GTV ts

[KevJTD]

With the cold snap the poor car is now out in the frost, not ideal but didn't have room for it at the unit with the recent Flaminia purchase.
John though has insisted we take it up there and use what would have been space for his cars rather than have it sat outside, so this afternoon it's gone up there to sit with the 4 Lancia cars and John's 306 gti, soon to have his 405 T16 and his 308 gti, or his recent purchase of an MX-3 so quite a collection.
This does mean though with the shuffling we have done that the GTV is now in a position to have the engine etc removed ready for the rebuilt unit to go back in. Whilst that's happening I'll take the subframe off and get it blasted and powder coated. New bottom arms, bushes and links etc should set it up for a good few years.
All ahead of schedule as I expected it to be March before getting space.

At least it won't be sat out in the frost and snow to come!

[LooLooSud33Spider]

Same here Kev. We managed to have a shuffle round and managed to get the spider in the new garage. It’s now officially a 6 car garage. Stuff will have to come out for a couple of days next week as I’ve got the Sparkie coming to rewire the entire garage

[KevJTD]

Nice to have them inside though isn't it, and at least yours is in the back garden.
55 mile round trip to mine

[LooLooSud33Spider]

Sadly the Porsche is still sat outside but I’m getting rid of one from the collection after Christmas so when that’s gone. That will be inside aswell.

[KevJTD]

The car made it up to the unit as promised last month, all clean and shiny after a wash up there.

Over the Christmas period I got some time to get the drivetrain out so all the CF2 parts could be removed from the spare engine and fitted back to the original, now rebuilt unit.
Once the bumper and radiators are out there's a reasonable amount of space around.

With the engine bay cleared the subframe was simple enough to get out so it has been sent away to be grit blasted and powder coated along with a few pieces like the rad fan cowling and the lower rad support panel which suffers from location and heat from the rad so rusts quite a lot. Prevention of future issues better than waiting for it to be a problem.

[KevJTD]

The bumper mounts were a bit rusty, thick enough for it to be no problem but scruffy.
As I was going to be spraying some Lancia parts with satin black 2 pack then it seemed daft not to clean them and paint at the same time.
Likewise the bottom of the support legs that the radiator mounting panel bolts to were scabby too but not to any great issue yet. Ground down and treated then etch primed and done with the same satin black will stop the rust being a problem in the coming years.

Engine now all but ready to be attached to the gearbox, still awaiting a new clutch so it can sit on the stand for now to be safe.

New belts, water pump, thermostat, cam sensor etc along with all the new internals... Hopefully it will last for longer than the original did!

[LooLooSud33Spider]

I’m literally doing the exact same job on the spider Kev. I’ve got new lower wishbones,TREs, Konis and springs. One thing I have done is given the new lower suspension arms a nice coat of spray on smooth hammerite. The std Matt finish they come in never seems to last very long before they start turning brown. I’m hoping to get my spare subframe powder coated next week.

[KevJTD]

Same here, I bought new lower arms and sprayed them with 2 pack jet black. The finiash they come in rusts in no time!
I'll do the rear spring pans and upper arms in time but I want to make sure it's mobile and bedded in for SAD at Duxford so may leave that for now.

[LooLooSud33Spider]

Same here Kev. . As you know. I Fitted new rear springs and konis last year but I want to do the pans aswell. I’ve also got new rear bump stop and mtg cones as one of mine has rotted out (common problem)

[KevJTD]

Had planned on getting the engine off the stand today to fit the flywheel & new clutch then re-attach to the original gearbox..sounded simple enough.
The gearbox had other ideas though, the clutch arm pivot was very stiff and the top bush seized to the fork so it was rotating in the gearbox rather than the arm rotating within the bush. There's a little detent on the bush which is supposed to stop it rotating which had long since depearted so had probably seized some time ago. It doesn't appear to have reamed the alloy out though so a new bush should solve it, a dab of loctite probably won't hurt. Meant though that it will all have to wait a while longer before being reunited. Haven't got the refurbished subframe etc back yet so no real drama.
I had given in to common sense and purchased a new Valeo clutch kit despite having what appeared a very serviceable one from the original unit, seemed daft to refit it despite the extra cost, but at least it will be all good.
The plate between the engine and gearbox I'd painted the other week to brighten it up.

[Kegsti66]

You two are doing great work on these future classic Alfas.
Looking at your engine photo Kev, I can't believe I once replaced a plenum manifold on my GTV while the engine was still in the car.
Keep up the great work, both of you

[LooLooSud33Spider]

Thanks Keith. Positive vibes always welcome.

[KevJTD]

New seals arrived this week for the gearbox input shaft and driveshaft, seemed to make sense to change them at this point. New clutch fork bush fitted so the engine and gearbox are back together again now ready for the return of the subframe, hopefully that will be this week so next Saturday I can lift it all back into the car.

[KevJTD]

Aim fior the day was to get the subframe back on and the engine/gearbox back up and plumbed in.
Reality was that with a few distractions such as a guy looking over my Flaminia as a potential purchase I didn't get started until near 3pm!
Subframe up is a bit of a faff whilst tryimng not to damage it, once I'd refitted the anti-roll bar.
With that in place the steering rack boots got renewed whilst access is easy. New lower suspension arms on then the assmebly could finally be lifted into the engine bay.
At least it's back in place now if not really connected up much, apart from the awkward power steering pump pipe that is best attached before the engine is mounted but is lifted in place so you at least have room to get at it. Sensible option would maybe to release it from the steering rack and bolt to the engine before lifting it up, but done now.

[LooLooSud33Spider]

Looking good Kev you’ll soon get it all back together im about to do the subframe swap on mine . I just then need to repaint he ARB before fitting it to the fresh one and refitting from your experienced did the rack move much when you dropped the subframe off ? It should be ok on drivers side but I was just going to apply a zip tie to the NS of the rack before I dropped the subframe to stop it moving

[KevJTD]

Rack didn't hardly move at all Lou, I didn't strap it up at all.
Track rod ends were still connected to hubs, maybe that helped, but it was still fairly secure.
I did wait until the subframe was back on and rack bolted back down before doing the gaitors though.
The subframe would be a doddle if it wasn't for those front bolts that hold up the gear linkage tunnel, they make it a fiddle to get back in, I resorted to suspending my subframe from the engine stand rather than fight it or use trolley jacks.

[KevJTD]

Well, the end is finally in sight!
A few steps back that were unforseen. Self inflicted problem like the crank seal popping out when I had it running first off. That ruined the cambelt and made me wonder why.... On reflection and looking at a spare oil pump housing the seal should have been fitted further in the recess, new seal and cambelt last week and all well again. Save for the fault codes needing erasing.
I'd also bought a new radiator as mine was a bit crusty at the bottom. So whilst the bumper was still off I set about changing that.
All went well until the bonnet sheared it's hinge.... Another little job.
So with the cooling system sorted and oil leaks banished all should have been well now the bumper and all was refitted?
Er, no.
The camshaft sensor kept throwing an error code and the EML on. I'd fitted a new one in the hope of future proofing it as it's a PITA to get at, sits behind the exhaust cam pulley and the wires run behind the water pump housing and the inlet cam pulley. Also the power steering reservoir needs moving aside to get the cable out.
So that's belt off, again, and a fiddly job to refit the original one that had worked perfectly well before.
Finally it's all back together, leak free and error code free.
I'll tax it for the 1st then use it a bit so it's ready for the ride down to Duxford for the Spring Alfa day in a few weeks.

[KevJTD]

Last few jobs ticked off the list today and a quick ride around the block shows the gearbox is fine, having never used it I hoped it would be!
A wash and polish before SAD at Duxford once it's had a bit of running around and should be great for the summer.

[LooLooSud33Spider]

Looking good Kev