33 wagon testing versus 75TS

[Jonathan Coates <cdico.demon.co.uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Today I got the wagon road legal which involves paying huge amounts of
money to insurance and Govt. agencies. Here's what I found while driving
it.
I was expecting the car to be a little slower than the 75 as it's got
300cc less engine. That was not the case, this thing is quick, much
quicker than the twinspark. I looked up the performance figures for the
75TS, the wagon and the 164. They should be in the same ballpark, as in
a lot faster than "normal" cars, however MY twinspark seems much slower
than it should be. I can only quote "seat of the pants" figures as it is
headless until I put it back together tomorrow. Seat of the pants figure
- - it's not as it should be.
Back to the wagon, it should have power steering to control the squirty
front under normal acceleration (read- foot to the boards) and to help
in parking (sometimes you have to, you need to rest from all the fun
occasionally). The seats are wierd as the lumbar support seems to be far
too sticky-out and I have no adjustment.
Space wise it's as you would expect from a wagon, loads of room in the
rear with the foldy seats, though I have yet to try two child seats and
an adult in the back where even the 164 struggles to provide enough
room. The 75 is just cramped under this abuse (I know, make them walk).
One thing I'm not sure about is the rev. limit on this, what can the
boxer 1.7 rev to without currency lossage? My other non-toy cars have
Motronic which briefly wipes the grin off during overtaking etc.
automatically except the diesel, say no more there. Do I take note of
the coloured bits on the Tacho? Is it self limiting like the nutter I
bought the GTV off said that was? (He told me something about the rotor
arm comes off as an antique cutout system, but that he had to have the
engine rebuilt afterwards, which was why he had no cash which is why he
sold me it.)
Back to the TS, the same guy who sold me the GTV told me that he tested
a TS near his home which was for sale which would spin the rears in the
dry until 2nd gear was required. Mine doesn't do this in the wet, so
either he dreamt it or mines crap. Opinions please on this point, I'd
rather mine was crap but fixable if you know what I mean.
Anyway, enough ramblings from somebody who could be suffering from
peanut poisoning tomorrow, I'll ask about roll bars to stop wheel spin
out of corners later :-)
I just recognised a feeling I had looking at the 164 today, it was the
same as when I was approached by a very beautiful, VERY expensive lady
of the night. I'll buy her a new engine on Monday.
- -- 
Jonathan Coates (in debt as of Monday)
33 wagon daily driver (in love with life again)
164LV6 (in bits)
752.0TS T car (in bits)
Alfetta 2.0 GTV (in storage)

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End of alfa-digest V7 #79
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