PHIL STORR'S ALFA 2600 Berlina

     

Easter 2000 will go down in history as the time I found an Alfa Romeo 2600 Berlina to keep the 2600 Sprint company in my garage. Pat and I had intended to drive the 1974 Spider to Alfesta 2000 at Margaret River in Western Australia, a distance of about 2,800 Klm and travelling time of four days.

Pat had to work over Easter at short notice and I went to Alfesta 2000 by plane and rent-a-car. When I arrived at the venue on Thursday afternoon (20 th April) I overheard a conversation about a fellow in Perth (Western Australia) wanting to sell his Berlina 2600 that had been stored for many years. I forgot about this conversation until Alfesta was over on Monday morning and then I started asking the Western Australian Club members about the car. They all gave me a discription of it as it was in 1993, when it was on display at Alfesta in Freemantle.

I found out it had not been used for a long time, it was towed to Alfesta in 1993, and the big problem seemed to be no one had got the carbi plumbing right after doing a rebuild on the motor many years ago. The body sounded quite good with minimal rust, mostly in the side sills, and a bad repair to one front left had guard. Unlike my Sprint, the doors, floor, boot (trunk) and bonnet (hood) were in good condition, and there was a lot of spare and rebuilt parts included with the car. Reconditioned items included a new radiator, rebuilt braking system and a rebuilt steering box. These cars have a problem with the steering box, I may have to have the Sprint one rebuilt before I finish that project.

How could I convince Pat to let me have it, how would I get it back to Adelaide (2,750 Klm) and how much would transporting it cost ?. I obtained the owners name and contact details and as the next couple of days were to be spent with friends in Perth, I forgot about it once again until I got back home the following Thursday.

The first problem was to get Pat to let me have it without a Divorse. I mentioned it to her at dinner time and stressed how rare it was and how well it would fit with the Sprint. Pat seemed ready to give it room at our place if I got rid of some of my other projects, and I tried to get it going without a complete restoration, just fix the carbs and see if it can be made to go. That night I phoned the Trading Post and placed an advertisment for my "spare" Valiants and the "truck load" of Valiant parts I have.

Next day I phoned the owner in Perth and agreeded on a price, phoned a friend in Perth and asked for his help in getting it on a truck, and then I phoned the trucking companies for prices. So far so good, about A$300.00 to get it to Adelaide as a back load, and perhaps A$100.00 to get the spare and rebuilt parts into a box and to me in Adelaide. Another A$50.00 for a tow truck at each end. The Interstate transport firms do not allow loose items to travel with the car, so the new and rebuilt parts that are not back on the car must come over in a box. TNT was not the cheapest quote but their insurance and willingness to load a "dead" car won me over. Some companies just refused, others wanted to load it with a fork lift.

Eric Langdon agreeded to help from the Perth end and so when the deal was done and money transferred from one bank account to another, he phoned TNT to get it onto a truck to Adelaide. To his surprise they informed him they did not transport "dead" cars. After a few more phone calls to people "higher up" in the company, Eric managed to get them to take the car for us, and surprise surprise, it was to be in a container, and the price was a bit cheaper. They said they would tow it into a container with a four-wheel-drive that was also comming to Adelaide and tie it down on its own. It could be towed out when it arrived in Adelaide. Eric had to advise them of a suitable place to attach the tow rope, they are very carefull as the car is fully insured with no excess.

Monday the 8th of May it started its long trip to Adelaide by being taken to the TNT depot by an Alfa Club member who has a tilt tray tow truck, cost about $40.00.

On Thursday the 11th of May I got a phone call from the TNT depot to say the car had arrived and was ready for collection. Another A$40.00 towing fee and by 5PM that day, the car was safely at my place.

         

Remember this is the first time I saw the car, I bought it sight unseen. The rust in the body is mostly in the side sills under the doors, The structural sill members under the outer panel are solid, and so I will make new outer sill panels and weld them in place. The other areas of concern are the bottom of the front right hand guard, the front of the left hand guard, and the left hand rear wheel arch and dog leg.

   

What can you tell me about the interior ?. It has vinyl and cloth seats, I presume this was original. The hood lining (head lining) will need to be replaced but I am concerned about taking out the windscreens. If they get broken it will be expensive to replace them.

     

The motor and everything under the bonnet (hood) looks great. I am told it has had the head reconditioned and who ever did it did not get around to finishing the job. The carbies need putting on and I will have to sort out how the linkage works. The body number (VIN) on this car is two past the numbers for Right Hand Drive cars in the book by Fusi and so it must be one of the very last 2600 Berlina built. It has four wheel disk brakes, a five speed gear box and a floor shift. From memory most Berlina had "four on the tree", and like the other 2600's, early ones had disks on the front and drums on the rear.

The other problem I must solve if I am going to get it on the road with a very quick part restoration (one of Pats conditions in buying it), is the door and side window rubbers. I must find cheap replacements for these to keep the rain and wind out. Got any ideas on this one ?.

Parts needed for the 2600's The 2600 Project index Progress on the Berlina

Written by and Copyright ©, Phil. Storr, last updated 4th January 2005