[alfa] What kind of engine is this? - Revelation of theory and partial conclusion - Long

["Thomas Moll" <moltek@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sorry for not getting back with more information about this, the reason is
that I've been trying to get hold of the good folks at Italspeed but no luck
so far...

Quite a few replies I got strengthened my conviction about what the engine
is.

Frank S. wrote:
"I saw this before in a Autodelta GTA used in the German Touring Car
Championship by Helmut Haehn Racing. They used 4 valve heads made by
Autodelta. The cam cover looks very much like one of these. It has been made
in magnesium. The engine had 192hp DIN horsepower and revved up to 8500rpm!"

Joe Elliot added:
"I don't recognize the engine in the photo, but they're calling the car a
GTV Testa Stretta, which means "narrow head," right?"

Thom Fransen contributed:
"It looks like a small angle GTA/ Alfetta GTV Autodelta head which has a
non-original camshaft cover and converted to accept carburetors instead of
the original Spica or Lucas injection (although Autodelta offered at least
on paper such a part)."

Dave Anderson in a private note wrote:
"Looks like you found a 16 valve GTA Jr. engine.  It could also be an 8
valve narrow head 1300, but the photo is not clear enough. Either of these
engines would usually come with Lucas guillotine throttle injection systems,
but some weber manifolds were made for them. Pretty rare stuff in any case."

And Modelle, also directly to me said:
"That engine appears to be the Autodelta narrow-angle head that was used
with the guillotine-type throttle bodies. There's some documentation of this
motor, and by now I'm sure many other Alfisti have turned you on to it. The
Alfa-Owner mag has a GTA advertised for sale equipped with the same engine.
They made about 200 horsepower. Very potent. Very rare. Very cool."

Obviously some very knowledgeable people think it is a 16 valve GTA or GTAm
engine and that was also my original theory.

The dual small nuts holding the cover onto each cam cap and the general
shape of the cover are both very distinctive, also if you study the cam
cover really closely there is a script of some sort cast into it over the
timing chain. I bet all the money in my pocket that it says "Alfa Romeo".

But wait there is more! 
Last night I was studying the pictures in Alleggerita again and it appears
that what we actually have here is an Alfa Romeo F2 engine, GTAjr or
possibly a marine race engine, there is even a picture of one with Solex
carburetors!

I don't know how interchangeable the cam cover is but based on the pictures
in Alleggerita there is a subtle difference between the GTA/ GTAm 16 valve
engines and the F2/ marine engines and the difference is... The F2/ Marine /
late jr have the oil filler cap on an elbow that comes out of the cam cover
right in front of the intake cam, right where the engine in this car has a
blue anodized elbow that is connected to an aero quip hose. I think these
engines, came from the factory set up with a dry sump system so maybe it has
a dry sump and the hose is just for crank case ventilation (or maybe it goes
to vacuum!) 

That's my theory and if anyone actually knows the car or has facts detail
pictures to prove me right or wrong I'd love a reply as, I'm sure would
everybody that has replied on and off the digest.

Thanks for all the interest!
Thomas Moll
Seattle
Ps here is the link to the page so you don't have to look for the old email
;)
http://italspeed.com/cars_pages/car3.htm
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided