal is that in a sense they're the ultimate sleeper, but OTOH you've got a Lancia Thema with Ferrari running costs.

    I'd still like one, though.

  • Luke

    Nov. 12, 2009 4:37 p.m. Luke SuperDork

    Would the American equivalent be the V8 Taurus SHO?

  • maroon92

    Nov. 12, 2009 6:49 p.m. maroon92 UberDork

    I read about them in an issue of Euro something or other a few years ago. I wanted one pretty hardcore for a while, but now i imagine I should not own one.

  • pres589

    Nov. 12, 2009 6:56 p.m. pres589 Reader

    On Top Gear once Clarkson dumped out a bucket full of rusty scrap and told the audience that it was a Lancia Thema. I don't remember the episode or season but it got laughs.

  • maroon92

    Nov. 12, 2009 7:04 p.m. maroon92 UberDork

    it was actually one of his specials....I think it was Heaven and Hell...maybe.

  • Travis_K

    Nov. 13, 2009 12:21 a.m. Travis_K Dork

    pres589 wrote:

    On Top Gear once Clarkson dumped out a bucket full of rusty scrap and told the audience that it was a Lancia Thema. I don't remember the episode or season but it got laughs.

    That was a lancia beta he was talking about if I remember right.

  • MitchellC

    Nov. 13, 2009 12:46 a.m. MitchellC HalfDork

    Is there an engine more appropriate for a Fiero swap?

  • m4ff3w

    Nov. 13, 2009 12:47 a.m. m4ff3w Dork

    MitchellC wrote:

    Is there an engine more appropriate for a Fiero swap?

    Exactly what I was going to post.

  • JeepinMatt

    Nov. 13, 2009 1:04 a.m. JeepinMatt Reader

    MitchellC wrote:

    Is there an engine more appropriate for a Fiero swap?

    Was thinking the same thing. I have strongly considered an Alfa V6, though. Nice and light(er) weight

  • ae86andkp61

    Nov. 13, 2009 5:02 p.m. ae86andkp61 Reader

    Adrian_Thompson wrote:

    Any one remember the Mid engined Alfa rally car using a 308 engine? Googling isn't much help, but the same guy built a mid mounted 4wd Pug 306 using a Cosworth V6 more recently.

    Yup...Andy Burton is the guy's name. Here's some details on the old car and the new car:

    http://www.peugeot-cosworth.co.uk/thecar_history.htm

  • gamby

    Nov. 13, 2009 7:21 p.m. gamby UberDork

    So it's a mid-size middle-class sedan that requires $15k of maintenance every 5 years.

    While I love the concept, it makes absolutely no sense in real life. (which is why it would make sense here)

    Great find--I've never heard of that car.

  • mad_machine

    Nov. 13, 2009 10:12 p.m. mad_machine PowerDork

    yes.. I would buy a saab 9000 if I had that engine laying about

  • BAMF

    Nov. 13, 2009 11:19 p.m. BAMF Reader

    Luke wrote:

    Would the American equivalent be the V8 Taurus SHO?

    Pretty close. The 8.32 had a really nice interior. While Lancia's glory days of being the most luxurious (though certainly not fastest) Italian cars (think Aurelia and Flaminia) were long behind them, the 8.32 would be similar to a Lincoln SHO had such a thing been made.

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