THE LITTLE RED DIVA

1975 ALFA ROMEO GT 1600 JUNIOR

I had decided to stop smoking. It occurred to me that I should buy a classic car. The timing was right because I could justify paying for it with the money that would’ve otherwise gone up in smoke. I worked out that if I didn’t smoke for seven and a half years I would have earned myself a free car. Slightly shaky logic admittedly, but I still have the car and haven’t smoked for nine years. One addiction replaced another.

CLASSICS AND MODDING:
I’d always appreciated classic cars but I’d only recently started yearning for one, and this was the model that made me take that leap.
Anyone that’s ever owned a classic car will agree that it’s a bit more of a commitment than a modern car. If you possess some mechanical sympathy then you could claim that the trick is to know what to repair before it fails. Or you can fall deep into the addiction that is modifying (I got it bad, I blame Gran Turismo) and change bits to add performance. Many of the swapped out parts weren’t quite dead when I upgraded them, but some were well past their best. This car has not been a stranger to a tow truck over the years. I don’t mean to say that all 105 Alfas are unreliable, but mine certainly was.
Of course with a classic there is also the added bonus that it might increase in value. Or it might not. This only becomes an issue if you decide to sell it one day. I will never sell this car. I drove away from my wedding in it, it’s too loaded with memories.

LOOKS:
This Giorgetto Giugiaro designed creation is an attractive size, similar to a Mark 1 Escort or BMW 2002. Production of the 105 ran from 1963 to 1977, and the GT 1600 Junior was produced from ‘72 to ‘75. It’s rare enough to get approving looks from the general public (let’s face it, mainly middle aged men) without getting sneers for being too flashy. I can only imagine how well it would go down in Italy, that is a dream I will one day have to realise.
I think it’s one of the greatest designs ever penned, a subtle mix of beauty and aggression. As with many Alfas, from certain angles it looks slightly out of proportion, the profile sometimes looks odd. But other angles like front on, or the rear three quarter view, it looks just right. I could spend hours looking at it and it never fails the look back after parking it test. Chris Harris once wrote that he loves the angle the exhaust pipe emerges from the back of the car, reminding him of a cigarette poking out the lips of its Italian owner (paraphrasing). You can put bumpers on these cars but I think they look more purposeful without. It has a surprisingly big boot, big enough for a few large bags.

THE PLAN:
My intention was always to modify it for track use, but it had to be usable on the road. The challenge was to drive it to the track, flog it around for the day and make it home again. The aluminium bodied GTA was very successful in racing, winning the European Touring Car Championship in 1966, 1967 and 1969. The GTAm won in 1971 and 1972, further cementing the 105’s racing pedigree. With this in mind, I wanted a taste of a track focused Alfa.
I knew that parts were relatively easily available. I even took an evening course in mechanics to learn how to fix it when inevitably it went wrong. In the early days a mechanic friend of mine would help me with some of the repairs and upgrades (or mostly I would watch him do it). I’m still a terrible mechanic but as things have indeed gone wrong, I now know the car pretty well. These days I let an Alfa specialist do the work, and he happens to be working five minutes from my home (very useful!)

THE BEGINNING AND ROOKIE ERRORS:
The car had just been restored when I bought it. Well, the body had just been restored, which saves huge headaches. As I would discover, all the parts that were on the car pre-restoration were plonked back on the car post-restoration. Some in better condition than others. As parts failed I agreed with myself that I had no choice other than to make it into my perfect 105 Alfa.
It started its life with me as a fairly standard 1975 1600 GT Junior, albeit with an apparently rebuilt 2 litre Nord engine (would’ve been a 1.6 when new) and badly chopped springs. I immediately made the mistake of buying cheaper parts than I should have. The pair of bucket seats I put in soon after buying it were awful. I was sitting too high and my head was touching the roof liner, especially with a helmet on. I lived with them for a bit but I definitely learned my lesson.
The Alfaholics website became my go-to from this point. I would spend many hours scrolling.

BRAKES:
These cars came with disc brakes all round, pretty revolutionary at the time. They weren’t bad but I knew this was the first thing I needed to improve. Of course there is no ABS.
I upgraded them to a set of four pots at the front with adjustable brake bias box. It made a huge difference to the confidence I felt in the car. It’s pretty obvious to say but when you are stepping hard on the brakes as you approach Woodcote or Quarry corner, you want to be sure the car will do what you’ve asked it to. The servo had to be removed for this mod to work, but that was an easy decision as it had failed literally the day I drove the car home for the first time. Removing this also gives you a lot more feel and you can modulate your braking much better. It also has race pads on it so you need to be aware that they don’t work very well until slightly warmed up. Up until now they’ve had Ferodo race pads, I have just upgraded to Carbone Lorraine because the brakes were overheating on summer track days. I haven’t had a chance to properly test them yet because of lockdown and winter. Old Alfas and British winter do not mix.

STEERING WHEEL:
Next modification was a detachable alcantara Momo steering wheel. Not only was it a smaller diameter than the satellite dish it replaced but it instantly transformed it into a race car. In my head anyway. And it offers an extra theft deterrent. I often wonder if a thief would still drive the car away if there was no steering wheel on it, maybe with an adjustable spanner fastened to the steering boss. He would be a brave man.

INTERIOR:
Then I upgraded the odious seats to Recaro Profi SPGs, Schroth harnesses, removed the rear seats and fitted a roll cage (thanks to Ian Joyce for helping me out with this). I made a rule with myself that if I was going to thrash it around tracks I really should make it safe. The original seats offered very little lateral support, the second set were rubbish and the Recaros are lovely. I can no longer afford to put any weight on though or I’ll be muffin topping. Sometimes I feel like this car is trying to keep me healthy for as long as possible so it can really clean me out.
The interior was already pretty nicely done, and it has an usual flock dash which seems to get the geekier Alfisti chattering. There is no stereo in this car, I strap a Bluetooth speaker to the rollcage if I’m going on a long journey and I need a soundtrack, although it can barely be heard over the chorus of horses.

SUSPENSION, STEERING AND DIFF:
As my addiction really ramped up I decided to upgrade all the suspension parts, fit a limited slip diff, new wheels and tyres. If I was to walk past you I’m sure you’d catch a pretty strong whiff of Alfahol.
I went for the fast road suspension rebuild package with quick steering arms. I brought the car to Alfaholics for them to do this job, I figured they would know better than anyone how their kit should be set up.
New 2.25 inch springs made a real difference to the drivability as I no longer was constantly afraid of grinding the sump to dust on any lumps in the road.
The steering feels quick and darty, you can find that apex and nibble that rumble strip at will. Again, a small car like this is what you want to learn how to drive fast. Its narrowness means you can place it nicely on the track or the road. It’s great for zipping around the country lanes where I live. The thicker anti roll bar now means the car corners much flatter but still has enough flex to feel refined on the road. I’m no suspension expert but Alfaholics have really found a sweet spot, the car rides really well on the road whilst also doing what it needs to do on the track. Clever damping and I suppose the lightness of the car (relative to a modern car) helps with this magic trick. The car weighs just under a ton, if my addiction progresses further then this number will fall.
The diff adds some noise in the cabin but the extra speed out of corners is definitely noticeable, if I was brave enough to slide it in the wet intentionally then I’m sure this upgrade would help with predictable arse-outery. I was once caught out in the rain on track, entering a corner with a little too much enthusiasm. The car was four wheel sliding towards the barrier and miraculously found grip again just before touching the grass. Cue some freestyle bum jazz. It hasn’t happened to me yet but I’d rather avoid crashing my car in front of a crowd of petrol heads. Oh the shame. Oh the opinions.

WHEELS AND TYRES:
The 7x15” GTA Veloce wheels are sexy AF. They are one inch bigger than the original wheel, giving them that subtle extra aggression, and a lower profile tyre à la restomod. Fitted with Yokohama AD08Rs, the car is stuck like glue to the tarmac. It almost feels like on a hot, dry day, you’d have to do something colossally stupid to make it lose traction. They work nicely in the rain too, assuming you keep your enthusiasm grounded.

ENGINE AND GEARBOX:
Having changed almost everything else, I saved my money for the final push. An engine and gearbox rebuild.
Alfa’s twin cam all alloy inline four cylinder engine is a peach, but with the plans I had for the car, I wanted it to give a bit more.
Last winter I went for the stage 5 Competition package. Shout out to Peter Smart and his assistant Ian, my local Alfa specialists. They rebuilt the engine and gearbox for me, and supplied me with a pair of reconditioned 45 Webbers in exchange for the Dellorto carbies that were on there before.
The gearbox work was just a straight rebuild. I’ve been told these five speeds can take big horsepower as standard so they don’t really require any serious modification. The gear stick is long, meaning you don’t have to reach too far from the wheel to find the nob. It’s a quirky thing if you’re not used to it but it gives such character to the car. You need to be mindful of this long throw when changing gears quickly. A quick shift mod is available but I haven’t tried it so don’t know if it’s worth it. It was grinding when engaging third gear before the rebuild, especially when cold. It’s now perfect.
I chose to stick to the 2 litre Nord engine with carburettors mainly because if I decide to race it one day there will be little modifications needed. As tempting as it was (and expensive) to go for a twin spark conversion with fuel injection, I took the sensible route. It turns out the sensible route means compromises. Those guzzling Webbers only like to be wide open, downing yummy engine beer. If you’re driving a little less than flat out, the carbs will tut, expressing their boredom. If you’re below half throttle they will spit at you for a being a pussy. Is this an abusive relationship? It feels that way most the time, but if you mash that slender, slightly too far offset to the right accelerator pedal, like if you’d dropped a cigarette and were trying to put it out before it burns a hole in your carpet, it sings. All the way to 8,000 rpm. Peak torque of 160 nm is at about 6,300. It’s linear, smooth and addictive. Most of the noise is induction, so I suspect the occupants will get the best soundtrack but I do still get many many compliments from the track day massive. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t satisfying when someone walks right past a Pista or GT3 and its owner to talk to me instead.
The engine puts out 190hp in its rebuilt form, an extra 60hp. Of course this is not a massive amount compared to a modern car, but it feels like much more because of the sound, vibration, lack of aerodynamics and zero downforce. Driven well it will keep up with cars it shouldn’t, and their drivers will look at you with a baffled expression as you scream past them and wave a polite thank you for getting out of the way.

THE FINAL TOUCH:
My final modification was the quadrifoglio stickers (does John Coleman object?) It’s transformation into an almost GTA is complete. And as we all know, stickers immediately add an extra ten horse power.

It is my perfect Alfa 105. It took nine years to get there, but it’s been a great ride.