Alfa GTV V6 1999
Discussion
Hello all,
Seen some great stuff on here over time, thought I would start my own readers thread as I've decided to keep my car long term and would like to document my history with it.
It's a high mile car but in good shape which I want to give the OEM+ treatment to. I'm in no rush to make it mint and it's perfectly useable now. I have a company car so the GTV is a rolling project which over time will get totally pampered.
I got the car stupidly cheap due to a miss spelt advert and the high miles. If anyone has any questions please ask and all comments are welcome!
Couple of pics to start and will go through spec and condition as I go. Cheers for looking!
Seen some great stuff on here over time, thought I would start my own readers thread as I've decided to keep my car long term and would like to document my history with it.
It's a high mile car but in good shape which I want to give the OEM+ treatment to. I'm in no rush to make it mint and it's perfectly useable now. I have a company car so the GTV is a rolling project which over time will get totally pampered.
I got the car stupidly cheap due to a miss spelt advert and the high miles. If anyone has any questions please ask and all comments are welcome!
Couple of pics to start and will go through spec and condition as I go. Cheers for looking!
Colour is Proteo Red, lovely when polished but dull when not very clean.
As soon as I got the car had the front bumper resprayed. Body is great bar the drivers door which has a few pin dents and the boot which has a pin dent also.
It has the aero spoiler which I like and tan leather which wears its160,000miles incredibly well after a clean...
The speaker covers were old and tired, purple in colour lol. Simple to recover in speaker material.
This is before I got the cleaning and recolour kit...
As soon as I got the car had the front bumper resprayed. Body is great bar the drivers door which has a few pin dents and the boot which has a pin dent also.
It has the aero spoiler which I like and tan leather which wears its160,000miles incredibly well after a clean...
The speaker covers were old and tired, purple in colour lol. Simple to recover in speaker material.
This is before I got the cleaning and recolour kit...
clarkmagpie said:
My old one had the aero kit fitted.
Black with tan leather.
Was always very much a second car so lacked the attention it really deserved.
Definite future classic and they seem to be getting better looking with most modern cars HUGE in comparison.
I definitely think they are becoming a classic and have some great support from specialist garages who know how to get the most out of them. Black with tan leather.
Was always very much a second car so lacked the attention it really deserved.
Definite future classic and they seem to be getting better looking with most modern cars HUGE in comparison.
The car came with...
1. Tons of history including a recon engine fitted by Autolusso.
2. All the keys, book packs etc and tool kit. Though high miles it's been looked after!
3. Rear suspension is power flexed and looks as though it has after market springs and new recent standard shocks.
So far I have...
1. Fitted the short shift kit from mtec, the throw is much shorter... if a little notchy but a vast improvement over standard.
2. Had to do the clutch so got a lightened fly wheel fitted at the same time. These engines are very free revving as standard but mental now!
3. My car benefits from no cats on the manifold unlike a lot of the phase 2 cars and now also has equal length down pipes. The noise is stunning through the unsilenced raggazon back box.
4. Had the big cambelt job done with metal water pump, all oils changed, plugs filters etc.
Ive also had new door cards, gear knob and a very good condition centre consol inside as well as recovering the speakers. Needs a steering wheel retrim and headlining to be done. The interior will then be complete.
1. Tons of history including a recon engine fitted by Autolusso.
2. All the keys, book packs etc and tool kit. Though high miles it's been looked after!
3. Rear suspension is power flexed and looks as though it has after market springs and new recent standard shocks.
So far I have...
1. Fitted the short shift kit from mtec, the throw is much shorter... if a little notchy but a vast improvement over standard.
2. Had to do the clutch so got a lightened fly wheel fitted at the same time. These engines are very free revving as standard but mental now!
3. My car benefits from no cats on the manifold unlike a lot of the phase 2 cars and now also has equal length down pipes. The noise is stunning through the unsilenced raggazon back box.
4. Had the big cambelt job done with metal water pump, all oils changed, plugs filters etc.
Ive also had new door cards, gear knob and a very good condition centre consol inside as well as recovering the speakers. Needs a steering wheel retrim and headlining to be done. The interior will then be complete.
There are a set of wheels I have always wanted to own...
Zender Siena's...
Now I love the standard 17inch teledials but my ultimate wheel on an Alfa of this type is the Zenders. They are very rare and expensive but I found a set that was not bent or cracked from a lovely chap in deepest darkest Europe. Fitted them with Toyo Proxes... not the best but good enough for the time being.
I personally love the look of them on my car and don't know of another in my colour with these wheels...
Zender Siena's...
Now I love the standard 17inch teledials but my ultimate wheel on an Alfa of this type is the Zenders. They are very rare and expensive but I found a set that was not bent or cracked from a lovely chap in deepest darkest Europe. Fitted them with Toyo Proxes... not the best but good enough for the time being.
I personally love the look of them on my car and don't know of another in my colour with these wheels...
My future plans are to get any little snagging bits done and get the car mechanically perfect.
I would like to improve the brakes and suspension but I will do this over time as and when it needs replacing.
A decat and wizard exhaust are high on the list along with an LSD... probably Quiffe. Alfaholics do a fantastic handling kit but it is not cheap... the list could be never ending to get it where I want it but there is no rush.
I'm fully aware of the cost vs reward and know full well that there are better handling, cheaper, lighter and faster cars out there for less. But, I love alfas and I love the Busso V6. To me it is a stunningly pretty car which sounds wonderful and makes me feel in a way that previous cars I've owned could not.
Yes it is flawed but a lot can be improved on and to me it's a great journey to go on. Cheers.
I would like to improve the brakes and suspension but I will do this over time as and when it needs replacing.
A decat and wizard exhaust are high on the list along with an LSD... probably Quiffe. Alfaholics do a fantastic handling kit but it is not cheap... the list could be never ending to get it where I want it but there is no rush.
I'm fully aware of the cost vs reward and know full well that there are better handling, cheaper, lighter and faster cars out there for less. But, I love alfas and I love the Busso V6. To me it is a stunningly pretty car which sounds wonderful and makes me feel in a way that previous cars I've owned could not.
Yes it is flawed but a lot can be improved on and to me it's a great journey to go on. Cheers.
0a said:
The new wheels look great, and what an engine.
By chance after reading this thread earlier I came across this on the way home - a facelift model, but a great looking thing, especially from the side and back.
Cheers, that facelift is a great colour. Good number plate, I had MY04 GTA on my 147! By chance after reading this thread earlier I came across this on the way home - a facelift model, but a great looking thing, especially from the side and back.
Vitorio said:
Absolutely love it! The GTV has long been a dream car for me, now somewhat replaced by the GT since its getting old.. but some day... ill have one!
Love the Zender Siennas, like you said, pretty much the ultimate wheel on this model, although id probably stick with the teledails
Good to see it getting the love it needs/deserves!
It will have a great life with me. Thank you for the kind words, I must say I do love these on teledials. Had to sell mine to fund the Zender wheels. Love the Zender Siennas, like you said, pretty much the ultimate wheel on this model, although id probably stick with the teledails
Good to see it getting the love it needs/deserves!
waynedear said:
Great car Sam, had a couple myself, GTV, 156/147 all have 5x98 stud pattern, they do have different offset though, I had 156 wheels on a GTV they sat 'in' the arches, spacers can sort it.
Ah yes! Sorry thanks for correcting. I had to put 10mm spacers on with longer bolts when fitting the new wheels. 
MrMoonyMan said:
Lovely lovely car in one of the best colours.
I once brought the centre of St Albans to a gridlocked standstill with one of those: Stalled it with a flat battery, locked the key in the boot and then rolled it slowly into a traffic light. All on my first day in a proper job..
Wow! That's one of those stories which is funny a good few years after it happened... but horrid at the time! When and how did you have such a cool car so young?! I once brought the centre of St Albans to a gridlocked standstill with one of those: Stalled it with a flat battery, locked the key in the boot and then rolled it slowly into a traffic light. All on my first day in a proper job..
AlexHat said:
Why did I click on this thread? It's not helping as I keep looking at the V6 GTV's and GT's as a second car...Some are silly money though
Both are great cars, the V6s are pretty special and prices are becoming a lot higher. How many are actually selling at these prices though? It's ok to click on the thread but hearing them full chat would be dangerous! It's one of my favourite engine noiseMrC986 said:
Aaahh....a GTV V6 thread! Fond memories of 3 yrs ago when I was plotting to buy one. Prices then were a little lower then as I paid £1,600 for my 6 speed with aerokit although it needed a wheel refurb/new tyres and major service including belts. I gave it a really good clean and did some fiddling in the man cave as well to amuse me & my pals (see 2nd pic). In terms of character, it's vying for the no.1 spot in my list of cars owned so far, especially after I'd removed all bar one of the exhaust boxes which truly liberated the noise 
Contrary to fellow PH friends mocking me, it went to the LM24 without a hitch (the lights were a bit poor on the way back in the dark), but it never let me down as a 2nd car & probably didn't drive it with the respect you should of a car of circa that was 15 yrs old. I only sold it as I'd gone as far as I could with it without spending serious £s plus that I'd not get really back if I sold it in a year or two, plus the fact I wanted something to do the occasional track day.
Here it is in its LM livery (because you can was what I said to SWMBO when asked)....
and some 'engine porn' with various bits painted in 'Ferrari crackle red' as it might be a while before I can afford its' more expensive Italian cousin
I agree, I couldn't believe there wasn't more on these here! Contrary to fellow PH friends mocking me, it went to the LM24 without a hitch (the lights were a bit poor on the way back in the dark), but it never let me down as a 2nd car & probably didn't drive it with the respect you should of a car of circa that was 15 yrs old. I only sold it as I'd gone as far as I could with it without spending serious £s plus that I'd not get really back if I sold it in a year or two, plus the fact I wanted something to do the occasional track day.
Here it is in its LM livery (because you can was what I said to SWMBO when asked)....
and some 'engine porn' with various bits painted in 'Ferrari crackle red' as it might be a while before I can afford its' more expensive Italian cousin
Edited by MrC986 on Wednesday 4th January 12:59
I've had a few Alfa's and never had issues with them apart from age related perishables... cv boots etc. Ironically the most unreliable car was a an Audi C5 RS6... not my cup of tea either... can see why they're loved though. Had TVRs too which were very well behaved.
Your car looks a peach, great price you got it for. I got mine for less the shed money due to a misspelled eBay advert and the miles... and my epic bargaining skills.
My dream is also an Italian cousin but life keeps getting in the way! Haha.
chrismc1977 said:
Certainly a modern classic
Thread title reminded me of a great dice I had in my heavily modded ~190bhp mk2 Golf with a GTV V6- A43 from M40 to M1. Lots of dual carriageway interspersed by roundabouts
Think the Alfa was a bit taken aback- it did sound lovely as I recall though
Good times!
Two very different but totally cool cars, would loved to have seen that.Thread title reminded me of a great dice I had in my heavily modded ~190bhp mk2 Golf with a GTV V6- A43 from M40 to M1. Lots of dual carriageway interspersed by roundabouts
Think the Alfa was a bit taken aback- it did sound lovely as I recall though
Good times!
It's amazing how cars perform in a real world scenario with drivers of different ability, cars in different levels of spec and condition... I bet your car sounded pretty awesome too.
MrMoonyMan said:
Yeah, it was funny a few days later but really really not funny at the time!
I left 6th form and wanted to get myself straight into an Alfa Romeo. I joined a local Alfa specialist which (then) had two garages in St Albans. I had been entrusted to drive this gorgeous red Gtv from one garage to the other by myself on my first proper day. It was the middle of summer, a gorgeous sunny day and I was in a new suit thinking I looked about as cool as it gets.
The cars battery was as flat as a pancake, I had started it with a jump pack.
As the lights changed to green I stalled. Trying to bump start I rolled forward which didn't work. So I jumped out with the key, ran round and opened the boot to jump start. Somehow the boot shut with the keys in, the battery was too flat for the boot release to work from in the car.
A helpful passer by came to help push me off the junction but then the key lock on the steering kicked in with the wheels just to the right. I rolled forward until the car was against the traffic light itself blocking the junction.
The spare key was now on the way but at a leisurely pace as the older salesman had decided to stroll down so he could enjoy the sun whilst I stood, sweaty and distraught, next to this bright red car.
From hero to zero in 5 minutes..!
Ah man that's a classic story, my first car was a 156 2.0 twin spark... poor thing was lovely and ended its life running out of talent and driving into a huge tree in front of the village vicars house. Oops... not had an accident since thankfully. I left 6th form and wanted to get myself straight into an Alfa Romeo. I joined a local Alfa specialist which (then) had two garages in St Albans. I had been entrusted to drive this gorgeous red Gtv from one garage to the other by myself on my first proper day. It was the middle of summer, a gorgeous sunny day and I was in a new suit thinking I looked about as cool as it gets.
The cars battery was as flat as a pancake, I had started it with a jump pack.
As the lights changed to green I stalled. Trying to bump start I rolled forward which didn't work. So I jumped out with the key, ran round and opened the boot to jump start. Somehow the boot shut with the keys in, the battery was too flat for the boot release to work from in the car.
A helpful passer by came to help push me off the junction but then the key lock on the steering kicked in with the wheels just to the right. I rolled forward until the car was against the traffic light itself blocking the junction.
The spare key was now on the way but at a leisurely pace as the older salesman had decided to stroll down so he could enjoy the sun whilst I stood, sweaty and distraught, next to this bright red car.
From hero to zero in 5 minutes..!
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