Alfa Pages

The Wombat · Posted: Thu May 30, 2013 9:57 am Post subject: 33 16v update

Thought I had better post a little about what is going on with the 33 16v I bought off Alex at the beginning of May.

Will include a few pics of things along the way, but here is what is going on.

First and foremost, its a beautiful car and I am very very pleased with it. Thanks Alex for looking after it and making it what it is.

Alex gave me a good run down of the car's foibles, and I have started to get fairly familiar with it through driving it the last month.

- There was a small tear in the drivers side outer bolster. This seat has now been disassembled and the passenger seat is currently in the drivers position (just swapped the rails, the seat back adjustment fits on either side). A new cover is being made for the bolster and should be done this weekend. I adjusted the spacers under the base while swapping the seat, so the base is lower at the back. No more rubbing head on the sunroof

- While still on the interior, removed the carbon fibre plastic covering from the extra gauges and the heater vents, and replaced with some of that carbon fibre look vinyl covering, and re-trimmed. Just a small tidy up, and pleased with the result

- Brakes were a little lacking, but nothing a brake service would sort. However, I wanted to play with a larger brake conversion, so will be installing Vectra B calipers, 155 V6 discs, braided hoses, and a 75 V6 master cylinder over the next week. All the parts are here, just waiting for the rain to stop. Will post photos of this. I also have a set of rear discs, calipers, and stub axles for the back end on the way

- Have done a bit of tinkering with the engine. Throttle butterflies needed a tweak, and tickover is a bit smoother. Will be doing a fluid service shortly

- The gearshift is weird - some days it is exceptional and you could dispute all the negative feedback about 33 shifts, and other days 1st and 2nd are really difficult to select when the box is warm. Alex flagged the selector rod linkage was up for replacement and I have a new set of bushes to hand, so may take a look at this soon

- Whilst moving the seats, I found a few bits of sill rust under the OS skirt that will need attention soon. I managed to make a couple of small holes, but easy to plate up, does not need new sills just yet. Taking the skirt off, you could see how this progresses. The skirt rubbed through paint at the bottom of the B post, moisture and gravity did their work, and it spread from there. Underside is in great condition with a few spots to replace the protection on, but no worries underneath

- Sorted out the squeak on the NS from strut - the top coil when compressed was rubbing the metal top mount of the strut. A little adjustment of the top mount with a grinding wheel and all is sorted.

- A couple of threads stripped on the NS front hub/bearing carrier. I have a spare that I cleaned up ready to go on with the big brakes. Decided I will put new wheel bearings in while its in bits, as have access to a press to do this. I will get both sides ready to bolt on tomorrow

Really enjoy driving this car, and very interested in what the bigger brakes will do. More on that soon.
_________________
Drivers:
- Green Fiat 20VT Coupe
- Champagne 155 V6
- Winter Freelander
- Mrs Wombats Freelander

Projects:
- Various 33s
- Some 155s

Hibernating for 2015
- 75 3.0 Cloverleaf
- 155 Q4 Winny
- Red 33 16v

BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

Nice

Nice to see its gone to an owner that will continue to apply the much needed TLC to these rare beasts
_________________
x2 33 16v
pictures http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5203

lee16v · Posted: Thu May 30, 2013 6:40 pm Post subject:

The Wombat · Posted: Fri May 31, 2013 8:50 pm Post subject:

Cover for the bolster was done today, so put the seat back together.

here are a few pics:

Its a good match and should bed in nicely.
_________________
Drivers:
- Green Fiat 20VT Coupe
- Champagne 155 V6
- Winter Freelander
- Mrs Wombats Freelander

Projects:
- Various 33s
- Some 155s

Hibernating for 2015
- 75 3.0 Cloverleaf
- 155 Q4 Winny
- Red 33 16v

The Wombat · Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:20 pm Post subject:

Spare hub carriers cleaned up, new bearings and hubs pressed in, and a couple of coats of paint applied.

I also found a complete set of superflex urethane bushes for the front end in a big bag of spares I got with the white P4. Might end up putting these in while I have the front end in bits.

Anyone had any experience of urethane bushes in terms of ride quality?
_________________
Drivers:
- Green Fiat 20VT Coupe
- Champagne 155 V6
- Winter Freelander
- Mrs Wombats Freelander

Projects:
- Various 33s
- Some 155s

Hibernating for 2015
- 75 3.0 Cloverleaf
- 155 Q4 Winny
- Red 33 16v

BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

Yup, my car is fully polly bushed, best mod you can do in my oppinion.
Turn in is sharper, comming out of a corner the car just settles, feels planted Smile

Don't believe people who say it makes it harsher or louder, I didn't notice any difference, this was when my car was full fat road legal Smile

_________________
x2 33 16v
pictures http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5203

The Wombat · Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:01 am Post subject:

Chrs. Think I will do this if my vice is up to pressing the old ones out!
_________________
Drivers:
- Green Fiat 20VT Coupe
- Champagne 155 V6
- Winter Freelander
- Mrs Wombats Freelander

Projects:
- Various 33s
- Some 155s

Hibernating for 2015
- 75 3.0 Cloverleaf
- 155 Q4 Winny
- Red 33 16v

BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

I am speaking of Powerflex, only my front ARB's are superflex.
I think the superflex are harder than powerflex, anyone??
_________________
x2 33 16v
pictures http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5203

lee16v · Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:11 pm Post subject:

Pressing the old ones out was surprising easy. Did it with a G-clamp. The ones I removed had a nylon type outer casing (are they all the same?) so slipped out with reasonable pressure.

The Wombat · Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:35 pm Post subject:

paulhide · Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2013 9:40 pm Post subject:

Great stuff - I remember Dave Peters used to swap round the seat spacers just like you have. Smile

_________________
Owner's Club 33 Registrar. Now from P4 & S2 1.7 QV
http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5188

The Wombat · Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 8:11 pm Post subject:

Work on the big brakes is now complete.

I posted a few pics here if anyone is interested:

http://www.alfa155.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=44508

Some might have noticed that I had put the blue 8v up for sale a short while ago. No-one was interested, but I was offered a very good swap which has now happened as detailed below.

It has a few bits of body rust that need sorting:

The windscreen is cracked and needs to come out, so won't be an issue sorting the rust in the top corners. Fuel filler area is perfect, so need to get up into the wheel arch and derust/waxoyl/seal quickly to keep it that way.

I had plenty of time today to get underneath and have a good poke and prod. Bulkhead and floor are very good. Sill seam needs a good cleanup, but I couldn't poke holes in it and the rust is all surface stuff, nothing embedded. Spare wheel tub and boot floor are all good. Suspension, brakes, and lines need refurbing, but the underbonnet area is very clean:

Interior is complete. The carpet is very dirty, but everything is very unworn. I have a spare recaro interior and carpets to go in, so all is fine. Roof lining will need to come out and be cleaned, but is complete and in good nick - very important as its a lot longer than the saloon!!

Overall very very pleased with this. It runs (smells a bit oily so a bit more investigation) but worst case I have a spare 16v lump to go in.

Speedlines did not come with it.

I had a big turnout today to start making space for the re-roofing exercise. This SW will have to wait a while, as I want to get on with my S2, so that is now in the middle so I can move the cars each side out giving plenty of space.

Work on the red 16v saloon is just about done for now. It will get a fluid service soon before a little outing to Mallory, and possibly rear discs. The next big ticket item for me is the S2 (complete rust free rear quarter cut off another car and on its way to me).
_________________
Drivers:
- Green Fiat 20VT Coupe
- Champagne 155 V6
- Winter Freelander
- Mrs Wombats Freelander

Projects:
- Various 33s
- Some 155s

Hibernating for 2015
- 75 3.0 Cloverleaf
- 155 Q4 Winny
- Red 33 16v

Bobkelso · Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 9:56 pm Post subject:

Hi Wombat,
really interesting all your work,
you got also a nice space to work Very Happy

I'm interested also to see if rear brake
conversion with 155 parts is easy or not

About the front brake conversion,
opel calipers and carriers you are using come
from a Vectra with 288x25mm disks or 285x25mm?

If they are the type 288mm, did you verified that pads
are not going outside the area of the alfa 155 disks (284x22mm)?

One possible trick would be rework the carrier mount holes
(do them 2mm larger diameter but working 1 mm out of center,
and after fit them with a 1mm thick "ring" spacer to have
normal holes diameter for original bolts)
to move the carrier and caliper 1mm more near the hub axe,
as if they where designed for 286mm disks..may be will be
enough to have all the pads inside the disk area Question

_________________
Alfa 33

BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

Nice collection you have there Smile

_________________
x2 33 16v
pictures http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5203

The Wombat · Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 9:01 am Post subject:

The Wombat · Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 8:14 pm Post subject:

Some more work over the last few days:

- Managed to dislodge something underneath over the weekend whilst helping look after some DofE expeditionaries, so had the car up in the air to check and secure. Turns out it was the exhaust, some worn hangar rubbers and some hard knocks, so all sorted
- Took the OS skirt off as there were a few crispy bits. Really needs a new sill, but I couldn't get hold of one easily, so its now a patchwork quilt!! Lots of protection on it before the skirt went back on though:

Checked out the other side and the floor while doing this, and it is very good for a 19 year old car. Floor seams are intact, rear front seat supports are good, floor next to the sills is still covered with the protection. NS has had some work done which still looks sound.

Halfords do a very good spray paint match for AR130!!
_________________
Drivers:
- Green Fiat 20VT Coupe
- Champagne 155 V6
- Winter Freelander
- Mrs Wombats Freelander

Projects:
- Various 33s
- Some 155s

Hibernating for 2015
- 75 3.0 Cloverleaf
- 155 Q4 Winny
- Red 33 16v

The Wombat · Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 8:14 pm Post subject:

Some more work over the last few days:

- Managed to dislodge something underneath over the weekend whilst helping look after some DofE expeditionaries, so had the car up in the air to check and secure. Turns out it was the exhaust, some worn hangar rubbers and some hard knocks, so all sorted
- Took the OS skirt off as there were a few crispy bits. Really needs a new sill, but I couldn't get hold of one easily, so its now a patchwork quilt!! Lots of protection on it before the skirt went back on though:

Checked out the other side and the floor while doing this, and it is very good for a 19 year old car. Floor seams are intact, rear front seat supports are good, floor next to the sills is still covered with the protection. NS has had some work done which still looks sound.

Halfords do a very good spray paint match for AR130!!

Changed the gearbox oil, which has helped the shift, and as I had a spare, swapped the plenum, and tweaked the throttle linkage to get both sides opening at the same time. Seems to have improved pickup a little but difficult to tell for sure.
_________________
Drivers:
- Green Fiat 20VT Coupe
- Champagne 155 V6
- Winter Freelander
- Mrs Wombats Freelander

Projects:
- Various 33s
- Some 155s

Hibernating for 2015
- 75 3.0 Cloverleaf
- 155 Q4 Winny
- Red 33 16v

The Wombat · Posted: Sat Jun 29, 2013 9:22 pm Post subject:

Next task:

I have always wondered how a K&N cone filter on the end of the AFM in a 33 can be useful. Looking at that side of the engine bay relative to the K&N position, it might be a low pressure area (never measured so not 100% sure), and it must get warm from that bank of cylinders (again, never measured so not sure).

Anyway, I found a cheap used carbon fibre CDA on the bay with a decent looking silicon elbow and an intact cold air flexible feed pipe. The CDA is quite large and pretty much fills the old airbox area entirely, but going to try and make some sense of it and get it fitted tomorrow, with the cold air feed in as decent a place as I can find to force cold air into the intake.

Will pop up some photos tomorrow as it progresses.
_________________
Drivers:
- Green Fiat 20VT Coupe
- Champagne 155 V6
- Winter Freelander
- Mrs Wombats Freelander

Projects:
- Various 33s
- Some 155s

Hibernating for 2015
- 75 3.0 Cloverleaf
- 155 Q4 Winny
- Red 33 16v

The Wombat · Posted: Sat Jun 29, 2013 9:22 pm Post subject:

Next task:

I have always wondered how a K&N cone filter on the end of the AFM in a 33 can be useful. Looking at that side of the engine bay relative to the K&N position, it might be a low pressure area (never measured so not 100% sure), and it must get warm from that bank of cylinders (again, never measured so not sure).

Anyway, I found a cheap used carbon fibre CDA on the bay with a decent looking silicon elbow and an intact cold air flexible feed pipe. The CDA is quite large and pretty much fills the old airbox area entirely, but going to try and make some sense of it and get it fitted tomorrow, with the cold air feed in as decent a place as I can find to force cold air into the intake.

Will pop up some photos tomorrow as it progresses.
_________________
Drivers:
- Green Fiat 20VT Coupe
- Champagne 155 V6
- Winter Freelander
- Mrs Wombats Freelander

Projects:
- Various 33s
- Some 155s

Hibernating for 2015
- 75 3.0 Cloverleaf
- 155 Q4 Winny
- Red 33 16v

BigAl · P4 Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 2990 Location: U.K Surrey

You can push the flexable hose through the triangle shapped hole on the front panel near the rad. This is the place where the oem air feed comes from Smile

_________________
x2 33 16v
pictures http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5203

The Wombat · Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 11:43 am Post subject:

Here is the CDA in place

Really struggled to find a source of fresh air at the front of the car, so the air pipe is now oval and fitted between the radiator and the headlight.

Had to make modifications to the grill by drilling a bunch of holes in the blanked section:

First impressions on driving it for 5 miles or so, is that pick up is a little cleaner, and it revs through a little cleaner, but only very small differences which might be me rather than the car!!
_________________
Drivers:
- Green Fiat 20VT Coupe
- Champagne 155 V6
- Winter Freelander
- Mrs Wombats Freelander

Projects:
- Various 33s
- Some 155s

Hibernating for 2015
- 75 3.0 Cloverleaf
- 155 Q4 Winny
- Red 33 16v

33bits · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:47 pm Post subject:

It's amazing to see that you are looking after this 33 Niel, i'm pleased you bought it off us, Lorraine was sad to se her beloved Alfa go but seing it like this makes up for it, thanks. Very Happy

_________________
155 sportpack
33 16v Sportwagon
33 Permanent 4
33 16v (for sale)
156 JTS sportwagon
contact me for any 33 parts. Alex, 07896-327708

The Wombat · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 9:40 pm Post subject:

The Wombat · Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 9:06 pm Post subject:

Mocked up a rear disc this afternoon after school to get an idea of what problems I might encounter.

Here is what it looks like - don't see many of these around now do you Very Happy

A few interesting problems to resolve:

Drums bolt through the end of the beam with nuts on the inner end, but discs have bolts going through the beam into threads in the hub. This means that the top two bolts go in, but to get the bottom bolts in, I need to take the spring off as its in the way.

Handbrake cables off a P4 fit fine.

Worked out routing for the hard brake lines and need to attach a little bracket to the beam at the outer end to take the hard line to flexi joint. P4 has these bolted on, so easy to do.

Just waiting for some braided hoses to turn up and can assemble the whole thing. Should take a morning I reckon.
_________________
Drivers:
- Green Fiat 20VT Coupe
- Champagne 155 V6
- Winter Freelander
- Mrs Wombats Freelander

Projects:
- Various 33s
- Some 155s

Hibernating for 2015
- 75 3.0 Cloverleaf
- 155 Q4 Winny
- Red 33 16v

33bits · Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 8:55 am Post subject:

Nice 1, well done that man. I can tell you now that seeing all this work and attention is putting a smile on Lorraine's face (she misses the car). Keep up the good work Niel.
_________________
155 sportpack
33 16v Sportwagon
33 Permanent 4
33 16v (for sale)
156 JTS sportwagon
contact me for any 33 parts. Alex, 07896-327708