2.24 driving review

dickyb

Member
Messages
432
Davide Cironi makes some great films.

I would agree with most of his comments on the 2.24v although I find the handling to be very good, if you look closely you can see the example he is driving is fitted with Nexen tyres which are **** so that'll be why it doesn't handle very well :).It would be transformed with some decent rubber.
 

Marco07

Member
Messages
373
I know they're not to everyone's taste aesthetically, but these Biturbo cars a such good fun to drive. I love the twitchiness of mine and shall be driving it to Prescott for La Vie en Bleu on 27 May. The twisty lanes from Oxford should be great fun on an early morning blast.

Anyone else going?
 

Maurizio

Junior Member
Messages
55
Hello from Italy
I own a 2.24V since January. My parents had one, and I knew it was a much better car than it was commonly believed to be. Besides, it's the car I used to go to see my girlfriend - now my wife since 1990 - therefore it's a model I'm quite attached to, emotionally.
I tend to agree with what Cironi says - however, being shorter than him, I don't have any issues with arms hitting my legs, at least.
I've done a lot of work on mine already. It was OK, now it's good, one day it will be great.
Even if I tend to keep everything 'as is', I'm not a taleban when it comes to originality, and I decided to fix one of the most obvious omissions from the Biturbo era, on my 224: how could have possibly a sway bar been omitted on such car? It's a known fact that Maserati's engineers required it, but Alejandro De Tomaso refused it - and that was the end of the story.
So, I took the plunge, bought a Sway bar from a Ghibli, and with the help of a friend, put it in place. The bar had to be slightly modified, and proper anchor points made.

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I guess you want to know how it runs now.

:happy2:

Very, very well. The car is totally transformed. Not only more stable but IMO also more comfortable.
I'm sure Davide Cironi would agree :)
 
Messages
1,687
Hello from Italy
I own a 2.24V since January. My parents had one, and I knew it was a much better car than it was commonly believed to be. Besides, it's the car I used to go to see my girlfriend - now my wife since 1990 - therefore it's a model I'm quite attached to, emotionally.
I tend to agree with what Cironi says - however, being shorter than him, I don't have any issues with arms hitting my legs, at least.
I've done a lot of work on mine already. It was OK, now it's good, one day it will be great.
Even if I tend to keep everything 'as is', I'm not a taleban when it comes to originality, and I decided to fix one of the most obvious omissions from the Biturbo era, on my 224: how could have possibly a sway bar been omitted on such car? It's a known fact that Maserati's engineers required it, but Alejandro De Tomaso refused it - and that was the end of the story.
So, I took the plunge, bought a Sway bar from a Ghibli, and with the help of a friend, put it in place. The bar had to be slightly modified, and proper anchor points made.

View attachment 45984
View attachment 45985
View attachment 45986
View attachment 45987


I guess you want to know how it runs now.

:happy2:

Very, very well. The car is totally transformed. Not only more stable but IMO also more comfortable.
I'm sure Davide Cironi would agree :)

I must do the same with mine. Thanks for a great tip.
I'm currently working my way through Cironi's YT clips
and they are very entertaining :)
Is there such a thing as a Maserati Biturbo / Spyder rescue kit?
Same as there is for the Saab saab 900?
 

Maurizio

Junior Member
Messages
55
I must do the same with mine. Thanks for a great tip.
I'm currently working my way through Cironi's YT clips
and they are very entertaining :)
Is there such a thing as a Maserati Biturbo / Spyder rescue kit?
Same as there is for the Saab saab 900?

I don't think there's such a thing unfortunately; MIE made a kit in the USA about 30 years ago, but it can't be found any more, from what I know.
 
Messages
1,687
I don't think there's such a thing unfortunately; MIE made a kit in the USA about 30 years ago, but it can't be found any more, from what I know.

Interesting. I suppose with dwindling numbers of cars left, it's not economical to keep making such a kit.
 

Maurizio

Junior Member
Messages
55
I think it was discontinued long time ago. Too bad, because a sway bar radically improves the car.
I guess there are not as many Biturbos around as Saab 900s, either.
 
Messages
388
I think it was discontinued long time ago. Too bad, because a sway bar radically improves the car.
I guess there are not as many Biturbos around as Saab 900s, either.

Would it not be possible for a good mechanic to brief a fabricator to make a sway bar for a 222 or 224? Perhaps I'm wrong but I wouldn't have thought it would be that expensive to make one.
 

GeoffCapes

Member
Messages
14,000
Would it not be possible for a good mechanic to brief a fabricator to make a sway bar for a 222 or 224? Perhaps I'm wrong but I wouldn't have thought it would be that expensive to make one.

A guy on one of the Alfa 155 forums made a thicker ARB (sway bar) for his 155 V6, so it is certainly do-able.
 
Messages
1,687
I'll definitely be having a go at this. Not me personally, but my trusty spanner monkey.
Probably won't be until the new year, but I'll advise how I get on, as soon as 'we' have a go.