RE: [alfa] alfa-subaru connection

["Benjamin Woenig" <budweiser@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was reading "Alfa Romeo - The Legend Revived" yesterday, and in
the back listing of the various model specifications, there is a
comment regarding further development of the boxer engine by AR.
The book was printed in 1990, and the comment was that AR were
considering a 2L variation of the 16V boxer.

I assume that AR dropped the boxer engine as the 145 swapped over
to the in-line 4 twin spark engines instead, so they had no car to put
the boxer in any more (with the demise of the 33).

Subaru engines currently have a 5 bearing crank, the AR boxer biggest
weakness IMO is that it only has 3 bearings. I've heard of many people
spending a fortune on turbo charging only to destroy their engine.

Also, I think Subaru licensed some of the drivetrain technology for
Alfa's 4WD sport wagon (mid 80's), as well as the 33P4 and the 4WD
version of the 164 (also turbo charged, WRX beater?!), however Alfa
stuck with their own transmissions, but perhaps the output drive
box was designed by someone else?

Personally I love the AR boxer, I've built 2 engines (standard), and I
am
putting the parts together to build my 3rd (1.5L block bored out to
take 1.7L pistons, fully balanced and lightened everything, 16V
heads with bigger cams and enlarged valves, breathing through 44IDF's.
A local workshop claims they have built 8V motors for Formula 2 racing
(in 1.6l form), and have had 10,000rpm for 10 races before a rebuild.
Not bad for a mass volume produced engine for a city car!

~Benjamin


"Also, he speculated that the relationship may go back further as 
Subaru's boxer engine design may have roots tracing back to the
Alfasud."

My first car was an early Subaru -- a 1975 GSR coupe 1400.  
The Subaru 1300 was made from '71-'72, the 1400 from '73-'76.  1971
manufacture predates the Sud's '72 release; presumably the design was
also earlier.  I strongly doubt that there was any relationship between
the two. Boxer engines used to be quite popular, from the fifties
through the late seventies.  

The Subaru engine was a pushrod OHV engine, while the Sud engine has
single overhead cams on each bank.  Both were wet sleeved, but the
Subaru was a completely alloy design, while the Sud engine is iron block
with alloy heads. My '75 GSR was a surprisingly good little engine.
60mm stroke, 10:1 compression, lumpy camshaft, twin 1.5" downdraft
Hitachi carburettors, 6800 rpm redline, 95hp, all from the factory.  

The method of mounting the engine longitudinally with a front drive
transaxle had also been undertaken earlier -- the Lancia Fulvia springs
to mind, though Fiats and Renaults had also used this arrangement.  The
Citroen 2CV had a 2 cylinder boxer and front drive.  Overall, there was
no great novelty in the Sud's packaging; Alfa just made a particularly
good job of making it fun to drive.  

Believe it or not, the Japanese also used to make cars with character,
before they realised that it was not a road to financial success.  I
loved that Subaru almost as much as I love my current Alfasud Sprint.  

Regards,
Anthony White
Wellington, NZ
Alfasud Sprint
105 GTV 2000
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