Alfetta GT restoration

Alfetta GT restoration 1978 1.6 Alfetta GT Restoration

Well, that's it finally on it's side. Just a couple of bracing bars to add and ready to start ordering some panels.
13/11/2023

Well, that's it finally on it's side. Just a couple of bracing bars to add and ready to start ordering some panels.

Another couple of hours stripping the front suspension components. There's a bit of kick in those torsion bars! Everyth...
03/10/2023

Another couple of hours stripping the front suspension components. There's a bit of kick in those torsion bars! Everything seems to be original factory fitted. Anti roll bar rubber mounts with no split, original ball joints and I'm pretty sure the shock absorbers are original or specified adjustables on front and rear. Can't remember if blue paint is Spax. Going to change plans for front rotisserie mountings from engine mount points to front lower suspension stay bar body mounts. Closer to the stand and hopefully less flexing.

No been much Alfetta action due to other summer projects. Now the nights are cutting in, I had a couple of hours spare b...
26/09/2023

No been much Alfetta action due to other summer projects. Now the nights are cutting in, I had a couple of hours spare between jobs to get it back on the mini lift. Rear suspension etc removed, I think it's going to be best to mount the rear rotisserie on the tow bar mounts before it's removed for good. Not too bad beneath really, for an old Alfa. Got to get the Matchless and ladders away for the winter before removing the front suspension components. You can see some other distractions looming in the background.

Bit of tatting this evening. Seats, doors and boot lid removed and angles sorted for front rotisserie engine mounting po...
08/02/2023

Bit of tatting this evening. Seats, doors and boot lid removed and angles sorted for front rotisserie engine mounting points. Inner sills in pretty good nick and for some inexplicable reason, found a two shilling coin from 1966 under the carpet.

No much happening on the Alfa atm. Doors and seats to come off/out shortly. Busy fabricating the rotisserie at school wi...
01/02/2023

No much happening on the Alfa atm. Doors and seats to come off/out shortly. Busy fabricating the rotisserie at school with some scrap steel. If anyone's had experience of the best mounting points for the Alfetta, I'd be interested to know. Otherwise thinking engine mountings at the front and tow bar rear.

A couple of weeks ago, Sam and I removed the transaxle. Everything was pretty straight forward, although the rear centra...
19/01/2023

A couple of weeks ago, Sam and I removed the transaxle. Everything was pretty straight forward, although the rear central metalastic bush had to be burnt out with the oxy/acetylene. I'm now measuring up to make a rotisserie to rotate the shell, pics to follow.

Rather nice piece of sales literature I received over the festive period. Love this sort of stuff as helps motivate duri...
07/01/2023

Rather nice piece of sales literature I received over the festive period. Love this sort of stuff as helps motivate during the winter months when you're staring at piles of rust and non-functioning parts!

Fuel tank removal. This was easy enough, only one of the three bolts snapped, it's in pretty good nick and I'll add it t...
05/01/2023

Fuel tank removal. This was easy enough, only one of the three bolts snapped, it's in pretty good nick and I'll add it to the box of bits to be sent off for shot blasting and powder coating in Darlington.

Engine removal was straight forward but for the flywheel and two-part prop shaft which required taking off.
05/01/2023

Engine removal was straight forward but for the flywheel and two-part prop shaft which required taking off.

I had hoped to get the engine running whilst in the car but it became clear that it would be best to remove it. This was...
05/01/2023

I had hoped to get the engine running whilst in the car but it became clear that it would be best to remove it. This was especially the case as I intend to put the car on its side to deal with the sill and surface corrosion on the underbody. The first thing was to remove the head, which was stubborn at first but with a bit of gentle persuasion came off OK. Once removed, we could clearly see evidence of head gasket failure, which is I guess, the reason why the car was scrapped in the first place.

I suspected that the indicated mileage was around the clock at around 25K or so, but when looking at the cams and shims, etc, they are showing very little evidence of wear, which may suggest that the mileage is correct. If anyone has better knowledge regarding wear on the Nord engine, I'd be happy to hear it!

05/01/2023

Hello there. This page is for me to document the restoration of my 1978 Alfetta 1.6 GT. The car was saved from the scrap yard in the nineties, it was a pretty close call for it, as there are marks on the gutters above the doors where it what strapped up on the crane. It's amazingly solid for having sat unused for such a long time, the only full panel it requires is the o/s driver's sill which has been cut off at some point. There's also some grot in the tops of the front wings due to mud traps which will need new metal. Keeping the Alfa company is a '97 Mini Cooper MPI which also fights for my attention.

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