145 project car thread
Discussion
Yeah, I know, reposted from the Alfa forums but...
I've always held the last 145 QV I had in high regard as it was soooo much fun to drive. Almost as much as the ZX volcane I once had but eminently better looking.
With the cost of petrol spiraling upwards and give the fact that my 3.2 GT has only done 31k miles I decided that it would be of benefit to have a cheap, economical (anything is economical compared with the GT...) runaround that would reduce my fuel costs and allow me to keep the miles off the GT.
After looking at various options, such as a Lancia Prisma, This 1.6l 145 cropped up on fleabay.
I suppose I should admit right now that the wheels may have made it a less considered purchase than other Alfa's I've bought...
The 520 mile round trip to collect it should have stopped me from bidding on it at the very least but I won it anyway...
So my Dad and I traipsed down to Poole to Collect it a couple of weeks ago. We arrived back home 13 hours later. - Apparently the sprinter and trailer's length mean that it's speed limit is 56mph, not 60.
On arrival;
Family commitments meant that I couldn't do any with it on the sunday after collecting it but I did spend a few hours exploring after work on the monday.
The floorpan looks to be reasonably solid but there are some corrosion issues;
The wheels look tatty up close and have all been kerbed;
The interior is filthy!
Driver's seat is torn and wasn't mentioned in the ebay ad, nor was the rot TBH...
I'm fairly sure the sunroof is leaking. I've taped it up (I know, I know..) to stop it leaking for now and hopefully give the interior the opportunity to dry out.
And there are various scrapes and scratches, again not mentioned in the advert...
I took the head off it just before Christmas. I din't consider it to be necessary at the time but I wanted to check the engine over after finding it had virtually no oil in it and a 6 year old cam belt tensioner...
The head gasket hadn't failed but it wasn't in the best of condition - The parts of it exposed to the coolant jacket were severly corroded and it was starting to break up.
After being left to soak;
The corroded head gasket has eaten the head away but I don't think it'll cause any sealing issues. Nontheless it's being sent off for a maximum skim - In the interests of maximising efficiency and therfore fuel ecconomy...
And finally, I got the head back from the machine shop today;
It's still showing signs of corrosion but nothing that will compromise the head gasket's seal;
I don't think they could've taken much more off the head... Think I'll use 1.6 cams rather than 2.0 ones.
I've always held the last 145 QV I had in high regard as it was soooo much fun to drive. Almost as much as the ZX volcane I once had but eminently better looking.
With the cost of petrol spiraling upwards and give the fact that my 3.2 GT has only done 31k miles I decided that it would be of benefit to have a cheap, economical (anything is economical compared with the GT...) runaround that would reduce my fuel costs and allow me to keep the miles off the GT.
After looking at various options, such as a Lancia Prisma, This 1.6l 145 cropped up on fleabay.
I suppose I should admit right now that the wheels may have made it a less considered purchase than other Alfa's I've bought...
The 520 mile round trip to collect it should have stopped me from bidding on it at the very least but I won it anyway...
So my Dad and I traipsed down to Poole to Collect it a couple of weeks ago. We arrived back home 13 hours later. - Apparently the sprinter and trailer's length mean that it's speed limit is 56mph, not 60.
On arrival;
Family commitments meant that I couldn't do any with it on the sunday after collecting it but I did spend a few hours exploring after work on the monday.
The floorpan looks to be reasonably solid but there are some corrosion issues;
The wheels look tatty up close and have all been kerbed;
The interior is filthy!
Driver's seat is torn and wasn't mentioned in the ebay ad, nor was the rot TBH...
I'm fairly sure the sunroof is leaking. I've taped it up (I know, I know..) to stop it leaking for now and hopefully give the interior the opportunity to dry out.
And there are various scrapes and scratches, again not mentioned in the advert...
I took the head off it just before Christmas. I din't consider it to be necessary at the time but I wanted to check the engine over after finding it had virtually no oil in it and a 6 year old cam belt tensioner...
The head gasket hadn't failed but it wasn't in the best of condition - The parts of it exposed to the coolant jacket were severly corroded and it was starting to break up.
After being left to soak;
The corroded head gasket has eaten the head away but I don't think it'll cause any sealing issues. Nontheless it's being sent off for a maximum skim - In the interests of maximising efficiency and therfore fuel ecconomy...
And finally, I got the head back from the machine shop today;
It's still showing signs of corrosion but nothing that will compromise the head gasket's seal;
I don't think they could've taken much more off the head... Think I'll use 1.6 cams rather than 2.0 ones.
I had one. I loved it, one of the best cars I've ever had (must have been, even my wife loved it). But you're mad! They are the ultimate Marylin Monroe car - you can't help but love it, but it'll cost you a fortune, and drive you bonkers! Anyway, enjoy it, it'll be fun while it lasts!
I wish I could take the credit for the wheels but I can't. I didn't do anything, it was all my Dad.
Before;
After;
I spent an afternoon (8th Jan) cleaning up and regrinding the valves. It's becoming a job I really hate!
Cleaning the valve face up:
80 grit paper;
Then 1000 grit
And the valve stem with scotch stuff
Before;
After;
Exhaust valves lapped in;
I noticed when I cleaned the valve heads up someone had been into the engine before me as there was sanding groves on the valve head. It must have been early on in its life judging by the white tensioner.
But when I lapped the inlets in, the contact are of the valve with the seat seems a bit too narrow. It's been 2 years since I last rebuilt a t/spark head so I can't be sure of this but I think it might have had some performance head work.
All done... Only took 4 hours.
I spent a few hours one night attacking the head with a dremmel prior to refiiting the valves.
It's an experiment more than anything else. I have a basic understanding of what's involved in terms of headwork but I've not done it before so I've not gone mad.
Exhaust ports
I've not done so much with the inlets, just deburred the edge and removed the scars left where the two halfs of the casts that make up the head meet;
And again I spent a few hours after work putting the head back together. It would have taken an hour but I lost one of the valve spring seats down the back of the work bench...
I removed the sump and took the pistons out last week;
The bores and the crankshaft look good, the honeing is still there, the bores are unmarked - the marks in the pic are just water lines from where the piston had be sat and the crankshaft is showing no signs of oil starvation.
The sump is now clean;
As are the pistons
Driveshafts need a little tlc... (the N/S shaft is in a similar condition)
Before;
After;
I spent an afternoon (8th Jan) cleaning up and regrinding the valves. It's becoming a job I really hate!
Cleaning the valve face up:
80 grit paper;
Then 1000 grit
And the valve stem with scotch stuff
Before;
After;
Exhaust valves lapped in;
I noticed when I cleaned the valve heads up someone had been into the engine before me as there was sanding groves on the valve head. It must have been early on in its life judging by the white tensioner.
But when I lapped the inlets in, the contact are of the valve with the seat seems a bit too narrow. It's been 2 years since I last rebuilt a t/spark head so I can't be sure of this but I think it might have had some performance head work.
All done... Only took 4 hours.
I spent a few hours one night attacking the head with a dremmel prior to refiiting the valves.
It's an experiment more than anything else. I have a basic understanding of what's involved in terms of headwork but I've not done it before so I've not gone mad.
Exhaust ports
I've not done so much with the inlets, just deburred the edge and removed the scars left where the two halfs of the casts that make up the head meet;
And again I spent a few hours after work putting the head back together. It would have taken an hour but I lost one of the valve spring seats down the back of the work bench...
I removed the sump and took the pistons out last week;
The bores and the crankshaft look good, the honeing is still there, the bores are unmarked - the marks in the pic are just water lines from where the piston had be sat and the crankshaft is showing no signs of oil starvation.
The sump is now clean;
As are the pistons
Driveshafts need a little tlc... (the N/S shaft is in a similar condition)
Nice update. You are certainly doing a thorough job on getting this 145 into shape.
Nice to see that the engine is in good nick. How many miles has it done? My 1.6 has just turned 100,000 and seems to run as good as ever. Uses just a little oil, nothing excessive.
What plans for the body work?
Nice to see that the engine is in good nick. How many miles has it done? My 1.6 has just turned 100,000 and seems to run as good as ever. Uses just a little oil, nothing excessive.
What plans for the body work?
Sump oil pick up, you have to swing it out of the way when you refit the sump so it's worth noting its held on with 11mm bolts.
We put the engine back together a few weeks ago, had a few prblems with corroded electrical connections which meant it wouldn't start but that's all sorted and it now starts and runs. Sounds good for an ikle one too.
My Dad's then spent a couple of weeks finishing it off. It needs tracking and an MOT but essentially, it's finished!
And people blame Alfa when they go bang! Purely down to neglect. Well done getting it refreshed, nice motor.
"I took the head off it just before Christmas. I din't consider it to be necessary at the time but I wanted to check the engine over after finding it had virtually no oil in it and a 6 year old cam belt tensioner..."
"I took the head off it just before Christmas. I din't consider it to be necessary at the time but I wanted to check the engine over after finding it had virtually no oil in it and a 6 year old cam belt tensioner..."
4,000 miles later...
Fair dinkum, for a 1.6, it really does go like stink. I'd like to get it on a rolling road just out of interest.
It's also used just 1.0l of oil!
Having said that, it's becoming a bit reluctant to start in the mornings, I think the crank sensor may be on it's way out.
Fair dinkum, for a 1.6, it really does go like stink. I'd like to get it on a rolling road just out of interest.
It's also used just 1.0l of oil!
Having said that, it's becoming a bit reluctant to start in the mornings, I think the crank sensor may be on it's way out.
Arse. The headgasket popped quite suddenly over the weekend. I'm gutted as the engine was a true miracle. A twin spark that didn't use any oil... It also felt like it had closer to 150bhp. It was one of the best engines we've built.
I had a problem with the cabin heater a few months back, a valve failed and dumped all the coolant into the passenger footwell (and over the inside of the windscreen) and it overheated as I limped it the 2 miles home.
I think this may have contributed / caused it to fail.
I had a problem with the cabin heater a few months back, a valve failed and dumped all the coolant into the passenger footwell (and over the inside of the windscreen) and it overheated as I limped it the 2 miles home.
I think this may have contributed / caused it to fail.
.Replacing the rear trailing arm bearing...
This was a right PITA!!! I had to drop the fuel tank, the new neadle bearing fell apart on me and you need a press to stip the strip and refit the bearing.
I was fortunate in that I was looking after the garage at the time and therfore had access to a lift, a press and oxy-acetalene...
This was a right PITA!!! I had to drop the fuel tank, the new neadle bearing fell apart on me and you need a press to stip the strip and refit the bearing.
I was fortunate in that I was looking after the garage at the time and therfore had access to a lift, a press and oxy-acetalene...
And in a final shameless plug, it's now for sale as I've bought a GTA;
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/a...
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