164LS

A.L.F.A: Always Looking For Another

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Only in my case, it would be Always Looking For Another Because One Broke, or ALFABOB.  I imagine somebody already has the as a personalized plate – likely in California, where extroverts seem to thrive.

Now, I’m not the first person to experience a broken Alfa, but both my ’89 Milano Verde and my ’95 164LS both have experienced bottom end failure within their first weeks in my garage.  I am documenting the Verde failure and rebuild, but to summarize, it threw a rod while I was doing 75mph on the Interstate.  Since I missed it so much, I bought the 164LS to have something over-the-top to shuttle me around in while the Verde engine is on the stand.  Well, the 164LS developed rod knock while driving at 55mph on the highway.  Luckily, it will only need new rod bearings, which I can manage to replace with the engine in the car.

Bought an Italian Saab.

 

 

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And I posed for the iPhone while holding a stereotypical Italian beverage in dorky, Saab-inspired fashion.

How is the Saab-Alfa to drive?

Well, power is just right for the 3,450lb sedan.  Starting at the base LS-spec 211hp, this car adds the Q-spec intake runners and a Squadra chip for a total of 240hp.  So with a power/weight on par with a VW R32, it moves.  The Stebro exhaust is blatant auditory affirmation of any throttle input.

In the curves, it belies its Saab underpinnings, starting neutral, and progressing to lift-throttle oversteer when needed.  This replaces my e30s, and around town, it feels tighter and more alert.

Of course, in true Alfa fashion, it’s currently out of service for what started out as a bad Motronic H20 temp sensor, and progressed to a full-fledged Alfa 24V V6 timing belt job.

In spite of this, I’m smitten with the car.  Ask me about the interior sometime – especially if you have a full afternoon to listen to me waxing about the peanut butter leather and Alfa logos embossed into each seat.  I’m in way too far with Alfas, and I don’t have any reason to believe that I won’t be that guy with 25 Alfa parts cars sprawled in the front yard, say, 5 years from now.