Interesting literature about the Alfasud
 
 Books

Finding a book about the Alfasud is not that easy. While series 105 or 750 owners have the choice between many books, manuals and test-reprints written in many languages, Alfasud (and Alfa 33) enthusiasts have to search on fairs or in the internet. Two authors worte about the Alfasud in the 1980s / 1990s. Unfortunately those books are already sold out.

The Alfasud by David Owen
Author David Owen
Title The Alfasud
ISBN 0947981 00 4

"The Alfasud" by David Owen is surely the best book about the Alfasud. It was first published in 1985. It describes the development of the car, the different versions made, racing Alfasuds and Sprints and has a buyer's guide. Production figures are also included in this 128-pages hardcover book. Many black-and-white press release photos by Alfa Romeo Italy and Great-Britain show the details of the different versions. Being written in the early 80s, the book does not feature the late series III Sprints (although a Sprint 1.5 GCL is displayed on the cover of the book) This "Collector's Guide" published by the Motor Racing Publications Ltd is already sold out since the beginning of the 1990s.

 

Alfa Romeo Spider, Alfasud & Alfetta GT
Author David G. Styles
Title Alfa Romeo Spider, Alfasud & Alfetta GT The Complete Story
ISBN 1 85223 636 1

"Alfa Romeo Spider, Alfasud & Alfetta GT The Complete Story" by David G-Styles is about the glorious story of Alfa Romeo and treats the Spider (series 105 / 115), the Alfetta and all Boxer-engined Alfas (except 145 / 146). You'll even find some information about the ARNA.

Many unknown black and white and colour press release photos made by Alfa Romeo GB and Alfa Romeo Italy make it a very interesting book for the photo enthusiast. A buyer's guide is also included in the book. Specification tables, technical data and performances meassured in road tests of famous British car magazines are added to the text. This hardcover book belongs to the "Crowood Autoclassics" series and has 192 pages. It was first published in 1992 by "The Crowood Press Ltd. and can not be ordered anymore.

 

Alfa Romeo Alfasud 1972 - 1984
Author compiled by R. M. Clarke
Title Alfa Romeo Alfasud 1972 - 1984 Brooklands Road Test Book
ISBN 1 870642 074

The Brooklands Road Test Books in DIN A4 size (Paperback) are collections of English-speaking auto test reprints of one car or series. A look into the list included in the book reveals tha there are five other Road Test books on Alfa Romeo (Spider, Giulia Berlinas, Giulia Berlinettas, Alfetta GT / GTV and Giulia Coupés).

For the price of 9,95 £ one gets a 100 pages paperback book full of road tests, driving impressions, comparative tests and reports about the Alfasud and Alfasud Sprint / Sprint which were all copied out of British, Australian or Asian car magazines. Tests of exotic verions of the Alfasud (e.g. a turbocharged Alfasud 1.5 by Bell & Collvill Ltd. with 110 bhp and a turbocharged Alfasud Sprint 1.5 Veloce) make the book very interesting. "Alfa Romeo Alfasud 1972 - 1984" by Brooklands Book Distribution Ltd. is still available. The high Pound exchange rate makes the book quite expensive for non-Britains.
 

 

Author compiled by Trevor Alder
Title Transport Source Books Alfa Romeo Alfasud and Sprint, The inside story of your car from leading UK motoring journals
ISBN (none) article-number (TSB 228)

This paperback book resembles the Brooklands-book. It is extended by contemporary advertisments by Alfa Romeo GB information on the Sprint 1.7.

The Transport Source Books series includes more than 400 titles about an uncountable number of car brands and versions. The quality of the used paper and the print is not very good.

Compared with German car tests, it is very interesting to read how much the Alfasud was appreciated by British car testers!

The book is still availalbe for about 10 £ at many book shops specialised on car literature.

 

 Workshop Manuals

In contrast to the books described above, workshop manuals are still available. Alfa Romeo has published a lot of information for their own workshops and dealers one often can find on fairs or at car-book-shops. But they shall not be the topic on this page.

Jetzt helfe ich mir selbst - Alfasud
Author Dieter Korp in cooperation with Anton Brunner
Title Jetzt helfe ich mir selbst - Alfasud alle Modelle
ISBN  3-87943-574-X 

This volume (Nr. 69) of the well-known German series "Jetzt helfe ich mit selbst" (meaning "Now I'll help myself") published in the Motorbuch Verlag is a good match for less experienced and novice Alfasud owners who want to do simple repairs without the help of a professional car mechanic.

The manual gives advice about the maintanance and easy-to-do repairs (how to exchange a headlight bulb or how to change the engine oil) and informs about the basic technical data of the Alfasud. The author also tells about the tools one needs to do the work and gives hints how to tow a car or how to wash a car properly. Being published at the end of the 70s, younger versions of the Alfasud are not included in the manual. Repairs which should only be done by skilled professionals are not described. So if you want to know how to get your engine out of the car, you're at the wrong address here. At the end of the 230 pages thick hardcover book there is a well-done little model-history which ends with the year 1979. Unfortunately you will not get the manual at your book-shop anymore. The only way to get it is to search at ebay or on car-fairs etc.

Reperaturanleitungen aus dem Hause Bucheli
Author Bucheli Verlag, Zug in der Schweiz (Hrsg.)
Title Reparaturanleitung Alfasud, ti und Sprint (Nr. 275) bzw. Alfasud 1982-1984 (Nr. 873 / 874)
ISBN 2-7168-1342-7 / 3-7168-1721-X

The Swiss Bucheli manuals (written in German) can be recommended for professionals (many workshops get the requested information out of the blue books) and hobby mechanics. Engine, transmission, suspension, fuel system and electrics are described in detail. At th end of 108 respectively 151 pages thick books one finds all important data which are needed for a full engine overhaul. Both books are unavailable. New copies can sometimes be found on ebay.

 

Alfa Romeo Alfasud / Sprint Owners Workshop Maual
Author J H Haynes und Tim Parker
Title Alfasud / Sprint Owners Workshop Manual
ISBN 1 85010 445 X

The Haynes Oweners Workshop Manual (of course written in English) is the only manual still available today. Haynes call themselves the leading car manual and maintanace guide publisher. Together with the 211 pages manual one gets a dictionary which translates all the technical terms used in the manual into your mother language. So your are able to use the manual with a knowledge of minimum of English.

The manual is based on the complete stripdown (and rebuild) of an early series I four-door Alfasud. During the stripdown, the authors took photos of every important step. The texts below the photos make it easy to understand. In addition there are cut-away drawings etc. to give a survey about all the parts of e.g. the rear axle. This is a real progress compared with the Bucheli manuals! At the end of the second edition of the manual (published in 1991) there is additional information on the late Alfasud Tis and on the Sprint Series III (even the ones with the Alfa 33 floorplan). The only thing missing is a description of the 1.7 litre engines of the Sprint 1.7 QV and 1.7 IE QV. If you now want to order the manual, consider that it will cost between 30 and 40 EUR (depending on the Pound exchange rate and on the shop were you buy it).

 
 Racing

It is quite easy to find reports and photos about the Trofeo Alfasud or Trofeo Sprint in old car magazines. The only problem is that you often have to spend up to 10 EUR for two Alfasud pages because you have to buy the entire magazine.

Alfasud Trofeo 81
Author Servizio Attività Sportive Alfa Romeo
Title Trofeo Europa 81 Alfasud Alitalia
ISBN -

This paperback book in DIN A 5 size was published by Alfa Romeo on the occasion of the 1981 race season. 

On 132 pages it contains a small introduction, photos of each race car, a photo of each pilot, the rules, the prizes and a calendar.
Then, the book lists all the parts which were included in the Autodelta-kit (which was used to make a race car of a civilian Alfasud ti). Many Alfasud pilots of those days have become famous today: in 1981 Gerhard Berger and Karl Wendlinger Jr. raced their Alfasud tis on Europe's racetracks. "
Trofeo Europa 81 Alfasud Alitalia" is indeed a very rare book. So buy it when you should find it!

 


Last Update: January, 18th 2004      Created: January, 18th 2004

© Text, layout and photos by Tim Rauen