[alfa] cam cover bumps and dips

["Watry, Andrew (LNG-SFR)" <Andrew.Watry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

My theory on the various cam covers is this.  1600 normals in Giulia TIs
(and maybe earlier) needed to boss on the intake came side for a stud to
support the air filter housing.  The main parts of the cam cover were
basically flat.  1600s used in Supers, GTVs, Duettos (and I think in some
1300 Veloces) had the air cleaner snorkel crossing the cam covers, and so
didn't need the boss, but had the two larged dished areas for clearance.
Early 1750s with carbs in non-US markets had these dished areas too.  When
the later canister 1750/2000 carb filter, and the SPICA canister filter,
came into use, the dished areas were no longer needed for the cross-over
snorkel.  So I'm guessing Alfa dug out the pattern for the non-dished cam
cover from the 1600 normal, which still had the boss on it, but which was no
longer needed.  So the boss remained, undrilled and untapped.  Cheaper than
making a whole new pattern.
 
This is all irrespective of the two 6mm hold-down lugs on the front of the
cam cover, which came into use on 1600s in 1966/1967 I think.  There are
Giulia Super road tests in American mags around this time that show some
engines with the front lugs and some without, perhaps in the same test car.
 
That's my guess.

Andrew Watry
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided