ALFAGTV6.COM

[grant]

David, glad you're enjoying the car!

Don't forget, you can order softer spring rates from Group 2 if you feel like you're getting beat up on our crappy roads.

Anything spring rate that Ron sells is going to be MUCH stiffer than a stock, or even Shankle Super Sport suspension, so I don't think you'll see performance degrade by much at all.

[kevin]

With regards to RSR on driving on bad roads, a solution I use when not on the track is to put the standard anti roll bar in. This is what i have done in my 116GTA.
We just had a race this weekend at Phakisa(ex moto GP circuit) which is 300km from my house. We put the race car(3.024v 116 RSR) on my friends trailer and towed it with the 164. The trailer was such a bad design that it was the most dangerous towing experience I have had. Cut a long story short I drove the race car home from the track with my dad towing the trailer. As it was mostly freeway the ride was awesome on this long trip and very comfortable. This rsr set is much harder than most as it also has the 28mm torsion bars. The negative thing about driving the race car back was the noise so I had to put a few wet towels on the stripped out floors to keep the heat and sound levels down. Even this was not enough so I stuck toilet paper in my ears. Should have seen the look on the toll booth attendants face. Anyway we sat at 160km/h all the way home (including the tow car with trailer) which did not take very long. Also duct tape over all number plates to avoid any recourse.(anything goes here just check CNN).
On my new 3.7 project car I have opted for only 60kg spring upfront and 28kg on rear and standard anti roll. This car will never go on the track but will give a firmer than standard feel on the road.
By the way Jim if you read this I was pipped on the last corner by 840kg 2.0l 8v JK spec motor in a Alfetta GT to get 2nd. Dam that car is fast.

[SlewofDamascus]

Some photos:

Thanks for the suspension tips - I'd actually like to add to the handling, it's still breaking away too easily - maybe I need the RSR watts linkage? I have the 30mm sway already.

David

[fedezyl]

Mate, your gtv6 quicks ass!!! Love the black wheels too

[SlewofDamascus]

Thanks, Fed, it certainly will when it gets supercharged.

It needs a piant job - desperately. I am probably going to paint it black, although I love dark grey (like "dan's" as seen a few threads away), and silver could look very good, especially with a silver/black motif.

Hell, even a very (very) dark brown would look exceptional on this particular vehicle.

Decisions. Decisions (for '09 or beyond).

I just changed the oil and bled the brakes after about 3k. There is an oil leak, probably front seal, and it's going to drip a little until the engine gets rebuilt, hopefully not for another 75k-125k.

I purposely ran the GTV-6 hard into a 90* turn, 2nd gear (I am guessing 30+mph, but that's a total guess), no brakes, just a simple acceleration from 1st to 2nd and then the turn. This was on a public road (I'm sure I would have been stopped if under the watchful eye of a p/o), but I want to stress that it was completely safe and chosen for its safety (I had 4 lanes of free space to the outside).

I basically wanted to get a feel for how the GTV6 responds when the rear breaks free. It was quite nice, actually The GTV6 came right back to me under smooth acceleration. Pretty cool. I still want to get it tightened up a bit. A power boost would help in all sorts of ways, too.

Interior pictures require the right lighting in order to capture the essence of what the coated pieces look like. The pieces look like the quality of coated "wood" pieces that one would seee in lexus or mercedes, Lambo, etc. I'm going to be sending a few more pieces to get coated (including the top two defrost vents).

Thanks.

David

[SlewofDamascus]

These dark ones are actually closer to reality (they are not washed out by the flash, 'cept the 1st one, which I darkened manually).

[SlewofDamascus]

A few things:

1. The front turn signals

What a money pit this became for me as I bought one useless aftermarket t/s kit after another.

Finally, Bob (Greg's dad), found the pair you see at a motorcycle shop. They are dual filiment, which is really cool (come on when headlights come on), they are very bright and easy to see, and finally, I think (esp. seen in pic 4 in the series right before), the turn-signal styling is perfect for the GTV6. What's nice, is that there are various options on this theme available in the motorcycle aftermarket (which is huge and of very high quality, generally, also $$$).


2. The "Limo" Tinting.

I hadn't intended it to be that dark initially, but got talked into it (which is to say I allowed myself). A little lighter might have been better, however, it looks good in person. It adds to the degree of difficulty in night driving (for the o/r).


3. Rear Bumper/ LP Shroud

I have decided to replace the rear bumper wth something like an alfetta bumper (probably w/out those black, rubber bump stops), chrome wrap-around. That may cause me to go to Alfetta rear lights, I will have to see how it looks.

I am not sure how (if, at all) this will affect the front bumper, which needs to be shortened if nothing else (a doable thing).

I am going to lose the license plate shroud.

David

[Mezevenf]

Looks damn impressive! I have that same steering wheel, only just replaced it with a Sparco suede competition one. Very nice GTV6

[SlewofDamascus]

This rsr set is much harder than most as it also has the 28mm torsion bars.

Kevin, if you happen to read this, could you please expand on this for me? What would replace the stock 28mm torision bars, relative to ride comfort, or ride handling (for that matter)? I'm trying to understand what the options are as I also have the stock torision bars (and 30mm rsr sway).

If this is a dumb question, what can I say? The alfabb was closed

Thanks.

David

[kevin]

Hi Dave
I needed to stiffen up the front on my race car and my easiest option was to chainge my torsion bars fron 24mm to 28mm as I had two spare sets in my garage. If i lived in europe I would have just ordered heavier springs from RSR(Ron). I run 115kg in front just like you have and 50kg on rear. I dont have the RSR watts linkage on but I replaced all the bushes on the linkage. I have the 30mm swaybar(anti roll bar) as well. I believe my car is exceptional on the track now as I am now in the top three of a big field and my driving is still dodgy. The front is so stiff I cat even push it down which is great for track. Even with my +- 200kw motor the back never comes out which is due to the tyres I use and lower pressures now.(Bridgestone semi slick). I think with any road tyre the back is going to step out so its case of what tyre will best suit your car. Dont go stiffer on your set up as you will get yourself into trouble on the bumpy roads in the bends and in wet weather as the car starts to skip on the bumps.(my opinion- comments ?) .Try get to test your car on a wet skidpan to see how tail happy the car is in the wet.
On another note your interior looks so comfy, must be great for touring. Why dont you put the European bumpers on if you want to chainge them.

[SlewofDamascus]

Hi Kevin,

For some reason I was thinking I had the 28mm torision bars (as stock).

Great help, in any case.

The euro bumpers would be my first choice, yes. Where to get them here? Patience, I suppose, is required. Not my strong suit


Great news!

Passed Calif. Emission including the new test Ist try As is

It looks like the bill has passed, and cars of these vintages will have to pass the Smog Man every single year, not every two


Thanks.

David

[SlewofDamascus]

Taking Interstate 40 from the flatlands of Texas to the high desert plains of New Mexico (Albuquerque), there are discernible plateaus, like giant footsteps. The elevation changes come over the course of hundreds of miles, where plateaus are reached in stages that involve many [relatively] small steps, both uphill and downhill. It's a chaotic, almost schizophrenic traverse that demands a great deal from a vehicle (with an assist from the driver).

Putting aside temperature, which was moderate throughout, there was an incomparable array of driving challenges - a very strong wind that caused disorderly conduct throughout the lower plains, (blowing easterly from the Rockies); this lasted for 800 miles or so; Interstate 40 is a popular trucking route and at 2 lanes there is a great deal of activity to keep the driver occupied. The true test, which I grade other vehicles on as well as my own, is staying power while climbing, an asset (I rather quickly learned) that the stock 2.5 motor is not shy about flaunting.

My own driving style, in this environment, is to keep a relatively set speed on the descents (80ish), while taking the climbs at a faster clip, accelerating to 100, if possible, but averaging 80-100mph, depending on other factors. This was, perhaps, the greatest driving fun I had on the trip. 2 reasons. One, I was able to see of what this engine is made (long climbs will inspire something) and two, I had a companion-driver for 400 miles, give or take, a driver whose face I never saw (or that of the passenger, for that matter), although I did wave once - early in our encounter, after letting them go by during a downhill section (a pattern that would repeat itself time and again during the next 400 miles).

It was one of those sheepish waves inspired sometimes by guilt, in this case guilt after some driving activity for which I did not wish to own an expression, instead hiding my red face between my left shoulder (that has my left arm locked at 11 O'clock on the wheel) and a right arm waving them past with a friendly, Royal-like wave.

I first encountered the dark blue SUV not long after leaving the lower plains, where I first passed them doing 81mph (my norm for the trip). For whatever reason, a short time later, I was a little surprised to see them pass me with some small amount of righteousness (like it mattered). I didn't feel or sense any anger/rage from the other driver.

I kept to my own plan for the terrain, wondering if I might see them again. 10 miles later, the lower plains ended abruptly with a long, uphill ascent and as I accelerated for the climb, the engine awoke from what seemed like a long, restful slumber, and growled to life.

I had the highway to myself until about half way up the initial ascent when I reached a group of 4 or 5 vehicles which had formed a spaced, single file line in the right lane, all seemingly on cruise control, in the 80-85mph range. I was probably about a mile out when I saw the blue SUV pull out and make a pass on the lead. Instead of pulling back over in the right lane, perhaps forgetting since he was now no.1, the SUV stayed put in the fast lane. Meanwhile, I approached the other stragglers just cruising along, by this time at about 95mph on the steep, uphill climb (NFPs) - the engine giving every sense that there was more, more, more.

More seemed like a good idea. As I slip the GTV-6 back into the right lane, the SUV couple in front of me never sees me coming. Well within itself, the GTV-6 had its prey, and we passed the couple (authoritatively) at about 105 'righteous' miles per hour. I saw enough of the passenger to see him or her kind of jump (oops). The SUV offered a timid response, but few automobiles can - at will - accelerate between 80mph and 100mph, at that steep of a grade and distance. The GTV-6 2.5 has that kind of heart.

It's the sort of test that separates the pretenders from the contenders. We've all driven in one kind of vehicle or another (maybe it was a "nice" vehicle) that routinely reached a mph peak while climbing a steep grade - 80mph? - where it began its slow, inevitable decline. In the Bay Area, the road I am most familiar with in this context is Highway 24, between Lafayette and Orinda, going westbound, where there is a sharp, steep grade that exposes one vehicle after another - for better or [mostly] worse.

Now 28 or so years old, the GTV-6 (2.5) passes this challenge with absolute ease, putting to shame many newer motors in the process. An engine with this type of heart is rare.

[fedezyl]

hehe, very nice mate! you definetely have a way with words indeed! I enjoy your writing very much, as well as your car

[Zamani]

Can you confirm that the bill has passed? Or did you read it on some blog? That would suck. Such a hassle.

[SlewofDamascus]

Thanks, Fed

Z, I don't know for sure, but this is what the Smog Man told me.

David