"TotallyThatStupid" (jbbush)
03/18/2014 at 15:01 • Filed to: Alfa Romeo
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"TotallyThatStupid" (jbbush)
03/18/2014 at 15:01 • Filed to: Alfa Romeo | 2
| 13 |
We have covered the Alfa Romeo 164 before here on Totally That Stupid. That doesn't mean we'll shy away from a nice example, especially after a nationwide search, and especially while still in the middle of winter when the pickings are slim at best. No, we'll continue to cover our favorite early-1990s front-wheel-drive Alfa Romeo sedan as long as clean, well-sorted examples appear on our monitors.
Example – !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . I wasn't looking for something this rare or this far away. I was looking for a daily driver replacement. I think it would be a shame to slog through winter in a 164Q, but let's have a look anyway.
When they originally landed in the US, the 164 was kind of an odd duck. The wrong end provided the motivation, and while not as weird looking as the preceding 75/Milano, it didn't have the subtlety required of a premium mid-size sedan whose competition included the Mercedes-Benz 190e and the BMW E30 3 series. Heck, even the 164's brother-under-the-skin, the Saab 9000, was pretty mainstream. Broken (no pun intended) out into Base, L and S models, the first 164s had something for everyone.
Still, the debut – and Alfa's attempt to really push into the mainstream – may have been too soon for people used to rebuilding their Italian engines on Sunday just to get to work on Monday.
At the end of the 164's run – and near the end of Alfa's first residency in the US in general – the 1994-95 Q cars had 230 horsepower, 3.0-liter, 24-valve V6s pulling through a 5-speed gearbox. They sported lower and tighter suspensions than their plush 164LS littermates, and a body kit that may or may not tickle your fancy. Personally, I could leave it out. It's period correct from a time when body kits looked like something from the back of a magazine. The Italians can do Boy Racer with the best of them, but this setup just looks tacked on.
The car is said to be a one-owner, garaged, unmolested example, with a pile of paper work and a laundry list of repairs, which could just be normal maintenance on a 20-year-old Italian sedan. Hot ticket mechanical items like the clutch, steering rack and cooling system are complemented by those things that are merely annoying like a window regulator and power seat control panel. The engine was rebuilt 4000 miles ago, which could be the result of 203,000 digital clicks or a snapped timing belt. Or both. Make no mistake – the timing belt on these powerplants is not to be trifled with.
There are no pictures of the underside, the trunk, or the engine. Being a California child, it likely isn't a rusty heap. If all that work has been done to the motor, the seller may not feel the need to show a photo. However, that lump – with its six chrome intake runners – is pure engine porn.
The four-place leather interior looks magnificent, with clean seat bolsters and a stock radio. The dashboard looks perfect, and while the HVAC control lights up we don't know if it all works. Hard to tell, but the headliner looks to be tight and not about to wick the pomade off your scalp. Seat heaters? The car appears to have them, but do they work?
Of course, being an Alfa, there are a few items that need fettling; open axle boots are the bane of many FWD applications, and the sunroof only half works. The power antenna doesn't work, but then neither does the one on my stoic German sedan. The seller states it will be fixed, unlike the one in said Benz. You may want to replace the coolant reservoir, or not.
The wheels shown in the eBay ad are not included in the auction. Stock wheels and different tires will be provided. I think this is kind of lame; show what is actually provided with the car, rather than tarting it up with fat meats and then saying, "Oh, yeah, that's another $1500."
The 164 – though not this one – is still on my list as a Next Car, even though my wife (completely, irrationally) hates them. She may have told me why, but I've since blocked it. But she also once questioned me buying a roachtastic 1985 BMW 535i. Then she firewalled the throttle in third gear and, as we like to say, got religion.
Even though neither my TTS cohort nor I have yet the stones to pull the trigger, I might see that happening.
Totally That Stupid is a blog run by two lifelong car geeks. More at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . You can also !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .
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Textured Soy Protein
> TotallyThatStupid
03/18/2014 at 15:27 |
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Dem thigh bolsters.
BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
> TotallyThatStupid
03/18/2014 at 15:27 |
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The 164 isn't in the upper echelons of Alfas I want, but it's solid mid-pack. Nothing against the 164, just that I like my Alfas older and more rust-prone.
If I was looking for one, I'd characterise this as 'too nice for me'.
A3R0
> TotallyThatStupid
03/18/2014 at 18:54 |
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Some guy in my town dailys a red one in warm weather. I think it has 165k miles. It's not even close to bad shape too. That guy=the man. If only math was that easy.
dmcspeedy
> TotallyThatStupid
03/18/2014 at 20:33 |
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I've got one of these under my hood. Too pretty.
Trevor Mohr
> A3R0
03/18/2014 at 21:31 |
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This is beautiful. Gorgeous! I would love one of these!
My Alfa 164 is Too a Real Alfa
> TotallyThatStupid
03/20/2014 at 21:13 |
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I just saw this for sale today! I'm glad to see the 164 getting some love because it really is great. I'm buying one this summer to daily, and have found that I'm beginning to look like a younger, toned down version of Doug. First a Brit, then an Italian? Eventually I'll stop wearing pants!
BlythBros.
> TotallyThatStupid
03/20/2014 at 22:46 |
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Everyday after work, I hop onto the computer to search for a 24V engine replacement for my 95 164LS (with squadra chip and Q runners for a total of 240hp).
I'd rebuild the shot engine in mine, but rebuilding two Alfa V6s in one year would be to raw for me.
Seriously, I'm wearing an 80s Alfa hat around the house now. Once you cross the red line, you wont think about your M30 anymore...
K.C.
> TotallyThatStupid
05/14/2014 at 20:33 |
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I just bought it last week. I had the original wheels put back on. Looks and sounds terrific. It's true that it's a one owner car and always in Los Angeles area. It came with the original sticker, marketing brochure, and a few yesteryear car magazine clippings of the 164 too.
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TotallyThatStupid
> K.C.
05/15/2014 at 00:12 |
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Outstanding!
rockerchris1234
> TotallyThatStupid
02/06/2015 at 15:22 |
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awesome wheels
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rockerchris1234
> TotallyThatStupid
02/06/2015 at 15:23 |
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awesome steering wheels
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rockerchris1234
> TotallyThatStupid
02/06/2015 at 15:23 |
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great looking badge
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rockerchris1234
> TotallyThatStupid
02/06/2015 at 15:24 |
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high mileage