With the oldest GTV6 nearing 40 years in service, a forum to document projects and restoration seems sensible.
KevinR
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by KevinR »

Thanks Bteoh, it's not the easiest on this slope and surface but I loads of cardboard to put under to make it comfortable. About two weeks ago during the strip down I pressure cleaned the underside initially to get any loose dirt off. Very little degreasing was needed but I degreased and high pressure cleaned again. After that it was the slow process of wire brushing any loose underseal before used about eight cans of stone chip. I do agree you get better stone chip texture using compressed air but very little was loose on this car so I'm pretty happy with the coverage. The temperature in the UK has been pretty hot with the current heatwave across Europe so the the underside has dried out really well.
Seen that a lot of the red body colour is coming through I have decided to paint underside same as body colour.
The correct colour code on the GTV 6 is Rosso 530 ( note four shades ) but the South African factory had other ideas and used a slightly less red in the colour. I removed the bonnet and took it up to local automotive paint supplies where they colour matched ten cans of 2k for me.
Now the taping and fun starts.
Pics are of the condition of the clean underside before I even pressure cleaned followed by the colour match scanning. The stone chip I used two colours to see I had enough coverage. ( started grey first then white)
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KevinR
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by KevinR »

Always exciting to get all the bling bling - plating back and Powdercoating . Must say the guys took good care in wrapping every item to parts don't get scuffed and chipped. They also supplied touch up paint and hardener.
While familiar with all the parts I thought it would be easier to bag them early on as this save s time in assembly and also saves the plating of their in a big pot. Had and interfering cat !
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KevinR
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by KevinR »

A nice big delivery from Highwood Alfa has arrived. These include all the suspension bushes, engine service kit, steering rack service down to new door rubbers. I thought while gearbox is out I will change two synchros even though it still not to bad. Some times when we go of on runs I let my mate take my one GTV so I would prefer to have fresh synchros for the untrained Alfa driver :D
My usual stock of Wurth nuts , bolts and hose clamps a total necessity. I find their hose clamps extremely good quality and good design with curve edges and smooth insides.
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KevinR
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by KevinR »

Thought I would start off with the easy job assembling castor arms. I am using the power flex bush here which has steel crush tube inside. I prefer this to the 105 series castor arm balljoint for road use. The polyurethane bush is infinitely better than the original rubber sponge. I use to race with this in SA ( originally before went to ball joint) and I can't see this urethane compressing significantly to affect and directness or response for the road.. Many will argue :wall:
As usual in all most of pics there is always a serious dosage of copper grease been applied to work nicely into threads. This area is very prone to rust and salts getting in due to its exposure even with splash guards.
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KevinR
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by KevinR »

The upper control arms needed a little clean it with 3m cloth before pressing in the bush. Loads of grease applied and I find its much easier to put a hose clamp around the bush here so it does not distort when you press in. Personally I will never ever use polyurethane here on road or race car. Factory bush is really good and from past for some strange reason I have found the poly bushes to come out here even with the two washers ! Anyone else had that ?
The top ball joint come with steel finish on top. This I painted as they do corrode.
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KevinR
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by KevinR »

The lower arms are never easy as the tolerances are always very tight. The standard bushes are used here. I don't know of any aftermarket ones. Many years ago Barry machine a nylon tube about 0.6 mm with bearings which slid inside. This was great for the race car and they are still in there when I last visited my old why race car.
You can press these in but if you got the tool then then pull one bush in at a time. I scotchbrite the inside of the "tube" of the arms making sure their is nothing that can pick up of the bush and even scotchbrite the bushes as well. Apply loads of grease and start pulling through. It sometimes does kink and you have to unwind and start again holding the bush making sure it stays straight. They supply dust seals which are white and much larger than than old black rubber ones. The depth of second bush you adjust with the thread cap . Make sure everything still rotates. The end the torsion bar goes in gets packed with grease and a plastic cap goes in.
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KevinR
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by KevinR »

The lower bottom ball joint is always pressed in with loads of grease and thoroughly cleaned out area with small wire brush. Big socket and the press does it. The arms are still in the plastic which protects the Powdercoating at this stage.
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KevinR
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by KevinR »

The torsion bar cross member get poly bushes. I would have used standard but they are none in supply. All the bushes above have been supplied by Highwood Alfa. These bushes can be pushed in by hand.
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KevinR
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by KevinR »

Finished painting underside. Weather has been so good it's like an oven out here ! While that is drying out the rest of the parts are been assembled.
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KevinR
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by KevinR »

Before pressing in the new rear wheel bearings I once again polished out the wheel bearing " housing" in the dedion with scotchbrite . Also check no Powdercoating has got into the housing. Apply loads of grease and with the correct tool slowly pull it in.
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KevinR
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by KevinR »

My preference here is to use the polybush on dedion for road and even had it on race car. It's not harsh and have not noticed one wearing out !
The dedion has a temporay place to "sleep" in the guest bedroom. I have got to get in the car in the next day as got family from SA coming. Not sure what to do with the brand new GTA engine in the corner ... Maybe table for flowers :)
I will plastic on the parts until it's in the car.
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KevinR
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by KevinR »

The cv boots had cracks in so I thought I would replace them and do full service. After wire brushing all paint of I painted these with two coates Hamerite.
Finding CV boots was tricky as they say the 2.0 and 2.5 take same boot which is not possible as the shaft is bigger in diameter by 6mm. I found these from Skf which matched up all dimensions but on reviews it said the larger strap does not fit. This was true it's 2-3 mm short but that I can find. The quality and shape of boot is perfect. So well recommended. I used one packet of grease per side shaft not one per joint !
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KevinR
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by KevinR »

All done but must try to find larger straps. These are 68mm i need about 74mm. The part number can be seen on box.
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KevinR
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by KevinR »

Prop shaft is in really good shape with fresh couplings. Always important to check the bearing " bush" is perfectly in the rear coupling otherwise you will have massive vibration and leads to clutch housing failure in extreme cases. Note I have three new couplings but not necessary to replace !
Old thing I used to do is make marks with the centre slot on the prop as when you lying under the car it's easy to make sure you are pushing prop in with it aligned ... Saves a lot of energy .
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MD
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Re: SA GTV6 2.5 restoration and few minor mods !

Post by MD »

Kevin,
One day when you least expect it, you will receive a giant hard copy letter delivered by a flat bed Mack truck.
The envelope will contain a letter of congratulations for winning the ALFA ROMEO GTV6 NOBEL PRIZE OF 2019.
Transaxle Alfas Haul More Arse
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