A Work in Progress # 1:0 Alfa 33 (a Tale of Love, Loss and Renewal)

Above is the Alfa Male's 33, as it was a few weeks back when he sent the image through. It's been under restoration for a while now as he's sourced parts, disassembled, refitted and renewed various bits of suspension, engine componentry and other stuff, as required and when he can obtain it. He's had the rust professionally cut out and replaced with new metal but, being the can-do sort of bloke that he is, he's having a crack at the duco himself.

And, by having a crack, I mean getting a shed built, plumbing a compressor into it, doing all the sanding-back and other prep, erecting a temporary plastic spray booth and applying the primer and Rosso red finish himself. There'll be a bit of fine rubbing and buffing to come, too. Quite some project, eh?!

The original paint code sticker.

As the photos below show, it's not some quick-fix bog 'n' flog; there's been a bit of attention to detail paid to the restoration. If the quality of work below the waterline's replicated on the top half of the car, it's going to look pretty damned good.

Before

After

There are a set of iconic Teledial wheels (ex-Sprint) ready to go on the car, and the Alfa Male is looking to retrim it with original tartan style cloth on the seats and door cards. However, the engine will be less standard and is going to run a set of 45 mm Weber side-drafts and a more open exhaust system, so it's going to sound magnificent! The aircon's been jettisoned, in the interests of weight-saving, and quite probably because it was always crap!

So what's with the love, loss and renewal palaver in this post's title? This isn't just an Alfa 33! It's the Alfa Male's first-ever and the one that set his obsession with the marque off, a journey that's included a 156, an ill-fated (aka highly flammable - please see: https://uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com/2018/04/for-sale-alfa-33qv-no-rust-any-offer-be.html) quad-valve 33, a white 1.7 litre fuel-injected 33 he still owns, as well as quite a few long-gone donor cars.

He sold the car many years ago and immediately regretted it. He found it several years later, languishing in a paddock, and managed to buy it back.

When asked why he didn't concentrate on the going-concern 1.7 rather than the near-death paddock-find, he replied "The white one's not my Alfa. This is my Alfa!" Enough said?

The latest additions: minty green stripes.

U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)

Photos supplied.

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