RE: CAMS

[Chip Schug <schuga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I read with great interest the posting on the digest concerning cams.  I
thought I had a pretty good grasp on Alfa cams and their workings, but
after reading that posting, I guess I am not educated enough.  

I am still trying to find the "right" cams or the right setup for that
matter in my '79 2L Spider which I have rebuilt (over 2 years ago) with
10.4 Borgo pistons, new racing valve springs, oversized valves in IN &
EX, changed from SPICA to 40 DCOE Webers and all the other goodies used
on a rebuild.  I went from the stock cam to the Columbo 11mm cam and am
using the Marelli Plex ignition system.

My Spider has a lot of "power", but I can not get the car over 100 mph
without going over 5500 rpm in 5th gear.  It is almost like my spider is
not using all of the freshly aquired power in an efficient manner.  I
then was convinced that I need to change the differential from the 4.55
to the 4.10 differential that came on Spiders made in mid the 80's to
drop the tach down to achieve higher speeds.  

I understand that I ultimely need to go to WEBER 45's and a ported and
polished head, but my father had almost the exact same set up in his '79
Alfetta except for the cams.  I think he was using some 10.7 mm cam and
that Alfetta would do over 130 mph!   

As my father was driving my Spider the other day, he became convinced
that the car is not "jetted" correctly.  After a lenghty discussion, we
came to almost the same conclusion about the Spider. A lot of power, but
not being transmitted it a efficient manner or too much gas and not
enough air.  I do not remember the jetting, so I will post it later in a
later article.  

My questions after all of this is--What do I need to do to my Spider to
get a really "hot" car?  Am I on the right track or should I start from
scratch again?

Chip Schug
'78 Spider
'79 Spider
'91 164L
and an
'85 GTV-6
'68 Guilia Veloce
in the family

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