Alfa Romeo 33

[Sasha]

[Sasha]

It will come as no surprise, therefore, to discover their 33 sports hatchback to be conforming to the old ideals. Take a look at the car. The wedge shape profile suggests performance. The purposeful stance commands respect. And the badge on the front confirms your suspicions.

Alfa Romeos were never born to follow.

That was the official sales pitch for the 33 I.E. in 1993, and I can assure you that, (as a previous owner of a 1990 33 16v cloverleaf) the words 'performance' & 'respect' are two words that sum up this car beautifully.

The series 3 fuel injected cars were unveiled in mid 1990, with revised bodywork, smaller tail and headlights, a sportier front grill and 164 style bonnet these machines looked as good as they performed.

Power steering was now standard and so was fuel injection (hence the injection electronic badge). The gem of the 33 package was the addition of a 16v head for the 1.7 power plant, which was fitted to both the hatchback and sportwagen (estate).

With the addition of intelligent 4WD, the permanent 4 cloverleaf still remains the 'one to go for' if the 33 is the kind of car that stirs your soul! Recaro seats and different alloy wheels for that sporty look, and a 4WD drive system that sent 95% of the drive to the front wheels under normal circumstances (with the capability to send 65% to the rear if needed), better weight distribution and much improved torque steer makes for a very capable street racer.

[Sasha]

1986 - 1987

1.3s 4C 1.5s 4c

Power : 86bhp
0-60mph : 11.8sec
Top Speed : 105mph Power : 95bhp
0-60mph : 10.8sec
Top Speed : 106mph

1987 - 1990

1.5 Ti 1.7 Hatchback 1.7 Sportwagon

Power : 105bhp
0-60mph : 10.8sec
Top Spedd : 106mph Power : 118bhp
0-60mph : 8.5sec
Top Spedd : 120mph Power : 118bhp
0-60mph : 8.7sec
Top Spedd : 120mph

1990 - 1994

1.5 I.E. 1.7 I.E. 1.7 16V 1.7 Sportwagon

Power : 95bhp
0-60mph : 10sec
Top Spedd : 113mph Power : 112bhp
0-60mph : 9sec
Top Spedd : 120mph Power : 137bhp
0-60mph : 8sec
Top Spedd : 130mph Power : 137bhp
0-60mph : 8.2sec
Top Spedd : 128mph

One point to remember about series three cars, is that in 1993, insurance for 'hot hatches' went through the roof in the united kingdom. This resulted in a lot of manufacturers removing the 'GTI,RS,XR and worst of all the cloverleaf Badges' from their models.

Possibly late 1992, 1993 and possibly early 1994 1.7 16v cars had no cloverleaf badge, no rear spoiler (which incidently is the same as a 155 silverstone rear spoiler) no sporty seats (they used the 1.7 IE interior) and i'm not sure about alloys. The last off the production line in 1994 still had no cloverleaf badge or rear spoiler, but they did have rather sexy recaro bucket seats like the one above and the standard 14" alloy wheels. Other goodies consisted of a leather steering wheel and sunroof as standard.

[Sasha]

The 1.7 Boxer Engine. A Technical knockout.

'The Alfa Romeo 33 is powered by the classic 1.7 litre, flat four Boxer engine, a free revving and flexible powerhouse that's a triumph of Alfa Romeo engineering. It's small, compact dimensions help keep down the centre of gravity so that the bonnet can be kept low and rakish. It also gave the designers a few more vital centimetres of space to use inside the car.

Fuel is delivered by a multipoint electronic injection system, with each of the four injector nozzles placed in the inlet ducts. This cuts down the time taken for the fuel mixture to travel into the cylinder and be emitted as exhaust. Combustion is therefore better, which translates into more power, decreased fuel consumption and less harmful exhaust emissions.

The 16-valve version of the 1.7 Boxer engine turns a brisk performer into a revered road burner. Two overhead cams in each cylinder bank control four valves per cylinder, filling and emptying each chamber in the most efficient way possible and producing prodigious amounts of power and torque. with sequential opening of the inlet valves and minimal valve train inertia, this unit sets the standards by which other engines will one day be judged.' or so Alfa Romeo says, anyway.

[Sasha]

Engine 1.7 IE Cat. 1.7 16V Cat.

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Technical specification

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No. of cylinders 4 horizontal opposed 4 horizontal opposed
Position front longitudinal front longitudinal
Cycle - strokes Otto - 4 93 x 72.6
Bore x stroke mm 87 x 72 Otto - 4
Displacement cc 1712 1712
Compression ratio 9.5 : 1 10 : 1
Max. power output EEC kW 77 95
Max. power output DIN bhp 107 132
at rpm 5800 6500
Max. torque DIN mkg 15.2 15.5
Max. torque EEC Nm 145 157
at rpm 4500 4600
Fuel required unleaded petrol (RON 95) unleaded petrol (RON 95)
Catalytic converter 3 way lambda probe 3 way lambda probe

Timing gear

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Valve position Overhead Overhead (4 per Cylinder)
Camshaft 1 per head 2 per head
Driven by toothed belt toothed belt

Valve timing phased timing of intake and exhaust valves

Play adjustment automatic, with hydraulic tappets automatic, with hydraulic tappets

Ignition
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Type electronic integrated with injection electronic integrated with injection

Firing order 1-3-2-4 1-3-2-4

Fuel Feed

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Air filter dry type dry type

Lubrification

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Type forced with geared pump forced with geared pump

Cooling

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Type water cooling, forced circulation by pump in sealed circuit, with radiator and additional expansion tank

Transmision 1.7 IE Cat. 1.7 16V Cat.

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Drive

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Type front wheel front wheel

Clutch

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Type single dry plate with diaphragm spring

Gear Ratios

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I 3.143 : 1 3.143 : 1
II 1.864 : 1 1.864 : 1
III 1.323 : 1 1.323 : 1
IV 1.027 : 1 1.027 : 1
V 0.854 : 1 0.854 : 1
Reverse 3.091 : 1 3.091 : 1
Final ratio 3.888 : 1 (9/35) 3.888 : 1 (9/35)

Chassis 1.7 IE Cat.
1.7 16V Cat.

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Body

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Type load bearing load bearing

Braking system

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Type disks at front, drums at rear, dual diagonally split circuits, proportioning valve on rear wheels ventilated disks at front, drums at rear, dual diagonally split circuits, proportioning valve on rear wheels

Service brake acting on rear wheels, with manual control and mechanical drive

Front suspension

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Type MacPherson independent wheel, with lower wishbones, helical springs and anti-roll bar

Rear suspension

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Type rigid beam with 4 longitudinal struts, Panhard bar and helical springs

Steering

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Type rack and pinion with hydraulic servo

Wheels

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Rims 5 1/2 J x 14" 5 1/2 J x 14"
Tyres 185/60 HR 14 185/60 HR 14

Weight

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Kerb weight DIN Kg 970 1000
Max. towable weight Kg 1000 1100
No. of seats 5 5
Luggage compartment capacity (min / max) dm3
400/1200 400/1200

Performance

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Top speed mph 119 130
Acceleration 0 - 60 mph s 9.2 8.0
1000m s 31.4 31.1

Conventional fuel consumption mpg

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- at 56 mph 49.6 47.9
- at 74 mph 37.2 35.8
- urban cycle 28.5 26.7

Capacities

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Fuel tank l 50 50
including reserve of l 6.5 6.5

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