Guide: Alfa Romeo Tipo 105 Spider Series 1
Background
At the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966, Alfa Romeo unveiled a new two-seat rear-wheel drive roadster: the Tipo 105 Spider 1600.
It joined the rest of Alfa Romeo’s recently introduced 105 range to include the Giulia Ti (a four-door Berlina designed and built in-house) and the Giulia Sprint GT / GTC (a four-seat Coupe / Convertible designed and built by Bertone).
By contrast, the handsome new Spider 1600 was styled by Pininfarina and assembled at their plant in Grugliasco. It replaced the popular Tipo 750 Giulietta Spider (and its subsequent Tipo 101 Giulia successor) both of which were also Pininfarina creations.
Today, the Tipo 105 Spider is regarded as a design classic, but originally it was not that well received.
The styling was an amalgamation of various Pininfarina design studies that had appeared since the mid 1950s.
The four Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM-based Superflows of 1956 to 1960 had variously ushered in features like covered headlights, scalloped flanks and pointed tails.
A Spider Speciale Aerodinamica then followed at the 1961 Turin Motor Show. Although this Giulietta Sprint Speciale-based machine featured retractable headlights and unusual window treatment, its general proportions were later copied for the Tipo 105 Spider. The Spider Speciale Aerodinamica was followed by an experimental hardtop variant in 1962.
Although Pininfarina could easily have created a productionised 1600 Spider from these early design studies, the continuing success of the Tipo 750 Giulietta meant the updated, but visually almost identical Tipo 101 Giulia, was introduced for 1962 instead.
As a result, it was four more years before the aerodynamically-inspired Tipo 105 Spider took its bow at Geneva.
Domestic competition for the new car was limited. Lancia no longer offered an entry level Convertible although, towards the end of 1966, Fiat introduced the 124 Sport Spider which was then joined by the more upmarket Ferrari V6-powered Dino 2000.
Perhaps Alfa Romeo’s closest competition came from Britain: the Lotus Elan, MG B and Triumph TR4A were all fairly similar and offered at a broadly comparable price.
Chassis
The Tipo 105 Spider’s pressed steel monocoque had a 2250mm wheelbase with crumple zones at either end. The body shell was welded to the floorpan and reinforced with box-section beams running longitudinally and horizontally.
Like the Giulia, front suspension was via independent coil sprung control arms and an anti-roll bar. At the back was a rigid coil sprung de Dion axle with lower radius arms and upper A brackets.
Disc brakes were fitted all round along with 4.5 x 15-inch Borrani wheels. These four-bolt bi-metal rims came with a stainless steel Alfa Romeo-branded hub cap and Pirelli Cinturato tyres.
A 46-litre fuel tank was installed in the left-hand rear wing.
Engine & Gearbox
Power came from Alfa Romeo’s existing Tipo 00536 1.6-litre DOHC inline four as used in the rest of the 105 range. Longitudinally mounted, it featured an aluminium alloy block and head, hemispherical combustion chambers and a five main bearing forged steel crankshaft.
A 9.0:1 compression ratio was employed and fuel feed came courtesy of two Weber 40 DCOE 27 sidedraught carburettors.
Displacement was 1570cc thanks to a broke and stroke of 78mm and 82mm respectively.
In this configuration, the peppy little motor developed 108bhp at 6000rpm and 102lb-ft at 6000rpm.
Transmission was via a five-speed manual gearbox and single plate Fichtel & Sachs clutch.
Bodywork
Perhaps the most distinctive cosmetic feature shared by all Series 1 Spiders was their near symmetrical sloping nose and tail treatment. This original round tail design was unique to Series 1 and variously became known as ‘osso di seppia’, ‘cuttlefish’ or ‘boat tail’.
Another startling addition was the car’s scalloped sides which not only looked great but also improved directional stability.
At the front, Carello headlamp cowls were standard in Europe but illegal in the USA where out of date regulations prohibited their use. As a result, instead of the flush-mounted headlight shrouds used by European Spiders, US variants used big chrome bezels.
A traditional Alfa Romeo grille was incorporated very low down so as not to interrupt the curvaceous nose. Two-piece front bumpers were mounted on each side and set back within cutaways that also served as cooling intakes for the brakes and engine.
Slim quarter bumpers were fitted at the rear.
Body trim was a mix of chrome and stainless steel.
Interior
Although quite sparsely equipped, the interior was well laid out and nicely designed.
The three-spoke steering wheel had a black plastic rim and three alloy spokes. Directly behind was a crackle black binnacle that housed a large 220kmh or 140mph speedometer and an 8000rpm rev counter.
The instrument binnacle, dash top and knee roll were upholstered in black vinyl. Vinyl was also used for the seats, door panels and hood cover. Carpet covered the transmission tunnel, side panels and rear quarters but black rubber mats were fitted to the footwells.
The metal dash fascia was painted body colour. Three centrally-mounted instruments (fuel, water temperature and oil pressure) were mounted above the radio (or blanking plate). All five gauges were supplied by Jaeger.
A heater was standard equipment and its controls were located underneath the middle of the knee roll.
When raised, the simple-to-operate hood fastened in place with two clips. When lowered, it folded almost completely out of view.
Completed bodies were transported to Alfa Romeo’s Arese factory in Milan where the mechanicals were installed.
Options
Aside from a choice of exterior colours, options were limited to a radio, head rests, sun visors and a removable hardtop (which was normally painted black).
Weight / Performance
The Spider 1600 weighed 996kg. It offered a top speed of 115mph and 0-62mph time of eleven seconds.
Duetto Name
Alfa Romeo staged a competition to come up with a name for the new model. Over 140,000 entries were received and Duetto was eventually chosen. The winning contestant received a brand new car as his prize. However, it soon transpired the Duetto name had already been trademarked and was therefore never officially adopted.
Production Changes
Almost immediately after production began, the rubber concertina gear gaiter was switched to a vinyl bag gaiter and the Alfa Romeo-branded radio blanking plate was switched to one with a Pininfarina logo.
In November 1966, a revised hardtop was displayed at the Turin Motor Show with a raised strip behind the rear window line.
During the spring of 1967, a 1600 Spider featured prominently in the romantic comedy-drama ‘The Graduate’ that starred Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft and Katharine Ross. The film, which went on to become the highest grossing movie of 1967, had a major effect on popularising the Spider in America.
From mid 1967, a twin circuit Lockheed-Bonaldi brake servo became standard equipment.
Production of the Spider 1600 came to an end in late 1967 by which time 6325 had been manufactured. This figure comprised 5946 in left-hand drive (Tipo 105.03) and 379 in right-hand drive (Tipo 105.05).
The 1600 was dropped to make way for the bigger engined Spider 1750 Veloce.
Spider 1750 Veloce
The Spider 1750 Veloce was unveiled at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1968 after around 100 had already rolled off the production line.
It joined a new line of 1750-engined Alfa Romeos to include the existing four-door Berlina and two-door GT Coupe.
The Tipo 00548 1779cc engine had been bored from 78mm to 80mm and stroked from 82mm to 88.5mm. The additional 209cc gave a useful boost to output. Peak power went from 108bhp at 6000rpm to 122bhp at 5500rpm. The torque rating rose from 102lb-ft at 6000rpm to 137lb-ft at 5500rpm.
The 1750 engine had a stiffer block, heavier pistons, a larger oil sump and modified crankshaft. The cooling and lubrication systems were also uprated and the engine required new mounting points. A Bosch alternator was fitted instead of a dynamo.
Compression stayed at 9.0:1. The two Weber 40 DCOE 27 sidedraught carburettors used by the 1600 were switched to 40 DCOE 32s.
A host of other additional changes were made to the specification of these bigger engined derivatives.
Suspension-wise, the front wishbone geometry was altered to prevent body roll and softer springs were fitted all round. At the back, the transverse links were redesigned and an anti-roll bar was added.
The rear brake discs were enlarged to 10.5-inches (up from 9.7-inches).
New 14-inch diameter wheels replaced the previous 15-inch rims but were of the same design as before.
The fuel tank was enlarged from 46-litres to 47.7-litres.
A higher final drive ratio was used and the clutch actuation became hydraulic instead of mechanical.
Externally a new ‘1750’ script was added below the Alfa Romeo badge on the boot. The wing mirror was moved from the front fender back to the door which allowed for easier adjustment.
Inside, there was a new wood-rimmed steering wheel, a bigger transmission tunnel-mounted ashtray (complete with lighter), a glovebox that locked with a key and a gear knob with engraved layout pattern. The 1750 also came with two-speed instead of single speed windscreen wipers and a more comprehensive tool kit.
New options included a ZF limited-slip differential and beefed up rear trailing arm spring suitable for towing.
Weight increased from 996kg to 1038kg but performance was better in every respect. Top speed rose to 118mph and the 0-62mph time dropped to 9.8 seconds.
Spider 1300 Junior
In June 1968, Alfa Romeo launched a Europe-only entry level Spider to take advantage of favourable tax rates for cars of less than 1.3-litres.
The Spider 1300 Junior used what was essentially the same engine fitted to the old Tipo 750 Giuliettas and Tipo 101 Giulias.
Designated Tipo 00539, it was another all-alloy DOHC unit and displaced 1290cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 74mm and 75mm respectively. With the usual 9.0:1 compression ratio and a brace of Weber 40 DCOE 28 sidedraught carburettors, peak output was 89bhp at 6000rpm and 101lb-ft at 3200rpm.
Other technical changes included shorter gearing and a lower-rated alternator. Around half of the Juniors produced came with servo-assisted brakes.
Cosmetically, the Spider 1300 Junior was identifiable by way of its black lower front bumper element, lack of headlight fairings and a ‘1300 Junior’ script on the tail.
Inside, it lacked some of the equipment fitted to the more expensive Spider 1750 Veloce: the quarterlights were fixed in position and a two-spoke steering wheel with black plastic rim was fitted along with the smaller ashtray from the old 1600 (without lighter). The seats were non tilting, there was no oil pressure warning light between the main dials and the rear view mirror had a black instead of chrome surround. Most Spider 1300 Juniors also had a rev counter with a lower redline.
The Spider 1300 Junior weighed 990kg. It had a top speed of 106mph and 0-62mph took a whisker under 13 seconds.
Production Changes
A change adopted by both the 1750 Veloce and 1300 Junior from June 1968 saw the indicator side repeaters moved from behind the front wheelarches to ahead of them.
USA Version
Unfortunately, tightening emissions legislation in the USA meant that no Spiders were exported to America for the 1968 model year.
Given the US was Alfa’s biggest market for the Spider, a solution had to be found.
Accordingly, in February 1969, a special American-spec. Spider 1750 Veloce was launched (Tipo 105.62).
It most significantly incorporated Alfa Romeo’s sophisticated SPICA mechanical fuel-injection. Other mechanical changes included a new water pump, air filter, fuel filter and final drive ratio. Output dropped to 115bhp.
Externally, US Spiders came with large ‘Alfa Romeo’ script on the tail and a smaller ‘Iniezione’ badge off to the right. The bumpers were joined at either end with a curious central extension that effectively made them full width to satisfy the rule makers. Bigger side repeaters were also fitted.
Inside, there were several minor switchgear changes while head rests were standard along with a deep dish black plastic-rimmed steering wheel from the 1750 GTV.
End of Production
Production of Series 1 Spiders continued until early 1970 when the Series 2 Kamm tail was introduced.
Build totals for the various iterations were as follows:
Spider 1600 (Tipo 105.03 or 105.05 RHD): 6325 built of which 379 were right-hand drive
Spider 1750 Veloce (Tipo 105.57 or 105.58 RHD): 4672 built of which 633 were right-hand drive
Spider 1300 Junior (Tipo 105.91 or 105.92 RHD): 2680 built of which 178 were right-hand drive
Spider 1750 Veloce Iniezione (Tipo 105.62): 4049 built (all left-hand drive for USA)
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Alfa Romeo - https://www.alfaromeo.com
