Alfa Spider stage 1: “what donor?”

Hi all, I’ve been gone for a pretty long time but hope to be back, I’ve somehow landed my dream job and have the environment and the means to work on race cars again. 

Today I scored the old shop racecar (at last, an Alfa of my own!) sans all means of locomotion, but with a solid cage and a vintage racing history behind it. 

So the real question is this: what do I get for a donor to throw under this shell? Dreams are of a wrecked s2000, or a turbo 1.8 Miata (not a mazdaspeed but an NA 1.8 and a kit, that’s dreaming too big), or maybe a 240sx or something. The boss countered my ideas of rotary or Volvo with common sense and decency towards the Alfa community. 

And so I ask of thee, O Great GRM HiveMind, where should I go from here?

also if it turns into a $2019 challenge car how much is an ex vintage racing Spider shell, with a good cage but no running gear or brakes or really anything save a dash, fetch at FMV?

In reply to corytate :

Welcome back!

S2000 would be sweet, but I think Miata may be easier. 

Looks like a nice starting point.  There was some discussion not long in the past about the GM newer 2.0T set up for RWD from the Cadillacs etc.  Seems they were not too expensive ~$1500 and they were close to 300hp.  A manual trans was available.  seems like that might be the LSX for small cars.

Mmm yes the 2.0t seems really appealing. Miata would be an easy button for sure and is really high on the list, some kind of shifter linkage addition to accommodate the hole for the shifter in the Alfa or maybe just cut a new one. I wonder what kind of wheelbase difference that will be? I’m considering dropping this body on a shell but maybe just building it up from a donor, still unsure. 

Alfa Spider wheelbase 89 in. Miata wheelbase 90 in.

Glad to see you back man!

Whatever happened to the z car?

My first vote is also to find a rusty Alfa Spider.  (Logical choice)

Vote Two would be for an Alfa V6 from a Milano or 164. (Passionate, Italian Choice)

If you can resist the urge to do the V8 swap into the Miata chassis like I did, you could literally drive this under the Alfa. Pretty much what Fiat is doing with the 124

Pete

Turbo Alfa 2.0 l. That engine can make a ton of power, and it naturally fits. 

Its not an easy bay for any engine swap, as there isn’t much space. About a decade ago, someone put an s2000 motor into a GTV, and it was a tough fit. 

The only real issue with the Alfa turbo is the fabrication of the exhaust manifold, since none exist in the market. 

Take a lot of measurements before deciding. 

I say stock (or biggest/best iteration of stock options).

1. Fastest back to running, and ease of fixing when you break it racing.

2. Alfas can make good power as I understand.

3. (Most important) There will actually be a race class for you. If you swap a race car the class options dry up fast and you are left playing in "unlimited" type classes. A race car chassis with cage sucks on the street. Therefore a swapped race car isn't great for racing or street driving... So...

As much as I love engine swap, I have found they are not always the right answer.

Woah, didn't realize I had an ultra dork working with me

Thank you all! So many good options out there. I’m still heavily considering a slow performance build of a twin spark Alfa engine or something similar. We have a 2.5 v6 laying around but I’d be looking at either Bell housing adaptors to mate a standard trans up to it or a LOT of fab work to make the rear mounted transaxle setup work in a spider. If I can find a rough but complete spider and the timing and money is right then I’ll probably go that route so I can get her driving again. 

Dusterbd: how’s it going!? It’s been ages, I ended up trading the z car to a forum member who passed a few months afterward, so I’m honestly not sure what happened to it. I miss that thing daily, made a huge mistake in getting rid of it but figured he had the skill and space to do with it what I could not. We have a 260z in for restoration currently and it brings back the ache from missing the z car. Now that they’re astronomical in price I don’t know that I’ll be able to get a replacement any time soon, but one day hopefully. 

I moved up to Richmond VA a year and a half ish ago and have been loving it, hoping to get this thing sorted over the summer and coming winter so I can drive it around next spring with antique plates, cage and all. Probably going to stitch weld it first and foremost, plan on doing a lot of sheet metal work like ducting and dash to get back up to speed with a welder. 

In reply to fiesta54 :

Bow before my superior post count, hahah

In reply to corytate :

Just don't be salty about earlier join date

In reply to fiesta54 :

A true veteran

The thing holding me back from finding a rusted out spider for a donor is we have probably half a dozen of them currently, looking to do something weird with it and were really thinking Miata + budget turbo kit is the way to go. Gotta find a wrecked NA with a 1.8 and go wild! Hoping to keep this is challenge budget so I can potentially do 2019 or 20  

hopefully in a couple months all the miatas will be going up on Craigslist so I can find a donor, this is going to be a very exciting build!

In reply to corytate :

I know many will disagree, but a turbo 1.8 vs a turbo Alfa 2.0 is not a big gain if any. And the BP is a heavier motor. 

If you go with the TS motor, that goes more.  Remember that a 2.0 turbo TS did 232 at Bonneville. That is a great motor. 

I think this needed a little more back story.  As a shop we do quite a few alfas.  At any given point there could be 3-5 spiders in the shop.  The blue spider that was posted was raced in vintage spec for a number of years.  We really just want to do something different.  And to be clear, this isn't just missing a motor.  It's literally just a body and cage.  So we would be looking at swapping in complete subframes if it makes sense. 

In reply to RichardSIA :

Oof that does sound like a dream build, idk that I could afford all that + the chassis stuff and stay remotely I’m budget but that would be an amazing setup

4g63

Car-part.com for a Maserati V8!

Where in Richmond?  I work at McKesson near Innsbrook and live in Midlothian.

It's such a small world.

In reply to stylngle2003 :

Woah, I grew up in Midlothian.  

fiesta54 said:

I think this needed a little more back story.  As a shop we do quite a few alfas.  At any given point there could be 3-5 spiders in the shop.  The blue spider that was posted was raced in vintage spec for a number of years.  We really just want to do something different.  And to be clear, this isn't just missing a motor.  It's literally just a body and cage.  So we would be looking at swapping in complete subframes if it makes sense. 

More than once, I’ve thought about putting a Miata subframe under a 115 car. The issue seems to primarily be engine placement followed quickly by space to put the long front lower arm. 

Putting the rear subframe seems much more straightforward, since there is some space there.