'81 Spider Veloce, wows, woes...

[Perry Wise <drpjw@domain.elided>]

Hello and greetings to Alfisti everywhere!

This is my first posting on the digest. I've been
reading diligently for the last two weeks or so since
subscribing. I really enjoy the varied subjects, but
most of all, I like the passion of your relationships
to your cars and the marque.

I have some experience in this vein as I'm a BMW
motorrader, the proud, passionate and privileged owner
of a 1985 K100RS. I know this trusted steed and, well,
friend as Lil Fredrik Jernhard. I am also recently
endowed with the privilege and responsibility of
caring for a sexy Italian lass, a 1981 Alfa Romeo
Spider Veloce, lovingly known as Verena de Ragazza. 

I received Verena in return for some work I did,
knowing that the previous had no other way to pay me
at the time. Dave is a car nut with a history of
owning many interesting cars, e.g. Aston DB5, several
Gulias, Guliettas and Spiders, TRs, MGs, presently a
Studebaker SuperHawk and a mid-eighties Alfa Spider
...none of which he took/takes care of. Verena was
driven hard and put away wet, about five years ago, in
a moldy, damp barn on the Washington coast.

Being a pretty well accomplished shade-tree mechanic
of about 20 years experience in things European, I set
about putting Verena right. WOWS, WHOAS, WOES....

This is the SPICA system Pat Braden refers to on p.51
of the Alfa Owners's Bible as one you may never see.
Paying attention to the cars of those posting
recently, I can believe this to be true. I have not
spotted another '81 Spider owner...at least one who'll
admit to it.

All that said, the crux of the matter is she won't
start. Not even a hint. I'm good at getting things
going after years idle...but not this time. I'd like
some help with where things go, what to do next...

I replaced the disintegrated distributor wiring with a
single-sensor PLEX system. The sensor is on the right
side of the distributor, the #1 lead is about one
o'clock looking down on the cap. The electrical tests
are normal, timing is on "F" by strobe when cranking. 

None of the electrical leads around the SPICA pump
were connected...so they went where they fit... lead
from the starter went to the cold-start solenoid, and
the microswitch leads, one to the cut-off solenoid,
the other toward the coil.

All of the pollution control systen was hacked away
before I got her, and then oil seperator had
disintegrated. I neatly plugged the various EGR
passages. I removed the oil seperator, plugging the
dip-stick tube, and routing the valve cover breather
directly to the intake horn. 

Gas, fuel pumps, filters(twice) have been changed.
Compression is 120 psi. Golden Lodge HL plugs come out
soaking wet after several tries cranking.

Do you have experience? Do you see a blunder? Can we
talk? 

Eagerly awaiting your replies, 

P.J. Wise
'81 Spider Veloce "Verena de Ragazza"
'85 BMW K100RS "Lil Fredrik Jernhard"


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