FrankenSpider - news of the week

[Godfrey DiGiorgi <ramarren@domain.elided>]

It's been a full week with Signor FrankenSpider. Round about Wednesday, 
the replacement OEM stock tailpipe to replace the ANSA replica which was 
rattling around back there driving me crazy was due to be installed. And 
since the motor has about 1700-1800 miles on it now, it was time to have 
the cylinder head re-torqued. Off it went to Cammisa for these two 
service items. 

The starter has occasionally simply failed to turn over, or taken a 
moment to do so, since I put it on the road. On the '78, this problem 
turned out to be a huge voltage drop due to corrosion all through the 
wiring harness. I'd mentioned it to LarryT in the shop before. Well, as 
luck would have it, the starter simply failed to turn at all when he went 
to bring the car in for the other two items on Wednesday morning. Hmm. A 
careful check of the wiring harness indicated no substantial voltage drop 
... the starter itself was simply hanging up and failing to work. After 
some consultation, I decided to have a new, late model starter installed. 
A little expensive, yes, but it was the most sensible option available. 

Those three things done, I picked the car up Thursday evening. The joy of 
it: without the tailpipe banging around the car feels so nice and tight. 
Truly amazing what a properly fitted exhaust can do. The OEM exhaust note 
is virtually indistinguishable from the ANSA replica, although I will say 
the droopy outlet pipe is not as visually satisfying. But function is 
better than just sporty looks. 

I buzzed around with it all day Friday and Saturday, having a ball. And 
today I decided to shed my checkbook mechanic status for a little bit and 
finally fit the fiberglass bumper replacements to see just what kind of 
improvement they lend.

Started with the rear one. My gods, that stock rear bumper weighs a 
flippin' ton! I simply couldn't believe how heavy the sucker was when I 
pulled it off. The rear of the car rises almost a half inch just taking 
it off ... must be all of 80 lbs. After a little fighting with the 
brackets, nuts and washers, the fiberglass one was installed ... the rear 
of the car is permanently a touch higher now. I had to retrim the 
headlights a little bit to accomodate it.

Then I went to the front. It was actually easier to reach all the bolts 
for it and I was already familiar with how heavy that one was, having had 
to carry the one ripped free by the person who wrecked the '78 car. Given 
that these chassis are a bit nose heavy and the front springs are quite a 
bit stiffer, it doesn't change the ride height very much when you remove 
it, but it does stiffen the front end a little bit. I moved the turn 
signals over from the stock bumper to the fiberglass one and had it in 
place pretty quickly. Then I had to deal with that horrid lower grille 
piece .. what sadist designed these buggers? Three miniscule little studs 
with 5.5mm nuts. I had to use an ignition wrench, twisting and scraping 
my arm to reach the bastids. Reinstalling the lower grille took more time 
than replacing both bumpers. 

Once done, I cleaned myself up and took the little beast out for a buzz 
up Hwy 9. NOW THIS IS MORE LIKE IT! Lacking the huge pendulum weight of 
two 80 lb bumpers at the furthest ends of the car, Signor FrankenSpider 
becomes nimble and fun to toss around in the corners like my 
oft-pined-for '71 Spider was. The difference is enormous ... what a drag 
that our Federal Government kowtowed to the brainless twerps in the 
insurance lobby and made Alfa stick those horrid things on these cars. 
The fiberglass replica lumps aren't any prettier than the baby buggy 
bumpers and do about as much to protect the bodywork as the original 
"bumper trim" did, but the difference in the function of the car is 
incredible. I no longer feel like I have to manage swinging the car like 
a pendulum through a fast series of switchbacks. Big smiles ... :)

Other quick news: I connected with a painter who's willing to do paint 
for me at a very good rate. And the differential between a repaint in 
Silver versus changing the car's color to Red, Yellow, Green or something 
else is actually quite reasonable. I'll be making up my mind just what 
color to do it, hopefully I'll be able to drop it off for the job around 
the beginning of August. Sure would be nice to have it looking as pretty 
as it runs. 

Satisfaction is a great thing. 

Godfrey

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