Giulia is tempting, but other priorities at the moment! (lucky i have the time/money to keep the 75 project going :D), MX5s are a good bit of fun, i've driven both the abarth and fiat version of the newer 124 spider and they were both great rental cars in italy! Shame about the 159 (939 platform) didn't float your boat, they are solid cars, far from race cars but i found the 2.4 jtdm (especially mapped) to be the most lively.

@@lurntwubber , possibly too many years of bikes (especially 2 strokes) - I like engines that rev and which reward being revved. The Fiat Spider is at least massively better looking than the current Mazda version. Seem to be arguments either way which is better to drive. I will certainly consider one when I need another car. Down side is they (along with the Mazda version) have smaller boots and no glove boxes for storage compared to my MX5 - which is a big factor in a car for regular use. Brera just felt like a big overweight car with an uninspiring engine (it is close to 50% heavier than the 156). Sort of what I would expect if VW tried building an Alfa. A friend has a Giulia and they love it.

I feel like every time i hear this story it changes, but the first does look to be Fiat, albeit a very early version of the idea. And then again with a elaborate air pressure actuated hydraulic advance in the 70s. I'm still not sure who had the first electronically triggered cam advance, happy to be educated though - love a bit of automotive history. #carnerd

Alfa had variable valve timing on the Spider around 1981, mainly in the USA market..

@@katywalker8322 You are right apparently the variable timing was introduced on the earlier 2.0 engine in the Series 3 Spider on QV and Veloce models in 82

Why not! For me, personally, the 75 is in the magical sweet spot of late 80s early 90s tech where its modern enough to be built more technically, but not late enough to be snubbed by safety (foreshadowing) or the bubble panels of the later 90s. And to anyone mechanically minded, it's just interesting with its rock solid torsion bar front suspension, it's huge sacrifices for low unsprung mass and center of gravity. And as for moving to the 3.0L - just listen to it!

@@lurntwubber interesting. I'm considering losing the torsion bars on mine. In two minds about it becuase it's something that make the car unique.

I think you need to ask what you are going to be using the 75 for, If i needed a track setup with more adjustment and easier swap-out then i would likely go for one of the coil-over-shock ("coilover") kits and the hooped upper arms, but by the time you have done that and re-enforced the top mount to take the full load of the front of the car, it's quite a way away from the original car if that is important to you.

@@lurntwubber very good point.

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