[Sekal1978]

Hi.
I am considering doing a full resto an my gtv6, not for concours d'elegance purposes but for durability.
If i ever do this. i want to know what is your experience. Has anyone adventured like this? Or is it just not possible?
I mean i want to rest comfortably knowing that my gv6 will outlast east coast winters without problems. Also the extreme summer humidity.
Want to be able to drive it no matter the weather.
Protection from all elements.
Also in some mechanical parts. Better braking system,with vented discs, power steering, etc.
Let me know what you guys think and if there is anyone that did this kind of restoration.



ps. pressed the poll button and now i can't take it of. so have fun

 

[Joe149]

"Protection from the elements" - I'll be curious what folks think you have to do to achieve year-round east-coast drivability - that's not something I ever considered. Do you have a plan for this?

But, at least for me, the power steering and improvements in cabin insulation and A/C components/performance would go a long way to making the car more livable, in more situations.

 

[horsewidower]

3.0 V6, platinum or verde transaxle, Vintage Air installation, Milano power steering, better cabin insulation, upgraded wiring...

All of this is well plowed land. And, except for the power steering, where I'm heading. Brake packages are available if you want to go there.

I daily drove mine for 6 months and enjoyed every minute of it. My environment is about the direct opposite of yours, scorching summers with relatively mild winters. So I can't help you with winter issues.

But yes, it's doable.

 

[Sekal1978]

"Protection from the elements" - I'll be curious what folks think you have to do to achieve year-round east-coast drivability - that's not something I ever considered. Do you have a plan for this?

But, at least for me, the power steering and improvements in cabin insulation and A/C components/performance would go a long way to making the car more livable, in more situations.

I can't complain much about drivability, but then again it's not a daily. Better/new AC will help.
Protection from the elements, we here in new jersey spend 6 months with humidity higher than 70% and tropical rain every week, and the other 6 with salt on the road. That's a bit of exaggeration time wise, but you get the pic.

 

[Sekal1978]

3.0 V6, platinum or verde transaxle, Vintage Air installation, Milano power steering, better cabin insulation, upgraded wiring...

All of this is well plowed land. And, except for the power steering, where I'm heading. Brake packages are available if you want to go there.

I daily drove mine for 6 months and enjoyed every minute of it. My environment is about the direct opposite of yours, scorching summers with relatively mild winters. So I can't help you with winter issues.

But yes, it's doable.

engine and transaxle are already in! lol. wiring, yes. That is a big must i forgot to mention. All the other stuff is doable. i've seen it. but the total body protection is what i'm after. i've seen it done in american classics, but they don't have the bad metal we do.

 

[Gubi]

I mean i want to rest comfortably knowing that my gv6 will outlast east coast winters without problems.

Save the classics for the good days, drive a beater in the winter. Rain won't kill your car but salt sure as crap will.

 

[Gepetto]

What's a good way to isolate the cabin? Are we talking about renewed window and door seals, or going further into soundproofing?

 

[Sekal1978]

What's a good way to isolate the cabin? Are we talking about renewed window and door seals, or going further into soundproofing?

Not so much concerned about soundproofing. New and better better seals i am considering also.

 

[Sekal1978]

what to do in the places rust actually hides. like wheel wells, the fenders, the front frame where the radiator is, the boot lid, the floor pans. Replacing the whole body with aluminum. that would be nice.

 

[alfaloco]

I'm with Tom... why would anyone sink thousands of hours, thousands of dollars, and several years of work into the ideal classic Alfa, only to watch the road salt corrode it away? And yes, it WILL happen.

That's not rational. Drive a FWD throwaway beater in the winter.

 

[horsewidower]

I'm with Tom... why would anyone sink thousands of hours, thousands of dollars, and several years of work into the ideal classic Alfa, only to watch the road salt corrode it away? And yes, it WILL happen.

That's not rational. Drive a FWD throwaway beater in the winter.

We drive Alfas, what does rational have to do with it?

 

[Gubi]

We drive Alfas, what does rational have to do with it?

Hey, I'm crazy, but I'm not stupid

 

[Sekal1978]

That's exactly it. The only thing that's preventing us or me from enjoying it all year round is rust.
I know there are paint coats that protect the underneath of any car. Even survive the ocasional stone that breaks the coat protection seel. That can be done. Not rocket science.
And for 60 years america and the world drove RWD in the snow. Still haf the police cars and taxis are rwd. The only problem is rust.

 

[GoldCloverLeaf]

Realistically you would need to strip the shell back until there is nothing but metal left, have it chemical dipped, then fix any rust issues, then you would need to dip the shell again and have the entire shell and all panels E-Coated or similar, to prevent future rust. Remember these cars tend to rust from the inside-out. Then careful attention would go towards proper seam-sealing of panel joints and overlapping panels, good quality undercoating etc etc. I'm sure it's doable but it's going to be one hell of a bill! Modern cars already have all this done at the factory, but a lot of them still seem to rust when driven regularly on salted roads... but then again a lot of people don't bother to wash their cars very often either.

 

[PSk]

Alfa Romeo have already done this, buy a new Guilia

Pete

 

[Gubi]

Man, it's not just the body. EVERYTHING corrodes. Fasteners. The aluminum of the engine and transmission. Wheel hubs. Brake disks. Slave cylinder. Suspension components & the steel in the bushings. Like, EVERYTHING.

You can slow down the destruction if you spend a ton of money but you're still going to trash the car if you drive it in the salt. You'd be better off spending the money on a beater you can drive when the weather's crap that has a good heater and traction control.

 

[vintagemilano]

It would be cheaper to just buy a new Giulia. Or a three year old one.

 

[horsewidower]

So you spend 40k+ on a new Guilia to save, at best, a $7K to $8k GTV6...

That math doesn't work. You spray the bottom of the GTV6 with a rust preventer, drive it until it's swiss cheese and then buy another one. And do it again, and again. The accumulated parts get better each time. There are a number of preparations that can be sprayed on the chassis to ameliorate the ravages of salt. We used some of those when we went to Bonneville. If he uses those products, flushes the underside from time to time, he will have years of use.

I love my GTV6, but let's be real about what we're doing. I think the high water mark for a garden variety, but excellent condition GTV6 is less than 30K, correct? His is a driver GTV6, and he wants to use it. I fully support people using their cars.

 

[Sekal1978]

I love the Giulia but I would rather spend 10k on mine then to buy a Giulia. It's just not alfa enough.
I would not want an Alfa to be a garage princess . I want to drive it. And if we take the snow and salt out of the question, everything looks easier.
The few persons I know did a full restoration and daily or frequently drove their car, had bubbling and rust spots showing up a few years after. Is there a way to avoid that? Without the dipping in acid?

 

[horsewidower]

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It's about maintenance. I used to run a sprinkler under the car for hours in order to flush salt. You need to maintain the car before, during and after the salt season.

If your intent is to spray something on it once, and then have no problems for years, you are in for disappointment.

Now again, I'm not familiar with the salting regimen in the northeast. So take my advice with a ... grain of salt...LOL