GTV6-Restomod

bazzbazz · September 11, 2020, 06:54:42 PM

Well, at least you solved the misfire issue . . . .

bazzbazz · September 11, 2020, 09:46:24 PM

Just adds to the character.

GTV6FLETCH · September 11, 2020, 10:53:16 PM

Will be following along with interest as I am doing much the same at the moment with my GP that has sat for 10 odd years.
Just put in 6 x new injectors and had it run for the 1st time in years.
Next is a new timing belt and water pump.
A bit more for me to do now to get her back on the road again.
Funny how many of us have a similar story re : had Italian cars as teens , meet wife , get married , have children , buy house , have no time or money for our alfas , then get to relive these beautiful cars over again.

gtvsix86 · September 16, 2020, 07:55:41 AM

At this stage I knew I needed some help so I joined the forum and cannot thank the members here enough for their advice and help. I don't know if is just me but I think the amount of traffic on the forum has dropped off over the years in the 116 category and would like to thank Bonno, Sportiva, Bazzbazz and a few others who always have good content and help for us of late.

Back to my story I was running out of time before my rego expired so I ordered a new middle section and rear from the UK and went with the CSC tail section. I checked with some local suppliers and was struggling to find a good set of second hand Carello headlights. Whilst researching I realised that 2 of my cracked Headlights were the 2 inner lights which are non directional and you could still buy brand new from the UK. So I ordered them with the exhaust and found the best second hand RHD outer headlight from the local wreckers in Melbourne.

As I mentioned earlier this was all new to me and couldn't believe how fast the shipping was from memory it was 3-4 days and the parts were at my front door.

So after all the mechanical work and four new tyres my car was ready and passed the RWC. Unfortunately it was approx.. $8000 exercise but was it worth it? Gee I hoped so. This time my drive home wasn't one of disappointment but one of pure adulation one for the mechanic who lavished his love of his car on this and two how well it drove and sounded. I had a winner here

Anth73 · September 16, 2020, 11:35:09 AM

Enjoying the thread immensely whilst I am also doing a little bit of a resto-mode renovation myself.

Agree that online forum traffic in geneeral, not just this one, seems to be declining. There are plenty of Alfa Romeo facebook groups for instance but they are all a snapshot in time view only whereas these forums provide an ongoing treasure trove of knowledge and great people.

One area that could help this forum is to make it easier to post higher quality, larger images. Given the significant reduction in online storage costs the 1024KB limit per post seems a little "Commodore 64" era for me.

gtvsix86 · September 18, 2020, 10:09:31 AM

After enjoying the car for a little while my one issue that haunted me was with driving the car in today compared to when I first had the car some 15 years ago was that it seemed so slow off the mark. You really had to work the car to get it up and going. From memory it would do 0-100 in 8 odd seconds similar to what a small Toyota Yaris would probably do today. It wasn't like a wanted to drag race the car but just thought it needed a bit more zip to bring it some life I think we had been spoilt with todays technology and how zippy modern cars are. So Here the story of my Restomod begins.

I came across an add in the for sale section here on the forum for a 3l engine out of a 75 with low kms. I knew from past experience that it was straight fit like for like so I knew I had to have it, now just had to convince the wife. I negotiated a deal for the motor and also the power steering rack which he had. It came from regional Victoria and he was nice enough to deliver to me personally in Melbourne on the back of his trailer. Such a nice bloke who gave me so much advise about what to expect and where to get it installed if I needed help.

A few years had passed and I was itching to get installed and I fell ill with Pneumonia. After a short stint in hospital I briefly considered selling the car as I realised I had more priorities but I couldn't find it in my heart to let it go. I then contacted my Mechanic Lou about doing the transplant and it was on. Unfortunately Lou being a one man operator keep pushing my job back and back. So I took a risk and took the advice off the gentlemen who I bought the motor off and sent my car to his mechanic. And I met again another fantastic mechanic who is also just and all-round top bloke Vince Sartor.

Anth73 · September 18, 2020, 07:30:17 PM

I'm with you on the performance of the GTV6 compared to even mainstream small hatchbacks today. From road tests back in the day the GTV6 would accelerate to 100kmh in the high 8's to mid 9's and cover the 400m dash in mid to high 16's. The slow 1-2 change doesn't help either.

My GTV currently runs a twin spark from a 75 and 4.1 LSD which is really close in performance to the V6. But it feels pretty slow compared to my standard VW Golf that has the same claimed power, more torque, 7-speed DSG but more weight. Hence my motivation for a warmed 3L conversion.

A good mate of mine with a GTV6 also has had all his mechanical work done by Vince and had nothing but good feedback. Vince has also had some health troubles of late, I hope he's on the mend.

Victor Lee · September 20, 2020, 06:44:01 PM

Another great ongoing GTV6 resto! Look forward to reading more about it!

Question on the black grill that the car came with: Is it a Grand Prix grill?

Cheers,

Victor

LALFA · September 21, 2020, 08:46:26 AM

Looking forward to reading the rest of your journey, I'm going to have to dig up all the old pics and start a thread as well. Won't be as well written as this one as this one though. Was every class I used to look up gtvs or have a auto Italia magazine in the middle of a text book.

gtvsix86 · September 21, 2020, 10:25:44 AM

Justin looking forward to reading your story and the provenience of your car and your Dad as well.
Victor the black grill is original not a GP with the side fins filled in.
Sportiva you have two 3l's lucky man and yes I would choose it as well over other cars for a weekend blast as nothing beats the feeling

gtvsix86 · September 22, 2020, 08:30:04 AM

I also heard Vince has had health troubles I really hope his doing good! So I sent my car to Northern Alfa which was on the complete other side of Melbourne to me and made it impossible to go down a check on the car during its progress. This would normally make me feel nervous. But Vince is one of the guys that you pick your car up and would call you over the weekend to see how the car was behaving. Vince was just as excited as me I think he enjoyed the challenge of doing something different.

Vince organised to get my performance headers ceramic coated, fly wheel lightened and he surprised me with getting all my bolts gold plated. A new set of belts and water pump and I ordered some Colombo Bariani fast road Cams for the UK. He would send me progress pictures but my most favourite was the video he sent me when the fired it up for the first time.

Again we are so fortunate to have such wonderful people in Alfa Community that work on our cars and after viewing Vince's work he is right up there with the best of them. The car had completely transformed I couldn't be happier with the performance and I especially loved the sound of the Cam. If only Alfa had of used this motor in the GTV6 from the beginning what a shame. Next on the agenda was to save my pennies for a twin spark box and upgrading of the brakes.

gtvsix86 · September 22, 2020, 11:27:19 AM

I didn't have money to splash around so I my aim was to do things slowly one small upgrade a year if I could. So I hunted around for a twin spark box and I met another top bloke who we are so lucky to have in the Alfa community and that was Vin Sharp. I commissioned him to build me a custom box. Fully rebuilt with lightened gears and the quicker ratio with 2nd and 3rd gear ratios nice and close from an Alfetta I think, plus from memory 50% lock. Also some knuckle raisers.

gtvsix86 · October 20, 2020, 08:59:26 AM

2015 was a year that hurts so deeply that is why it has taking me so long to add this next journey. My Dad the man who I inherited the love of this car was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer and was told he would have approx. 6 months to live. I had Vin's goodies fitted by Northern Alfa again and took my Dad for a drive to cheer him up but it just wasn't the same. It felt like a dark cloud was over me and just lost interest with most things in my life. I spent every spare moment of my time with my Dad and had no time for the car and again later in the year put the car up for sale. I had a few nibbles but nothing serious and I was starting to come to terms with my Dad's fate and I couldn't sell the car now not ever.
So I started to plan my next chapter and that was cosmetic. I spoke to my old Mechanic Lou from Keysborough for any recommendations and he told me one his clients got his car sprayed by Paul at Rankins and he said his the best in the game.

gtvsix86 · October 21, 2020, 11:57:10 AM

Spoiler alert if you cannot wait for me to finish my story and want a sneak preview of my car check out Monza Motors Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/alfparepairs

gtvsix86 · November 04, 2020, 07:49:55 AM

Late 2015 I made my way over to Bayswater to meet Paul. Wow what a nice a guy and his knowledge of my model was off the charts. He ran a magnet over the car inspecting every nook and cranny to the point where he knew if I had the correct screws fitted to my mirrors. Paul instilled so much confidence in me that he was the right guy for the job with his vast knowledge of Alfa's that it took me no time to give him the job. However with Paul being so good you have to get in line so I queued up and waited until early 2016 for the master to work his magic.