ALFAGTV6.COM

i'm seriously thinking of purchasing a 3.45L 24v 164 based engine from them and was wondering if any possible owners of that engine (even 3.7L owners) would care to give me their opinions/feedback on their purchase. things such as reliability, power output, satifaction of product, anything of that nature. i was planning on using a 12V milano 3.0L prior and may have a buyer for that so i'm looking at glenwood as the replacement engine.

any owners feedback welcome. thanks

streetfame

Could this go into vendor reviews? It would be interesting to hear some feedback on these hugely tempting engines!

Yeah, everyone has their own opinion but heres my feedback. Firstly i have been to four All Tar rallies where Glenwood has entered these big bore motors and have never seen an engine failure. These engines are totally thrashed to the limit. But I have also heard of a failure or two on chaps in their road cars which makes me think that these cars that have failed, as they been driven by monkeys and totally abused.
I started a 3.7 project myself five months ago with acces to every machining facility avaliable but decided to take the engine to Glenwood on the basis that Dawie has paid all the school fees on this conversion with his own machinists. Dont expect chromed 'bling' motors but you will get the basic conversion. My family has had a number of v6 motors done by Dawie over the past fifteen years and none have ever failed.
I have also done my own motors in the past and have also got a very well assembled standard 3.2 motor from Baz which is very solid.
Just my opinion on a touchy subject for some.

kevin,

thanks for the feedback. glad to hear about the reliability issues of these engines and the history behind them. i've commissioned dawie to build me a 164 based 3.7L 24valver and should be receiving it before the month is up!! john and dawie have kept me updated on all the progress and have worked with me to acheive exactly what i wanted. the service and explanations of options were second to none since my knowledge on performance building is limited

i spoke with a couple guys that had engines built by dawie and they echoed your opinions exactly. no problems. not one.

i took sydney jules and zamani's advice awhile ago and dumped my 3.0L 12v in favor of the 3.7L, once i found a qualified enough mechanic to do the work right...the first time it'll be going into a 91 spider with no problems. can't wait!! the next few months will prove to be very exciting. if all goes well it should be ready for the spiring of 07

thanks again for your imput and time.

regards,

streetfame

Hi,

I am currently restoring my car and thinking about an engine. Looks like Dawie is the Alfa hero so I was just wondering what is the going price for an engine of his. Also, can you get this in the USA??
If I understand the engine swap people recommend to get a 3.0l 24V motor to replace your 2.5l 12V. However, it appears that you can not get this in a USA car since they were rarely shipped in a USA car. Therefore, it looks like the swap is a 3.0L 12V for now it the most realistic.

Thanks for any input.

cchan,

there is a lot to be informed about if you are considering something like this. since i am not the go-to guy for all the amazing options that are avalible from dawie, i highly suggest you contact his main man, john.

he'll tell you everything you need to know and can expect from one of these awsome south african engines don't worry about getting an engine. he can supply all kinds for your build if you're serious.

he just got back from dawies shop in south africa and can be reached easily via his email: john@reginaceleste.com or buzz him at 425-941-4747.

regards,

streetfame

Jeez Streetfame all that torque in a 91 spider will be awesome...

You gonna do it up all schmick, nice wheels etc? OR leave it as a sleeper to embarras Boxters?

Id be doing it up to embarras boxters!

no doubt, syd!! mad wheels all the way!! why put all that power in and just roll on stock crap?? :D

i'm going to dump the body on a set of 225/35/19's that are patiently waiting for some fresh pavement and really good alfa mechanic to put it all together including some serious supports to keep the body in check. torque? oh yeah...a lot! should put down just over 300 at the wheels...

best part is that there'll be no buldges, flares or extra air-ducts to give away all that power. even the exhaust port will look stock...sorta. just filling the exit port in the bumper!

embaras boxters?? hell yeah

let me know how yours develops and what stage you're at.

regards,

streetfame

Awesome... I have silly ideas for my engine like that... six trumpets out the bonnet, some Simmons wheels (www.simmonswheel.com.au), really short gearing, just a showcar with enough balls to win burnout comps and like youve said, embarrass a Boxter for the hairdresser's car that they are....!

Sydney,

Here are a few pics of the monster...

164 based
3.7 Litre
24 Valver
Brand-new, long-stroke, 3.2 litre 156/147 GTA crank and bearings
6 indivdual throttle boddies
GoTech PRO fully-programmable, stand-alone engine management system
Ross Racing aluminium-alloy pistons...ect

Uh-oh....

Regards,

streetfame

WOW!!!! i just got to have one.

rz,

Trust me bro! From the quality of the build to all the support through John and Dawie at Glenwood Motors out of South Africa...it's worth every penny!! No attitude at all. Just great service and a quality product. Every question i had was answered professionally and promptly. Never did i feel pressured or persuaded.

Just as a side note...Yes, i understand everyone has their own views on the "best" material to use or what is lighter or stronger...that's a given. Nobody is 100% correct all the time and not everyone is going to want to rev their engine to 7-8 or even 9000 rpm to benefit from such options. For what i needed and for what i'll be using the car for... John had everything covered...and then some. But really....who's gonna tell Dawie that he's got his facts wrong? I think John got a bad rap just stating Dawie's process. I've learned quite a bit through John and he spent countless time at HIS expence over the phone with me - no matter if he was in Washington or South Africa...

At the end of the day, we all have a love for alfa's and want to see what their fully capable of. To have these engines avalible to the normal guy such as myself, should be seen as a gift. I mean, you just can't go down to your local performance shop and pick up some potent alfa specific performance bolt-ons

I realize that this thread does not deal with gtv6's specifically and that i'm a spider owner retrofitting a 164. However, i'll keep the thread updated for all interested gtv6 owners thinking of a swap or seeing what Glenwood is producing.

RZ - In no way were these last 3 paragraphs directed towards you - Just making a general statement...

Regards,

streetfame

Wow
We did those throttles come from ?
That thing is going to be just awsome !

Shit yes they are a nice looking set of throttles!

Daniel wrote:Wow
We did those throttles come from ?
That thing is going to be just awsome !

Daniel,

Believe me! That's the same thing i said when John at Glenwood showed me that option through him Those ITB'S are absolute nuts!! I love em'!!
I'm going to have my mechanic fab a sick set of intakes to complete the air flow and snake them down and in behind the front bumper, to grab all that cold air through a couple k&n's.

Thanks for the compliments and if you want to know more about them, just give John a buzz at 425-941-4747 or john@reginaceleste.com . He always has time to explain whatever you need to know or be after. Also, Dawie can custom make you just about anything...

Regards,

streetfame