Conaero's Spider Rebuild

[conaero]

Dishwasher first, then Silver King which is what my engine rebuild company use and yes, it's heat paint.

Here is the final assembly pic, the 6 chrome inlet flutes are away being re chromed, very pleased:

 

[Spartacus]

nice . come and do mine , ill do your airvents ha ha

 

[Felonious Crud]

That looks terrific, Matt. Seems like you're making fast work of it, too. Have you got a target date for getting it back on the road?

 

[Spartacus]

i bet yo did nt tell Rachel you used the NEW dishwasher. ill file that under "Blackmail " for later lol

 

[conaero]

i bet yo did nt tell Rachel you used the NEW dishwasher. ill file that under "Blackmail " for later lol

Curry is on tonight, Adam and Jackson are out, I have a manifold that needs drilling out, ill pop it round to you and go for a beer at TGI's

 

[conaero]

That looks terrific, Matt. Seems like you're making fast work of it, too. Have you got a target date for getting it back on the road?

Was aiming for AutoItalia at Brooklands the first week in May but I don't think that will happen, I have to find an exhaust yet.

 

[zagatoes30]

Looks good

 

[allandwf]

That looks great, just had the timing belt, water pump, and pulleys done on our spider. I might need to tidy the engine bay up a bit now, especially after seeing those results.

 

[conaero]

That looks great, just had the timing belt, water pump, and pulleys done on our spider. I might need to tidy the engine bay up a bit now, especially after seeing those results.

It only took about 5hrs to get it to that, you will need to rechrome the flutes as no doubt the Italian Chrome has flaked off.

 

[lisknik]

Try here for a exhaust Matt - http://shop.alfisti.net/Tuning-Styling/Alfa-GTV-Spider/Sport-Exhausts:::1_11_50.html

 

[GTMalc]

I know what you mean, if i could afford it i would have driven down there by now Love Simon's cars, jealous of his fleet Wasn't it the GT that appeared on Fifth gear last year?

Yes, see here Fifth Gear - Alfa GT

Simon's wife's old GT. Looks a beaut does that.

 

[Maser Sod]

Am loving the look of that engine now. Wish mine didn't look so cr4ppy and cheap.

What are your plans for the exhaust, Matt? When I had my GTV I gave it a dual exhaust conversion. It balances the rear of the car really nicely:

 

[conaero]

Something like that pat.

That pic you put up was from a Dutch guy that got killed in his GTV if my memory serves me right, he pulled out onto a main road and got hit straight in the drivers door, sure its the guy that owned this. It was announced on SportsAlfa/GTVV6.com probably about 10 years ago now.

Pretty sure that picture above was what they put up on the thread....but as the database was lost, there is no history of it.

 

[GTMalc]

Am loving the look of that engine now. Wish mine didn't look so cr4ppy and cheap.

What are your plans for the exhaust, Matt? When I had my GTV I gave it a dual exhaust conversion. It balances the rear of the car really nicely:

That looks so good

 

[conaero]

UPDATE;

Had the day off yesterday, was supposed to put the engine back in but a myriad of ancillary issues stopped that.

Spend 5hrs drilling one snapped stud out of the manifold, what an absolute pig of a job, did it though. went through 6 drilled, **** you hardened studs!

Got a call yesterday from the chromers, my inlet pipes are ready, so thats a plus.

Also got the old rear section of exhaust off, its rusted out. Found a good used cat back system on eBay for £20 that I have to go pick up so that will tide me over till I design a stainless system later.

Got the AC pump, power steering pump and the aux belt on.

Just waiting for the Oil Cooler to come back from the engineers which I was told last night its done.

I removed the cooler pipes from the rad as I could not vouch for the condition of any of it. Sods law it was all fine and I did not need to split it but I believe in doing it properly.

My engineers made new cooler fittings and cut the pipes, removed the nuts, re cut the threads as they were blocked with stripped thread, then welded the pipes all back together, all for £70 which means I have a good cooler and pipes then can now be separated. I will be sure to grease the unions when it goes on.

So, other than the exhaust I pick up on Saturday, everything is good to go back in. Not going to make Brooklands, I recon I missed it by a week if the engine starts and runs fine.

 

[Felonious Crud]

Good progress, Matt. Removing sheared studs is a right ball-ache but glad you got it done in the end. Shame you'll miss Brooklands. In fact, will you miss it completely or still be there but not in the Spyder?

 

[conaero]

I won't make it no, I am pretty full on at the moment but if the Spider was done, I would have applied for special dispensation with the perfumed ayatollah!

 

[conaero]

Ooooh, just picked them up, pretty d@mn good, the other 5 are still wrapped up:

 

[allandwf]

I have two sets that could do with rechroming, who did you use? They look great.

 

[conaero]

They are not perfect but good enough. The only issue is where the flanges are at the bottom, they are a little rough where the welds are, not bad at all though. You dont see these bits as they are buried anyway.

Paid £100 plus vat at Hampshire Plating in Southampton so for the money, very good for a set of 6.