Disks and drums in the early sixties

[JHertzman@domain.elided]

In AD7-703 Steve asks:
"Got a question from a friend who vintage races a '63 101 Giulia.  He's got 
front disk brakes on the car presently, but what did the car come with 
standard?  Was there a difference with the Veloce or regular Sprint this 
year? For my own info, which year did Alfa switch from drums to discs for 
front brakes on 101 Sprints?  I'm aware the Sprint SZ may have been more 
'advanced'."

Greg Hermann answers:  
"The car came with the triple leading shoe front drums, and the narrow, 
helically finned rear drums. Same brakes as on the Spider Normale.

"There was no Spider Veloce that year, the SS came with the same three shoe 
front drums but with the wider, spiral finned, two shoe rear brakes, 
identical to the rear brakes that came paired with the front discs on the 
later ('65) model year Giulia Spider Veloces," and that the switch from drums 
to discs for front brakes on 101 Sprints was "I believe '65, but only for the 
Spyder Veloce. Were any SS's even built that late?? Were any Spider Normales 
or Sprints ever built with front discs?? I doubt it.

The books differ to a degree. 

Were any SS's even built as late as 1965? 

Fusi says 103 Sprint Speciales were built in 1965 and one in 1966. 
D'Amico-Tabucchi says the three-shoe front brakes were initially fitted, but 
were eventually replaced by disks- no date specified, but see under Spider 
Veloces below.

Were any Spider Normales or Sprints ever built with front discs?? Greg doubts 
it.

D'Amico-Tabucchi says the three-shoe front brakes were replaced with front 
discs from the 5,601st example of the Spider Normale. Fusi says there were 
3,145 Giulia Spiders built in 1962 and 3,875 (including rhd) in 1963, so a 
bit less than half (1419) of the 1963 Spiders would have been disc-equipped. 

D'Amico-Tabucchi also says that the Spider Veloce had "The same general 
characteristics as the up-dated Sprint Speciale with front disc brakes" and 
that it was introduced at Monza together with the Giulia 1300; Fusi puts that 
date as 11 May 1964.

On the Giulia 1600 Sprint, Fusi says that the front brakes were disc. 
D'Amico-Tabucchi says, in the tech specs, "tamburo oppure a disco", and in 
the text says "The three-shoe front brakes amply proven on the Giulietta 
Sprint Speciale and the SZ were also available instead of front disks."

All of which leaves the exact date of general switch a bit fuzzy, but it 
seems that discs were in use in production from mid-1963, in general use by 
mid-1964, and may have been customer's choice on the '63 Sprints. IF the 
books are correct, which they are not always.

John H.
Raleigh, N.C.

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