Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV 2000

[EricSchrodinger]

So sometime last year my girlfriend's father offered me an Alfa Romeo which was sitting out the front of his workshop. For free, as long as I wouldn't try to give it back to him. I couldn't take it immediately, but at the end of January I moved into an awesome house. I've been working on it for the last month.

This is the condition I got it in.

Body:
Some surface rust, evidence of some parts rusting through.
Humidity bubbles, scratches and dents. Front left and back left smashed in a little bit. Paints cracking in a couple of places. Rear bumper falling off.

Interior:
Seats ripped and falling to shit.
Centre console not actually attached to anything.
Boot lining all falling appart, especially where previous battery leaked.
Rip in ceiling.
Driver door interior lining was in the back seat.
Hole in dashboard where there used to be a CD player.

Electrics:
The driver side aftermarket power window winder was missing the barrel. A block of wood was holding the glass up.
The indicator switch stalk was snapped off (and holding the window up).
Couldn't start the engine because of the aftermarket alarm system. Whenever it got bumped it'd be like "WARNING: VIPER ALARM SYSTEM ACTIVE" or something like that.

ENGINE:
I don't know much about engines, but it's good because I don't have to know much. My girlfriend's brother is helping me with that part. He said it needs a new exhaust manifold, which he has laying around and said I could have.

These are only the big things that were wrong with it. I've forgotten all the little things I've had to do for it.






It is important to note that I don't know much about cars. At all. I've learnt a lot in the last month though.

[EricSchrodinger]

So this is what I've done:

I've gotten to be friends with the angle grinder and have been grinding out the paint and body filler around rust patches and cracked paint. Some of the rusted parts will have to be cut out, and new panels welded in. I can actually tell where that's been done before.

I've had to deal with the alarm system. The alarm system consisted of three black boxes and a plastic shopping bag full of wires. That was epic to remove. As soon as I removed the alarm, the engine started fine. I also discovered the aftermarket power locking. After removing the alarm, I couldn't get the indicators working because the switch was broken. I found the immobilizer switch in one of the airconditioning vents after taking that out.

I got another indicator/headlight/wiper switch set thing to replace the old one. It's not from the same model though, so now when it's plugged in the windscreen wiper switches don't work. And when the headlights are on the switch smokes. I think I'm going to have to make the headlight switch trigger a relay which turns the headlights on. There are also no highbeams.

There are so many cut wires. Cut and extra. The person who used to own the car messed up so bad.

I got some doors from a junked GTV so now I've got manual winders.

[EricSchrodinger]

I just bought a hydraulic hatch strut on ebay so I don't get crushed by the boot when I'm pissing around in it.
The old one had lost all the gas.

[noouch]

Looks like a fun project car. Have you done any real driving with it yet?

[EricSchrodinger]

I have done no driving with it at all. Ever.
Apparently they're a pretty nice car, these days people seem to use them as rally cars a lot.
For the last couple of weeks it has had no steering wheel.
It is definately not road worthy yet.

[Arcy]

I don't know the first thing about cars but it looks like that will be pretty after some restoration.

[noouch]

If you don't have a copy of this already, get one. It will save you many a headache and grey hair.

http://www.haynes.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=12803&langId=-1

[Sporkman]

If you don't have a copy of this already, get one. It will save you many a headache and grey hair.

http://www.haynes.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=12803&langId=-1

2nding a Haynes shop manual. I get one for every car I buy, they're so helpful to have.


The engine should be a pretty good engine, 2.0? DOHC should deliver pretty decent power, and it's probably a fairly light car so it should have some go power.

I know nothing about Alfa Romeos, because they're pretty rare here.

[Afroman]

Veronica had an Alfa Romeo in a story once!!!!!

[atrain]

Nice car! My car came with a stupid immobilizer, the dealership swapped the wires on the relay rather than removing it when they sold it to me. I'm also too lazy to remove it, and it adds a blinking LED.

I kinda got myself a project car, a 1980 Buick Park Avenue. Doesn't need too much work, I think, not much poking around done yet. (Not my car but I was given open access to it to mess around with it.)

[Detritus]

Eric, you have all the best projects.
You lucky sod.

[EricSchrodinger]

I have three Haynes shop manuals. A fallen apart copy that was in the car when I got it, a good copy I borrowed from my girlfriend's dad, and a PDF copy.

Today I did more body work. Whilst doing it, I have to ask myself how long I plan to have this car and that determines how much steel I cut out. I've never welded anything before, so I'm scared.

Here's some pictures which shows; where I grinded some surface rust off, where I have to do some panel beating, and where I cut two layers of steel and rust out.

[ErectileRage]

Every Haynes I've ever owned (For motorcycles and cars) is next to useless compared to the Factory manual.

[korhojoa]

Factory manual?
Where can those be bought? Probably not as easily as the haynes ones.

[atrain]

Factory manual?
Where can those be bought? Probably not as easily as the haynes ones.

That's my favorite part of owing a hyundai. Free online @ hmaservice.com

[EricSchrodinger]

No idea about factory manuals.
But the hydraulic hatch strut came in the mail today. Now when I press the hatch release button it slowly rises and it doesn't crush me.
Sixty dollars well spent.

[EricSchrodinger]

I took out the fuel tank just to make sure it's OK. It's kind of OK. It'll last. I tarred it up good though, like icing a cake. And the other day I fixed a leak in the fuel line.

And I also took a lot of the back off. And I mean a LOT. When I weld new pieces on, I'm going to do it completely differently to how it is supposed to be.

[tGB0sYWpZv]

watch out. alfa's are notorious lemons .

[Arcy]

Isn't it time for new pics by now?

[Afroman]

Veronica had an alfa romeo

[EricSchrodinger]

OK so I've decided I'm going to get rid of the Alfa even though my ex-girlfriend's father still said he would help me out with parts.
I might make the seats into chairs.

[Arcy]

:(  It's pretty though!

[ErectileRage]

Can I have it?

Send it post, pl0x. :D

[EricSchrodinger]

Pick up only.

I'm sad. The electronics were so primitive and badly modified, I was going to have such a fun time rewiring it and controlling everything with a microcontroller. And the plans I had for a security system... oh the plans.