Alfa Romeo Spider - Spring is here 2014!!!
After a long, long, brutal winter...my Spider can finally come out to see the light. This is a 1986 Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio, but the front has been modified to a 1974 model and the tail section also modified to mimic a more vintage look. Other modifications include, larger throttle body, headers, unrestricted pipe and Ansa exhaust, progressive springs, Koni red shocks, frame stiffener, larger sway bars. The stock wheels were be replaced by 16x7 Panasports with 205/55 series rubber. Note that the Panasports had a 25mm offset, but I still used 10mm spacers on the rear. The design of the Panasports, as is without rear spacers, will come into contact with the outside of the "REAR" brake caliper. I initially ground down about 1mm on the caliper to get clearance and then decided to add the spacers. The handling was significantly improved by adding the wider, lower profile wheel/tire combination, but the Continental ExtremeContact DW tires are really fantastic rubber. I'm running the tire pressures at 30psi. Going too high with the pressure (even with the stock wheel/tire combo) will give you a harsh ride over irregular (pot hole or post winter) asphalt. I used 28psi on the stock Quad wheel/tire combo (15x6 wheels with 195/60 tires).