Two Sprints - 8V and 24V.......

[Alfasixnut]

Here are two of my Sprints. The red 8V before its final refurb and the silver/grey 6C version with the midmount 3 litre 24 valve transverse engine.

[Johnboy]

Nice sprints chap

[nigxl]

Any more pics of the silver one?

[Alfasixnut]

As Nigel and newer members of this forum are interested in my Silver Sprint here are a few more pictures of the build, which took place from 2009 through to 2011.
But first - I was inspired by pictures of this.......

[Alfasixnut]

So I bought from E Bay "A Rusty Sprint suitable for Spares"

It was stripped out and the cutting started.....

[Alfasixnut]

I had also obtained a 3 litre 164 with a good engine and gearbox - I stripped that and cut off the front to give me the inner wings and support for the front subframe. (The original 6C had used a longitudinal mounted 2.5 V6 with a ZF transaxle - far too expensive for my project).
So I started to put the whole front of the 164 into the space created.

I realised that the front cross member made the assembly impossible to fit so I ended up cutting it off, putting the two inner wings in place with the subframe and then rewelding the front cross member (reversed to give more cabin room).

[Alfasixnut]

I also had to reverse the rod gearchange system - I was able to use the 164 rods lengthened, and with an extra UJ from the 164 steering column!
The selector on the gearbox could be reversed to allow the rod to fix to the front.

I needed a steel bulkhead and the silver bonnet was totally rusted on its front edge so I used the remainder.

[Johnboy]

That is a very cool project! Well done that man

[Alfasixnut]

Thanks Johnboy
Other work was to widen the rear wheel arches and create the characteristic rear louvres.

[Johnboy]

All these wide Alfas has really got me wanting to do this to mine ! Been toying with this for years !! But don't know witch way fiberglass ally or steel? Been looking body kits that I can mod to suit the 33

[Alfasixnut]

As you can just see I used a lower half repair panel in steel from an MGB wing to get my wide arches - then the top of the Sprint wing was cut open in sections, spaced out and rewelded to suit.

[Johnboy]

Good idea. I've been looking at different cars to see if I can do something like ! I want to for for the integrale look like Edward did on his last 33 , but his kits out of my prise range. so will have to make it I think

[Alfasixnut]

Here are a couple more pics of the 6C build showing the steel removeable bulkhead behind the engine - giving a useful sized boot!.... and the dragster style fuel cell at the front with the pipework to the 164 radiator and electric fan. I had tried to modify and use the 164 fuel tank but I couldn't get the plastic welded well enough to be strong and have no leaks.

[Alfasixnut]

Another job was to create the "Thermo-acoustic" barrier between the engine and cabin. I initially thought of using the Sprint tailgate but it was too big and the gearchange rods would have needed to go through the glass!
Instead I looked at other small hatchbacks and found that a Fiat panda had a suitable hatch. E Bay was my friend again.....

[Alfasixnut]

Inside the car I tried to use the instrument binnacle from the 164. By cutting a larger hole in the Sprint dashboard it fitted reasonably well.
However there were 6 plugs to the 164 dash with 64 wires and despite hours of poring over wiring diagrams and fault finding, continuity testing, cursing and soldering - I could not get it to work properly so I reverted to a simpler Sprint instrument panel - and yes I had to change the dashboard to get rid of the big hole!

[Alfasixnut]

I also used a pair of Spider (916?) seats.

[KevJTD]

i remember the fun and games phil, takes me back seeing the pics


those do look like 916 seats, a good choice too. nice looking seats

[Alfasixnut]

Thanks Kev. I have had the 6C out to try and get it MoT'd. On Thursday I got it to the MoT station, on the ramp and then it would not start again. After fiddling for 20 mins it ran out of MoT logged on time - and fired up! so I took it home. The next MoT slot they had was next week.
I then found another local Mot station that could do the car Friday AM. Got it there and the fog light didn't work and the dip set up seemed odd. It also had a major water leak. I got them fixed and then on Sat morning found the car has lost sparks.....so it sits in the drive at home.

[KevJTD]

Thanks Kev. I have had the 6C out to try and get it MoT'd. On Thursday I got it to the MoT station, on the ramp and then it would not start again. After fiddling for 20 mins it ran out of MoT logged on time - and fired up! so I took it home. The next MoT slot they had was next week.
I then found another local Mot station that could do the car Friday AM. Got it there and the fog light didn't work and the dip set up seemed odd. It also had a major water leak. I got them fixed and then on Sat morning found the car has lost sparks.....so it sits in the drive at home.

sounds like it had a proper sulk

hope it gets sorted soon

[Alfasixnut]

sounds like it had a proper sulk

hope it gets sorted soon

Grrrr it is still sulking and I cannot find where the problem is.........how can repair of a water leak end up losing the sparks????

[KevJTD]

sounds like it had a proper sulk

hope it gets sorted soon

Grrrr it is still sulking and I cannot find where the problem is.........how can repair of a water leak end up losing the sparks????

not disturbed the crank sensor or anything?

[Alfasixnut]

Wooo HOOO I've got an MoT for the 6C!
This morning I removed the "thermoacoustic barrier" and the lower bulkhead in front of the engine and checked out the two relays that lurk there - there was a blown fuse which I replaced and the car still did not fire - then I took out a relay and put it back in - and it fired up! Put it all together, checking that it fired as each piece went back in....it still worked..... So a quick call to the MoT station and they could do the retest - "now".
The lights worked - it didn't leak too much and it has passed so I have now returned it to the big hanger where I work.
Big Relief!

[Alfasixnut]

My next job will be to get the radiator repaired as it leaks significantly. I think most of these problems are my own fault. With so much hastle over cooling I had just been topping up with water. When I stored the car in the hanger over the winter I didn't think it would get too cold and most of the water had drained out, but I suspect it did freeze where there was trapped water - leading to more problems this year....Dohhh

[KevJTD]

My next job will be to get the radiator repaired as it leaks significantly. I think most of these problems are my own fault. With so much hastle over cooling I had just been topping up with water. When I stored the car in the hanger over the winter I didn't think it would get too cold and most of the water had drained out, but I suspect it did freeze where there was trapped water - leading to more problems this year....Dohhh

that could have ended worse phil

at least that's an easier fix than a blown core plug

[Alfasixnut]

Well the 6C is featured in this months Retro Car magazine - fame and fortune now awaits????

[KevJTD]

Well the 6C is featured in this months Retro Car magazine - fame and fortune now awaits????

another mag to source then mate, is it out now?

[vecchioalfa]

nice one mate, like Kev says, when is it out?....

[Johnboy]

Well done chap. Will have to check it out

[Alfasixnut]

Thanks guys - the magazine is in WH Smiths now - and yes, I've bought two copies

[Alfasixnut]

Here are three of the Pro pictures of the 6C