T.I., T.I. Super, and Super

[JHertzman@xxxxxxx]

In AD7-489 Ian Evans asked, and Bob Abhalter answered, the question " Whats
the difference between a "Super" and a "TI"?"; Bob wasn't too certain on the
chronology of the column shift version ("I think, but am not sure, the early
ones may have had a column-mounted shifter") and said "I'm sure others can
supply horsepower differences and other details."

The gear shift differentiation on the T.I. was not strictly eary/late; the
105.14 cars with column shift (cambio volante) was in production through 1967
as were the 105.08 cars with floor shift (cambio cloche) which were an option
from May 1964.

The T.I. was introduced in June 1962 with a 92 hp engine shared with the
Giulia Sprint (old body) and Giulia Spider. An intervening model between the
T.I. and the Super was the T.I.Super (1963), a homologation special (501
built) for touring-car competition with the 112 hp engine shared with the
Spider Veloce, Giulia Sprint Speciale, and the 'street' version of the
Tubolare Zagato. The 'prepared' versions of the T.I. Super and the Tubolare
went on up in tandem- both concurrent competition cars in different classes,
with the T.I. Super carrying an extra 250 kg, down 90 kg from the T.I. through
all the legal reducing strategies, like plexi windows without winders in the
rear doors, alloy wheels, etc., and with a driver-oriented interior- bucket
seats, large round instruments, floor shift, proper steering wheel.

The Super was an excellent try at merging the best of both worlds, taming the
competition T.I.Super into an attractive, less expensive, more civilized
driver's car with vivid performance, and it became enormously popular. 125,000
were built, as opposed to 36,000 Giulia GTs and GT Veloces and 6,300 Duettos.
Part of the attraction was the price; it was my first new Alfa at $2,750 in
1967, but the price quickly took second place to character and personality;
I'm sure everyone who ever owned one in reasonable condition has fond
memories.

Bob is not absolutely correct when he says that the Super was fitted with the
same Dual Webered engine used in the GTV. It was indeed the same basic twin
Weber engine, but with the vernier adjustment of the camshafts fiddled to gain
a good bit in the midrange at the expense of the peak. The outputs of the
different versions (DIN hp) and declared speeds were:

T.I. (single Solex), 92 CV @ 6200 rpm, 165 Km/h
T.I.Super, 112 CV @ 6500 rpm, better than 185 Km/h 
Sprint GT, 106 CV @ 6000 rpm, 180 Km/h 
Giulia Super, 98 CV @ 5500 rpm, better than 175 Km/h
Giulia Sprint GT Veloce, 109 CV @ 6000 rpm, better than 185 Km/h

John H.
Raleigh, N.C.

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