Ghibli Cup vs Deltagrale vs SZ

[Nayf]

In the next Auto Italia, out on the 3rd.

 

[general_piffle]

Oooh, interesting. Weirdly (or not) I've never been a fan of the Ghibli in red, or any Maserati for that matter, but as a colour it always seems to suit Alfas.

 

[Motorsport3]

Will keep an eye out for it

 

[Cyclone1]

Mine arrived today, great read so far

 

[zagatoes30]

Looks like I might have to buy an Auto Italia - not often seen here so have ordered a copy

 

[Ewan]

Can someone scan and upload the article here, please.

 

[joker222sr]

Can someone scan and upload the article here, please.

why don't you just buy a copy of the magazine and support the motoring press

 

[Nayf]

Can someone scan and upload the article here, please.

Would you like to give me the patent for your products for free?

 

[MikeyMaser]

Just dropped through my door! AWESOME!

 

[Ewan]

why don't you just buy a copy of the magazine and support the motoring press

Okay Joker!
I did lend them my Strad so Nayf could razz it around a track. That's worth a bit more than the cost of a mag I'd suggest, and I trust shows my support for the motoring press!

 

[Ewan]

Would you like to give me the patent for your products for free?

Is it one of your articles Nayf? If so, I bet the Cup wins!

 

[del mar 2]

Wonder which would be the most reliable over say 10 years ?

Which is the hardest to keep on the road ?
SZ is the rarest, but outside of body parts the underpinnings will be Alfa.
I doubt headlights for any car are easy to find.
Rust .....

 

[Wally]

Thanks to Brexit, buying this magazine has become too expensive. Import-taxes add almost double the price before i can read it......

 

[Motorsport3]

Wonder which would be the most reliable over say 10 years ?

Which is the hardest to keep on the road ?
SZ is the rarest, but outside of body parts the underpinnings will be Alfa.
I doubt headlights for any car are easy to find.
Rust .....

I would think the Integrale, as it must be by far the best sort out from the factory and probably the highest numbers produced.

 

[zagatoes30]

Wonder which would be the most reliable over say 10 years ?

Which is the hardest to keep on the road ?
SZ is the rarest, but outside of body parts the underpinnings will be Alfa.
I doubt headlights for any car are easy to find.
Rust .....

The SZ has been the most reliable car I have ever had although some of the interior fittings are not the greatest quality. Yes it is based on Alfa parts but there are an awful lot of SZ only parts, brakes, water pumps but even the parts that are shared are becoming scarce being mostly 164 components. Headlights are the hardest as they are only shared with the Lancia Hyena and the external fittings are the same as the 288 GTO foglight - super common

 

[Ewan]

I can't imagine any of these being particularly reliable. But I suppose it depends on what classifies as a fault. I don't recall either of my Ghibli Cup's ever not starting or leaving me stranded, but they were not without needing a variety of fixes from time to time.

Both the rear and front light units for the Ghibli are NLA. No bonnets either, and no rear boot panels. So if you have a front or rear impact of any note, you're pretty much screwed and have to make-do-and-mend. So not exactly ideal.

 

[Nayf]

The SZ has been the most reliable car I have ever had although some of the interior fittings are not the greatest quality. Yes it is based on Alfa parts but there are an awful lot of SZ only parts, brakes, water pumps but even the parts that are shared are becoming scarce being mostly 164 components. Headlights are the hardest as they are only shared with the Lancia Hyena and the external fittings are the same as the 288 GTO foglight - super common

With 3D printing light units are less of a problem; it can be done but it’s £££ and economies of scale.
Same with body panels for most cars - look at what gets pranged at Revival. Everything is possible, even light clusters.

The bigger issue is the A-frame rear suspension on the SZ. It’s bespoke to the SZ, even if it is similar to a 75. And there are none left in Europe; a minor sideways ding into a kerb will cause problems.

 

[Nayf]

I would think the Integrale, as it must be by far the best sort out from the factory and probably the highest numbers produced.

It's also designed to be easy to work on by the rally teams, so it all comes apart and goes on back on simply (so I'm told).
The bigger problem is rust, structural rigidity even without rust (there are bracing packages available) etc.

 

[dickyb]

I can't imagine any of these being particularly reliable. But I suppose it depends on what classifies as a fault. I don't recall either of my Ghibli Cup's ever not starting or leaving me stranded, but they were not without needing a variety of fixes from time to time.

Both the rear and front light units for the Ghibli are NLA. No bonnets either, and no rear boot panels. So if you have a front or rear impact of any note, you're pretty much screwed and have to make-do-and-mend. So not exactly ideal.

fibreglass bonnets and bootlids are now available, as are both genuine and replica lexan headlamp lenses. Almost everything else is nla these days though

 

[Ewan]

Interesting, given that I used the last factory headlight, bonnet and rear light on a Ghibli GT and a Cup a few years ago, and interested parties such as Emblem, Dicky Grace and Meridien all confirmed they are NLA only a week ago when I enquired with regards to a potential new project. I used the last metal rear panel also (the part that the rear number plate attaches to, below the boot lid).

But yes, maybe some GRP copies are available, and I remember some lexan light covers being made in Holland a while ago. Not ideal, but better than nothing I guess.

Bottom line, if you have a major repair/refresh to undertake on a a Ghibli these days, much has to remade or sourced second hand. Not easy, so best not to crash!