Early GTV6

[kartone]

The two then brand new 2.5s I mentioned above were registered by the IMPORTER as 2 litres, I therefore doubt the authorities ever saw the vehicles 

[Ian Morris]

I bought mine in Sydney. Had to reregister it in Victoria. Wasn't a problem. It was first registered in Melbourne and they had a record of the car.
Rego went straight through.
Ian

[GG105]

@Kartone

I just checked the rego on my car and sure enough it's registered as a two litre as well. Thanks for that So it appears that the split dash cars were not homologated for Oz, they were probably all standard Euro spec mechanically and otherwise as delivered to the UK, dash aside (did all GTV6s have a/c?)  Which is why they don't have compliance plates. I guess with factory decision to produce RHD single piece dash cars in 83, ARA figured it wasn't worth complying this batch, better to do on the model that would be sold in greater numbers.

I assume therefore, that there are some mechanical differences between the two series other than the gearbox ratios Alister mentioned. Can anyone throw any light on this?

John

[kartone]

GG105, mine and my friend's in 1982 both had AC (York compressor).
The tar job I mentioned was done by me on my Alfa as I realized fine silt was caking behind the plastic stone guards.
The set of car keys included one for the ignition switch, a second for the doors and a third for the antenna 

[VeeSix]

Wow! Some conflicting information but a dam good read, the truth lies in there somewhere!
John, I do not know what rust may or may not lurk underneath there, but from your shots that would have to be one of the best condition GTV6 split dashes I have ever seen, maybe I am too used to all of the 1982 1983 GTV 2.0s I have purchased, we all know the state some of them get too, after 10 owners and the last one driving it to death
Kartone, love that first photo, what a time warp!

One thing that interested me in all the comments was that of UK spec GTV6s, some brought here, I have always wondered and still waiting for someone to shed the light......
My 1985 GTV6 is factory black, nero metallic, sort of a gunmetal in the full light and changes to a darker black as the light fades, seen plenty of them in photos overseas, but never of one in Australia, it is Australian complianced not a private import, please do not get this confused with the 1982 1983 2.0 Strada Gunmetal colour, it is not that, close but not, do I have the only factory black complete dash in Australia?

When I purchased it in Sydney, the owner had changed his mind about a restoration after pulling the motor out, it had a registration sticker from Victoria, so I would assume it came from Victoria but it could have been sold in any state I guess, it has the cream Recaro interior not the black, my experience with GTV6 complete dash models in Australia is they are either red, white or silver in colour, anyone with information? Could this be a UK spec as someone mentioned?

[GG105]

Veesix,

Love to see some photos of your car, how about posting some? I've never seen a black car, as you state all Oz cars were red, white or silver. I'm going to speculate your car was special order, might be worth checking Motor Show pics. Does it have the isostatic gearbox?

These cars are so much harder to maintain and restore than earlier and later Alfas, mainly because of the crap plastic bits and interior. They are worth nothing and are so are not worth restoring, they may never be. In stock form they ride softly, understeer and don't turn in like a 105. Most survivors have not been looked after and they aren't very quick, hence the 3 litre conversions, and they are still being converted into race cars.

But....that little 2.5. If any engine could ever be said to talk and sing, surely this is it, no other engine in the world sounds like it, I guess that's why we put up with the rest.

It would be nice to know how many of the split dash cars survive. A register?

Regards
John

[Paul Newby]

I purchase a new GTV 6 in the second-half of 1982 from car dealership Alec Mildren in Edgecliff NSW (see photos).
The car was red in colour with a black velour interior, had a split dash and did not have a sunroof.
I was told by the IMPORTER that 5 cars had been imported in one batch: one for the press, one for homologation purposes and three for racing. Within weeks of my purchase I met the owner of a second car from the batch, red with tan leather interior and sunroof, she lived two bays over and we became good friends.
Both cars were registered as 2 litres by the dealer as the 2.5 had not yet been homologated by the govt..

I'm a bit late to this thread, but it is all very interesting.

The press GTV6, which I think from memory was registered LSV618 (NSW rego) was featured in road tests in Wheel magazine among others. This car became the Ray Gulson GTV6 racer, originally in Group C guise but later in Group A spec in which it remains today in Dulux colours. I'm not sure whether it is still owned by Scott Farquaharson or not.

I don't believe that any other of these five cars were for racing, as the Gary Leggatt GTV6 (it practiced with both the 4 and the V6) that was destroyed at Bathurst in 82 was definitely a 2 Litre - infact there is conjecture as to whether it started out as a Nuovo or was a steel bumper car. (It still had flipper quarter windows.)

I do recall an early 1982 GTV6 owned by a former AROCA NSW club president and life member that was silver and had a sunroof. I don't know whether that was part of the 37 imported by ARA or a private British import.

[Paul Gulliver]

This car became the Ray Gulson GTV6 racer, originally in Group C guise but later in Group A spec in which it remains today in Dulux colours. I'm not sure whether it is still owned by Scott Farquaharson or not.

Here's a clip of  Scott at the wheel  at Philip Island about 10 years ago , it has been posted many times before , but sure worth a look if you haven't seen it before. It certainly shows how competitive the GTV6 was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21ynORNKxZs

[Neil Choi]

I am sure Scott still frequents the forum and is around, but he still has the Dulux car.

[kartone]

Paul Newby,
the importer, then located in Botany NSW, told me when I purchased the car that it was one of three destined for racing. The story goes that two had buyers for racing, while the third was owned by the importer and agreed as spare for the racers; the spare car did not arrive on time and the two racers refused to take delivery of the two cars destined for them. 

[Paul Newby]

Paul Newby,
the importer, then located in Botany NSW, told me when I purchased the car that it was one of three destined for racing. The story goes that two had buyers for racing, while the third was owned by the importer and agreed as spare for the racers; the spare car did not arrive on time and the two racers refused to take delivery of the two cars destined for them.

Thanks Kartone, that is very interesting and something I didn't know. I wonder who the other two racers were?

I suspect one would have been destined for Brian Foley, who sponsored the existing Leggatt/McDonnell GTV that was destroyed in practice for the 82 Bathurst 1000. At the time of the crash it had the 2.0 engine in it but it had been practicing with the 2.5 V6, which  was problematic hence the swap back to the 2.0. I wonder how they sourced the V6? I imagine a spare V6 engine would have been pretty difficult to acquire (unless you had access to another car...?)

Maybe the other GTV6 was destined for the Benincas with Frank Porter driving perhaps?

[GG105]

Kartone,

What is the chassis no and build date of your car?

regards
John

[kartone]

GG105, the only documentation I have left is the registration number you see on NSW plate.

[GG105]

I went into the vault and found some photos of my first GTV6 I bought to replace my GTV4. This GTV6 had a beige interior, which I hated because the 4 had the grey, sunroof and no passenger side mirror. I had put a passenger mirror on the 4 at vast expense, only to find out I couldn't see out of it. Fast forward to 2014, both GTV6s have passenger side mirrors and I can't see out of them either!

Here they are together and at Amaroo at an AROCA Supersprint. I think it was 1989, the 2 litre was my first Alfa. I remember the Supersprint well. I'd never been on a track before, couldn't heel and toe and so was worried about blowing up the gearbox. As for lines, I had enough on my plate without worrying about them....



John

[David Mills]

Paul Newby,


Maybe the other GTV6 was destined for the Benincas with Frank Porter driving perhaps?

After I bought my GTV6 (see post #5 above) I proudly turned up to Benincas for the first service expecting to surprise.  However, Joe casually pointed to a brand new GTV6 motor sitting on the floor saying something like "we have got that to see what we can do with it".