Alfa Romeo 916 GTV and Spider: The Complete Story

[Paso 239]

A new book about our cars is about to be released on late September, it's already available for pre-order:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alfa-Romeo-916-GTV-Spider/dp/1847973965/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344285710&sr=8-1

There is also some good information about the book on publisher's website at:

http://www.crowood.com/details.asp?isbn=9781847973962&t=Alfa-Romeo-916-GTV-and-Spider

Well, it's a great privilege to have a book about our beloved bellas!

[colcam 8]

Just sent that link to Thanos in reply to his enquiry about 916 production numbers ----- but of course you guys are up to date with all the latest news about the 916.

Looks like it will be a wonderful book; can't wait to read it.

Colcam

[ybsone 8]

Just ordered this book, want to see if it's acurate with the facts that i found

like i do have all Cup VIN's so this will be interesting to compare

Just found couple of mistakes

1. Double wishbone rear suspension... no comment on that even

2. no 2.0 TS GTV's produced in 2004??

ZAR91600007015618 1/10/2004 163.414.1.0 - GTV 2.0 T.SPARK 16V E3 BASE MY.2003

ZAR91600007015613 29/10/2004 163.414.1.0 - GTV 2.0 T.SPARK 16V E3 BASE MY.2003

ZAR91600007015603 19/10/2004 163.414.1.0 - GTV 2.0 T.SPARK 16V E3 BASE MY.2003

no comment on that either

overall number 80,747 dont really know if acurate... Archivio Storico woudnt give me any info nor much help

[Robf 2]

Hi guys

I'm the author. Thanks to you all for your support for my book. I was interested to see the comments above, so I just checked my chassis data and on my data and ZAR91600007015613 , ZAR91600007015603 and ZAR91600007015618 are shown as 916S2C00 (Spiders) with an AR32310 motor and with a trim level of V7 | BASIC Y 2003. And all were produced in Oct 2004

The double wishbone rear suspension is described in the section on P83-P86.

I was keen to do the cars justice and while I am sure there are errors in the book, I am pretty sure both the points above are as I documented!

Thanks all and best regards

Oh and thanks Davor for allowing me to use your pictures.

Robert

[ybsone 8]

ZAR91600007015613

ZAR91600007015618

ZAR91600007015603

[Robf 2]

Did you notice the model code on eper for each car?

its 916S2C00, which is a Spider of course. If it was a twinspark GTV, the model code would be 916C2C00

Regards

Robert

[ybsone 8]

why then the MVS sais its GTV?, never looked at the versions though. But what if the mvs is correct and version is incorrect? ZAR91600007014131

Checked it on the newer eper and it still shows gtv 2.0 TS

ZAR91600007014131

[Robf 2]

Hmmm, true, difficult to say for sure unless we find one of the cars I guess. For me I would go with the model code, and here's my reasoning.

Looks like TS production was ramping right down in 2004, I have 224 TS cars that year, against 1192 JTS cars. But in the 3 previous years GTV TS production dropped down massively, until in 2003 I have just 222 TS GTVs built with about 4 times as many JTS GTVs. So maybe the production was simplified by dropping the least popular model?

[ybsone 8]

if they still made 2.0 ts spider they surely could make 2.0 ts gtv

i have asked the archovio storico for this gtv's so in couple days ill get reply, but still think that 2 different versions of eper could not say same mistake, well 3 different versions 2.0, 6.0 and 7.0

where if i may did You get the manifests? did alfa romeo granted them to You? because i have to make my own research and yes its very slow but i like to think its acurate.

please dont get me wrong i appreciate Your effort i just want to be 100% sure about the history of 916, and i still wont agree that the rear susp is a double wishbone

would you please spare me browsing and give me the gap between chassis 06001500 and the first of the chassis numbers?? thats why i have only found 30 something cars, there was too big gap before nr 1500 and i thought there are no more before

[Robf 2]

Ah sorry I didn't understand that you disagree the rear suspension is double wishbone.

I guess you don't consider it double wishbone because each of the wishbones are made up of two unconnected links rather than a complete wishbone assemblies? There are many such suspension setups in which the wishbones are not one-piece. For example Triumph's classic Herald/Spitfire front suspension is certainly double wishbone, even though the top wishbone is made of two links.

Or is it the fact that there is a toe-link in addition to the "wishbones"? Well in my view thats no different to a steering arm on a double wishbone front suspension setup - given that its purpose is to invoke the rear-wheel steering effect (so it is there to steer rather than suspend).

I guess you prefer the term "multi-link"? Well in my opinion all double wishbone suspension setups are multi-link, after all they comprise more than a single link. I explain which of the links could be considered to be part of each wishbone in the section I mentioned before.

The first chassis I have is 6000529. I cross checked my chassis details with eper, and if you go through the entire sequence (I've given you both the first and last chassis numbers) you will find 80747 chassis. If you are doing it manually I think that will take you quite a long time....!

Please don't think I am unhappy with your comments - I'm pleased that there is some debate about the book - there will always be disagreement between enthusiasts about certain statements in a work. Thank you for buying it, and while we may disagree about certain statements in the book, I know we both appreciate these great cars!

[ybsone 8]

as for the multilink there are 3 links, one upper (beside the toe-in) and 2 lower (one with shock absorber and one with spring pan)

so 3 links make multilink

definition of a multilink is a suspension setup with more than 2 links (2 link suspension will probably be a double wishbone if the shape and place of the wishbones are correct)

example: rear suspension Alfa 156 is a mcpherson because alfa romeo sais it is AND the hub is connected at the top by the strut only

so i dont know why do You try to say something different than Alfa Romeo said in press release, owners manuals, sales brochures, repair manuals etc.?

and as for the chassis numbers there are many gaps between chassis numbers and simply addidng numbers will not be enough, if thats what You ment

[Robf 2]

No I meant if you start at the first chassis number and look up every single number until you get to the last chassis number I mentioned on one of the other threads you will find 80747 cars within that sequence

[ybsone 8]

Could You please repeat the first and last chassis numbers

[ybsone 8]

Centro documentazione had confirmed that there were 2.0 TS GTV's in 2004\

And this 6000529 is not the first chassis number, 6000515 this is

Also there is no way that chassis number are sequential, in the early production there are many gaps between VIN numbers, so one cannot simply add numbers

[Robf 2]

I didn't add chassis numbers. if I had added chassis numbers I would have said there were over 1 million cars!

[ybsone 8]

chassis numbers are: 6000515 to 6068138 and 7000000 to 7015621, yes?