Early GTV6

[kartone]

GG105, does your split-dash look like mine. Check whether the surface behind the stone -chip guards along the bottom of the doors and behind the rear wheels has been painted with tar, ditto for the inside of the spare wheel housing. Is your antenna on the driver or passenger side?

[Ian Morris]

I'd love to say that you have an ultra rare split dash GTV6 (true in some ways) and getting a circular hazard light button is so hard.....
But the reality of the situation is this.
Alfa released the new LHD GTV6 in 1981 and the RHD GTV6 came as an after thought. So when Britain and all the other RHD markets demanded the car, all Alfa did was put the RHD GTV6 down the production line with any parts that happened to be available at the time.
The split dash GTV6 is simply a GTV6 with a 2.0 litre four cylinder instrument panel and interior. Compare the 81/82 2.0 litre and GTV6 and they are identical internally.
In Australia the single piece dash is often referred to as the GTV6 dash that the early cars missed out on.
And some early cars have been converted to the GTV6 dash.........
So finding a circular hazard light button is super easy, just ask for a 2.0 litre four hazard button. Far more 2.0 fours were made than the GTV6.....

[timgtv6]

  thanks. should have had a look to see if others were the same.

[GG105]

Thanks for the information guys, there is more to this than I realised. Alister in an earlier post referred to an interim UK dash work around. I was looking at some pictures and at first I wondered if someone had cobbled up their own dash, then I stumbled over Alister's post on the Alfa BB, my thanks Alister. Here is the interim UK only dash:



Picked up my car today. 125k looks and feels correct, cambelt, tensioner and water pump done a year ago. Drives really well. Other than the stupid looking, but superb sounding, sound system, it is stock. Body is excellent, one rust spot in the driver's door, paint and trim very good. Mechanically, it needs some attention. Tappets are noisy, probably worn exhaust cams and lifters, a/c doesn't work (not much use when it does), clutch worn and gear linkage bushes need attention. Synchros seem okay, oil pressure gauge not working properly - I hope! Although this car has the build plate, it does not have a compliance plate, my first split dash car didn't either. Anyone else not have one? Here are a few photos:


Has later grille, I'll swap for an earlier one in excellent condition. Tyres are one size too large.

Dash isn't cracked, has the correct light coloured wheel



Wrong cam covers, engine bay untidy, still has the plastic expansion tank


Bit untidy in here, I need the plastic battery cover, some genius split the fuel filler pipe when putting the LR speaker in so stinks of fuel when full

Correct early Campy wheels, later wheels have a sharp rim where the spokes start. Wheels need refinishing

John

[aggie57]

Looks nice John. Congratulations.

No problem on the other info. I loved in the UK in 1981-2 and took an interest in the GTV6 as it was released. I saw my first one at a dealer on the Champs Élysées and still have the brochure I picked up there, in French of course. They were always available in the UK, just with the original and interim dashes.

To be fully correct your car shouldn't have the rubbing strip on the sides. That was a later addition, first with the charcoal paint underneath as Ian says and from late '85 with body colour throughout like yours.

[Ian Morris]

Wish mine was in good a nick as yours. Needs lots of TLC that it will get eventually. Alister is right on the rubbing strip. Should be as per David Mills and Kartone's pictures. Shouldn't have the left mirror either. On GTV6s, the cars only had a driver's side mirror unless you went for the sun roof option. Then it got a passenger's mirror. How silly is that. But true I believe!
Kartone, the tar has been added later as a rust proofing measure. All those areas on my car are red (and rusty). My car has a centre / front radio antenna as per British (and South African) cars I have seen pictures of.

[GG105]

Thanks fellas. I was aware of the rubbing strip but forgot to mention it. I've been detailing it today, the rubbing strips are held on with tape so removing them shouldn't be an issue, if I decide to.

Ian, I just checked a photo of my first car, which had a sunroof and didn't have a passenger side mirror, clearly the only consistent thing with these cars is inconsistency!

I'm using Meguiars compound by hand to take the bloom out of the paint, its coming up a treat.

I found some photos of my first car with the 2 litre it replaced, i'll scan and post them.

John.

[Ian Morris]

John,
Could you post a picture of your head lining please. My car has the some colour interior but the head lining has been described by Alfa guys as unusual. Everything about these cars is unusual.
Love to see what your headlining looks like.
Regards
Ian

[GG105]

Shall do Ian, its the same as the 2 litre cars. I'll post a photo tomorrow.

Spent all day cutting and polishing, she came up a treat. Looks like I fell for the old "make sure you hear it started from cold trick". I didn't before I bought it, but today I did. Reluctant to idle after starting and then hunts until warm. Same problem I had with the '85. Looks like I need yet another Auxiliary Air Valve and Thermo Time Switch.

I wonder what oil is in it, quiet when cold and then tappety when warm. I strongly suspect the exhaust cam lobes and lifters are shot, the usual problem with these. We'll see.

Front inner guard splash covers are both rusted at the bottom, I'll pull them off tomorrow to investigate. I also need to clean up the battery box. Looks like the left rear tail light was leaking with the water running into the battery box.

Here are a couple of pics, doesn't really look any different in the photos to yesterdays, sure looks different in the flesh though, particularly those rubbish side window surrounds.




John 

[lombardi]

Congrats, great looker, sure this was the one on car sales located in the eastern suburbs priced around the 7k mark, remember the funny comment he put on stating it was priced not to stay on car sales for to long,think he was refering to in particulAR THE GRAND PRIX FOR 35K. SOUNDS LIKE U HAVE A BIT OF WORK GETTING UP TO SHAPE mechanically,thats part of the fun i guess.regards

[GG105]

Ian,

Here are the headlining shots you asked for.




John

[aggie57]

Spotted on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Alfa-Romeo-Alfetta-Saloon-Dash-/131071560668?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1e84794bdc&_uhb=1

I'm definitely not suggesting anyone buy it, it's just amusing to see one of these dash's for sale. Wonder how rare that is!

[rowan_bris]

The grille badge is easy to change.  No need to change grill just pull off the larger badge and its surround revealing the space gorgeous the smaller badge!

[Ian Morris]

Thanks for that. Identical to mine.
Why do you think your car was built in February 1982?
Is there a build plate on it.
Also, my car never had a compliance plate.
Regards
Ian

[GG105]

Ian, my car has a build plate on the near side inner guard, your chassis no confirms this as a bit later than mine.

I don't know how ARA achieved this, however, I'm willing to speculate that none of the split dash cars have compliance plates. I know they don't have side intrusion bars. Might make it a bit tricky if someone tries to re-register one if these. Ross Hosking who used to work at ARA might be able to throw some light on this, but I haven't spoken to him for over 20 years.

John