Help me decide [Archive] - Stratos Enthusiasts Club

AndrewF

15-01-2023, 09:14

Here is a question for a wet miserable Sunday.

This isn?t a Hawk v LB or even an engine question. That?s nailed on for me as I hopefully got in the Hawk queue a year ago when I paid a deposit (when I think it was only 2ish years but I?m staying out of Gerry?s hair) and being a massive Alfa enthusiast engine is an easy one. And I?m ambidextrous in writing and with cars so lhd.

Since then I?ve been hunting out some of the bits that I?d need whatever - my wife thinks I?ve gone silly as I refer to my latches as ?my precious? and making sure I have the right kit and working conditions.

What it says on my deposit receipt is TBD in terms of am I taking delivery of a Stradale spec kit or a group 4. I love all versions of it as I?m sure you all do. I see a group 4 and it?s that and then I watch the video of the lime green one and it?s that.

Like most people I intend to use the car for high days and like many I?ve done bits of motorsport in the past so a bit of sprinting - maybe?The car will possibly be used most often to go from Hexham where I live to the Lake District where I grew up and where I do a lot of fell walking. That takes in some of the finest driving roads for this type of car including the U.K.s own mini Col de Turini, Hartside Pass.

So some of you will have built rally types and some Stradales. What swung it for you?

Guy Mayers

15-01-2023, 09:34

Mine started off as a Stradale but after 4 or 5 years I put the Group 4 square arches on it. A tough decision and hard to take a power file to pristine bodywork but I have absolutely no regrets. The look just swung it for me.

What I would say is that the car is pretty wide in Group4 format and not ideally suited, especially in LHD form (mine has been both, currently LHD) to a blast around narrow lake district lanes. If you think its going to spend a lot of time in that area then I'd strongly suggest a RHD Stradale. Unless you don't object to getting stuck behind Sunday drivers (And when you're in a Stratos then everyone else is a Sunday driver.

AndrewF

15-01-2023, 09:59

Thanks Guy - that’s a good thought, funnily enough after posting I went back to look at the photos I took of the Northern Run last year and consciously noted even the Stradales were filling our local roads.

I know Hawk are going to Race Retro. Do you know if they take many cars with them?

rutthenut

15-01-2023, 10:25

I know Hawk are going to Race Retro. Do you know if they take many cars with them?

The Hawk stand at Race Retro is quite small, compared to the kit shows at Stoneleigh.
Will be just a two-car stand, though I don't know which cars Gerry will take. It won't be two Strats as he has produces Cobras and Daytonas, as well as metal-tubbed and grp-bodied Stratos replicas.

I am planning to go along with my Stradale but this isn't like the kit shows where owners have space to park, so don't expect to see others present.

AndrewF

15-01-2023, 11:02

I’m going to go to both and anywhere else Hawk are going I find out about. I had a very boring 2022.

Griff

15-01-2023, 13:32

Andrew, just to make life a little more complicated, in order of width there are three versions available, Stradale, round arch Gp. IV, and square arch Gp. IV.
If it helps, I had no problems on Hardknot, Wrynose, Birker, or Corney Fell when I took my round arch car up to West Cumbria. The first car in the picture is Stradale, and the second round arch Gp. IV (both Hawks)

sean999r

15-01-2023, 14:11

Decisions decisions, with my own build I am going LHD, better placement of pedals in tight area (throttle foot not up against wheel tub) plan to drive a lot in Spain France Italy hillclimbs rallies etc. Good luck in your decision making.

Longtimefan

15-01-2023, 14:17

Andrew, to put my twopennath in, I agree with Grif. Mine is Gp4 square arch, and I don't have any trouble on the narrow lanes, which frankly I prefer as a driving experience, in fact to a point it helps as oncoming traffic seem to think that something the size and shape of a Stable door on edge is approaching them. I link below to a post I put on back in 2020, see post 81. (My wife now drives it quite often.)

Northern Drive-Out - Coast & Castles Run, Fri/Sat 7th/8th August 2020 (https://www.stratosec.com/Forum/showthread.php/5281-Northern-Drive-Out-Coast-amp-Castles-Run-Fri-Sat-7th-8th-August-2020?highlight=northern+run)

rutthenut

15-01-2023, 17:02

Regarding driving position, I don't there is an issue at all with the throttle pedal on RHD, but I'd think LHD would be MUCH better for your other foot - as you could have a footrest, or use the inner arch, whereas with rhd there's little to no space to brace your left foot.

I've not had an lhd stratos but owned a couple of integrales in the past. Overtaking isn't overly affected, imho, from having lhd as with these fast cars, it is no problem to drop back further for better view of potential traffic ahead. Occasionally, you can see up the left side of the car in front, which can sometimes help see a line ahead to overtake.

Only real disadvantage to LHD in UK cars is at toll booths or car park barriers. If you travel abroad, them the lhd will help out there, of course.

renmure

15-01-2023, 17:09

An unpopular (perhaps) opinion from me but if the only body version available was the Stradale then I'd never have been interested enough in them to want one. I think they look pretty and nimble and cute but not for me, so it would have to be wide arch GP4 style. Square looks madder than round so that was easy. I've never been away from narrow roads but not noticed any issues in relation to width. Being LHD I have to confess that I still catch myself out at some junctions and have to jiggle about in the seat or release the harnesses but hopefully I'll learn.

Normb666

15-01-2023, 18:19

There are deffo downsides to a LHD car in Britain. But one upside that nobody mentions is that they're great for kerb-crawling*

* - this is (supposed to be) a joke ;)

AndrewF

16-01-2023, 00:52

I think I?m going to have to take a flask and sandwiches and have a long sit by the Hawk stand.

You see I love Urraco and 308s and Merak and Panteras and the iso Lele is a favourite But you just know they are going to be horribly brittle. I?ve been round old Italian cars a long time and they make me wince. Even the ones with the Detroit motors. That?s why I like Alfas, if they aren?t rusty it?s possible to fix them. If they aren?t rusty. To that end as a road car a stradale recreation is fabulous. It beats a 308 (gt4 or gtb)on looks in my view and if I?ve built it I can mend it. Round here there are not many people who can mend stuff so owners of any classic car are on their own. And the Italians just ooze style. That lime green one on petrolicious. With the way my North of England eye does style Id never dream to put washed out lime green with gold wheels and a tan and black interior. But just look at it. But then the rally stratos was always the other Worldly thing when I was growing up. On Rally Cross on TV or in books - that and the 037. How can people like Quattro sports.

Ill keep thinking.

ChrisCar6

16-01-2023, 13:06

Garage door width and trailer-bed widths also need to be considered as appropriate.

Stratos Fear

16-01-2023, 14:32

Mine's a Stradale - as I wanted the purity of lines (no stickers or lamp bar) that the original Gandini design delivered in spades - and I am absolutely delighted that it still delivers in that respect (ref. the number of people that give the thumbs up when driving it - and nice comments when at the petrol pumps) - but each to his own !!

rutthenut

16-01-2023, 16:21

Garage door width and trailer-bed widths also need to be considered as appropriate.
Good points.

I built my car in a single garage and having Group 4 arches would've been tight.
Now, three decades later, I have a double garage but it isn't particularly wide and has two cars in it, so still no space for fat arches on either of those cars!

Have also seen those that need to trailer their cars around can find difficulties with the wide Group 4 rears. In some cases, they have to fit a set of narrower wheels just to get the car on the trailer. Some others have trailers or transporters that are wide enough.

AndrewF

16-01-2023, 19:43

Good points.

I built my car in a single garage and having Group 4 arches would've been tight.
Now, three decades later, I have a double garage but it isn't particularly wide and has two cars in it, so still no space for fat arches on either of those cars!

Have also seen those that need to trailer their cars around can find difficulties with the wide Group 4 rears. In some cases, they have to fit a set of narrower wheels just to get the car on the trailer. Some others have trailers or transporters that are wide enough.

i have the garage covered. I tell myself as I was hammering into 6ft of hardcore at the weekend this is actually part of my stratos build process. You see for one reason and another I?ve never had good garaging. I built my caterham by torchlight in a small wooden garage at my last house. The garage I have right now can house the Alfasud only plus workshop and I restored my mx5 on a gravel drive - which isn?t very nice but you never ever leave a sud outside. Painting outside is, erm challenging.

So I have been fairly relaxed about the wait for my kit as last autumn I secured planing permission for a four car two story garage. One of the oak frame ones. This is almost as exciting as the stratos.

hollytree

16-01-2023, 19:54

AndyGuyton

16-01-2023, 20:05

i have the garage covered. I tell myself as I was hammering into 6ft of hardcore at the weekend this is actually part of my stratos build process. You see for one reason and another I?ve never had good garaging. I built my caterham by torchlight in a small wooden garage at my last house. The garage I have right now can house the Alfasud only plus workshop and I restored my mx5 on a gravel drive - which isn?t very nice but you never ever leave a sud outside. Painting outside is, erm challenging.

So I have been fairly relaxed about the wait for my kit as last autumn I secured planing permission for a four car two story garage. One of the oak frame ones. This is almost as exciting as the stratos.

An Alfasud!!? - Is it a runner. What model? I had a few back in the day, absolutely loved them all.

AndrewF

16-01-2023, 20:30

An Alfasud!!? - Is it a runner. What model? I had a few back in the day, absolutely loved them all.

it?s quite a rare old thing. I understand it was built out of a 1982 shell for hill climbing by Peter West who ran the U.K. of not the worlds leading sud tuning business - Westune. Peter was made a BRDC member for his work on Suds. It was one of his last projects and it was built by him and his daughter who told me the story and who worked in the business at the time.

To keep weight down it had lots of plastic panels put into it, an early Sud TI close ratio gearbox and a very special 1300 for a class built with split IDF 48s on a special manifold and throttle linkages. His daughter said it was one of his masterpieces.

I bought it as a non runner with a later bust 1700 33 motor on massive Delortos. Alas I only had a handful of bits left of that legendary motor but I?ve since built / had built a new 1700 had the gearbox rebuilt by Charlie Skinner. It?s a full on competition car that?s just about road legal.

I may well give it or sell it to a key member of the classic Alfa club or swap it for a 4 door super. That?s a good combo. Suds are great. A superb foil for a Stratos. I will feel blessed if I make that a reality.

AndrewF

16-01-2023, 21:11

i guess it's a bit like the Kate Moss, Marilyn Monroe debate (Did Marilyn have any tattoos (stickers?))

We should note Gina Lollobrigida passed today. A greater beauty than even a Stratos and in retort to Sophia Loren describing her as only fit for roles as servant girls she said it was like comparing a beautiful racehorse to a goat.

rutthenut

18-01-2023, 11:47

i have the garage covered.
...
I secured planing permission for a four car two story garage. One of the oak frame ones.
This is almost as exciting as the stratos.

That will be an impressive building. Nice.
The Stratos would be more exciting when done, but building it in a neat garage would make a nice journey.

Including a fridge for 'safety beers'?

Guy Mayers

18-01-2023, 12:20

Now you're under a moral obligation to hold annual garage days....

AndrewF

18-01-2023, 20:14

I have various plans for upstairs. A flushing toilet is first on the list as I’m not allowed in the main house unless I’ve had a shower during car work days.

Stratos Fear

18-01-2023, 20:48

I?m not allowed in the main house unless I?ve had a shower during car work days

- yes that sounds familiar! I have been known to disappear around the back of the garage when the urge takes me , to water the lawn ! (dont tell Ros ...)

AndrewF

18-01-2023, 20:53

- yes that sounds familiar! I have been known to disappear around the back of the garage when the urge takes me , to water the lawn ! (dont tell Ros ...)

Unfortunately with the layout of my plot if I go round the back of the garage I?d be arrested for exposing myself to Mrs Barker next door and she?s in her 80s.