The Spider is something you drive with feeling. I have always been very careful to have the engine warmed up before taking off. That is, I drive the first five minutes rather slow with the engine not exceeding 3 000 revs. When the oil-pressure is 5-6 bar the engine is ready. The oil-pressure is normally 4-5 bar when hot. Then the temperature is rising to 85 degrees and it's OK to speed up.
BTW, I have only used Castrol oil in my cars. I don't know if that's good or bad, but I have so far never had any oil problems with my Alfas over 50 years.
On my way to one of the meetings in late 1970 this silver Duetto came roaming. I still don't know who drove, I thought he was going to the track as well, so I let him pass. My friend Anders Tillman took the photo.
The Duetto is very attractive even when you've been overtaken. The Duetto and Spider Veloce is also referred to as "Osso di Seppia" or roundtail. Have a look in the Picture gallery to see the Kamm-tail, which was introduced in 1970.
This is the roundtail. I prefer the roundtail to the Kamm-tail. This is what Alfisti talk about. It's like the story about the hen and the egg. Which came first and what's the origin. I think that the roundtail is a better design since it is in harmony with the front of the car.
Also the roundtail matches the rear Carello lights and the shape of those. The photo shows my Veloce Spider with the Revolution five-spoke wheels. They are 6x14 and were most popular in the late -60's and in the -70's. I am very fond of them. MOMO made great alloy wheels too. I had a set of MOMO Vegas and they are the ones you see on some of the other photos of my spider.
Italian tune-up
Years ago I red something that I can't get out of my head. Thanx to readers of the Alfa-digest on the web, I finally located who wrote it. The quote was from Pat Braden's book " The Alfa Romeo Bible" and goes something like this:
You've spent lots of money on your Alfa. You're very careful and do not stress the engine. Never more than 3.000 revs and you treat the gearbox like an egg. You drive with your ears and eyes wide open to check that your Alfa is feeling OK.
At the same time, there's an Italian driving exactly the same Alfa as you do. He's constantly overreving and steps on the accelerator like as if he was mad. He also uses the brakes intensively and leaves black stripes behind him in every corner. There are various tools on the floor of the car and a slice of pizza, which even a dog would find hard to eat.
He hardly changes the oil or coolant and he uses his Alfa as a daily driver, carrying screaming kids with ice cream, dirty tools and his mother-in-law. The roaming engine is running so good that it's hard to believe.
The same guy might be you mechanic. When you ask him to tune your precious pearl. He says OK. Then when you have gone, he takes your Alfa, drives it like he drives his own Alfa, and like magic, the plugs are clean, the acid oil is evaporating and the brakes quit binding.
When you drive home after the service, you wonder what he's done to your Alfa. It feels just like a power tuned GTA.
