64 Guilia Sprint "Veloce Nel Verde Rd Challenge"

[Lionel Velez]

Hello to all,

I am currently in the process of putting together a '64 Giulietta Sprint I acquired a few years back as a rolling chassis originally red, but painted silver. Some of you may remember some postings here from the acquisition. I want to drive this car to Portland for this year convention. " Veloce Nel Verde Road Challenge"

It is going to be a tremendous challenge since I want to repaint the car before I put it together and would like some help regarding interior color options that would look good and still preserve as much of the originality of the vehicle. The current interior is black to match the originally red exterior. Here is a photo included of the car in its current condition. There are too many flaws with the existing paint, thus making it unwise to reassemble as is.

As of now, I decided to leave the car with the original Girling brakes. I am sending out a number of parts out for rebuilding, and plating. Some Similar Sprint photos would be tremendously helpful.

Lionel

[phila3885]

Lionel-
Are you repainting it silver, red or some other color?

Phil

[Lionel Velez]

Phil,

I am going silver with black interior. I looked into other interior colors, but since the door panels are black and in excellent conditions I am going to follow the the black theme. Too many red Sprints out there.

Lionel

[Lionel Velez]

I am finally done putting together my 67 GTV after many years of sitting in the garage I was not able to turn over the engine and removed the engine. WD40, Miracle Oil nor any other trick could not make the engine turn free. So, I removed the engine, pulled the head and found these hex plugs on the head among other thinks. I was told by the Machine shop that these were plugged in order to make the engine run hot for short distance racing. Since I am planing a 4,000 mile round trip from Texas to Portland this will not work. I told the machine shop to remove them. Can someone here verify the machine shop statement and can help me with an accurate explanation about these plugs?

I appreciate the input.

Lionel

[AlfistiSA]

Hi Lionel

The hex plugs will slow down the flow of water through the head, so your Tech is probably onto the right answer. Your car may also have spent a chunk of its early life in a very cold climate - Alfa's have big radiators & big sumps, my GT 1300 J only showed up oil temp after about 30 miles of cruising at over 4000rpm & the water temp gauge never varied whatever the outside temp & I live in a Tropical climate. It's possible your car lived in the snow belt & the plugs were installed to keep the engine temps up a bit - it's a variation on the theme of sticking a bit of cardboard in front of the radiator.

They should just be screwed into the aluminium, I'd unscrew them & have a look - if there is nothing wrong with the head, (cracks etc, etc), then have your machine shop rebuild it - new valves / guides / springs & set up the cams & shims.

Ciao
Greig

[dbest]

This was a standard modification as documented in the Competition Advisory Manual to improve cooling by slowing down the coolant flow giving it time to absorb more heat. There should also be a modification to the block to add additional holes in the water jacket on the exhaust side, these will probably be very difficult to see with the liners in place. Later head gaskets will not have the holes for the passages where the allen plugs reside.

Regards, Don

[Lionel Velez]

Well,

It is coming down to the wire, I went to see my Sprint at the paint and body shop and will be picked up tomorrow after a good buff. The challenges are staring to stack up. The time line of pitting together the Sprint is very quickly starting to encroach on me. I was hoping to put this car together by June 20. I guess that I only have 18 days left. Not considering that the GTV engine must be put together and install on the car.

Given that my tenacity is strong and my optimism unyielding, they will both make it.

[Lionel Velez]

The man behind the cars

[AlfistiSA]

Thanks Don !!

Lionel, I'm sure you will finish the cars in time, I know you have been contemplating A/C, but if you don't get it plumbed in in the next 18 days, make sure the rear windows open - this is a vital part of the rebuild to ensure a decent flow of air through the cabin - from driving both 750 / 101 & 105 cars as daily drivers, these windows keep you cool without being buffeted by wind from the open window.

If you can't get the rubber blocks for the 105 windows, I used stainless countersunk screws & filed them down just enough to slip into the groove in the leading edge of the rear window on my 105. I covered the thread with heat shrink & then fitted the windows complete with rubbers etc to the B pillars & fastened them up with stainless nuts to the front of the B pillar. I cut the screws off with a dremel & then "thinned" the nuts down a bit to make sure that all the trim would fit. I then pin-punched / staked the thread-to-nut joint to make sure nothing would come loose & finally I covered everything with Tectyl / Waxoyl to prevent rust.

The windows pivot on the angled bit of the countersunk head in the channel & seeing as it only moves a few degrees there are no binding or any snagging problems. The screws are not visible from the outside & everything is under trim - at least I know that the rear windows can't "fall out" while I'm driving.

I haven't done this to a 101..... yet, but you're creative & I'm sure you can work out a "fix" which would work for you.

Sprint washers under every nut keep things from rattling loose on long drives & towels over the seats keep things from getting hot & sticky.

Ciao
Greig

[Lionel Velez]

Greig,

I appreciate the input. I do have a 67 GTV with A/C, but it is not the one I am currently working with.

Here is what I got on the Cylinder head issue from a friend:

DO NOT TAKE THOSE OUT! Those are not NUTS... they are plugs, and are covering holes drilled along side the water passages to alleviate the constrictions adjacent to the combustion chambers to allow the water to circulate closer to the hottest areas of the gasket flame ring where the gas pressure is the highest and gasket failure is common in stressed environments.
If you try and remove them they MAY gall and strip, and the repair would impinge upon the flame ring area. Just do a VERY minimal cleanup cut on a MILL not a GRINDING TABLE!!!! and reassemble. By the way, that is not a fresh head and has a number of hours of very rich, high pressure service on it or I, as usual, do not know what I am looking at.

This head has been cut SO MUCH already that the intake valves have a wear pattern on the combustion chamber radius and a few more mm would put them into the flame ring and pistons. This head should have the assembled valve to piston clearance checked with the old gasket torqued in place before final assembly. What cams are installed, what was the lash before disassembly, what springs are installed, what type and length of valve guides do you have, do they have seals on both side and what color are they, what is the diameter of the intake valve head, what is your favorite kind of tree?


Again, many thanks.

Lionel

Heew we go, another 14 hour day!!!!!

[AlfistiSA]

Great info - now we all know what the plugs are actually there for !!

Get cracking, 17 days to go - good luck !!

Ciao
Greig