my 1984 Alfa Romeo spider

final engine , clutch , transmission build,, install in the alfa romeo in a week or two..                            

yes..... it is rotated 10 degrees to the driver

Congrats on getting it all ready to install!  I know sometimes it can seem like no ones watching because we don't post in the thread but know we're here watching.

In reply to NOT A TA :

thank you.. but the exciting part will be stuffing into the car, and lining it up to the rear end.. i have a few ideas,, any other ideas would be nice.. maybe i overlooked something

need to cut the crossmember to get the engine low.. will weld in 1.5 inch square tubes on the rear area.. then re weld areas, i did not like the finish

In reply to Alfaromeoguy :

Looks like you are moving right along. 
 

What is the purpose of this dished in area on the adapter plate? does part of the flywheel sit in there? 
Or is that the pressure plate side. 
 

thats to clear the w/c t5 transmission inputshaft cover,,,this job has not been easy.. fix one thing..something else shows up.. but going from 112 hp and 120 ft/lbs tq to 217 hp and 180 ish ft/lbs of tq.. should be well worth it... hope

Yes, it will be worth it, but you do look back at the end and realize just how much time and effort you put in to make it happen. Great project, keep it coming!

lower crossmember is welded on,,not a lot of fun, and lack of space,, folding my 6 foot frame into the engine bay... sunday, i will install the engine and tranny, to see were the engine mounts will fit...    

the new crossmember stell is ..160 square tubing,, i hope this will be strong enough.. once i install the engine and tranny.. i will see how much room i have nad if so,, add more steel,, your thoughts?

engine sitting on engine and tranny mounts.. as far back and as low as i could get it...

Alfaromeoguy said:

the new crossmember stell is ..160 square tubing,, i hope this will be strong enough.. once i install the engine and tranny.. i will see how much room i have nad if so,, add more steel,, your thoughts?

I was hoping someone else would be the messenger but no one replied. I don't think the new cross member section will provide enough torsional strength and you'll have the areas you welded crack where the new box is welded to the plates.Not just due to the additional power (which of course will also have an affect) but because of the change of how forces are transferred through the cross member. Will think about possible options for structural reinforcement.

Meanwhile I've been contemplating your center link and have questions. Went back to page 4 and looked at pics of the engine mock up and the positioning of the tie rod ends. Now that the engine is back in place can you move the wheels lock to lock and measure the space you have to the oil pan? Mostly on the passenger side because it's closer or at least appeared that it was in the pic I was looking at. Also how much clearance do you have below the oil pan compared with other low hanging items?

after i installed the engine, i found that i can extra steel to the crossmember,, for right now. dri;; the holes to mount the engine onto the polly mounts and tranny mount, pull engine and tranny back out and add some more steel.. i did need to lower the engine into were the crossmember was to fit.. but i can  add an extra 1 x 3 x .160  thick steel square tube.. as for the centre link i will have to go under the bellhousing,, there  was no way for it to go under the oil pan,, i did a quick install of the center link with longer bolts..( as a  test ) the centre link will be ok under the bellhousing, it will still be behind the crossmember area for safety... also i welded in these from the upper crossmemeber to the front of the frame out of 1 inch square tube  .160 thick walls , to hold my engine mounts..   and m16  bolts rated at 10,9  are stong enoigh to lift the car

thanks ,    not  a ta...............question..i have seen/photos of this?    

NOHOME said:

This should be a fun car to drive when done.

Not sure I fully understand your paint process.  

I only ask because you mention that you want  a "perfect" bodyshell and I don't understand your approach. The picture shows that you had more sanding to do in the filler primer stage before you put any paint on the primers; the dark spots are low areas that either need filling or the surrounding area need more sanding. Sanding the clear with 1000 grit will give you a nice shine,  but it wont make things flat; that has to happen entirely before the paint goes on. Are you doing guidecoats?

Also, why one panel at a time? Are you spraying or rolling the paint and clearcoat?

 

I am pretty new to this paint game, but a neat trick I learned is that when I think the primer is ready for paint, I wet it down with a hose and look at the reflection. The water acts just like a clearcoat and it will show any imperfections. If you are happy with what you see at this stage, then you will be happy with the paint.

Pete

That is a sweet project!!  I've owned and wrenched on more than a few Alfa's in my time, mainly during my time living in Italy.  I agree 100% with Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear, every true "petrol-head" (as they say in the UK) yneeds to experience the incomparable "agony and ecstasy" that is Alfa Romeo ownership at least once in their life.  They will make you want to swear off pasta forever...most of the time.... but when they run and drive right.....there is simply nothing like driving one. You'll grin so hard that your face will hurt.  

Those Lampredi designed twin-cam 4-bangers are one of the automotive world's great power plants.  I freaking LOVE working on them, even though it has been a long time for me.  Alfa or Fiat, they are all pretty much the same.  Simple, robust, and with proper treatment, very reliable (the rest of the car.....not so much....) and the SOUND they make!!  At full song, the exhaust note is spine-tingling. Plus, they are just fun to work on, which is a good thing, because there is always ample opportunity to do so.....   I'd love the chance to rebuild one with some modern tech and materials. (ITB fuel-injection, forged internals, better camshafts and exhaust...)  I never owned a Spider, though I did replace the convertible top on one for a friend once. My #1 favorite Alfa I ever personally owned was 1968 (year of my birth) GTA 1600.  Possibly the most enjoyable twisty road car I have ever owned.  Not the fastest by any means, (Hell my Honda Fit DD will probably beat the pants off a stock GTA) but the most satisfying.  Honorable mention to my old 1974 Fiat 124 Sport Coupé, not as sweet handling as the Alfa, but more comfortable and better as a daily driver.  

I love old Italian cars in general, all of them.  I'm still hoping to get my hands on a Lancia Fulvia one of these days, but given their rarity in the US, I doubt I will ever get the chance.  That little V-4 engine is just too cool in a weird ort of way, and they were absolute beasts on the European rally circut back in their day.  I've driven them just never got the chance to own one myself.

nohome..i am just trying diff things on the bodyshell,, pulled all the plastic i could find ( very little ) and replace it with tin and lead.. as the oem builders did..did not like the blue... non alfa..soooo    

I have no room..... only 2.75 inches at the most between the header collector an the bodyshell ... i can move a little ..up.. but not back/rear.. and the center of the two header at the flange ( were the 2 become 1.. so 4 become 2 ) is directly centered above the bodyshell, were the upper A rm is bolted to the body.. so i had a thought.. i cannot get a 1.375 tube to bend that tight, abd i will need two of those on the collector... so i will try a 2.5 wide x 2.125 tall 16 gauge steel box. it will have flow defectores to manage air/exhaust flow then at the rear of the box.. back into a 2.5 inch exhaust pipe..    

sorry for the bogger welds.. ny welder was failing.. bought new on in the spring.. photo of boggers was last fall

from alfa romeo website.. someone else has cut there crossmember for a s2000 engine transplant   ... i have extra room for more steel behind the one i welded into the car.

and centre link with boot covers for the ros ends/ rose joints   

Alfaromeoguy said:

thanks ,    not  a ta...............question..i have seen/photos of this?    

Is this ^^^the same kind and year of car? The Steering looks different. Different Pitman, idler, etc. and is farther away from the cross member. If the car is similar is there a chance that swapping to the steering rack used in these pics would give you the clearance you need?

no diff. car, same idea in cutting the crossmember.. i found i can add some extra steel to the front of the one i welded into the car... and also i can lower the engine 2 more inchs and have 1/2 inch of clearence pan to crossmember

engine in the car now, on the motor mounts( sorry forgot to take photos, will post sunday ) starting the exhaust system  upper headers on the car, doing the collecion pipes now, slow work, not much room to do this  cut small sections, see if fits, tack weld next section... this is the first section... i can make good welds, then i bugger a section up,, oh well,, no one well see this part..