Classic Alfa Forums

Cracking photo Kev, they all compliment each other very well.
What were you watching, cars or bikes?

Wolds Trophy mate, classic Formula Ford 2000, F3, FF1600, 70s Road sports, classic touring cars etc.
Some cracking racing.
How about a battle 5 cars nose to tail, Mustang Cortina A40 Imp Nova. All with differing strengths.
Well worth a visit if anyone's after something to do tomorrow

RIP the genius that was Guy Croft, a legend in the Fiat/Lancia twin-cam world.

Sad news indeed.
He was from your neck of the woods Kev, I presume you must have met/ dealt with him?

Apparently he posted on facebook on the 9th of October - 'This week began with f**cking about in secondary healthcare at County Hospital - I lost patience and discharged myself.. What a mess it is.' - I wonder what that was about, and how relevant it is ?? .....
A very talented bloke, who certainly knew his way around a fiat engine. I'm sure he will be missed by family and customers.
John.

Yes, he was based in Lincoln for the last 10 years or so so I had used his services a time or two, first on my Dedra turbo when I needed a shim removal tool to adjust the tappets, couldn't find one for sale anywhere so he said I could bring it to his workshop and use his tools, as long as the head was clean! A few hours in his company was great, telling me stories of his time at British Aerospace as an engine designer, also on F1 for Brian Hart designing engines..
I am told he could be awkward to deal with but I always found him refreshingly straightforward to deal with, you knew if you were being a dick he'd let you know.
Last time I saw him was when I stupidly broke my rear crank seal housing on the integrale. Rang him to see if he'd got any. "hammered the seal in didn't you" was his words, well yes of course how could I deny it! He said he'd got one good used housing left somewhere so I asked if he'd part it with and sell to a fool, "I won't sell it to a fool, but I will sell to you" he said. Best back-handed compliment I have ever had, he always seemed to like honesty more than BS.
His workshop was absolutely spotless, probably why his comments and the Hospital came from, he always demanded high standards.
I'm sure I'm not speaking out of tune by saying he had been Ill for a little while, Cancer of some sort.
My regret was not going over to see him last year as he did ask me to take the integrale over to see him when I'd got it done.
A true genius and someone I'd have liked to have known more about.

Problem is on these occasions that you think there is still time to get that visit done soon.

And there was when we were younger and the people around us were as well.

Just been looking for some pix of the strut mount hole elongation for the camber/lowering issue in the race thread, as I said I would look last night but forgot...
My memory is terrible nowadays..
On looking for it I came across this pic of when I brought it the 16V track sud I did (and successfully grazed the cadwell armco two years running) home from my mate Jim on the back of my old Dedra turbo, and lo and behold there's a 146 ti on my front lawn.
I really can't remember having that, or who it went to.. Seem to think it came from shrew, as a lot seem to do.
Wouldn't mind one now.. Even if I can't recall owning this one!

That was either a very brave or confident location for the oil cooler Kev

Your as bad as a friend of mine Kev. His wife always said he would regularly go to work in one car and come home in another.
I,m the other extreme. In terms of road cars I've only ever owned 5.
850 Mini
Sud Ti
75 Green Cloverleaf
146 Ti
159 Ti

Rsfruitbat

What about your Sprint Ade !

He's like Kev, forgot what he has had.

Wow just 5 road cars.

I’ve had 18 road cars not including any of Mrs veesix cars.......12 Italian 6 ‘other’

Kegsti66 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 27, 2020 9:19 pm He's like Kev, forgot what he has had.

Brilliant.

I started a list one day and found I had had 50 different motorbikes, few cars though. Though like Aides list it makes and interesting over view of a persons life with a list of their cars. Perhaps another interesting thread for these times.

It's been years since I've owned less than 5 cars at once, that's the trouble with having space...
As previously stated, my memory isn't good enough to even attempt a list of cars owned.

I can now add memory support to the long list of benefits I get from this forum.
So there's 6 road car I have owned........
That's ignoring competition vehicles (3), vans (1), breakers(5?).
My biggest problem being i don't have enough space!!!

Rsfruitbat

Here's something to make you all feel old...
Just watching Jaws, the original film........46 years ago it came out!

Here's something that may, or may not be known about.
People who skimp on oil changes, or more accurately oil & FILTER changes, is the risk that you run in prematurely wrecking your engine.
Now I'm not suggesting anyone on here will be guilty of serious neglect with out pride and joys, we care too much about them, but this is a design feature of modern element oil filters.

Most cars now run a paper element filter within a housing, usually plastic topped, which can bring its own issues.

But the design feature that I am showing here is that if the filter becomes clogged from becoming dirty through being way past its safe use mileage and time wise it is actually designed to collapse in on itself if it becomes blocked. This is actually the sensible thing to do really, as a blocked filter would destroy an engine in seconds, but of course it means that the oil bypasses the filter entirely meaning that any debris or carbon is pumped into the oil galleries, which I suppose is the least worst option!

Vauxhall seem to be particularly prone to it, I'm not sure if that's down to the typical owners of said make being lax on servicing or if its a thing in their design, but I have had to literally pick the pieces of damp card from the base of the housing on more than one occasion. This one the other day was a Corsa, the sinking feeling when you go to carefully pull the old filter out and just the top comes out.... But getting hold of both sides as best as you can (in a recessed chamber of course) and gently pulling hoping it will all come up in one piece, always a gold your breath moment.

You can see how the filter has pulled itself in such is the amount its blocked, that's what allows the oil to bypass the filter..

So don't skimp on filter changes!

Good to know about, everyday is a school day. Guess it might happen more as oil gets more expensive.

Isn't that also the type of filter they use on the Alfas now since the GM connection?

Yes it is, in fact it's rare now o find a metal cannister filter, most makes use the paper element ones like this.
This isn't purely a design feature of the paper one either, the metal ones also have an inbuilt bypass valve to perform the same function, continue oil flow to the engine should the filter become blocked internally.

The extra long service intervals are also not favourable for filter life in my opinion, 20k between changes...too far for my liking.

I always look for the metal canister filters with a non return valve.

Ensures immediate oil flow to the bearings on each start up.

Not sure if the paper filters have the same?

New owners of the cafe at the unit complex, noticed the subaru estate they have, had to ask him if he's an Alfa fan!

Wow - that is a good registration. Bit wasted on a Scooby though, even if it is a boxer...

Glad you noticed Lou, thought it would appeal

Funny thing is they're not Alfa fans!
Although they are aware of the relevance.

They also have the plate T1 5OAP

Yes, they run a cleaning company!

Private plates are a theme though, the Woman I spoke to also has the plate HO55 YAZ......on a horsebox. Now here in Lincolnshire a Horse is often pronounced Hoss.. so guessing her name is Yasmin...Must keep my eye on the rest of their fleet

Couple more interesting things today, well I thought so!
First off a 2018 Volvo XC60 came in and I noticed something I'd not seen on the rear suspension before although they are found on other vehicles now, a plastic/composite leaf spring instead of the usual steel one. These are often found on vans now, but the unusual thing here is that it's transverse like the old Fiat Strada was...
No airbags or anything, just this transverse spring on a big heavy SUV...

Next off, a quiz for you eagle eyed guys.
This is a Ford Kuga, can't remember now what vintage as was on a private plate, probably 5 or 6 years old.
But in the style of the old "spot the ball" competions.... Where's the oil filter housing? It is in shot, a plastic housing as the often are now... Took me a while to find it!

I’m guessing it’s hidden under all that plastic inlet gubbins. And you probably have to remove a stoopid amount of unrelated crap before you can even see the filter housing .

Yep, pretty much the stupidest place for it. I actually didn't think it was under the bonnet, couldn't spot it anywhere so assumed someone with sense had put it underneath near the sump... But alas, no. Still no common sense amongst designers.

That oil filter is madness, why would you tuck it so far away?

Decision made by a committee would be my guess or one bloke just had his ego threatened and so would not compromise and agree to something sensible.

Had not realised they had plastic springs either, could that be better or worse for the planet, or is that a stupid question in relation to an SUV.

You would think that as engine bays get more compact and cramped it would be better to use a remote location for the filter so that servicing would not require the need to remove stuff. Then again we are all silly old sods who think practically