Alfasud Ti 12C Bimotore - or how to build a car arround two V6 engines

This page gives proof that an Alfasud can also have twelve (!) cylinders. This unusual project was built by Mick from the UK. He took a rusty RHD Alfasud Ti X made in 1981 as base for the certainly most powerful Alfasud ever built. Two V6 12V engines taken out of Alfa's executive car 164 power this car. The body structure of the Alfasud had to be modified intensively in order to make the 164's drivetrains fit. Mick cut away the complete front end of the Alfasud including its front rails and bulkhead and constructed a space frame which accommodated both engines and gearboxes and also strengthened the remaining parts of the Alfasud's body. The front of the Jaguar E-Type makes use of a similar space frame body construction which made it possible to adapt different engines (in-line 6, V12) with out greater effort.
Both drivetrains are mounted together with the original sub frame and suspensions of the Alfa 164. The bonnet, front wings and the front panel where welded together so that they are one unit which can be dropped towards the front end of the car. A large front air dam connects the wheelarch extensions similar to the Trofeo Alfasud ti race cars. The sliding front end is another parallel to the E-type.

Mick cut away a large part of the Alfasud's original floorplan starting there were the Alfasud usually has its rear seats and ending at the rear panel in order to be able to mount the rear power pack with its subframe to the space frame.

Of course, the Alfa 164 has a much wider track than the Alfasud. Large wheelarch extensions at the front and at the rear now cover the gap between the original wheelarches of the Alfasud and the additional width of the Alfa 164's suspensions. After all the modifications on the remaining rests of the Alfasud's body were finished, the car was painted white. The classic Alitalia design of some famous Italian rally cars of the Seventies (remember the Lancia Stratos and Fiat 131 Mirafiori) was adapted to the Alfasud's lines.

Mick also installed the power steering system of the 164 into his Alfasud and changed the car into a LHD version.

Reduced to the basics, this means that he built a space frame which accommodates two Alfa 164 front suspensions and drive trains packed into the body shell of an Alfasud.

To assure that both driver and rear engine will not overheat, a huge air intake was mounted on the roof. One air inlet behind the rear side windows on each side shovel further cool air to the rear engine. The inner parts of the rear lights were replaced against two grilles which allow the hot air to get out of the body again. There are additional holes in the centre section of the rear panel (there where you usually find the number plate) which allow the radiator fan of the rear engine to blow hot air out of the body. The glass side windows were replaced against plastic ones which help to reduce the weight of the car.

The fuel tank was placed between driver and rear engine in the interior of the car. It has a volume of about five gallons. The very spartan interior is equipped with two race buckets seats and some instruments (two huge rev counters) and switches, that's it.

The two engines are in standard 164 trim. They deliver about 200 bhp each. Mick plans to add a nitro oxide system in 2008. Of course the standard 164 exhaust system would not fit to its new surrounding. The exhaust pipe of the front engine now ends just in front of the left rear wheel, while the rear system ends below the rear panel. Some small mufflers try to silence the engines. It is possible to drive the car with one or both engines. So you can select between front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and 4x4. Both engines have their own cooling system.

The front Mc Pherson struts are Mick's own construction. The brake system is the original one of the Alfa 164. The rims are self-made. Mick used 8" x 15 at the front and 9" x 15 on the rear.

The car has not yet been raced so unfortunately there is still no information about its handling, top speed and acceleration. Surely it must be something between riding a canon ball and flying a jet plane...

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Last Update: October, 31st 2007      Created: October, 31st 2007

© Layout and text by Tim Rauen. Photos by Mick.