My New Shitbox

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Sheldon, i still have the 15" rally tyres, and i really want you to have them. These are silverstone and a funny size. Probably equivalent to a 185/60/15 and i am sure they would fit under the guards and the "shitbox" would have enough power to pull them ok. I used 195/65/15 on my Alfetta sedan with no dramas at all. Think it over. Have you got any 4 stud 15's? If you want i will get them fitted up for you. i think i have 6 in total.

Okay Greg, since you know far more about these things than me I'll trust you, and I'll be happy to take the 15" tyres off your hands, and I'm sure I can organise some 15" wheels.  I'll be in touch soon.  Will they last the 4000km of sealed roads we do before we hit the dirt, or should I take them and put them on just before the rough stuff?  (I literally know nothing about rally tyres - race is more my thing).  I'd been advised by someone far more knowledgable than me that the shitbox would struggle with the 15s in the dust and dirt of the NT.

sounds like some one is falling in love ??
I have 15" x 7" simmons on the rear of my daily giulietta and it pushes them well and they fit nice, I havent notices what the revs are in 5th gear at 110km but i know its not low.
My speedo also works but my odo is stuck ( will replace with a new cluster soon), also when i fill my car full of petrol the gauge reads 3/4.
Im not sure how to fix the odo, you might just need to get another 2nd hand one. With the fuel gauge im also no sure, either again its the cluster or needs a better earth connection in the boot.

Thanks Storm.  Hmm, falling in love?  Maybe not quite just yet, but I certainly admire the car for what it is.  Anytime I think I'm falling in love I just have to walk around the back and look at that arse and it puts me off.  I'm sure we've all had relationships like that....

Yeah I'll take the cluster apart just to make sure nothing is obviously wrong, and then try another one if I can't find anything.  The earth in the boot is a good idea, I'll check it out.  We had a brief look at the tank and it's various connections and plumbing on Saturday, but couldn't see anything obviously wrong.

So when your gauge reads 3/4 your tank is definitely full?  How far do you get to a tank then (yours is a 2 litre right?) ?  As long as I can work out how many kays to a tank and organise a trip meter (I'm hoping there's an iphone app) we'll be fine, we'll be taking at least one jerry can anyway.

[dehne]

are you using a gps because they generaly have a trip meter in them, well mine does anyway, you should fill here up and also fill a 20ltr jerry and then just go for a drive this weekend for a coffee in the hill near wang or down the great ocean road, us a gpr/borrow if you dont have one and work it out, at the same time you can work ur speedo to, would lend mine but means you have to come get it first

[MD]

Sheldon

The potential problem for the car to handle the ratios on 15" rims is overstated. I would snap up those tyres from Greg and twist somebody's arm to get some rims to match.
Beyond checking that the fuel sender and the binnacle display is getting a good B+ voltage of 12volts when car is running and alternator charging, checking or better still, providing a good earth to both sites would be a good start.

Failing that (long shot) I have a fully mechanical instrument cluster from an early Alfetta. This has a cable driven speedo head and odometer. I am almost certain the joolie has one too. I know its a bit of a bastardisation but you may be able to fit this cluster as a substitute? Must admit would involve a bit of work and probably look like crap.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

The potential problem for the car to handle the ratios on 15" rims is overstated. I would snap up those tyres from Greg and twist somebody's arm to get some rims to match.
Beyond checking that the fuel sender and the binnacle display is getting a good B+ voltage of 12volts when car is running and alternator charging, checking or better still, providing a good earth to both sites would be a good start.

Failing that (long shot) I have a fully mechanical instrument cluster from an early Alfetta. This has a cable driven speedo head and odometer. I am almost certain the joolie has one too. I know its a bit of a bastardisation but you may be able to fit this cluster as a substitute? Must admit would involve a bit of work and probably look like crap.

Good to hear your opinion on the 15s, will be doing that then, and crossing fingers the clearances are all fine (and that they'll be the only tyres I need to take, otherwise I'll be putting the roof rack back on - the car will already be full of tents, sleeping bags, clothes, parts, jack, stands, water, fuel, etc, etc).  Will take the cluster apart this week to check everything, and re-do all earths.

Thanks for the offer of the Alfetta cluster, but I've found a few iphone apps that will do the trick as a trip-meter, and since the phone won't be any use as a phone out on the tracks anyway, that will have to suffice if I can't easily find the problem.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

...and probably look like crap....

You've seen my 90 haven't you, do you think this car looking like crap would worry me?

[alfagtv58]

Not sure if its of any help, but the Motroview iPhone GPS app is a good one, at $25 (last time I checked) inclusive of all future updates its a bargain.  But make sure your 12v cigge outlet is working and you can charge your phone in the car, its a battery killer.

PS. do you have a list of spares you want to take but dont have yet?  Maybe post em up for potential donations? (sorry if you have already done this earlier in the thread)

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Thanks for the heads-up Phil, I'll have a look at that one also.

On the spares front, one of the club sponsors has offered for me to come in and take any spares I think I may need he knows I'll definitely need.  There is going to be a lot of extra weight in this car by the time I leave Melbourne.

Cheers though, and good call.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

are you using a gps because they generaly have a trip meter in them, well mine does anyway, you should fill here up and also fill a 20ltr jerry and then just go for a drive this weekend for a coffee in the hill near wang or down the great ocean road, us a gpr/borrow if you dont have one and work it out, at the same time you can work ur speedo to, would lend mine but means you have to come get it first

Thanks for the offer dehne, but like I said, the phone won't be any use except as a GPS, so no need to carry anything else; and actually makes more sense if I'm running a larger diameter wheel/tyre combo anyway.  And yes, you read my mind regarding the fuel gauge, as a last resort I'm just going to run her him dry and see how much fuel he takes to fill up.  What is it, about a 45 litre tank in a Joolie?

On the upside, I'm far more confident after the weekends drive about how he'll hold up.  The car never missed a beat, and apart from a lack of grunt up the hills, it has no problem maintaining a high average speed, doesn't use a drop of oil, and never gets close to overheating.  About the only non-Alfa thing I found with the car is that it's way too quiet.  Most of the time you can barely hear the engine (even the missus said that it doesn't really sound like an Alfa, and nowadays even she can tell when an Alfa pulls up outside the house; she's not quite up to identifying the model, but give her time), but that will no doubt be extremely welcome on a 6000km drive.

[dehne]

what is the exhaust like on my 1.8  alfetta it ran a centre muff, then to a hotdog, was loud enough to get a warning to get it epa check but it passed as its alowwed to be at 96dba, i think it was around 1 3/4 to 2 inch i think, may even help with letting the horses run easier

[redalfaracing]

sheldon, would you be able to use 175/65 r 14 tyres?

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Well, of course.  But I'd just sold myself on the 15s.....

I'll be in touch via PM Greg.

[MD]

Sheldon,

If using the 15's be sure your tyre profile is no bigger that 60% aspect ratio as you may get some fouling or some restriction in the turning circle...er none of which is critical on a shitbox because a 5lb hammer will help out with the situation immediately. 

[Sheldon McIntosh]

I don't know what you're talking about MD, I intend to deliver this car to it's next prospective owner in immaculate condition.

[Storm_X]

Weird thing happend last night the gauge went to full.
Normally it stops at the $50 mark just over 30L when it was at 3/4. ( not filling empty)

[MD]

I don't know what you're talking about MD, I intend to deliver this car to it's next prospective owner in immaculate condition.

Hahhaa. Mate, I think the next service item on the Shitbox is the "big nut behind the wheel"