|
|
Aug 26, 2017 14:31:51 GMT
|
Glad to see it out! Pictures certainly illustrate difficulty of exhaust system. Dad went for 156 seats in his '73 Lancia Flavia & they certainly offer more proper leather than most companies 1/2 vinyl efforts, thankfully without complication of electric nonsense. Very high backrests front & rear & shapely frt seats which look strange in older cars I noticed 2 versions, either with plastic air-bag panel on the side, or AlfaRomeo logo embossed on the backrest, in tan.. Then other facelift designs.. Would have liked to consider some other companies options with lower backrest heights. Yeah, I hear what you are saying 79cord butI think it is a matter of what will fit in, not only that it is also a matter of what I can get hold of over here, we just don't have the choice of used parts over here. It is a common modification in these cars but I do agree that it would be much better without the Alfa logo if I can find some.
|
|
Last Edit: Aug 26, 2017 14:55:18 GMT by omnipod
|
|
|
|
|
|
So yeah, just one job at a time, but it's never that simple is it? You always come across those little jobs that 'just' need to be done or tidied up that you had completely forgotten about. So I had to make the to do list even longer. Anyway I've been chipping away at this over the last month and progress has been made. Exhaust was fitted after a massive struggle, not the easiest of systems to hang correctly on your own, making sure it doesn't touch anything isn't easy as it crosses the propshaft and then goes throught the suspension subframe as well. I tidied up the floor and bit and protected the places I had welded with some epoxy mastic. I will come back to this and put some sound deadening pads down, but I want to know it is reasonably watertight before I do that. The carpet cleaned up pretty well, it's just a shame that i'm missing the front footwell carpets, I guess the PO chucked them out as they were probably almost constantly wet. I'm probably going to source some Alfa Romeo 156 seats over the winter as the originals are pretty uncomfortable and don't offer much support for my ageing back. After what felt like another million small jobs it was finally back on its wheels again. I still have a few bits of trim to fit and I have managed to find a pair of indicators for the B post which were missing, I'll fit those when they arrive next week. Needless to say I just put some Electrox on the passenger door, I will weld it up over winter, probably, maybe. And with that it was time to get it out in the daylight for the fist time in almost 4 years. Ta daaaa... not looking it's best yet but I know now that it is a solid car again. I let it stand idling for 35 minutes just to make sure there weren't any liquids escaping from places they souldn't. It all looked pretty good so I took it for a little spin too, a pre MOT shakedown if you will. Just great to be back behind the wheel again. So hopefully an MOT next week, and then I can start on the jobs I haven't done yet. I think it will be sooo much easier to motivate myself for these when I know I have a running car.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jul 16, 2017 10:44:15 GMT
|
Isn't it amazing how a project can really really grind you down, I love this car, but now, coming up to almost 4 years off the road,.... It. Is. Doing. My. Head. In. I just need it back on the road and then tidy up what isn't properly finished over the winter. So to get me on one final push i need to get this down in writing, a visible list of things to do. Since my last update i have finished off the bodywork (bar the passenger door) refitted the rear suspension, diff, propshaft, rear brakes, fitted an electric fuel pump in the boot, new brake lines to the rear, run the fuel line to the bulkhead, refurbished the calipers, it was so fun I did them twice having put the two seals in the wrong grooves the first time grrr. I'm soooo so close - exhaust needs to go back on, weld up a couple of rustpatches on the passenger door, paint and refit - although I might just skip this lob it back on and repair it in the winter. The front calipers need putting back on, bleed the brakes, get it back on it's wheels and torque up the suspension, run the fuel line in the engine bay to the carbs, retape the wiring loom from bulkhead to boot, refit the interior, reconnet the choke cable, fill the gearbox with oil, refit the screen washer bottle and probably a few other small jobs. So all going to plan, what say 20 - 25 hours work?? Just one job at a time and i'll get there.
|
|
Last Edit: Jul 16, 2017 11:14:39 GMT by omnipod
|
|
|
|
|
YOU are THE man! :-)
Out of curiosity what happens to those images that have been uploaded using the RR drag and drop to imagur? (I jumped the PB ship and updated all my threads using drag and drop over the weekend) :-)
Edit: maybe I should rephrase my question, I know they will still work but do you have plans to move all these too?
|
|
Last Edit: Jul 3, 2017 11:06:43 GMT by omnipod
|
|
|
|
Jun 30, 2017 20:10:30 GMT
|
Brass levers, pure art this stuff.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 30, 2017 19:20:02 GMT
|
Stick with it avengertec I had to try a few times before i could download all my images (about 600) but it worked in the end.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 30, 2017 16:36:49 GMT
|
Oh Photobucket what has become of you? You were once the prettiest girl in the class, you were smarter, more generous, you offered me something nobody else could, I was smitten. Things have been great, for many years I have supplied you with my best works of art, all I wanted in exchange was a platform, someone to share my art with the world, you gave me all that and I thought we were happy together. In fact, we were happy together. I know it to be true, me and you, dear Photobucket, or at least I thought things were going OK? You have occasionally asked me for money in the past but I just laughed it off, you were young and didn't know any better. But then in recent years our relationship has become increasingly fraught. You would offer me things I didn't want and ask me to pay for them. Why? Why would you do this? I began looking at other girls but you were the one for me, I had too much invested in you to break away. I liked you. But I could tell there was something wrong, something eating you up inside. You would ask for more and more money, then give me the silent treatment. I couldn't get through to you, you even started to reject some of my fine works of art. I was nervous, disappointed and upset. Sadly things have only become worse, I suspect you have an addiction. You sell yourself to anyone with money, cheap dirty money at that, blocking me out, and now after all our good times together, this, this.... rejection? What have I done to deserve this? I stuck by you when times were tough. You must see the younger girls laughing at you behind your back now? While you have aged they have kept themselves fresh - up to date, even tried to keep their relationships evolving while you, you degenerated, no shame. And now this note, some kind of blackmail? I am angry, I have been a fool to trust you. So dear Photobucket it's time for us to go our separate ways, yes I'm leaving you and taking my fine art with me. I'm sorry to see you this way, stumbling around like some over the hill drugged up prostitute, trying to sell something nobody wants anymore. It could have ended so much better.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ahhh bumhats, pretty much all my thread photos are on Photobucket, not sure i like my new avatar either. Thanks photobucket looks like it might be a long weekend of updating all my build threads.
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 18, 2017 20:00:39 GMT
|
I am seeing the same issue with recent threads button but found that if I use the recent threads link lower down the forum home page I don't get logged out.
|
|
Last Edit: May 18, 2017 20:01:03 GMT by omnipod
|
|
|
|
|
Yeah I know that now. I'd never bought a non running car before and this first start up was a definite thrill, I was hopping around like a lunatic in celebration afterwards. It gave me such a motivation boost, it can sit on the back burner again for a while now until i'm ready to drop the running gear in peparation for the welding ahead.
|
|
Last Edit: Jul 1, 2017 7:18:10 GMT by omnipod
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 27, 2017 17:40:52 GMT
|
Wooohooo, it's a runner! Now since I dragged this out of a barn just over a year ago it has been my goal to get it started, just so i know how much of a project I'm getting myself into.
This car is a bit down on the pecking order when it comes to how much time I have to use on it so there has been much taking bits off to take home and refurbish and then grab a couple of hours with the car when I can justify it.
This isn't one of those 'I just put some new petrol in the tank, and it fired right up!' stories either. According to the PO the car was probably last started some time in the very early 1990's so in order to get to this point I have, so far, taken the sump off to clean out all the gloop, changed the timing belts and tensioners, rebuilt the starter motor and fuel pump, new plugs, HT leads, points and condensor. Lastly and by no means least, removed nests of unecessary wiring and cleaned up many of the contacts in the loom.
I rigged up a boat fuel can as supply, nicked the battery from the Austin and now finally and a fair amount of cranking, it started!
And boy there was a lot of curse word that came out of the exhaust. No radiator in the car at the mo so it wasn't run for long and the oil lamp didn't go out either but i'm thinking this is likely due to the sender being stuck? as it sounded happy enough and the lamp did flicker if i gave it some gas. I didn't have a spanner big enough to get the sender off to investigate further.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 18, 2017 17:25:56 GMT
|
No real great leaps with this project either, but more homework over the winter months. I was determined to keep on top of the bits I had taken off so when if I ever get around to putting it together again the parts wil be ready to fit. As ststed previously the PO had been quite gungho with the a black spray can and treated the interior to a make over. I was keen to reverse this handy work. Pain in the to get off but a steam cleaner seems to be the best method I found. Brown-ness being restored. There was also overspary on almost all the exterior trim, also a pain to get off. In the end I rubbed down the plastic parts, which of course leaves the finish pretty matt. After trying loads of different methods to restore the shine I actually found a product that works. This stuff works really well for polishing plastic. I also rebuilt the heater, one of the *ahem* flap shafts had rusted through so i had to replace that, a bit of a Heath Robinson lash up job with a bit of plastic kitchen cutting board and a stainless steel rod. Looks a bit of a mess in the pictures i admit, but it's not that bad in reality and it actually works too. I was hoping to start the engine but I just can't get it to trun over fast enough. I know the battery is good as it turns over my 6 cylinder Westminster no problem. I have rebuilt the starter and connected it directly to the battery to eliminate duff cables but it still barely turns over, it's going to need some more investigation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 18, 2017 16:59:11 GMT
|
Frustrating, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel but just can't get enough time to work on the car at the moment. I have managed to snatch a couple of hours here and there over the last few weeks, so we are moving forwards, albeit slowly. Ground down the welds on the wing repair, turned out pretty well, I'm pleased with it anyway. Splodged on some brown underneath. Built up the diff extension piece including quill shaft gubbins. The oil leak from diff was actually why the car came off the road in the first place, I just got a bit carried away with myself and it turned into a full restoration. I have dug out the wing panel I cut off the other side, that will be my next task, hopefully this week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No, the car didn't make last years self imposed deadline, now there's a surprise eh? Extra work commitments and other events conspired against me and with that my waning mojo for this project evaporated. I am ashamed to say that I didn't touch the car again from August last year until January 2017. I just couldn't face it. I did get on with other things though as my Alfa is always begging for attention too so i spent what little car time was available on that. But now, with renewed vigour and optimism, I'm back on it. What better way to start stress testing my commitment than to lie on my back prepping the underside for paint. A few blemishes of surface rust were treated and the whole floor was keyed for the paint. The cold weather has increased drying times somewhat so it may not look like a lot of progress but two coats of Electrox then Epoxy Mastic then seam seal followed by stone chip, it all takes time. With that done it was time to dig out the lower wing panel, which i repaired a year ago, a bit of a tweak and it was good to weld on again. Hoping to get a few days at the workshop again next week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Feb 19, 2017 21:43:02 GMT
|
I would go here www.dmgrs.co.uk for parts before going to Rimmers, gives you the chance to compare if nothing else.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 21, 2016 21:42:58 GMT
|
ramps now gone
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 21, 2016 20:24:53 GMT
|
The axle stands together with the jack, and also the ramps are now reserved / provisionally sold I have PMed you scatboy and monzaeMatt
|
|
Last Edit: Dec 21, 2016 20:25:39 GMT by omnipod
|
|
|
|
Dec 21, 2016 12:31:02 GMT
|
I am on an all too seldom visit to the UK for Christmas and it's finally time to admit I'm probably never going to be moving back and using this stuff that has been cluttering my mums garage since the late 1980's Collection only and preferably before the end of december. All located at a private address in Mancester M27 easy access from the M60 A pair of Motaquip rear brake discs for a Mercedes W123 - partno. vbd283 - £5 the pair.
|
|
Last Edit: Dec 24, 2016 21:47:42 GMT by omnipod
|
|
|
|
|
On my Alfasud Sprint
|
|
Last Edit: Jul 1, 2017 10:48:04 GMT by omnipod
|
|
|
|
|
Not so much to report really, the summer proved to be a barren time for car work, many extra work shifts combined with house related chores to be getting on with meant that virtually nothing was done. So about a month ago I finally had time to get back on the wagon, so to speak. My Triumph mojo has dried up for the time being so I set to on the Alfa. Last time I was defeated by the water pump. This time I got the bigger hammer out as there was nothing else to do but smash the thing to bits, even then it hung on for quite a while. Next was putting on the new cam belts including a careful retiming of the crank and cams on one cylinder bank. Annoyingly one of the new tensioners didn't fit, I ordered Febi ones but they sent me one Febi one Optimal (no I haven't heard of them either) and of course it didn't fit. I've sent it back and told them to send me the Febi one I actually ordered. So the belts went on, I reused one of the old tensioners and turned it over by hand, I was happy that no pistons were hitting valves. I had to take the starter off to free it off but I eventually got it turning over on the starter for the first time in a quarter of a century. (scary when you say it like that) The aim now is to eventually get it started, I have swapped points, plugs and plug leads but the fuel hose is of course perished so I'll need to get some more of that before I make an attempt. I'll have to rig up a temporary fuel tank as I've taken out the tank, it is looking a bit sorry for itself. Otherwise I have finished scraping all the sound deadening material from the floor, the floor isn't really that bad thankfully, I'm pretty sure I can patch it up. I also took off the rear lights which appear to have been giving the PO problems judging by the birds nest of wiring involving croccodile clips and tape but I guess the fact that they didn't remove the lights for the terrible respray tells you a lot about the POs budget for this car. How lazy can you be? Probably no more progress until after Christmas now when I'll also be moving my stored cars, (now bolstered by the addition of a Skoda Felicia) and associated stuff to a new unit in the same building so that will take a day or so.
|
|
Last Edit: Jul 1, 2017 7:16:30 GMT by omnipod
|
|
|