The Story of the Dropped Alfa

Interesting / tragic story of a 1974 2000 GTV: ColumnM & Instagram

Carb issue research

Thinking about the idle issue (too lean) on cylinder 3... it looks like this may be a clogged idle jet.

Driving impressions

I drove the car about 30 miles yesterday. Several laps around the block and a few runs on the highway. It ran better after each outing.

For city driving,  the car feels great - powerful and nimble - and you can appreciate the brakes.

It's good on the highway too. No strange rattles or squeaks. It's nice having a 5th gear - 70mph @ 3,500 rpm.

Looking forward to posting more driving impressions.

Adjusting the carbs

If you own a classic car with a carburetor, you will be interested in a Gunson Colortune kit (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9t8XhFlKbk&t=3s). This little device, a clear spark plug, helps you see the combustion in the cylinder and adjust the air-fuel mixture.

The Alfa's did not require much tuning, but we did find cylinder 3 was running too lean; and turning the  mixture screw had no effect. My hunch is the idle jet is clogged, but putting some miles on the car might clear the problem. 

Overall, the engine feels great - it revs easily and feels very powerful. 

Hydraulic reservoir lines

Last week, the clutch line started leaking around the reservoir. After some poking around, we found the small rubber hose (48 years old!) had perished and cracked. The rubber brake line did not look good either.

These small rubber hoses are no longer available, so we made new connections with high-test braided fuel injection line and o-clamps. This fix worked like a charm.

We also washed and scrubbed the areas around the reservoir and lines. If left alone, this stuff will strip the the paint!

Back on the road.

Sump guard powder-coated

A few weeks ago, I sent the sump guard off for powder coating (Sahara Gold). It's back and looking good.

On the car:

Another new steering wheel

Momo Prototipo on:

New fuel sender

After a short amount of driving, the fuel gauge stopped working. We reversed the wires and saw the gauge was moving, so the fuel sender had a problem.

Removing the old unit was a chore. The screws were corroded, so we had to use an impact driver to get them out. 

The new Jaeger unit from Classic Alfa (http://classicalfa.com/products.php?product=FL001-FUEL-TANK-SENDER-%28JAEGER%29-%252d-1300%252d1750-CARS) went in easily. 

Another job done!

Rear bumper on

You may recall from an earlier post that the original bumper was damaged beyond repair. I spent days scouring the Internet for a replacement and found these parts are really hard to find! I eventually found one with a lot of 'patina' (dents).

Sides and clips still to come...

New starter motor

The original starter motor gave up, so we've installed a new light-weight starter from Classic Alfa.

Ignition timing info

Propshaft and axel diagram

Front suspension torque specs

Thanks to SurfCity Alfa on the AlfaBB (http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/suspension-steering-brakes-wheels-tires/150956-72-gtv-front-suspension-torque-values.html):

Front suspension diagram

Track rod diagram

More TODOs

Murphy's Law for car restoration: "Everything you don't replace will fail inspection."

We have a number of items to correct (to pass safety):

• Front ball joints
• Track rod joints (remaining, not just the centre link)
• Ball joints
• Driveshaft universal joint
• Adjust parking brake

Plus an additional surprise: the starter motor died leaving the garage!

Update

A few notes. The plan is to have the car go through a safety inspection this week.

I had a new set of Toyo tires put on the car a couple of weeks ago. The old Michelins  (25+ years old!) were rock hard and slippery.

The Momo Prototipo steering wheel arrived this week. It feels better and should look good in the car.

We are trying to find someone who can straighten the dent in the rear bumper. I love the look of these cars without bumpers, but they are required where I live (and the fines are heavy).

First driving impressions

One year and two weeks after buying the car, the Alfa is ready for a test drive.

First impressions: the driving position and view is excellent. Nice exhaust note. The car feels nimble and has plenty of power.

I drove it around the block about eight times (~2 miles), smiling ear to ear. This is going to be a fun car.

Hood back on

The hood is back on. With one person supporting each side, and another putting the bolts in, the job goes easy.

Thanks to Martyn Harvey for giving us a hand with the hood.

Small jobs done

A bunch of small items complete:

• Set the timing and adjusted the carbs.
• Installed the new windshield washer bag.
• Battery strap back on.
• Fixed an oil leak around the new fuel pump blanking plate.

New shift knob

The Alfa came with a nice leather shift knob. Unfortunately, it fell apart (a victim of time) when we started moving the car around.

The good news is I had a spare wood Momo knob. It went on easy, but it is taller and makes the shifting position awkward. It will have to do until I can find a replacement.

New interior mirror

Installed the new rear-view mirror (from Classic Alfa). It looks similar to the original, but weighs a bit more.

The condition of the old mirror is better than I thought. The frame was broken, which I have already repaired with epoxy, and the glass is discoloured. A future project perhaps.

Electric fuel pump wired up

The electric fuel pump has been a nice upgrade, but the wiring job was quick and ugly. We ran a line from the coil, over the roof of the car, to the trunk.

Our friend Bob Smith pitched in and ran a new line from the fuse block (under the dash) through the interior. He found that a previous owner had upgraded the system, which was a pleasant surprise. And, as usual, he did a fantastic job.

Another project done.

Bleeding the clutch

New clutch master & slave cylinder installed.

We had some challenges with the slave cylinder. The retaining clips were reversed (see below) and the bleed screw needs to be at the top. Once these were sorted out, the peddle firmed up when we started pumping the air out of the system.

We also used a braided steel line on the clutch (thanks Alfaholics).

Another job done.

Bleeding the brakes

Silly brake fluid saga.

Like every other Alfa newbie, I glean as much information as I can from the AlfaBB. Several of the members recommend using Prestone Dot 4 brake fluid in 105 cars.

I used to see this stuff at every gas station and auto parts store, but it was recently pulled from the shelves for some unknown reason. This is Canada, so high taxes and global warming are probably involved. 

My other options were so gruesome that I'm surprised they didn't come in mason jars with handwritten names. I pinched my nose and selected the Canadian Tire "Premium European Car Dot 4" brand.

Snobbery aside, the reality is the lines are full of stale fluid (25+ years) and this job will probably have to be repeated once the car has some miles on it. So, how bad was it?

The rear lines contained a mixture of brownish fluid, air bubbles and flecks of crud. Yuck. But the biggest shock was the front brakes, everything coming out of those looked like a infectious disease.

We did go through a lot of fluid, so my brand choice is irrelevant. And after working from the back to the front, the brake pedal has an excellent feel to it.

I'm getting close to driving the car.

New brake master cylinder on

The original master cylinder was weeping and dripping fluid from every fitting, so I ordered a new one from Alfaholics. Barry installed it a few weeks ago.

Fuel pump blanking plate

A quick and easy project: installing a fuel pump blanking plate.

Remove the nuts, pump, spacer, rod and gaskets.

Reuse one of the gaskets. Apply black Permatex to both sides. Stick it to the plate.

Slip the blanking plate on the bolts.

Fasten the nuts.

Leave it to dry overnight.

Exhaust system on

I ordered a new mid-to-back exhaust system from Alfaholics a few months ago. It was very reasonably priced and came with new mounting hardware.

We painted the entire exhaust system with an off-the-shelf ceramic spray paint. Although the thermal benefits are probably minimal, it helped the system look fresh and should provide some rust protection.

Friendly installation tip. We used stainless hex bolts at the front of the system. This made installation a lot easier, and will help us disassemble the system in the future.

The system looks and sounds good.

Parts order reminder

For the next order:

• Gearbox filler plug x2 (http://classicalfa.com/products.php?product=GB062-OIL-FILLER-PLUG-%252d-GEARBOX-AND-DIFFERENTIAL)
• Interior mirror (http://classicalfa.com/products.php?product=IN187-REAR-VISION-MIRROR-GT-%26-SALOON-1968-ONWARDS)
• Brake calliper dust cap
• Rubber door trim (both sides) (http://classicalfa.com/products.php?product=RB003-GT%7B47%7DGTV-RIGHT-MAIN-DOOR-RUBBER-SEAL and http://classicalfa.com/products.php?product=RB002-GT%7B47%7DGTV-LEFT-MAIN-DOOR-RUBBER-SEAL)
• Canister oil filters x3 (http://classicalfa.com/products.php?product=EN045-OIL-FILTER-%252d-CARTRIDGE-STYLE)
• Another washer bag (http://classicalfa.com/products.php?product=750%252d089-VDO-WASHER-FLUID-BAG-%252d-750%7B47%7D101%7B47%7D102%7B47%7D106-SERIES-CARS)

Weber rebuild kits ordered

I ordered two repair kits on eBay (http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Weber-40-DCOE-full-maxi-Service-Gasket-kit-repair-rebuild-set/291395104902?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648).

I'll rebuild the original Weber carbs over the winter...

Run in videos

In the previous posts, I described how the Alfa has been playing "hard to get." After a few teething problems, the engine would only run when we sprayed QuickStart or gas into the carb throats. So now we had to shift our attention to the carburetors.

My first attempt to make the Webers bark was to clean the jets with a toothbrush and Sea Foam. They had a lot of varnish on them, but this didn't look like the problem.

Another possibility was the needle valves and the floats. And when I pulled the tops off, these were stuck (corroded) in the closed position. 

So, the carbs will need rebuilding.

Fortunately, I had another set of Webers and put those on the car. It fired right up and we ran through the 20 minute break-in procedure.

The next step is to bleed the brakes and clutch.

Sights & sounds:

Crankcase breather tube / filter

A quick project: use the existing breather tube and put a K&N crankcase filter (http://www.tdotperformance.ca/k-n-62-1600rd-crankcase-vent-filters-diameter.html?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwLHLBRDEARIsAN1A1Q6yzyQ7uwu2-hjC-zvczrs1nztkr0XbvMnD6ZXccGBskbt5ThbA9A8aAnxwEALw_wcB) on the end of it.

Murphy's Law strikes again

Bad news / good news.

First, the bad news. When I was ordering parts for the engine rebuild, I did not order a new mechanical fuel pump. Guess what? The mechanical fuel pump is dead.

Now for the good stuff. 

We purchased a Facet "silvertop" (4-5.5 psi) pump from a local parts store (https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/12v-electric-fuel-pump-solid-state-posi-flo/A-p8606279e). These are excellent units, but they are a little noisy and must be used with a fuel pressure regulator (the standard Alfa unit is fine). To get the system working, we ran a wire from the coil and grounded the pump on the hood latch. It worked perfectly but we will do a cleaner installation later...

Update

The Alfa has been giving me the "full experience."

While we were getting the car ready (to start), coolant started to leak everywhere. It looked like I had a head gasket, or worse, problem.

My first concern was the head and / or block was warped. But the machine shop invoice revealed these to be in tolerance, and the builder stated the same.

I ordered another Victor Reinz gasket which also leaked badly. We found there was manufacturing differences; the first one being slightly thicker (0.2mm) than the second. So I wasn't keen to try a 3rd sample.

With a little Google work and some searches on eBay, I found a copper gasket (labelled as a Centerline) that looked very good. It had an embossed edge around the coolant and oil passages and a sealing film on both sides.

NOTE: We followed the directions and used Permatex Ultra Grey at the rear of the gasket.

So, the third time was a charm. The copper gasket worked and everything is tight and ready to go!

Head torque procedure

Monday update

Bob got the ignition switch anti-theft bolt out! He removed the shroud on the steering column, used a Dremel tool to cut a grove in the bolt, and then unscrew it. Of course, the new ignition switch (from Alfaholics - https://www.alfaholics.com/parts/105-series/electrical/ignition-switch-late/) went in easy.

Barry sorted out the rear brake lines. This was one of those slow and frustrating tasks because the old rear-axel flex line was seized into the 3-way union. So we needed a replacement part from Classic Alfa (see http://classicalfa.com/products/BR048-REAR-AXLE-3-WAY-BRAKE-UNION.html) to finish the job.

Weekend update

Bob and Barry continued to work on the car through the week. They've got most of the wiring done, but ran into a snag removing the old ignition switch. We've decided to stop until we can figure out an easy way to remove the anti-theft bolt.

The new exhaust system from Classic Alfa arrived on Friday. Everything looks good and should be easy to installed.

I disassembled, cleaned and repainted the airbox this afternoon.

Veloce colour chart

Throttle linkage notes

Weekend update

Slow but steady progress.

All of the new coolant hoses are on. Supplied by Alfaholics.

The fan belt proved to be a challenge. At some point, this car had been upgraded to use an alternator, so the belt size is an unknown. After several trips to the local part stores, we found one that fits (34.6") and has the correct tension.

I thought the brake booster vacuum line looked new, but I was wrong. It started splitting and crumbling in my hands, so I replaced it with high pressure fuel injection hose. This is the same stuff I used on my Lotus Elan.

The alternator is back on. We also cleaned and reattached the ground strap.

We used a ceramic paint on the headers and reattached most of the exhaust system. For those of you who have been through this process on a GTV, hats off to you! It's a fun and painful job. Instead of using the original bolts, we substituted ones with a hex-head which made the job easier.

I gave the coolant reservoir a good cleaning. It is amazing how much casting sand makes its way into these! The lid and straps were also treated with a fresh coat of paint.

Finally, we trial fitted the carbs.

  

1750 fuel pump diagrams

A smart upgrade

I forgot to mention these in an earlier post. Alfaholics has designed and manufactured a rubber trim strip for the door handles - too keep water and nasty stuff out! Something all 105s should have had in the first place...

Alternator checks out

Barry took the alternator into a shop for testing. Everything looks good.

Alfa bolt torque specs

Always handy to have around. Taken from Centerline's website.

Engine in

Everything is finally together.

The secret to reinstalling the Nord engine in situ is to remove the engine mounts and jiggle the crank with a long wrench and socket. Everything will slip together with a neat click.

We also found the brake and clutch master / slave cylinders need replacing. The units are rusty, the seals are deteriorated, and they're wet with brake fluid. So, I ordered new units from Classic Alfa earlier in the week.

Engine install progress

The engine is back!

We rattled off a number of small jobs:

• Installed new engine mounts (Alfaholics HD)
• Mounted new Bosch Blue coil
• Mechanical fuel on
• Oil & temperature senders

Unfortunately, the engine and transmission did not go together on the first try. We tried a number of tricks, but it wasn't meant to be.

Stay tuned.

Engine update

Quick update on the engine. Bottom end is finished, head is on. Cams and timing early next week.

New front brakes

The brakes on the car were seized, so I ordered the sport kit from Alfaholics. It includes four new ATE calipers, vented and slotted discs, Ferodo pads and braided stainless steel lines.

Getting the old brake components off was a challenge (no surprise, they've been corroding together for 47+ years), lots of penetrating oil, an impact wrench and the use of a "sissy" bar was required. The machine screws, holding the discs and hubs together, had to be drilled out.

We had to do a little fabrication and maintenance work. One of the short brake lines was frozen into the old caliper, so we made a new one. And the wheel bearings looked good, so we repacked them with grease. Overall, the installation of the new front brakes was straight-forward.

NOTE: We bathed the old caliper bolts in muriatic acid and ran a die down the threads. The M6 hub screws are available at specialist stores.

Engine build progress pics

The engine is being assembled by Dan & Harv Van Holst in Kitchener. So far, it's looking really good - especially the Mahle pistons and liners. The bottom end is together.

Weber carb settings

Thanks to Peter D. from the AlfaBB:

Engine machine work & balancing done

Thanks to Don at Twin City Auto for finishing the machine work on the engine. Apart from the head, everything was good news and went smoothly.

I also ordered 6 quarts of Redline 75W90NS from TCS Auto Parts on eBay. Available here: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/182098420554

Radiator good

The radiator has been pressure tested and checks out OK. It looks like it was re-cored shortly before the accident.

Part list notes

Distributor is Bosch #0231110041.

Oil and fluids

Some notes:

Engine oil (6.5L) - Kendall 20W50 with ZDDP

Coolant (8.5L or 9 quarts) - Prestone Green 50/50 pre-mix

Transmission (1.85L or 2 quarts) - Redline 75W90NS or Redline MTL

Differential - Shell Spiral 80/90W or Redline 75W90NS

Brake / clutch fluid - ATE Blue DOT 4 or Valvoline Synthetic DOT 4

NOTE: I used Redline MTL in my Lotus Elan and had great results. The gear shifts are silky smooth and there is no gear noise.

Engine rebuild update

A quick update from the machine shop.

At the top of the engine, the new cylinder head is good (no cracks or corrosion) but will need new guides and skimming. We will reuse the valves and springs from the old cylinder head because they are in new condition.

The engine rebuild gives me the chance to upgrade a lot of the components. I decided to go with Mahle pistons & liners from Alfaholics, ARP head bolts, Reinze gaskets and premium bearings & seals.

I'm already looking forward to driving the car!

Misc shots

I've had a few AlfaBB members ask me for various interior (dash & seats) pictures. These are the best I have.