Italeri Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spyder 1600

[Ace-Garageguy]

Anybody know if there's a version of this kit, or another period 4-cylinder Alfa with an engine?

The kit I have has an open hood, but nothing except an engine plate visible from the bottom, and ridiculous toylike front suspension...though the rear end is decent and actually has coil springs.

[Bill Eh?]

Bill, the 1/24 Tamiya Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA is a full detail kit w/engine. Here is a link to an in-box review.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD4J_g1_VlQ

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

23 hours ago, Bill Eh? said:

Bill, the 1/24 Tamiya Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA is a full detail kit w/engine. Here is a link to an in-box review.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD4J_g1_VlQ

 

Thank you sir. Much appreciated.

[Hard_2_Handle_454]

I saw an Alfa 1300 kit at MegaHobby, but it's sold out.  Maybe you could find one online.  Kit looked pretty detailed. 

[peteski]

The Italeri kit is on my to-do list. I also have the Tamiya kit mentioned as an engine donor.  I bought both several years ago.  But the Tamiya kit is so nice that I might have to buy another one, just to build it.

There are several things that bug me about the Italeri kit (going from memory, as I haven't looked at if for few years).

-- Windshield and frame are single clear piece, with very thick "glass".  I was thinking of using it for a vacu-forming buck, then cutting the "glass" out, "chroming" the remaining frame, and then gluing in the thinner vacu-formed "glass".

-- To make operational trunk lid hinges I bought some Sakatsu cast metal hinges - those should work nicely. Unfortunately those hinges are out of production and hard to find.

-- Wheels and tires (especially the tires) are very poorly done (and wrong size?).  I have found an inexpensive die-cast hardtop version of this car with really nice wheels and tires.

-- There is something odd about the nose/grille area (don't remember specifics).

-- The interior also needs some work to make this into a decent model (don't remember specifics)..

[ChrisBcritter]

Ouch. I was eyeing one of those at DuPage ; now I'm glad I passed.

[Mike999]

On 9/26/2019 at 6:48 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Anybody know if there's a version of this kit, or another period 4-cylinder Alfa with an engine?

The kit I have has an open hood, but nothing except an engine plate visible from the bottom, and ridiculous toylike front suspension...though the rear end is decent and actually has coil springs.

That ITALERI Alfa kit is confusing.

It was originally released as PROTAR kit #224 in 1995, with no engine. ITALERI re-issued it the same way, no engine, as kit #3691.

In 1997 it turned up in a REVELL (Germany) box, now with an engine.  Italeri re-issued that one in 2018 as kit #3653, shown below.

The re-issues with an engine still have the one-piece windshield with trim molded in, goofy front suspension, and other issues mentioned here.  

Edited October 1, 2019 by Mike999
goof1

[Ace-Garageguy]

3 hours ago, Mike999 said:

That ITALERI Alfa kit is confusing.

Even more confusing, the kit I have represents the 1600, with the hood scoop...

I see the 1300 is available for reasonable money, so if it does indeed have an engine, I guess I'll have to snag one.

I have a Sptint GTA coupe, mentioned by Bill Eh?, on the way too.

As all this era Alfa small 4-cylinder engines are very similar visually (but with differing carburetion), I can copy the best one, and import some side-draft Webers from something else (my own long-gone car had a 1750 twin-DCOE-equipped engine).

11 hours ago, peteski said:

-- There is something odd about the nose/grille area (don't remember specifics)...

Yes, definitely. After a cursory look, my first thought is that the grille openings and bumpers are too low relative to the headlights. Like a lot of kits out there, it kinda looks like what it's supposed to be, but to anyone with a developed sense of proportion and line, it's pretty far off.

Another problem I see coming is a 4WD-looking stance...if the box photos of the built-up are any indication.

Still, it's something to start with.

[Ace-Garageguy]

On 9/27/2019 at 7:03 PM, Hard_2_Handle_454 said:

I saw an Alfa 1300 kit at MegaHobby, but it's sold out.  Maybe you could find one online.  Kit looked pretty detailed. 

Thanks. I believe I've found one.

[Mike999]

Rescue Models makes an upgraded wheel set for the Alfa kit:

https://www.spotmodel.com/product_info.php?products_id=52795

[Ace-Garageguy]

4 hours ago, Mike999 said:

Rescue Models makes an upgraded wheel set for the Alfa kit:

https://www.spotmodel.com/product_info.php?products_id=52795

Thank you sir.

[peteski]

4 hours ago, Mike999 said:

Rescue Models makes an upgraded wheel set for the Alfa kit:

https://www.spotmodel.com/product_info.php?products_id=52795

Those wheels look great, but the kit's tires are still pieces of you know what.

[1959scudetto]

Protar/Italeri  (as Italian companies !) really messed up the models of the little Alfa Spider: it was first released in 1955 as a Giulietta Spider (1300 cc.) in the 750 Series.

in 1959 the wheelbase was 50 mm stretched behind the doors (= 2 inches) with small triangle windows on the doors, the series was now named 101. Another  facelift took place in 1961, recognizable in the much larger rear lights (still 1300 cc, therefore still "Giulietta" which means none other than "little Giulia" in Italian. THIS IS THE PROTAR/ITALERI GIULIETTA (with the chrome stripe on the hood).

When in 1962 the new Giulia Berlina was presented (now 1600 cc. engine), the 1300 versions were step by step replaced with the 1600 engine and therefore renamed Giulia (New-bodied Coupe followed in 1963 by Bertone, new Spider in 1966 - again designed by Pininfarina)

The Giulia Spider (recognizable through its hood scoop which had been necessary to create room for the carburettor equipment on the 1600) was in production until 1966, up to the presentation of the new Spider.

But a Giulietta Spider with the hood scoop is totally wrong and did NOT exist - Italeri # 3691 definitely is a Giulia Spider (and had the wrong name printed on the box!)

[sjordan2]

18 hours ago, 1959scudetto said:

Protar/Italeri  (as Italian companies !) really messed up the models of the little Alfa Spider: it was first released in 1955 as a Giulietta Spider (1300 cc.) in the 750 Series.

in 1959 the wheelbase was 50 mm stretched behind the doors (= 2 inches) with small triangle windows on the doors, the series was now named 101. Another  facelift took place in 1961, recognizable in the much larger rear lights (still 1300 cc, therefore still "Giulietta" which means none other than "little Giulia" in Italian. THIS IS THE PROTAR/ITALERI GIULIETTA (with the chrome stripe on the hood).

When in 1962 the new Giulia Berlina was presented (now 1600 cc. engine), the 1300 versions were step by step replaced with the 1600 engine and therefore renamed Giulia (New-bodied Coupe followed in 1963 by Bertone, new Spider in 1966 - again designed by Pininfarina)

The Giulia Spider (recognizable through its hood scoop which had been necessary to create room for the carburettor equipment on the 1600) was in production until 1966, up to the presentation of the new Spider.

But a Giulietta Spider with the hood scoop is totally wrong and did NOT exist - Italeri # 3691 definitely is a Giulia Spider (and had the wrong name printed on the box!)

Nice to set the record straight (however, my 1959 Spider Veloce did not have vent windows on the doors, but the evolution of these cars was somewhat erratic).

[89AKurt]

All I care about, is the engine!  Would it pass to use in this BAT?  If I could use the chassis too, I would.  Then I would have a radical resto rod or abandoned junk heap to make with the left-over Spider.

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, 89AKurt said:

All I care about, is the engine!  Would it pass to use in this BAT?  If I could use the chassis too, I would.  Then I would have a radical resto rod or abandoned junk heap to make with the left-over Spider.

1) The BATs were built on the Alfa Romeo 1900 chassis.

2) The 1900 engine looks much more like a Jag XK engine with two cylinders cut off than the engines that we're discussing here.

3) The Spyder kits don't have engines anyway.

4) A 4-cylinder engine appropriate for the Spyder (but NOT the BAT) is included in this kit...

[89AKurt]

1 hour ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

1) The BATs were built on the Alfa Romeo 1900 chassis.

2) The 1900 engine looks much more like a Jag XK engine with two cylinders cut off than the engines that we're discussing here.

3) The Spyder kits don't have engines anyway.

4) A 4-cylinder engine appropriate for the Spyder (but NOT the BAT) is included in this kit...

Thanks for the answer.  Now I feel stupid, had that kit years ago but sold, before I got the BAT.

[Ace-Garageguy]

5 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

Thanks for the answer.  Now I feel stupid, had that kit years ago but sold, before I got the BAT.

Wouldn't have done you any good anyway. The kit pictured above is entirely different from the Alfa Romeo 1900 the BATs are based on. Different structure, different engine.

.  

This is the engine for the Giulia / Giulietta Spider and Coupe models above... one-piece cam cover (though induction could vary considerably):  

This is the Alfa 1900, the basis of the BATs...    

This is the engine for the 1900 and the BATs... individual cam covers (though again, induction varied): 

[89AKurt]

4 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Wouldn't have done you any good anyway. The kit pictured above is entirely different from the Alfa Romeo 1900 the BATs are based on. Different structure, different engine.

[...]

Thanks again, like how you presented the pictures too.  ? That project just dropped off my radar....

[Ace-Garageguy]

12 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

Thanks again, like how you presented the pictures too.  ? That project just dropped off my radar....

Can you post a shot of the underside of your BAT? We might be able to come up with something that's "close enough".

As I mentioned earlier, the 1900 engine looks a lot like a Jag XK engine with the rear two cylinders cut off. A "close enough" facsimile could certainly be made up from a Jag unit, especially as you're no stranger to scratch-building and the internet is awash with photos of the correct engine for reference.

I couldn't quickly find an underside shot of the 1900 chassis, but this topside shot of one of the nekkid Abarth chassis (though this chassis was supposedly a lightweight built by Abarth, there's good reason to assume it is very similar visually to a production 1900 chassis) might get you pointed in the right direction.

 

[89AKurt]

14 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Can you post a shot of the underside of your BAT? We might be able to come up with something that's "close enough".

As I mentioned earlier, the 1900 engine looks a lot like a Jag XK engine with the rear two cylinders cut off. A "close enough" facsimile could certainly be made up from a Jag unit, especially as you're no stranger to scratch-building and the internet is awash with photos of the correct engine for reference.

I couldn't quickly find an underside shot of the 1900 chassis, but this topside shot of one of the nekkid Abarth chassis (though this chassis was supposedly a lightweight built by Abarth, there's good reason to assume it is very similar visually to a production 1900 chassis) might get you pointed in the right direction.

 

It's literally a brick!

[mademan]

On 10/16/2019 at 1:01 PM, 89AKurt said:

Thanks for the answer.  Now I feel stupid, had that kit years ago but sold, before I got the BAT.

I may have one or two of that engine from the kit.... I mashed one up with a Buick Grand national a few years ago to make the Alpha National.... ill try and find the engine for you.

[peteski]

Bill,  I have few diecast 1:24 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint diecast models from Hachette. They came packed in blister pack and were sold for a very affordable price.  These kits have excellent wheels and tires (that was the main reason I bought them), but the car also has really pleasing lines so I'll keep one intact).  If you want, PM me and I can send one of those your way.  They do have a rudimentary engine detail under the hood (just a filler piece with top of the engine molded in) but the wheels are excellent. The grilles might also be usable for the Italeri kit.  Like I said, the Italeri kit is also on my to-do list.

 

Here is a photo. The holes in the wheels are actually open, but could use a bit of a cleanup.

 

 

[89AKurt]

Protar kit any good?

[peteski]

Didn't Italeri acquire Protar molds?  So wouldn't this be the same kit as Italeri?