Monoblock/Monosleeve etc, and body-shell update

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@domain.elided>]

There is little if anything to add to the excellent monosleeve thread, but
will add a snippet. Russ Neely, writing from memory, wrote "I remember seeing
a photo of a monoblock years ago.  I believe the term was a monoblock rather
than a monosleeve.  I have no idea what book it was in.  It seems to have been
for a 1300 cc boat racing Alfa engine."

 Monoblock and monosleeve may be used without much confusion in discussing
contemporary engines, but 'monoblock' had a distinct meaning as different from
biblocks (and triblocks, etc) when engines customarily had cylinder blocks
separate from crankcases and often cast in pairs. The 6C 2300 of 1934 was
Alfa's first engine to have block and crankcase integrated: "basamento in
ghisa, incorporato col monobloco cilindri". A.L.F.A.'s first engines had
light-alloy crankcases and cast iron monoblocks at a time when monoblocks were
a relatively rare and recent innovation; they reverted briefly to biblocks
with the 40-60 of 1913, and commonly used biblocks on performance cars from
the 8C 2300 through the 158/159 and later. Since all the late Alfa fours are
monoblocks in the old sense monosleeve is a less ambiguous term.

 Russ referred to "It seems to have been for a 1300 cc boat racing Alfa
engine," and Greg wrote "Reason was to get a larger bore with siamesed bores.
I believe the 1900's had an 86 mm bore, 82 mm (same as 1600) stroke. I think
there was also a 1500, short stroke version for some marine racing class or
another." The 86 mm bore is only 2 mm larger than the separate sleeves of a
2000, but would have been past any reasonable limit without the monosleeve.

 The 1968 Autodelta price list, without using the term 'monosleeve' in its
brief descriptions, lists a "Motori speciali per grupo 5 derivata dal motore
GTA di cilindrata 1500 cc 83,4 x 68,5, 1600 cc 86 x 68,5, 1900 cc 86 x 82",
offered in several variants; the price of the injected sixteen valve dry sump
1900 was L 3.500.000, the same as a complete GTA with a reconditioned 1600.
Not as expensive as the V8, which went up to 6.000.000 (nearly 2/3 the price
of a complete 33 Stradale). The twin hydroturbo 1600 Sovralimentato was only
2.600.000.

 ====================

 Ben Bishop's query which started the monosleeve thread had ended with a
question I haven't seen addressed yet: "Like, is it possible to update a 1966
1600 shell to match a 1969 1750 shell? What year did the 2000 come out? What
are the major differences between the 66 and 69 shells??"

The 2000 was introduced in June 1971

The body shell update would be difficult. The rear quarter panels are
different - larger wheel cutouts - as are the front fenders, nose panels, and
hood, and internally both the firewall and rear bulkhead and rear shelf. There
are many smaller details- the window-winder systems are completely different,
so there would be substantial differences in the doors although they look the
same. And all trim, except perhaps the headliner, would differ. The roof
panel, trunk lid, much of the glass, and probably many but not all of the
floor panels would be the same. There are enough people who prefer the earlier
design that it would undoubtedly be easier, cheaper, quicker, and less
confrontational to just buy a different car.

 Cheers

 John H.

Raleigh, N.C.

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