Alfa 33 Rebuild

dickyb

Member
Messages
432
Thought I'd start a new thread for the rebuild as the other one was getting a little elongated.

Car arrived back from the bodyshop on Thursday last week, it looked like a new car on the transporter and I'm very pleased with the end results. Shame it rained and the car got wet and a little dirty but it soon wiped off. I'm still having some fun with legal issues relating to the previous bodyshop who made such a mess of the car but making some progress so hopefully it will be resolved soon.

On the transporter:
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The car shortly after arrival, wheels are temporary and will be replaced with something bigger and better:

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I've made a start on some reassembly but didn't have a lot of time over the weekend. I thought I'd start by installing the wiper motor so that the grilles at the base of the screen could be installed so that the car was a little more waterproof. I then moved onto the wiring loom which was something I was not looking forward to, as some of you may remember from the previous threads the wiring loom when removed looked like this :(:

wires2.jpg

Pretty daunting but once unravelled it went in ok but still looked a mess:

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Doesn't look a lot better here but fusebox has now been mounted and a lot of the wires have been routed to where they need to be so I felt a little happier:
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Unfortunately I only made brief notes on where everything goes as I never imagined it would be 4 years before I reinstalled it all, lots of thinking and looking at stuff closely has helped to resolve a lot of the issues but more to sort out. I had to cut the ignition wiring as the immobiliser terminal blocks wouldn't pass through the ignition barrel but it should be simple enough to solder it all back together. I'm still a little uncertain about some of the earths but more thinking should resolve things.

I won't be able to make much more progress for another week or so as the car is 100 miles away from where I am currently living but next jobs will be to install the fuel system, brake lines and perhaps some items in the engine bay plus some more wiring for the engine and a/c system. I've also noticed the handbrake is only working on one caliper so that's another thing I'll need to look at. Its going to be a mammoth job and I suspect its going to take a long time:(. I don't think it will be back on the road this year which is a pity as it is the car's 20th birthday and its the 30th anniversary of the 33 this year.
 
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davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
Is the cat food dish being built into the car? looks daunting right enough, good luck with it. I stripped an old TVR S some years back and it took 2 years to rebuild, so i have been there sir and its scary!! but if you have a look at the finished product, I was well pleased once it was done
Dscn2083.jpgTVR ready for body-small.jpg
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Keep going Dicky, I had to rewire from new loom, my 1969 Opel GT. I never stripped the loom so no pics or tags were present.

Whats more, the instructions or the new loom came in German....so it could be worse for you!!!
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Being an older car there were less electrical systems but it was a nightmare and several things did not work from the off...no fires though so I should count my blessings.
 

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,038
Is the cat food dish being built into the car? looks daunting right enough, good luck with it. I stripped an old TVR S some years back and it took 2 years to rebuild, so i have been there sir and its scary!! but if you have a look at the finished product, I was well pleased once it was done
View attachment 15441View attachment 15442

Davy that is just lovely..Have a real sofr spot for the S...Saw it when it first came out on the Stand at the Motorshow in Birmingham....Just adored it after all the wedge shapes that TVR were making......Drove a V8S Version and so wanted one........Reall old fashion big engine long bonnet.....Love them and yours looks stunning.........Must look in the clssifieds now...
 

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,038
Had a week or so working on the 33 and have managed to install a few parts but didn't get as much done as I'd hoped. I found a number of parts that I'd previously refurbished had gone rusty again thanks to a "great" product called POR15. Some people rave about it, I have found it to be a complete failure:(. As a result I have not been able to install a number of things until these parts are refurbished, I'm slowly working my way through them.

I've managed to secure a garage until September so at least I can work in the dry until then, after that the car will be back outside under its cover.

A few pics of the quality of the restoration work that has been carried out, I'm trying to do it justice by ensuring that all the parts that go back on are new or as good as new with all new bolts and fixings fitted wherever possible:

View attachment 15658View attachment 15659View attachment 15660View attachment 15661

As anticipated I am encountering a number of problems along the way, mostly due to not remembering how everything goes back together, I never expected it to be 4 years before I reassembled the car :). I've managed to install some fuel lines, a few items in the engine bay and now have most of the main loom wiring sorted and have installed the engine loom and a/c loom (a few problems to sort there), one more wiring loom to go!

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I am hoping to make slow but steady progress over the next few months but unlikely to be back on the road this year

Dicky, she is coming along nicely..........Love reading this thread.
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
Looking good!
I know what's its like when you start to put things back....it's got to be the best, stainless fasteners, new or reconditioned parts etc.
It took me 5 years to put my Stag back together onto my 'new shell', hope it doesn't take you as long!
 

ZAM400209

Member
Messages
585
oh, I'm massively jealous!

I 'nearly' bought a 146 (which looks better in my eyes now than a 145) some years ago as a third car, but I'd jump at a 33!

Looking at the bulkhead across the engine bay- is it a boxer?


by 'cat food tray' he means the hole in the floorpan for the gearlever! It threw me a bit too, for a moment!
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,539
Thanks for your kind comments everyone, it really helps with motivation to keep going as I'm sure anyone who has done a major rebuild will know.

ZAM: you've opened a can of worms with the 145 vs 146 debate, I run a late 145 Cloverleaf as my daily and I absolutely love it, they are awesome cars and I've kept it all this time as there is nothing that has inspired me to replace it. Now on 146000 miles and still going strong! The 145/146 are mechanically the same so its all down to aesthetics although the 145 is a little lighter (and looks much better in my biased opinion).

Fantastic things. Mrs Catman had one, until someone ran a van into the back of it :(

C
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
oh, I'm massively jealous!

I 'nearly' bought a 146 (which looks better in my eyes now than a 145) some years ago as a third car, but I'd jump at a 33!

Looking at the bulkhead across the engine bay- is it a boxer?

by 'cat food tray' he means the hole in the floorpan for the gearlever! It threw me a bit too, for a moment!


As well as owning a 33 P4 in the 90's, I also had one of the last 146Ti's in the early 00's.
It was a great hot hatch!
 

StuartW

Member
Messages
9,306
Looking great! I have fond memories of my 1.7 33 some years ago, that horizontally opposed flat 4 was a delight. I had a switchable 4x4 33 Sportwagon before that too but the less said about that one the better!
Good luck & I look forward to seeing the progress
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,539
Card or cloth damage? If they're anything like the Sprint or Giulietta, they are basically upholstered hardboard.....
C
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
If it helps for pipework routing etc here is a picture of my old 33P4 with a/c.
 

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conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Keep going Dicky, nearly there.

I expect to see it in the car park of the Taliban next Spring, no excuses.......a pint will be on the bar for your effort!