Alfasud (Type 901) 1972-1989

My introduction to the Alfasud came in November 1975 when I, together with two friends, were watching a stage of the RAC Rally in the Forest of Dean. A conversation ensued about what would be a good car to follow the Rally around the UK and some obvious candidates like the Porsche 911s and Ford Escort RS2000 were thrown into the discussion but one mentioned the Alfasud Ti. The free revving flat four, the powerful all disc brakes with large inboard fronts and the reputation it was gathering for its very precise handling made it ideal for a trip like this. So now I was on something of a personal mission to learn much more about the Alfasud and the more I delved the more I was convincing myself that this was the car for me. I was both fascinated and drawn to it's design concept.

Having moved from South Wales to York in January 1977 I quickly went on the lookout for a suitable car and the ti was preferred, having the two door body and slightly more power than the 4 door variants. I bought the first example I went to see on 19th February 1977, a private purchase from a man in his late 50's looking for a "more sedate car". At 11 months old with a nominal mileage and as new condition I had no hesitation, so NUM 56P fell into my ownership at the age of 21 at a cost of £2,100. I was acutely aware of the fearsome reputation for rust (in common with just about everything else) and being fortunate enough to be able to garage it I set about rustproofing it which took me several months and I quickly bought an old Ford Anglia as a runabout in order to keep the Alfasud off mainstream transport duties. I am convinced that the long dry summer of 1976 had played a significant part in its condition when I got it. 

I have now owned this car for a little over 47 years and the revelation that was the first drive is the main reason. It was an emergence from the night and into the day experience from my then current, and first car, a Datsun Cherry 100A. I have never grown tired or bored with the Alfasud and I very soon realised that it was to be on long term retention though could not possibly, in my wildest imagination, have realised that I would still have it now as I approach my 70's.

I joined AROC in 1983 and my first National Alfa Day was at Knebworth in that year. Throughout the 1980s I entered many Club concours and achieved numerous class wins and also 1st overall twice, 1986 & 1989, at NAD then held at Stanford Hall.

In 1987 I was approached by the BBC Top Gear production team wanting to film and road test my car for a 'Cars of the Decade' series they were running within their main programmes. Starting with the 1900s through to the 1980s the Alfasud was chosen as the car for the 1970s. Driven by Tiff Needell, his first assignment for the programme, the filming was based around Hagley and Stourbridge south of Birmingham, Top Gear being based at Pebble Mill at that time. The resulting footage was broadcast in November 1987. In 1988 BBC made a 'special' putting all the 'Decade' cars together in one programme with a slightly pared down version of the original filming from 1987. The extract of this can be found on You Tube. With the use of Google Maps and freeze framing I have been able to identify all of the exact locations and one day I'll drive it on those roads again.

 During the 1990s the classic car publications started to take more of an interest in Alfasuds and mine was often the featured example most likely owing to its condition and being one of the increasingly scarce early cars. Here is a list of publications it has appeared in; Popular Classics, Supercar Classics, Auto Italia, Performance Car, Classic and Sportscar but perhaps the pinnacle of these was a ten car group test with The Autocar including an F40, 250GTO, McLaren F1, Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato and a Porsche 2.7 RS Lightweight (see photo). I managed to have a ride in the GTO. Metaphorically speaking, it has opened many doors.

In addition, NUM 56P represented AROC at the Motor 100 festival at Silverstone in 1985 and at the National Classic Car Show on five occasions. It also appears on the front cover of the Alfasud book by Chris Martin published in 2021. 

Today NUM remains an unrestored example and is pretty much in the same condition as the day I had acquired it in 1977. I have had the bonnet professionally painted, owing to just too many stone chips, but apart from a few very small areas it is in mostly factory original paint. The interior is also original with no repairs or re-upholstering done. With a recorded mileage of 87k it has been driven to every part of the UK mainland, to the Orkney Islands, two tours of the Netherlands and to Germany.

But despite its mileage and journeys its use is very selective. Caring for one of these early Alfasuds over a long period is tantamount to a way of life. NUM has never been used on salted roads and rain is avoided where possible, though not obsessively so, and I can't see that philosophy changing. Clearly, I have no plans to part with it.