The Williams Family ... Now and Then

Below are two  of the engine bay of my 1967 Giulia GT with 2-litre motor, taken in 2003.  Click on them to see them larger.  Note in the top photo that I’m using a Bosch blue coil that sits in an aluminum heat sink.  The coil and heat sink are from the Marelli Plex electronic ignition I used for years with the old 1750 motor. The electronic ignition is now from Centerline.  The air filter is from ITG.  I made my own backing plate to mount the filters. ITG makes one that is probably fine, but the one I had on the car first, from Pipercross, was so flimsy as to be useless. Because I wanted a really stiff backing plate to eliminate any independent movement of the two carbs, which affects idle and engine performance, I had one made from .090″ stainless steel. If the carbs move independently of one another you can’t keep them balanced and the car will never run as well as it should.

Answers to questions people ask about the above photo:
1- What’s the little knob on the grill side of the battery? It’s for the adjustable fan thermostat.
2- Where’s the horn on the right side? Both horns (Freeway Blasters from Pep Boys) are under the fenders, behind the mud shields, as is the alarm siren.
3- Do you have a dual brake system? No, we added a hydraulic clutch; that accounts for the second fluid bottle. Both contain ATE High Temp Blue.
4- Why is there a spring on the 0170 cap? (Sorry, that’s the Olio cap to you newbies.) Having it rattle loose and spew oil all over the engine once is enough, thank you. What a mess that made! Next, I need to safety wire the access caps on the two Webers. One has already been lost.
5- Why the ITG air filter and where did you get it? Don’t get me started on Pipercross. The ITG people and Coast Fabrication, who sold me the filter, have been helpful and friendly. That stands in stark contrast to the P-word people. And the ITG products are better made, in my opinion.
6- What’s the canister on the firewall, behind the air filter? It’s a Moroso oil vapor can. Much neater and more environmentally friendly than dropping a line to the ground, as I did for many years. The cannister on the right fender is for coolant overflow.
7- Why’s the coil in that aluminum thingy? It’s from the Marelli Plex and I used it because it was already there.
8- Where’s the heater plumbing? Heater? Heater? I don’t got to show you no stinkin’ … okay, the truth. The car and I lived in California most of my XXX years. Haven’t needed a heater in the past 30+ years. I did wish for a heater, though, on a blustery fall evening on Yosemite’s Tioga Pass. It’s a great sports car route, if you can plan your trip into Yosemite National Park when the motorhomes are off the road. Sunrise works really well.
9- That silver engine compartment isn’t stock. True. Did you notice that I’m a founder of Scuderia Non Originale?
10- How often do you drive the car? Every chance I get.

Below:   Here you get a good look at the headers, which may be wonderful on a car used strictly for racing, but which create a lot of heat for an all-purpose car. Better you get the two-piece Alfa cast iron headers and make them look pretty. These guys, even though they are coated, get so hot they are burning up everything around them. I had to replace the brake MC before realizing the need to insulate the brake lines. I also put a late model heat shield on the alternator and will eventually add more shielding, including around the steering box. 

Update as of October 2014

This most current photo shows the the engine now has longer aluminum carb mounts from Alfaholics and a 1980’s vintage Sprint aluminum air intake.  This new combination adds torque, without a loss of horsepower.  I liked the ITG air filter, but it won’t fit with the longer carb mounts.  The Sprint system has the added advantage of upward curved air horns that help with torque.  Note the after-market relay on the left fender.  It is between the ignition switch and the starter. Like many Alfas, mine had a problem restarting after it was driven for a while on hot days.  The relay cured that problem and will help the ignition switch last longer. Thank you, Richard Lane!!!