How many hours to fit Alfaholics stage 1 engine and suspension packages for 105?

[MtGlorious]

Looking to take a very solid '67 Sprint GTV and sympathetically upgrade chassis and existing engine to sharpen handling and add a little hp for road use only. For my budget estimates I'd like to hear the experiences of others of how many hours labour for a competent Alfa mechanic to complete a) the Alfaholics stage 1 engine and b) stage 1 full suspension rebuild package (not the more basic fast road basic suspension kit).

Also any comments on the worthiness and benefits of the stage 1 engine package for the 1600 Sprint GT Veloce engine based on experience? The engine in the car is very sound and ideally I'd like to keep this original rather than replace with a 1750 or 2000 unit.

[Craig_m67]

It can easily be done in a day by anybody who knows there way around a 105 and has a press.
If you want the original bits blasted and painted you will need extra time (obviously)
Setting geometry isn't difficult for any shop as long as you advise the procedure to centre the wheel first

What suspension does it have now?
What type of driving are you going to be doing?

I'd pull the 1600 and replace it with a TS.. you can always point to it in the shed if people get upset, then drive away, quickly, smoothly, easily.

[MtGlorious]

Thanks Craig_m67 for the advice. The PPI showed all suspension and steering components to be satisfactory, some with ageing. Visual inspection suggested various components had been changed over time. I believe it is 100% stock. My driving of the car suggested the shockers were getting old and combined with the skinny 165 x 80 x 15 tyres and some perceived slack in the steering gave an overall impression that a refresh would be very beneficial. Rather than go bit by bit, my preference is to do a full suspension refresh and the Alfaholics stage 1 kit plus the quick steering arms probably fit the bill. Hopefully this would get somesharpness into the steering but if not then I'll also look at the steering box. I'm also keen on the 14 inch GTA Strada wheels (with 185 x 70 x 14 tyres), though yes the tyre choice is more limited - 6 inch is as wide as I'd want to go on this car as for spirited street and twisty road driving I like to feel a bit of lean rather than have dead flat handling. The priority would be chassis first, live with the car for a while and then see what I want to do with the engine, intake, exhaust, brakes, if anything.

Having done some research after the drive, I think the existing tyre diameter on the car effectively creates longer gearing that is equivalent to the diff set up in the 1750 GTV that otherwise had the same gear ratios. I'd like to get back to the fun of the shorter gearing on the Sprint GTV in original spec and I believe my planned wheel and tyre set up would achieve that: 24.2 inch diameter vs 25.4 = an difference which would absolutely be noticeable, seat of the pants, based on my prior experiences with other classics. It helps that the 14 inch GTA wheels look the part on moderately lowered stepnose cars to my eye, particularly in white, whereas the 15's can look amazing but I think only in certain colours, the ride height/stance needs to be spot on, and I wonder if pushing out to 7 inch width would change the fundamentals of the car too much for my liking, for my humble street driving at least.

Anyway, that's the thinking for now but we'll see how this all pans out!