Milo - 67 Alfa Romeo GT Junior
Discussion
I was recently prompted by pheader 200Plus Club to make a thread about the little Alfa I bought, alongside my 159k mile E92 M3, after I sold my NSX.
I originally went to view an E39 B10 V8S at HPC Classics and got distracted by this and bought it instead. I didnt really know much about them at all and had to ring my mate Dave to ask what I was looking at. He knows a fair bit about them as he's been lusting after one for quite some time. Needless to say, he was both a mixture of excited and pissed off at the prospect of me getting into one on a whim.
It needed a few bits doing to it, some of these bits were small touch ups to the paint on the bumper mounting areas and nosecone. In the end it was agreed, in order to get time to enjoy the car before the winter months, that I would receive the car early and leave the painting jobs to later on in the year.
The first journey I took in the car was a small trip into Ely with my girlfriend, just to get a feel for the car. Managed to get a nice shot in front of the cathedral.
When I got home, I realised the radiator was leaking around the top. I phoned miles @ HPC and he sent me a new one immediately! Good old boy. I also thought it best to update the rest of the cooling system and so ordered a water pump, belt, stat and hoses.
The plan was for Dave to come down from Telford and give me a hand to replace the cooling system and then go for a spin in the Alfa to the pub for a beer and a burger, then return home and take the M3 out for a bit of slippy action.
Most of this went to plan but we struggled to get the radiator drain bung to seal in time for the midday scoff and so took the m3 instead, then returned after a blast and sorted the problem. The wp was properly shot, so caught that just in time. Also, I can see why they updated the stat design and location, this was an absolute arse to get out!
When we finally got out in it for a run we noticed the clutch was slipping..so, that's next on the list to do. We're hoping to go on a little 3 day blat around Wales next month and I've heard that there are one or two hills there.
Have some pictures:
A short video of me bwarrping down the road:
https://youtu.be/mmdoI5camyw
I originally went to view an E39 B10 V8S at HPC Classics and got distracted by this and bought it instead. I didnt really know much about them at all and had to ring my mate Dave to ask what I was looking at. He knows a fair bit about them as he's been lusting after one for quite some time. Needless to say, he was both a mixture of excited and pissed off at the prospect of me getting into one on a whim.
It needed a few bits doing to it, some of these bits were small touch ups to the paint on the bumper mounting areas and nosecone. In the end it was agreed, in order to get time to enjoy the car before the winter months, that I would receive the car early and leave the painting jobs to later on in the year.
The first journey I took in the car was a small trip into Ely with my girlfriend, just to get a feel for the car. Managed to get a nice shot in front of the cathedral.
When I got home, I realised the radiator was leaking around the top. I phoned miles @ HPC and he sent me a new one immediately! Good old boy. I also thought it best to update the rest of the cooling system and so ordered a water pump, belt, stat and hoses.
The plan was for Dave to come down from Telford and give me a hand to replace the cooling system and then go for a spin in the Alfa to the pub for a beer and a burger, then return home and take the M3 out for a bit of slippy action.
Most of this went to plan but we struggled to get the radiator drain bung to seal in time for the midday scoff and so took the m3 instead, then returned after a blast and sorted the problem. The wp was properly shot, so caught that just in time. Also, I can see why they updated the stat design and location, this was an absolute arse to get out!
When we finally got out in it for a run we noticed the clutch was slipping..so, that's next on the list to do. We're hoping to go on a little 3 day blat around Wales next month and I've heard that there are one or two hills there.
Have some pictures:
A short video of me bwarrping down the road:
https://youtu.be/mmdoI5camyw
Edited by e28525e on Saturday 21st August 21:35
Edited by e28525e on Saturday 21st August 21:36
Edited by e28525e on Saturday 21st August 21:39
Edited by e28525e on Saturday 21st August 21:40
Edited by e28525e on Sunday 22 August 09:24
Now you are talking! Beautiful car!
It's a long time since I've seen such a huge stilson in full use lol!
What's the spec suspension wise/power etc?
Ride height looks spot on, how's it drive?
I've replaced every steering joint and arm on mine myself as the originals were sloppy and just had the alignment set up right, so it's finally driving perfectly and turns in so well.
Such beautiful looking cars, and for their time quite advanced with the 5 speed box and all disc brakes.
It's a long time since I've seen such a huge stilson in full use lol!
What's the spec suspension wise/power etc?
Ride height looks spot on, how's it drive?
I've replaced every steering joint and arm on mine myself as the originals were sloppy and just had the alignment set up right, so it's finally driving perfectly and turns in so well.
Such beautiful looking cars, and for their time quite advanced with the 5 speed box and all disc brakes.
Thanks, chaps.
Yes, of the three methods we used, the super Stilsons were the only ones that worked! Great tool. The benefits of living on an old farm..
The spec is a pretty much standard LHD Italian GT, but fitted with GTV seats, a 1600 engine and an LSD. There is a modern stereo in the glovebox with uprated speakers.
The bodywork has been restored to what seems a very high standard but some of the mechanicals need work. The LSD unit isn't locking up at all, the exhaust could do with being replaced (functional but rusty) and parts of the mechanical clutch setup need new bushings etc. I've been told to remove and lubricate/restore the lot. it all seems to work fine, so I may think about this at some point in the future.
Yes, of the three methods we used, the super Stilsons were the only ones that worked! Great tool. The benefits of living on an old farm..
The spec is a pretty much standard LHD Italian GT, but fitted with GTV seats, a 1600 engine and an LSD. There is a modern stereo in the glovebox with uprated speakers.
The bodywork has been restored to what seems a very high standard but some of the mechanicals need work. The LSD unit isn't locking up at all, the exhaust could do with being replaced (functional but rusty) and parts of the mechanical clutch setup need new bushings etc. I've been told to remove and lubricate/restore the lot. it all seems to work fine, so I may think about this at some point in the future.
200Plus Club said:
Lovely interior.
If you want a good guy for mechanical work Gareth at Northern performance Alfa is great. Does anything I can't do myself on mine and not a rip off merchant.
What's the engine spec anything fruity in there ?
Thanks for the recommendation!If you want a good guy for mechanical work Gareth at Northern performance Alfa is great. Does anything I can't do myself on mine and not a rip off merchant.
What's the engine spec anything fruity in there ?
It's just a boggo 1600, I believe. Stock exhaust manifold and carbs.
Update time!
The clutch kit has arrived, courtesy of HPC Classics. Hopefully, it'll be fitted next week or the week after. I'm getting the local garage to do it, I don't mind doing bits from above the engine bay but I have a condition called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome which makes it very painful to do anything above my head. Anyhoo, I'll let you know how that goes, I've asked them to take some piccies as they do it. I did pop the car down so they could pop it on the ramp and take a look at the job, that way they had an idea of the access and stuff. When I pulled the car out of my garage, I saw a puddle on the deck
- a quick sniff and I realised it was fuel. It looked to be coming from the rear right of the car, but I couldn't see any issue with the fuel line on the ramp. However, when I pulled it out of their garage, fuel was pissing everywhere. It turned out it was coming from the fuel hose that runs from pump to carb - it must have ran down the hard line to the back of the car when I parked it up in my garage. They soon cut me a short length of hose and I fixed it there and then, in the yard.
This morning, I thought I'd have a crack at removing the leaky coolant drain tap that sits in the side of the block. I had a new one arrive with the clutch kit, it had been a problem since I'd first viewed the car. This, like the thermostat, was not for the turning. There was only just enough access to get a C-spanner half on the hex part, which was already pretty shagged from previous attempts to rectify the issue. The only way I could think of getting a decent hold on the thing was to cut the tap part off which would allow me to get a socket onto it. There was no way I was getting a normal grinder or hacksaw in there but my mate had a great little rotary toolamajig he let me borrow.
I topped it up with coolant and was just about to go out for a cruise to catch up with a couple of mates when I remembered the state of the fuel hose, the other day. I thought it best to check the return hose. It was braided, so no real way of gauging the state of it. I had a length of fresh hose in the garage, so replaced it anyway. All sorted, and the run went without a hitch - just a top up of coolant (I just had to take it easy and drive around the poorly clutch). I worked out that the speedo, despite under-reading by a fair amount, was actually pretty easy to rely on - 100kph is exactly 50mph, 120 is 60, 140 is 70 - 60 is even 30. So, exactly double.
The gearbox is a lovely unit for an early 5 speed. However, you do have to give it some time on downshifts - it's best to double de-clutch, otherwise some shifts can baulk a little. No biggy, it just adds to the fun. Sometimes, 1st will grind a bit when slipping in from neutral, say, at a roundabout. I'm hoping this will improve with a new clutch but I have heard that it's not unusual for these boxes.
Cheers, all.
The clutch kit has arrived, courtesy of HPC Classics. Hopefully, it'll be fitted next week or the week after. I'm getting the local garage to do it, I don't mind doing bits from above the engine bay but I have a condition called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome which makes it very painful to do anything above my head. Anyhoo, I'll let you know how that goes, I've asked them to take some piccies as they do it. I did pop the car down so they could pop it on the ramp and take a look at the job, that way they had an idea of the access and stuff. When I pulled the car out of my garage, I saw a puddle on the deck
- a quick sniff and I realised it was fuel. It looked to be coming from the rear right of the car, but I couldn't see any issue with the fuel line on the ramp. However, when I pulled it out of their garage, fuel was pissing everywhere. It turned out it was coming from the fuel hose that runs from pump to carb - it must have ran down the hard line to the back of the car when I parked it up in my garage. They soon cut me a short length of hose and I fixed it there and then, in the yard.
This morning, I thought I'd have a crack at removing the leaky coolant drain tap that sits in the side of the block. I had a new one arrive with the clutch kit, it had been a problem since I'd first viewed the car. This, like the thermostat, was not for the turning. There was only just enough access to get a C-spanner half on the hex part, which was already pretty shagged from previous attempts to rectify the issue. The only way I could think of getting a decent hold on the thing was to cut the tap part off which would allow me to get a socket onto it. There was no way I was getting a normal grinder or hacksaw in there but my mate had a great little rotary toolamajig he let me borrow.
I topped it up with coolant and was just about to go out for a cruise to catch up with a couple of mates when I remembered the state of the fuel hose, the other day. I thought it best to check the return hose. It was braided, so no real way of gauging the state of it. I had a length of fresh hose in the garage, so replaced it anyway. All sorted, and the run went without a hitch - just a top up of coolant (I just had to take it easy and drive around the poorly clutch). I worked out that the speedo, despite under-reading by a fair amount, was actually pretty easy to rely on - 100kph is exactly 50mph, 120 is 60, 140 is 70 - 60 is even 30. So, exactly double.
The gearbox is a lovely unit for an early 5 speed. However, you do have to give it some time on downshifts - it's best to double de-clutch, otherwise some shifts can baulk a little. No biggy, it just adds to the fun. Sometimes, 1st will grind a bit when slipping in from neutral, say, at a roundabout. I'm hoping this will improve with a new clutch but I have heard that it's not unusual for these boxes.
Cheers, all.
Edited by e28525e on Saturday 28th August 20:46
Also, I forgot to mention - it turns out (after a little research) that it doesn't have an LSD fitted! As this was one of the main reasons I bought the car, it's something that HPC has offered to sort for me in the winter, when it goes in for paint. It was an honest mistake, the car was offered to HPC by a dealer in Italy who informed them that it had one. They are not the easiest things to test, they don't have the required preload that allows you to jack it up and do the old-turn-one-wheel-and-see-if-the-other-one-spins-the-same-way trick and the clutch wasn't allowing me to test it out of a junction. Also, one tyre spinning could just mean the unit was badly worn. Also, the casings are very similar in design (and to add to the confusion, they even fitted LSD units in open casings in certain 1600 models!). Turns out, the LSD has a V on the casing and slightly longer fins.
Edited by e28525e on Saturday 28th August 21:13
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff