Just painting my brembo's ....

[WarnieV6GT]

....on my Alfa 3.2GT and this is what I love about having a car that will always be less than perfect. My neighbors with their new generic hatchbacks and SUV's think i'm mad, but they just don't get it.

I've done the new car thing and it to me was just the equivalent of 'white goods', I hated it and unless I could afford something really special then I'd never do it again. To many my car looks great but to me all I can see is things I need to do.

Most I tackle myself and find it really enjoyable, I guess that's why I'm on my 4th Alfa Romeo in that I like to improve things and don't want a perfect car from the off. I used to love buying older cars and within a couple of hours washing, polishing and waxing I could make them look fantastic and straight away add a few hundred quid to the value.

Non car people will never understand but I could look at my freshly painted brembo's with the new Alfa Romeo decals on for ages, I did the same with my engine, stripping it down and painting it and polishing the chrome intakes. I just love cars and especially Alfa's as you just don't see many, in fact in 2 1/2 years I have only seen 2 other 3.2gt's on the road so that automatically makes them feel a little special straight away plus the amazing sound especially the V6 busso with a wizard exhaust.

So...What little things do you do to your car that your neighbors or friends think WTF!

And what makes your car feel special? Most cars today are very capable and much quicker than my little Alfa but very few make me want to actually own them as they're missing that little ingredient that I can never put my finger on...

[WarnieV6GT]

Vitorio said:

I can only echo the Alfa sentiments

Ive recently bought a 14 year old 147 to replace the outgoing company derv mobile, and yes, the megane is much more comfortable on long trips, less noisy etc.. But it doesnt click. Whenever i get out of the 147 i feel like i connected with it.

Im doing all the simple maintenance myself, filters, oil, plugs etc.. But im not the only one in the street to do work on his car in the weekends, so i doubt the neighbours consider me a loon for that (one guy on the block is a car salesman and used to work at Alfa when they sold these, he had a massive nostalgia crisis when he looked mine over)

Ill probably try to keep mine relatively standard though, it is only a measily 105hp 1.6, so painted calipers/lowering/strutbrace etc.. all feel like making a sheep in wolf's clothes, although the temptation is certainly there!

I'm with you on the 'standard' look on the outside and I suppose I'm just refreshing and improving slightly.

I do like the 147 and even though it never finished at the top of any group tests it still like you say has that something about it. I think the quick steering rack and the sweet T-Spark engines help a lot.

Cars that are great at everything somehow become boring very quickly. I think most of us petrolheads or whatever like to put our own little stamp on things. Manufacturers have ruin'd it slightly though by giving everything the 'max power' look weather it's the cooking version or the little 1.2 bogo spec.

[WarnieV6GT]

jonah35 said:

I agree that modern cars, even exciting modern cars are pretty much white goods.

No need to garage at night, no modifying due to warranty, just start and go but lacking a bit of character.

That being said, thats exactly what most people like. Its the technology on modern cars i like - heated seats, keyless go, good nav, good auto box, good handsfree etc.

Post a pic of your brakes though - i like alfas

Here are some before and afters. 1st attempt so not 100% but they look fantastic and nearly factory fresh from behind the wheels.





Images gone to thumbsnap for some reason..

[WarnieV6GT]

DS197 said:

How and what are you painting them with if you don't mind me asking? I'm looking to do mine this summer too

Just standard brake caliper paint. Under a tenner off ebay, I forgot the name now but the maker supplies paint for a lot of classic cars. I've used about 2 tenths of the tin putting on 3 coats so plenty left to do the little rears.

[WarnieV6GT]

Mikeyjae said:

If I could find a good 156 GTA estate then I would buy it in a heartbeat. I painted my old 156 brake calipers red but they where not Brembo. I cleaned, polished and waxed my red 156 monthly during the spring/summer months and I have never had a car since that I wanted to keep as clean. My current car gets a full detail in spring and then autumn.

If your anything like me then the older the car the more I want to keep it gleaming, I always keep older cars in the garage as well. New cars I just take to the hand car wash then wet wax it before drying.

Not arsed with them as people expect a new car to look good, an older car on the other hand....

[WarnieV6GT]

wack said:

I get it, I could have spent 10k on an uber reliable 60mpg euro box but I didn't

A masseratti will be next on the list. Seems a natural step up from a V6 Alfa, then onto an Aston if I ever get that lucky!

A V6 Alfa is hard to beat for the engine note unless your spending stupid amounts, the masseratti though manages it.

[WarnieV6GT]

TheJimi said:

See, I *hate* that.

I want to be able to look at a car of mine and enjoy it. Seeing a list of stuff that needs doing completely takes the edge off the enjoyment of the car for me.

Nothing worse than constantly chasing snags and issues.

I get it.

Your like my bro-in-law. He has to spend straight away to get his cars tip top before he can enjoy them, problem is though is that he gets bored with them quicker as a result.

Each year I try and do an upgrade that will keep the car fresh for me. This year it was the wizard exhaust, next year will be a quaif/Q2 diff. Then a suspension re-fresh and so on..

I suppose that if I had the money here and now then it would be hard to resist so there is that to it as well.