3l GTV6 PRC project

[redalfaracing]

martin. They are only 5 m m bigger than standard0, i use the steel and rubber rings and they have not given any trouble. 

[redalfaracing]

Paul,  great to hear you are using your Alfa in the dirt. I really think it is what they had in mind when they designed the trans axle models. So balanced and sure footed.

Im not at home at the moment, so i cant measure the discs. I picked up some rda grooved and dimpled 306 gti discs that are identical to the drawing some pages back in this thread. I also got some 156 gta discs for the front at the same time,  but need new rims b 4 i can fit them.

Hope that helps. You guys doing a control for the B P ? Catch up with you then .

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Paul,  great to hear you are using your Alfa in the dirt. I really think it is what they had in mind when they designed the trans axle models. So balanced and sure footed.

Umm.....yeah......., I'm not quite as sure as you are about that. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they're great in the dirt.  But maybe in the same way that a condom makes an excellent balloon when you put it on your exhaust pipe with the engine running.  I don't think that's what the designer had in mind.

[redalfaracing]

Paul, the Gta discs are the 305 m m ones. I think i may have to trim then down 5 or 10 m m to get then to fit inside the 15 inch rims with the will wood calipers i have, depending on which rims i settle on.  i have not looked at them with a view to using with the standard brembos. Not a very large pad area for such large discs. Would have to fit spacers as view are a lot thicker.


Sheldon. Condoms on the exhaust pipe ?  why didn't i think of that.

[redalfaracing]

Paul, have not done much since the trail blazer. Cleaned it and done the front main seal, still away but back tomorrow and i will get stuck into it. Just need to make new exhaust pipes from the headers to the front muffler, got a bit munted in the last event. Change some oil and its good to go .

166 Discs should do the job. Have not done anything to mine yet. Not until i get some rims.

See you in benalla he we get that far!

Thanks for the offer of signs. I an already kinda sponsored by a sign guy. Sign illusions but if that dries up ill take you up.

[redalfaracing]

Umm.....yeah......., I'm not quite as sure as you are about that. 

I don't think that's what the designer had in mind.

I have been giving a bit of thought to this subject in the last few days, and now i am home and have a computer instead of a mobile phone in front of the campfire i'll have a crack at it.

I wasn't there but i reckon the Alfa guys brief was to make a car with true Alfa performance that handled more than adequately on all road surfaces encountered in Europe. That would include Bitumen, Gravel, Snow and Ice.

Go through the features one by one.

Obviously the transaxle and the DeDion. 50/50 balance ( with a 4 cylinder) Rear wheel attitude stays constant no matter the road surface. All drive is transfered to the center line of the car no matter which wheel is driving. Lower unsprung weight ( no diff and brakes going up and down with the suspension).

Double wish bone front suspension with torsion bars. Again lower unsprung weight. ( no springs going up and down) Very rigid lwr wishbone. strong and precise. ( strut front ends rely on a castor rod which is prone to breaking and must be rubber mounted)

4 wheel disc brakes. ( more effective than drums)

light weight responsive engine. ( most cars still had cast iron blocks and single carbys in '76)

These are the main points as i see it. correct me if you think i'm wrong.

Then we get to getting them to go better. It seems to me that less is required to be class leader on gravel than on bitumen.

For gravel, leave the suspension soft. V6 torsion bars and front stabiliser is all thats required on the front. Maybe some gas shocks if you like. rear springs are ok if you don't need more ground clearance. Thow the rear stabiliser away completly. LSD and twin spark 1st and 2nd, mild cams and headers. 90 - 100 rwkw is enough. Of course get rid of as much weight as you can. Decent brake pads and rally tyres, then you have a car i would be happy to throw around in the forest or in a paddock at the club khanacross. A half decent driver will find himself in the top 3 at any event.

For Bitumen, Thick torsion bars and stabilisers ( which means reinforcing the stabiliser mounting points) lowered by modifying knuckles, bending steering arms to eliminate bump steer. bending DeDion to give toe in and some negative. Huge brakes and calipers. LSD and close ratio box. As many rwkw as you can ring out of the motor ( still not enough ) Make as light as you can and you have a car that will be happy on a circuit but no where else. How does a half decent driver fare amongst all comers?

Pretty much gravel comes naturally to the transaxle car but bitumen needs to be worked at a lot harder.

[redalfaracing]

Getting ready for the "BP", Furthers came out Tuesday. We are car 36 of 45 total entries. bit large to put on here, but if you want to read them, PM me with your email and i'll shoot them across. Our start time is 1910 HRS Start location is the Pakenham Racecourse. We transport down to Sale for a 10 minute service ( fuel up) Then it to god knows where. Plan is to arrive in Benalla at around 0600 HRS Friday.

Oldest car entered is a 1936 MG SA. Fancy a 2500 km tour thru Vic and NSW in one of those?

Changed the down tubes. pictures below. 1st the old, 2nd the new and 3rd close up of the damage from the last event. Front seal changed and fuel filter. Full of rust from the tank. Gave it a good clean out when i built the car but must have missed some. If it re occurs i'll be looking to build an alloy tank. Scrutiny is at Performance Exhausts on Saturday 1300 HRS.

Keep you posted on how things go.

[redalfaracing]

3 days to go, car almost prepared. Oil changed, new plugs. Bash plate now fitted, Passed scrutiny on Saturday afternoon no problem. Going to see Stuckey tomorrow for some tyres.

Speculation is rife re the route. Now there is concern about the impending weather. Snow is forecast for Hotham tomorrow. Last BP went over the high plains. Every reason to suspect that we will this time as well. ( We have to go from Sale to Benalla,  the only way is up and over) I have done a fair bit of enduro riding in the snow, never rallied in it. Something to look forward to. Apparently we have a lot of deep sand on Saturday. Looking forward to that too. Be ok so long as no one gets burried in front of you and leaves you no where to go. Time will tell.

[116gtv]

geez, you're handy with the tools, greg. Impressive! Hope all goes well!

[redalfaracing]

geez, you're handy with the tools, greg. Impressive! Hope all goes well!

Thanks Martin, Really looking forward to this event. Real test of teamwork, driver, codriver, car and lady luck. Got 6 brand new dunlops today from Stuckeys. Not very often i buy new tyres, but i think this event warrants it. Snow forecast to 1200 metres tonight. Glad i left a heater in. Fatigue will be the big thing, we will try to manage it as best we can. Trying to stock up on sleep but with so much to think of it isn't easy. Car is running superbly, all i can ask.

This is the BP website: http://hra.org.au/index.php?q=node/1633

Give you a run down next week.

[116gtv]

AWESOME!!

[Mat Francis]

                 Gregs GTV6 is totally standard apart from, gas shocks, Lsd trans axle, slighty firmer rear springs and thats it.
                 

There's "standard" and there's standard. Not taking anything away from Greg (in fact it's a compliment), but that is one seriously well set up car.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

+1

This car is beautifully set-up, the details are outstanding.  But it's a looooooong way from standard.

[redalfaracing]

after today we are in 9 th place.  the 18 minutes from last night has been taken off,  meaning we were 1st place after division 1,  something i didn't expect. We had 1 horror section today. Just couldn't find an un mapped road. Lost 90 minutes but did very well in all other sections. Gotta say. This is a blast. And still 2 divisions TO go.

Car is still on fire, just as good today as last night ,,

we start tomorrow. Car 9 on the road. Around 7,50

[Mat Francis]

Excellent news Greg. Keep up the great work