ALFAGTV6.COM

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:02 pm

Mmmm..interesting...
In the late 1960's , a number of European automobile manufacturers established facilities in South Africa to assemble right hand drive vehicles for the Commonwealth markets. Fiat and other italian manufacturers established factories along with these other manufacturers in Uitenhage, outside of Port Elisabeth in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.

With the imposition of sanctions by western powers in the 1970's and 1980's, South Africa became self sufficient, and in car production came to rely more and more on the products of the Uitenhage factories. In consequence, production levels increased, and many manufacturers including Alfa Romeo transferred all their right-hand drive production to Uitenhage.

Through the Apartheid years, Alfa Romeo became the only significant 'exotic sports-car' manufacturer able to provide South African's with an affordable alternative to the German super saloons also being manufactured in Uitenhage.

Since then, all right-hand-drive production of Alfa Romeo (and most other european manufacturers) remains in Uitenhage - so that all RHD European cars almost without exception are actually South African in origin.

A South African Alfa Romeo is immediately identifiable by its serial number - beginning with a ZAR - a reference to Zuid Afrika (South Africa). Italian Alfa Romeo serials begin with IAR, american models with UAR, and British assembled Alfas with ZAR, as their components are manufactured in South Africa.

Mezevenf · Post by **Mezevenf** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 3:25 pm

Interesting,

So, my Alfa 75 has a ZAR vin, but I thought SA never got the 75? Does this mean it was made there, but never introduced to the SA market?

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:14 pm

B,So it seems..My source for the info is G.Bush..Oh,sorry ,that would be totally in accurate info..no,its off Wikipedia..I stumblled on it by chance..
I was sure I would know if S.A. built the 75`s here,or even ass.them here...
I do know that ZAR is definatly South Africa..

Just reading the article again....some inaccuracies..Alfa`s asembly line was in Brits,outside Pretoria or Tswhane as its now called..I litrally lived there..The main service and factory claims workshop was in Midrand and earlier on,in Wynberg..(Jhb)not Cape Town..

Uitenhage did and still does accomodate many manufacturers..But not Alfa..
As far as I know,S.A was the only country to have assembled Alfa`s outside of Italy..Perhaps also Australia??But I dont think so..

Greg Gordon · Post by **Greg Gordon** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 6:21 am

I think all GTV6 serial numbers start with ZAR. I am out of town so I am going from memory here.

Jim K · Post by **Jim K** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 6:25 am

And so do all 75's.
Jim K.

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 6:58 am

Sooo,maybe you all drive Sarf Efricen Alfa`s....Ill chat to head honcho here..was in charge in the ol days and now again...Giorgio Gorelli..

Billy · Post by **Billy** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:29 pm

Barry,
My car shows a chassis number starting with ZAR but
was for sure produced in Italy in 1984.
I'm definitively not convinced by your theorie. Sorry.

kevin · Post by **kevin** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 11:39 am

Its also interesting to note that all the first Alfas in SA were assembled by Mercedes. Most of these cars fell apart(front suspension). It gave Alfa a terrible name until Nissan took over the assembly which then improved 100 percent. Will type the rest of the hisory up later. I got a brilliant article on it from one of our club researches.

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:09 pm

Billy,not my theory....Wikipedia...Quoted them direct....

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:47 pm

Why I don't like WIKIs...

ALFA GTV6 GP · Post by **ALFA GTV6 GP** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 6:26 am

ZAR = Built in SA that's a total crock of shit.
John

Billy · Post by **Billy** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 11:50 am

Barry,
Do you have any email address (or web site) in order to contact those crazy poeple ?

ALFA GTV6 GP · Post by **ALFA GTV6 GP** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:38 pm

The first three characters signify the make of the car,
ZAR=Alfa Romeo

The first character of your VIN represents the country of manufacture Z=Italy

The second character represents the manufacturer or make of the vehicle, as follows:
A=Alfa Romeo

The fourth character is the type of restraint system or brake type.

The fifth, sixth & seventh characters are the car line, series and body style.

The eighth character is a description of the engine:

The tenth character represents the year of the car. Pay close attention to this one.B = 1981 F = 1985 K = 1989 P = 1993 V = 1997 1 = 2001
C = 1982 G = 1986 L = 1990 R = 1994 W = 1998 2 = 2002
D = 1983 H = 1987 M = 1991 S = 1995 X = 1999 3 = 2003
E = 1984 J = 1988 N = 1992 T = 1996 Y = 2000

The eleventh character indicates the assembly plant.!!!!

Characters 12-17 represent the vehicle's unique fingerprint.

(For example chassis number ZARDA1240H1050154
originally corresponds to an Alfa Romeo Alfa 75 "Milano" 3.0 Q.V.,
manufactured on the 13th May 1987 and sold on the 29th August 1987 in
Oakland, CA, USA.
The body colour is Alfa red.)

John

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 11:07 pm

I have never seen an 75 with a nuber like that, maybe American cars have actual VIN numbers but cars from Europe usually has chassis numbers which include the following info: Manufacturer, model type and a running number.

ZAR*162B1*000053141

AR * series 162 with gasoline engine* running number

Maybe they exchage the plates in NA because a quick search on Ebay found me a canadian 75 with a number similar to what you wrote

fortom · Post by **fortom** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 12:31 am

My GTV6 starts ZAR116C, the tenth digit is a zero?
Tom

All rhd Alfa1s South African??-Barry