Re: 101 Vs 105 drivetrain

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Responding to Beatle Bayly's question "what is involved in fitting 105 series
engine/tranny/rear axle and front suspension to a 101 chassis. Is it at all
feasible ?", Tom Callahan wrote (among other things) "The rear axle is a
standard 'upgrade' for 101 racing types, the LS of the 105 is desirable as is
the disk brake set up. - - The drive shaft will have to be modified, I
believe. Shortened, but best to make your measurements once everything else is
in."

It's thirty-three years since I sold my Giulietta, (with unmodified
mechanicals) so I claim no expertise, but I would have thought there was more
work and less advantage to a rear axle swap than this suggests. LS was
available for the 101, and disk brakes were also, cutting the advantage. The
spring seats and shock mounts (above the axle on the 101, on the radius arms
ahead of the axle on the 105) would require some modification/fabrication, and
the upper radius location fitting (ball joint on a vertical taper for the 101
A-arm, rubber bushes on a horizontal pin for the T-trunion on the 105) would
also take some finessing. Don't know if the drop-brackets on the axle for the
radius arms (or the hull brackets at the other end) are a simple bolt-on
match-up, but I would be surprised if either was. All of this could be done,
but the discrepancies should be noted.

An engine swap would not be as much of a problem, especially if a 1600, but
the tighter engine bay would complicate things around the induction system,
exhaust system, and alternator, and the motor mounts probably won't match. The
105 oil pan certainly won't fit in a 101; a 116 oil pan on a 105 engine should
fit.

The front suspension, which was part of Beatle's question, is totally
different.

Not that it couldn't be done. One correspondent down Beatle's way sent me a
photo of a Triumph TR-2 hull with a 105/115 engine, transmission, rear axle,
front suspension and steering (and Alfa grill), and a Giulietta would not be
much harder (or much easier) than that. It would just take a welding torch,
cutting attachment (or Sawzall), time, and a cavalier spirit. Maintaining the
possibility of a later faithful restoration (which was part of Beatle's
proposal) would complicate the process. Other than all that, why not?

Enjoy,

John H., Raleigh, N.C.
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided