The blog of a Leslie Wong
In the process of replacing my Alfetta clutch, I also removed the transmission and final drive – it’s all one unit.
My idea was to just to reseal the case with Hylomar between the final drive, spacer and transmission. But I guess I have to clean up my bench and take a good look at the synchros and dogs.
We started after an accident, here. Thanks to Mitch Conard and Jim Stansfield and Spence at Mesa Performance Parts, we got a lot big and little parts to put it back together.
The paint was done six weeks ago. The Alfa was failing, so we took the BMW out of the body shop, missing some trim and some details, because we needed a drivable car. Now it’s almost finished.
I went out to take these pictures and noticed that the driver side rocker panel molding was hanging from the t-bolts at both ends.
I spent an 2 hours trying to get 35-year-old molding over new clips. I couldn’t do it. Now I am drinking big martinis.
If anyone has any ideas on how to put on the rocker panel molding, please leave your suggestion in a comment. I tried hammering it, using a heat gun to soften the rubber and swearing a lot. (Years later: I had the wrong clips to hold the molding)
We are probably in for US$ 9,000 for parts, body work and paint + US$ 3,500 insurance coverage. Plus my labor, swearing and drinking. I hate working on cars.
I had the Xbox 360 and Forza Motorsport 2 parts.
But in Forza Motorsport 2, I was unable to drive with an Xbox 360 Wireless Controller
Now I find that if your Xbox is connected to a large screen TV, having the steering wheel on your lap or clamped to a table doesn’t work very well. This guy’s Ulitmate Xbox 360 Racing Setup looks like it’d be OK.
Now I have to find a racing seat
A new episode in the Victory By Design documentary series on historic racing marques, Grand Prix Greats, hit a chord with me when I saw Alain De Cadenet give an overview of 1950’s Grand Prix cars.
De Cadenet described the slow development of Grand Prix cars in the 50’s. Parked in a line, the 1952, 1953 World Championship winning Ferrari 500, 1956 World Championship winning Ferrari Lancia D50, 1957 World Championship winning Maserati 250F and the 1958 World Championship winning Vanwall. The common element to all these race cars? A De Dion rear axle and transaxle gear box.
What’s on my 1979 Alfetta Sprint Veloce? A De Dion rear axle and transaxle gear box – twenty-five year old trickle down Grand Prix technology sitting in my backyard.
I have been under the Alfa the past couple of days, swearing.
The new brake booster was leaking air near the pedal so I had to take it out again and put in another one. Since the clutch master cylinder and brake master cylinder are both mounted on the “pedal box,” I have to bleed the brakes again. Whoopee.
Now I have it up on six jack stands to replace the flex discs in the driveshaft, the clutch (whose release bearing is grinding), a worn rear engine mount, upper radiator hose, rear brake discs, coolant change and an oil change while I’m at it.
After dropping this exhaust system from headers, I pulled the driveshaft out and removed the rear engine mount. The rear engine mount is held in a cast “bell housing” by friction. To remove it, I used a propane torch to heat up the surrounding metal while I pounded it out with a BFH and BF screwdriver.
Unfortunately, the BFH, PB Blaster and the propane torch didn’t work on the the rear brake discs. This Alfetta has a De Dion rear suspension, a transaxle and in-board mounted brake discs. My next attempt at removing the hex bolts holding the brake discs will be a 6 point hex wrench with a 2 ft length of 1″ pipe for additional leverage. From what I’ve read, people also cut the heads of the bolts, which reduces the stress on the threads, making them easy to remove. I have something to look forward to.
(More pitures here)