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My yellow GTV6

12K views 43 replies 25 participants last post by  Little Italian 
#1 · (Edited)
My yellow GTV6 3.2 24v

Hi all,

First time I've been on BB for a few years.

We have a GTV6 that has had a 3.0lt 24v installed into it way back in the mid 1990's. Then a few years back we found a crate 3.2lt 24v and installed that.

This reliable car was used primarily as a road/weekend club track car and it gave my wife and I years of memorable events. It was essentially a bare shell with roll cage, Sparco race seats, lexan side and rear windows, fibre glass bonnet and boot, AP Racing calipers, rose jointed suspension, 32mm torsion bars, 240lb rear springs. But with enough legal stuff to make it still driveable to and from club track days.

In recent years as life focus changes, we were not doing much track work anymore but we could not sell the car for what we wanted for it (we've heard that before!) so we decided to do something a little different. Because of the sentimental value (old mistake! don't get too attached to a car!) and the fact it was painted yellow, it could never be considered for a restoration. So we did what I call a "renovation" instead. It's a renovation because you can add modern touches to an old base; like a house!

The entire car was sanded back and amazingly there was little rust which is a testament of the original car body preparation 25 years ago. All the little dimples on front guards caused by years of stones flicking up from the sticky tyres were gently tapped away. We had to install sound deadening and find a good GTV6 interior. We managed to find a near excellent set of seats (only just a little bit faded) that only needed the some restitching on the piping and the seat cushions stitching re-formed. We completed the Zender look with the inclusion of side skirts.

We put an grey alcantera-type material as the headlining. The dashboard was reskinned. Aerotech lockable bonnet catches were installed to replace the existing protruding bonnet pins which look sleek. We replaced the lexan windows with original glass.

But the pièce de résistance was what we did with the dash instruments. The existing dash is the single dash, not split dash. To me, it was like the Alfa Romeo designers back in the 70's and 80's had the forethought that the central part would one day be a perfect place to put a 8 inch touchscreen! We installed an Alpine X801D-U and it works a treat!

Using a Speedhut quad gauge: the fuel level, water temperature, oil pressure and also voltage gauge was moved in front of the driver. Also was the Speedhut GPS speedo and tacho.

The car has now been engineering compliance for road use. The end result is a car that we have enjoyed and used more often in recent months than in the past few years on the track.

Now to get the air-conditioning working again! Always something to tinker with!

Cheers

Vic
 

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#4 ·
Very nice car indeed! I guess more than one person worked on this!

Interestng the new instruments also, although personalized positions and missing the analog clock, but very nice finish indeed!

Also you must be a very lucky guy having that car park, only missing the Giulia Q and the Stelvio!

G.
 
#5 · (Edited)
I think I'm in love! Certainly above and beyond just turning a 'track car' back into a streetable road car. Masterful accomplishment!

A tiny detail in tying the interior with the exterior paint (which I quite like, BTW)... you could consider popping out the plastic accent trim bits on the arm rests, and front and rear window cranks, to bring some of the yellow inside. Or, painting those silver details black to make the interior all black. Just a thought.

I think I'm most jealous of your 24v 3.2 engine conversion. Would love to see a few pix from under the hood too.

Since you are in Australia and I'm on the opposite side of the equator, your post came in upside down. And the side of the car your steering wheel is mounted got reversed as well. :- )

Peter
 
#6 ·
Well done you! - Thanks for sharing your brilliant renovation!

LOL, I kept wondering how you fit that screen on the left side of the instruments... then I gave myself a head smack. Superb execution and I second the request for info and pics on your casual mention of "Then a few years back we found a crate 3.2lt 24v and installed that."

- Art
 
#7 ·
Nice story and beatiful car! The execution, attention to detail, and "modest" styling make it something for everyone! Need to post pics of the engine compartment. Yeah, we pretty much know what it'll look like, but the Alfisti want to see it the carpet matches the drapes!! Lol
 
#11 ·
Thank you everyone for the good comments!!


Gabor K : You are correct. A renovation of this extent is beyond my skill set! I've got a great team of mechanic/panel shop guys who have been servicing my Alfas for years. Actually, I have taken delivery of a Giulia QV from a dealer.... for a friend! The things you have to do for your mates!

Planetmojo2/Peter : I like the idea of some yellow door trim. I'll cut out some mock ups and see how it looks.

76Satisfaction/Art : Apparently the story goes that the official importer of Alfa Romeos in Australia back in the mid 2000's would occassionally sell surplus stock to the Alfa dealer network. If the dealer managers did not want the stock for their businesses, stock will be offered to staff. One workshop guy put his hand up for the crate 3.2lt 24v engine for a future project he had in mind. Years later, that engine was still sitting in his shed at home and had to get rid of it. Good luck and good timing meant I picked it up for a good price. It should have been a relatively simple bolt in job from the existing 3.0lt 24v (except the sump). But a 3.2lt is approx 1cm fatter wider on both sides! So the extractors had cut and weld to fit.

bshorey : As mentioned, the gauges are from a US company called Speedhut. You can customise the artwork on the gauges so I've got the Alfa roundel. The speedo has 2 green indicator lights and one blue hi beam light. I used one green light for the indicators (like the original speedo) and the other green light to indicate lights on. Blue hi beam is well, hi beam! The speedo is GPS driven so it is dead accurate. Yes, I know it will not work in tunnels!

The tacho has shift lights. The quad gauge is impressive. You can set hi or low warning light settings, which is great for the fuel tank. You empty the tank. Press set. You fill the tank. Press set. Hey Presto! The fuel gauge is calibrated! It works out itself the rest!

Del : The original person who painted the car and had the original 3.0lt 24v installed wanted to enter this car into road rallies. He wanted to beat Porsches! So he painted his car a Porsche yellow! I don't know if that is true or just bull, but it's a good story anyway! Another story version is that the original person wanted to purchase my mechanic's Group A GTV6 which was declined. So he said build something similar. That Group A GTV6 is painted yellow. That's also why the original brakes on my car was the old Group A twin caliper set up.


As requested, here are some engine pics. I am still to tidy up the wiring ... still a bit messy for my liking.

Cheers!

Vic
 

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#12 ·
This GTV 6 is absolutely amazing in concept AND execution! To bring a track car back to streetable condition, and with this level of attention to civilized detail... hey- I take off me hat to you guys! And with A/C.. that's the icing on the cake.

I would also like to see photos of that 3.2 under the hood. And that's a Zender body kit, right?
 
#14 ·
Those that have been brave enough to take a crack at converting a 24v engine to work in the RWD chassis seem to have attacked some of the details in varied ways. Some chose to retain the offset intake plenum from the original 24v engine. Some have opted for a widened version of the center mounted plenums from 12v 2.5 engines. Even from those, there are differences in how they handled the air filter, etc. A couple of options on the brake servo too.

So, my interest in seeing pix of the engine bay would be to see what direction was taken on those options.
 
#17 ·
Hi all,

Sorry, it appears my subsequent post is out of sequence. (A message popped saying since I am new poster, my latest post was sent to the moderators for approval. All good).

So see post #11!

The first 24v engine in the car ran trouble free for 15 years. It was not modified internally. The airbox and air intakes were enlarged but the plenum is standard. On the exhaust side, the extractors have short primaries. But essentially it was a standard and reliable engine until 2010 when oil began leaking from the airbox (?!) and felt sluggish. That's when we thought a rebuild was in order but then the 3.2lt was found and bought. Like its predecessor, we left the internals unmodified.

I'll post a link to Youtube of a short video of it's first start up (after I click over 10 posts!) :)

Cheers,
 
#18 ·
Yeowzah !! Thanks for those engine bay pix. That's the first iteration of the 24v conversion I've seen that retained the stock air filter box. Confirming my hopeful thinking on that being a possibility for my own 24v 3.0 project. Did you use the same stock plastic inlet snorkel on the grille side of the air box? Or, did you figure a way to open that up to more closely match the larger size of the 24v snorkel?

I'm over my head on such issues... But I noted that the AFM on the air box had been eliminated. I think I remember someone explaining that could be done if you went with a programmed 'Megasquirt-style' system. I may be off base with that, tho? Clever arrangement on your enlarging that corner of the air box and including the pipe back toward the throttle body. That flat section below where the AFM used to live does block a triangle shaped section of the air filter. Altho the GTV6 air filter is a bit larger than the 24v, it couldn't hurt. Maybe that detail alone allowed you to leave the inlet snorkel as is?

I have some pix of what the double-wide GTV6 center mount plenum looks like, if you're curious. Your engine bay looks so clean and sorted out, I can't imagine you'd want to be making any changes at this stage tho.

Couldn't quite tell what new stuff you had added around where the brake servo lived. Couldn't see any sign of the servo canister.

Most excellent work, my man!
 
#21 ·
As a guy who is following his own (insane) path to GTV6 restoration/modification, I commend you on your choices and direction. Those 3.2L GTA engines are few and far between, so nice to see someone snag one and install in such a sweet GVT6 project such as this! I really like what you've done for gauges... my GTV6 project has a gauge upgrade as well, but something a bit different. I like what you've done!

Love the 'fly yellow' paint job and body kit treatment as well. Very well done overall with, from a distant observation, high quality of execution!

Cheers mate!
 
#22 ·
Hi guys,

Planetmojo2/Peter : The enlarged air filter box has a secret! It draws air from the original snorkel AND from a large hole underneath into the wheel well. I've seen pics of a double plenum arrangement and I reckon that will be a future project, but not at the moment.
All the servo assisted braking has been previously removed for track work. It is now a pedal box arrangement with no assistance. The pedal is always rock hard but even after a hour of continuous track time! No more soggy pedal!
What I need to improve in the engine bay is the wiring. As a track car, it did not matter too much. But as a street car, gaffer tape wiring is not acceptable and visually untidy! I'm not going for a hot-rod look where all the wiring is hidden in the wheel guards, just tidied up and laid out nicely.

alfaloco : The AFM is aftermarket. Sorry, I don't know the make/model as it was installed 20 years ago! (and not by me!)

martym00se72 : I see you are from Adelaide, South Australia. Did you ever see the car in its race trim went we came to your Mallala Circuit?

Renaldo : I look forward to seeing your gauge upgrade project!

Cheers

Vic
 
#23 ·
It looks beautiful Vic. The 3.2 is the ultimate expression of one of the best engines ever made in my opinion. My GT sounds awesome and has all the grunt I need. We would love to put a 3.2 in our 75 project car and get it looking as good as your GTV6.
 
#24 ·
Thanks for your response to my questions on how you handled those conversion details! Very helpful to see some new variations on those choices.

On a GTV6 I had picked up cheap from a salvage yard as a parts car, years ago, I found some performance goodies hiding on it as I began tearing it down. Shankle racing front away bar, modified air box, and likely some other internal tweaks that were not apparent to me. The air filter box had a grouping of a dozen 10mm holes drilled in the lower half of the shell, where you would never see them. I assume the PO thought it needed to breathe a little better. This option would not be feeding from the colder air near the grille with the additional venting. But could be a poor-man's solution to increasing the air allowed into the lower side of the air filter? My configuration will likely mount the slightly larger AFM from the 24v engine to the GTV6 air box. If I find I have enough clearance between the AFM and the hood, I may increase the width of the rubber donuts where the air box mounts to the inner fender arch, to elevate a touch and allow more air between the two. My budgetary restraints on how crazy I can get look to be a bit more limited than how you addressed your ultra-fine version.

In picking some brains on how wide the modified double-wide GTV6 intake plenum should be... an expert on the subject sent me fotos of what he had done. I replied that I could determine how much of each side he used by just counting the remaining stripes in the casting. I had assumed he had done some very careful calculations on the internal volume required for the 24v 3.0 engine. Was told that he just wanted it as large as humanly possible. So, the volume is basically twice that of the original plenum. From that, I assume the exact size is not all that critical, as long as it is larger. I've seen a couple of variations on how the 6 intake ports on the underside were dealt with. One used the inline ports pirated from the 24v plenum. The other had welded in the 6 staggered ports from the GTV6 plenum. I'm thinking it might be easier, when creating the intake runner pipes, to use the inline arrangement. From my inquires, I was shown a pic of a modified plenum supplied by a shop in Holland that makes those to sell. The finished product was so perfect that no weld lines were visible (at least, from the top).

Thanks again for you input,
Peter


"Planetmojo2/Peter : The enlarged air filter box has a secret! It draws air from the original snorkel AND from a large hole underneath into the wheel well. I've seen pics of a double plenum arrangement and I reckon that will be a future project, but not at the moment.
All the servo assisted braking has been previously removed for track work. It is now a pedal box arrangement with no assistance. The pedal is always rock hard but even after a hour of continuous track time! No more soggy pedal!"
 
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