Alfa Romeo Owners Club of Australia Forum

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Mat Francis on July 25, 2012, 07:57:41 PM

Title: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Mat Francis on July 25, 2012, 07:57:41 PM
As above, I have a perfect candidate for the rally. I bought it off my brother so i'd have an alfa to drive while I sorted my two broken ones, but I haven't even burnt a full tank of petrol in close to 4 months. If I was going to do the rally I would use it myself, but unfortunately this is not the case. It's now getting in my way, and to be honest I don't really have a future use for it.

If it could be of interest to anybody I'll go into detail about it and exactly what it will/shouldn't need, but the short version is that it's still a perfectly drivable car, with rego till september, that will come with a whole lot of spare parts I think could be useful.

Oh and as I own it, I'm sure you've already worked out that it's an alfetta sedan.
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Craig_m67 on July 25, 2012, 10:04:59 PM
I need a Shitbox for the rally, although I am in Brissy.  I was also hoping for a manual v6 (90/75?) or a hopeless 105spider, just for laughs/sunburn (yes, there's nix hope of either).

This could be a fantastic idea for a thread if others contributed potential drivers (it's a polite hijack I know)  ;D
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: dehne on July 25, 2012, 11:13:26 PM
hey Matt
what $$$ are you thinking, can you put some pics up I know someone who wants a new toy
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Mat Francis on July 26, 2012, 05:59:34 PM
Here's a not very recent one. The body is pretty rough (had a few minor incidents since this, but nothing structural).

For someone to use as a shitbox I reckon around $500 with a set of 15" wheels with rally tyres, a very good spare 1.8L engine minus carbs (the engine in it is alright, still goes bloody well. Just starting to blow a bit of smoke. If I was going to rally it I would swap the 1.8 in, but that's just me), spare shock absorbers, brakes etc.

Depends what your mate wants with it though. At $500 i'd be keeping the simmons wheels, the bilsteins and the 156 seats that are currently in it.


Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: aggie57 on July 26, 2012, 06:21:25 PM
Mat - whats the reg number?  I had one like that many years ago.
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Mat Francis on July 26, 2012, 07:00:51 PM
It was unregistered when we bought it, but in a previous life it was RUV 733, according to our records. Sound familiar?
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Sheldon McIntosh on July 26, 2012, 09:25:16 PM
Great shitbox.
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: aggie57 on July 26, 2012, 09:58:11 PM
Quote from: Mat Francis on July 26, 2012, 07:00:51 PM
It was unregistered when we bought it, but in a previous life it was RUV 733, according to our records. Sound familiar?

Nope - mine was AFA something. Thanks anyway. Still a great colour!
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Craig_m67 on July 27, 2012, 01:35:35 AM
Quote from: Mat Francis on July 26, 2012, 05:59:34 PM
Here's a not very recent one. The body is pretty rough (had a few minor incidents since this, but nothing structural).

For someone to use as a shitbox I reckon around $500 with a set of 15" wheels with rally tyres, a very good spare 1.8L engine minus carbs (the engine in it is alright, still goes bloody well. Just starting to blow a bit of smoke. If I was going to rally it I would swap the 1.8 in, but that's just me), spare shock absorbers, brakes etc.

Depends what your mate wants with it though. At $500 i'd be keeping the simmons wheels, the bilsteins and the 156 seats that are currently in it.




Talk to me, talk to me.. Would it get a roadworthy ?
More pics, info please
Where is it exactly, anybody want to do PDC ? :)
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Mat Francis on July 27, 2012, 07:38:45 AM
I'll give it a proper go through tomorrow morning, take pictures etc.

Without getting you too excited or committing to anything, I wouldn't be too worried about possible delivery to Brisbane if it's for the cause. That is to say id back the car to get me there. The logistics is another thing entirely.

I'll report back tomorrow.
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Craig_m67 on July 27, 2012, 01:22:28 PM
Great, thanks :)

(http://www.alpimodel.com/minichamps/400120291~2.jpg)
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: ItalCarGuy on July 27, 2012, 02:13:30 PM
Do it Craig! I supplied Tsu in Malaysia with some graphics for his Super and he just used removable stickers, including for the white roof. Came up a treat.
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Craig_m67 on July 27, 2012, 03:03:13 PM
*L* ... i think i'm in already.

I'm sure I read somewhere that you could model as a uniformed Carabinieri for photo ops ?
(or am am I making this up and leading you on, yes wrong force  ;D?)
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Mat Francis on July 28, 2012, 01:24:00 PM
Alright well I wanted to move it into the car port and give it a wash to give you a better idea, but it just did not want to start. That's what I get for leaving it parked there for a month and not driving it. I didn't fight it much, really didn't feel like getting soaked when I can do it tomorrow or another day.

Starting at the front of the car. Minor damage to the drivers side front guard. Easily "fixed" with a can of paint of similar colour. Otherwise front end ok.

Engine- when driven and not left to sit, ran well. Used oil (can't give you an exact figure, as again I didn't drive it enough to find out). Has the usual minor weeps and such but no major leaks. Does not use any coolant, and it is very clean. As above, would recommend fitting the good 1.8L engine, but if I was going to drive it to QLD I don't think this is going to be realistic. Even if I did get the engine into the back seat for the trip up there, getting it out at the other end and such is a nightmare. I don't have time to do it myself unfortunately. 

Brakes on the car are good. Well it stops well. I don't know how the pads or discs are until I get it apart a bit, but I will have spare ones to give away with the car anyway. (Except rear discs, I've run out of them). Pedal is good, I think we may have re done the master cylinder a couple of years back, but don't quote me on that.

The windscreen has a stone chip in it. I was really annoyed by this, as we'd swapped the screen about 3 weeks before some dick head mowing his lawn flicked the stone up as I drove past. I couldn't tell you whether it will be acceptable or not for a RWC, I don't know what the rules are. However it hasn't gotten any bigger or worse if that counts for anything.

Steering rack will need a little attention. The inner tie rod on the drivers side has a bit of play in it. Again, still drives fine, but will probably need to sort that out for a RWC.

Moving back the driveline is good. No vibrations, donuts should still be good. Last inspected about 4 months ago with nothing to worry about, and very few kms since. Clutch working fine, again no reason to have any doubts. The driveline was never really abused (hard starts, dropping the clutch etc), so no reason this would cause any foreseeable issues.

The gearbox went in it about 5 months ago after the spider gears in the diff exploded while Scott was cruising along in 4th gear. The syncros when cold aren't great, but once warm it's fine and doesn't make any noises or jump out of gear. Obviously the oil in it is pretty new, so you shouldn't need to touch or worry about that. Driveshafts were ok so didn't bother touching them- should be fine.

It has 23mm gtv6 torsion bars in it and chopped springs. You will DEFINITELY need to raise it before rally it. I would just move the lower control arms one spline and give yourself another 2 inches at the front, and I will supply appropriate springs for the back with the car. I'm also going to swap the front shock absorbers with some acceptable standard ones- to be honest it's wasteful of a pair of good bilsteins if it's going to be rallied.

Moving to the back and she ain't so pretty. Scott was a pretty careless with a few parking spots and in a rush. Drivers side has been backed into a concrete pole,  and had a backyard fix with a press, mallet and can of spray paint of vaguely similar colour. Not pretty, but it works. There is also rust in the lower part of the panel that has been bogged up before. You will probably need to do this again I would think. Same story for under the rear screen drivers side. Might get away with passengers as it. While you're bogging that might as well see if you can smooth out the damaged corner and bit.

Passengers side rear corner has also been scraped into our retaining wall in the driveway. This one isn't so bad, another quick spray would make it acceptable.

The A pillars under the windscreen are fine. No rust at all.

All the instruments work to my knowledge (oil pressure, temp, fuel gauge, tacho, speedo). The heater fan only has one speed (flat out), and there was one occasion where it didn't work for me. Don't know why, don't know if it's going to do it again, something to be aware of.


That's all I can think of for now, I'm sure there will be plenty more questions I haven't answered.
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Mat Francis on July 28, 2012, 01:25:33 PM
More
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Mat Francis on July 28, 2012, 01:26:24 PM
Last lot
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: aggie57 on July 28, 2012, 01:58:17 PM
Hells teeth - how long have you had it and how many k's again??!!  Poor car..!
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Mat Francis on July 28, 2012, 02:32:19 PM
I think about 4 years? It was a pretty sad case when we got it, bought it for Scott for him to learn to drive in. Replaced just about everything in the car in order to get it registered, and to be fair, it's been just about bullet proof. He put something around 50 thousand k on it in just over 2 years, and the only time it let him down (apart from the gearbox, but that went in our street luckily) all it needed was a new set of points. Total km's will always be a mystery.

It's second lease on life is unfortunately running out, but it can't be said that it didn't have a good run!
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Craig_m67 on July 28, 2012, 05:11:32 PM
okay - we're in.

Minstry of Finance loves the idea of a Poliza version - Lets make it happen :)

Craig
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Craig_m67 on November 11, 2012, 08:10:01 PM
Quick update and a big thanks to Mat and his father Mike.

Flew into Melbourne early Saturday to pick up the (lemans) blue meanie for the 2013 Shitbox Rally!!
Collected it at the Tullamarine from mat and his dad who kindly met me and drove it straight back up the Newell to Brissy. Arrived 8am this morning after three hours kip on the side of the road somewhere between Goondawindi and Warwick.. Was having hallucinations, time to stop. Apart from the intermittent starter motor (sticky brushes?) it ran faultlessly ... Bit disappointed really i brought my bag of tools just incase, but the car was great, thanks guys !!  Lucky three of the four servos I stopped at had sloping drives or I'd be still sitting in bum#uck NSW *L*

(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/craig_m5/c3c3b22096d1d185bc16ee013ea328b8.jpg)

First job, re raise it to a reasonable height for the outback. I was leaving sparks down the Newell F1 style one the way home  ;D

Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Mat Francis on November 12, 2012, 10:44:12 AM
Very pleased to see, you definitely didn't muck around! I never really doubted the car, but its a big relief all the same. Shame about the starter though- perhaps it doesn't like the heat of extended driving? Was pretty sad to see it go after all this time- but I know its got a better future ahead of it than what I could offer, even if it is only briefly!
Title: Re: Does anybody need a shitbox?
Post by: Craig_m67 on November 14, 2012, 09:08:28 PM
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/craig_m5/be0dff4e4c533780265f4112e8bd4e58.jpg)

Neeee Noooore (http://"http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=181023219071&biolp=1&quantity=1")
Title: SOLD
Post by: Craig_m67 on May 22, 2013, 06:06:02 PM
For personal reasons I was unable to enter the rally this year.
As a result I also need to get rid of my car collection and this vehicle urgently needs to go.
Car is located in Scarborough QLD 4020

I'm keeping the blue light, no exceptions.

I will/cannot break the vehicle due to space and location limitations, so if you want something (15" V4 Simmons) you need to take the whole thing.

Vehicle is unregistered but runs really well. Get a permit and drive it home or onto your trailer.
I drove it home non stop from Melbourne to Brisbane (20hrs) without significant issue.


Very clean tidy engine bay. Didn't burn any oil from memory. Doesn't and hasn't leaked any fluids. Starts, stops and drives really well BUT has been lowered far too much for old man daily use :)  Full height rear springs, original shocks and a spare set of rally wheels included as per this thread.  Torsion bars are from a GTV (thicker). I'm told it has Bilsteins in the front (perhaps back) - Rides great. Includes a better sounding stereo than my 156, central locking on the front doors and is fitted with velour 156 front seats (comfy).

With the exception of a sticky starter solenoid and handbrake when hot everything works. Has factory second gear graunch, indeed from memory the gear change is 'fluid', bushes no doubt.  Exhaust looks recent, no leaks, sounds great. All gauges work. Previous owner has provided a reasonably detailed log book (mileage, fuel, services)

Some rust around rear windscreen and rear apron (behind wheels)
No rust around front windscreen (or sills/doors that I can see, quite surprising)
Significant ding bashed out on right rear corner - see pics - otherwise straight
No bumpers (as per thread photos)
Front windscreen has a 'patched' stone chip. I suspect windscreen fitted is not correct, it looks small.

Great colour, lemans blue, patchy and faded. Great patina actually, this car has been loved and used.

Very clean car really, would make the basis of a good project or race car.
I'll post some additional pictures up later and link this thread to the for sale and QLD regional forum.

Offers on a post card over next fortnight otherwise it goes to Sims Metal


SOLD and collects, thanks