Spica, again

[JHertzman@xxxxxxx]

In AD7-354 Dana Loomis gave an overview of the European history of Spica,
particularly as applies to the four cylinder cars, in response to a question
posed by Biba (Down here we spell it "Bubba"-). He writes:

" As near as I can determine, the first non-US model 4-cylinder Alfa Romeo
production car to use fuel injection of any kind was the 1982 Alfetta
Quadrifoglio Oro, which had SPICA fuel injection, borrowed from the US
model.  With this exception, European market Alfas that used the classic
inline 4 soldiered on with carbs until around 1986.  

Regardless of what the estimable D'Amico-Tabucchi says, I would be skeptical
about any four-cylinder Alfas originally built for (as opposed to sold in)
non-USA markets being equipped with Spica injections. Without my D'A-T at the
moment I fall back on Giancarlo Catarsi's book on the Alfetta which does
indeed list the 2000 LI America (1981) and the Quadrifoglio (1982) together as
having "Alimentazione indiretta meccanica Spica-Alfa Romeo". The 1981 2000 LI
America however was a full USA-spec car with USA rubber bumpers and below-
bumper parking lights, USA side rub strip, quad headlights, the USA eight-
spoke alloys, etc; the most reliable source I have (and he IS reliable)
confirms that these cars were 1979 cars which were shipped back to Italy from
Newark after failing to sell here. The only non-USA detail in the European
photos of these cars is the front side marker lights on an adapter plate
covering the USA holes. How they handled VIN numbers and build-date plates I
do not know.

But what about the 1982 Quadrifoglio, which is the car Dana mentioned? The
only evidence I have is an "Edizione Olandaise" 1982 Alfetta brochure which
lists "mechanische injectie" for the Turbodiesel (naturally) but "2 dubbele
catburateurs" for the Quadrifoglio as well as for the 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0
versions. No sign whatsoever of Spica (or Bosch) in that brochure.

Dana goes on to say " With this exception, European market Alfas that used the
classic inline 4 soldiered on with carbs until around 1986." There is at least
one exception; a 1984 brochure I have (again, "Edizione Olandaise") for the
Alfa 90 has both "2.0 met carburateurs" and "2.0 met elektronische injectie"
versions, as well as Turbodiesel and the injected 2.5 V-6. Elsewhere in the
brochure the 2.0 is identified as Motronic and the 2.5 as L-Jetronic.

Dana also says " Of course, SPICA injection was used much earlier on the
Montreal, GTAm, GTA 1300 Junior, and some 33 race cars." Earlier Brian Shorey
had referred to Spica "on very late gta's". I was surprised by both the GTA
references, although I don't have the books and will not dispute the point.
Fusi does say that Autodelta prepared 100 injected 1300s, but does not specify
injection type. As for the use on "some 33 race cars", I would have said that
the 33 Stradale had Spica but that all 33 Corsa variants had Lucas injection.
Again, I could lose that bet. Given the established predilection for Lucas
injection on the all-out competition cars and the fact that a 1300 Spica
engine would have required a different block I would have assumed that an
injected Autodelta 1300 would have been more likely to use the Lucas system.

It seems clear enough that Alfa went with Spica on the US cars only because of
emissions, and it seems likely that they stayed with carbs for the rest of the
World for reasons of first cost, consumer familiarity, and field-
serviceability in the absence of emissions strictures. It seems very telling
that when Alfa went Bosch they did it broadly, not USA-only, and they never
went apoplectic over the field-service issue. 

On the broader question of Spica Vs. Carbs, I recognize that an optimized
Spica system can in many respects (emissions, fuel efficiency) beat carbs and
that as Brian says "the spica system is superior, and an ingram performance
pump will perform every bit as good as a set of carbs, or better." And I can
understand the special appeal it has for some as a marvelous mechanical
solution, a rear-guard tour de force at the end of what has been called "The
Last Age of the Mechanical Machine". As a residual antiquarian, however, I
find the Webers even more marvelous. And I have yet to hear of anyone trying
to figure out a way to "improve" a Giulietta Veloce or a Giulia Super by
retrofitting a Spica system-

Cordially, 

John H. 

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End of alfa-digest V7 #355
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