Alfa Romeo Owners Club of Australia Forum

Hi everyone, inspired by shiny_car's 75 restoration, I decided to create a topic on the work I have done to my 164 over the past few months.

Quick info: Just letting you all know I am only 15 (yes you read correctly) and I am just starting to get into the mechanical side of things around cars, so nothing crazy will be done (engine work, cams, valves etc) just simple things, mostly aesthetic work.
This is also going to be my first car as I turn 16 in August. And don't worry, this car is being loved and cared for properly.



The car used to belong to my parents who acquired it in 1995. It was used mainly as a weekend car but sometimes was used on a daily basis. It was driven for around 5 years and up until 2000 then the car sat for 15 years until now. (Due to this, the car only has 146,000 kms on the clock). It was garaged until 2009 then was moved up the side of the house, neglected. As I started to get into the car scene, I grew a love for Alfa's. So for my first car, my parents offered me the 164. I couldn't say no!



Last year, the work began. The car hadn't been started for at least 10 years. So of course when we put petrol in it and tried to start it, it wouldn't start 😟. We have a friend who is a mechanic so he offered to get it running for us. We booked a tow truck and off it went. Turned out there was 10 year old fuel in the tank that had turned to sludge, so out came the fuel tank and it got cleaned. Unfortunately the fuel pump was also gone, so a brand new original pump and fuel filter was installed. Filled with fuel, turned the key and it started first go!


This year is when most of the work began. In Feburary we bought a donor car of the exact same year and colour. The only difference being this one has a sunroof and a material interior instead of the leather in mine. The car was located in Sydney. As I live in Melbourne, it was time for a road trip! 😃
My parents and I drove up, bought the car, and drove back the next day.
Surprisingly during the trip, there were no problems! Apart from the heater being stuck on hot with no air conditioning and the day being 36 degrees... Arghhhhhhhhh. Anyway, 4 slurpees later and we arrived home.

Here are the pics of the cars together when we first got home:
(http://i.imgur.com/I3gMLkN.jpg) (https://imgur.com/I3gMLkN)

(http://i.imgur.com/R7UiYuJ.jpg) (https://imgur.com/R7UiYuJ)

(http://i.imgur.com/7PeqYWp.jpg) (https://imgur.com/7PeqYWp)

The next day, the interior got cleaned using a wet/dry vacuum.
(http://i.imgur.com/8YH2wUk.jpg) (https://imgur.com/8YH2wUk)

(http://i.imgur.com/MuKHwcL.jpg) (https://imgur.com/MuKHwcL)

Then the first job, changing the interiors. The leather interior in my car was hard, cracked and faded. So out with the old, in with the new. Wait that doesn't make sense, out with the old, in with the old new! That day was also a 35 degree heat day......
(http://i.imgur.com/GoKY6DV.jpg) (https://imgur.com/GoKY6DV)

(http://i.imgur.com/5c4lKhq.jpg) (https://imgur.com/5c4lKhq)

(http://i.imgur.com/LK8kEAe.jpg) (https://imgur.com/LK8kEAe)

Then came the job of switching the bonnets and bootlids. (I don't have any pictures of this). The reason being the original bonnet had been resprayed and faded with no shine (backyard job, didn't mask up at all so over sprayed the WRONG colour red over the top of the fenders too. Mmmmmm, nice 😠) also the bootlid had missing emblems (superglued by previous owner). And that too had been resprayed.

A while after, I then switched the front doors from the donor car onto mine. As I said earlier, the previous owner did not care about repair jobs. The passenger side front door has been half resprayed with the wrong colour door so half was the original paint and half was resprayed (not even primer or sanded back the paint underneath!) and the drivers door window winder was not working, so I switched the whole door.

Then after that was the little jobs.
Things such as reprinting the side mirrors. The black paint was peeling off so I sanded them down, primed and then resprayed with satin black spray paint.
(http://i.imgur.com/Pohkvf3.jpg) (https://imgur.com/Pohkvf3)


The same thing was happening with the small black pillar on the back windows. So I sanded it back and tested it on the donor car first, work perfectly and got a great result so did it on my car.

Then it was time for its first oil change in 20+ years.
(Yes that's me! Not to happy because I spent 2+ hours trying to remove the oil filter, finally gave in and bought an oil filter removal tool, worked great!)

(http://i.imgur.com/csDVJlQ.jpg) (https://imgur.com/csDVJlQ)

(http://i.imgur.com/VPBlIrV.jpg) (https://imgur.com/VPBlIrV)

The old coolant was then flushed out and new coolant was added.

A thorough degrease was undertaken, amazing what years of grime looks like!

(http://i.imgur.com/Z4snaG1.jpg) (https://imgur.com/Z4snaG1)

(Only hydraulic jack supporting the car, I know, I didn't get under the car, though, just sprayed the degreaser from a distance)

Finally, new taillights were purchased with the updated 'red lines'.
Before:
(http://i.imgur.com/GtfD5A7.jpg) (https://imgur.com/GtfD5A7)

After:
(http://i.imgur.com/FHcGRgr.jpg) (https://imgur.com/FHcGRgr)

Also, just this weekend I resprayed part of the rear and front bumper, pictures coming soon.


I hope you guys found that somewhat interesting. Probably forgot a few things, but this is so far my progress with my car. I am going to keep posting updates.

Speaking of what's to come,
New tyres,
New Cam belt/Timing belt? Not sure, the one that if it snaps it destroys the engine, that one. (Hasn't been replaced in 20+ years),
Swapping exhaust from donor car to mine. (Aftermarket, sounds mean!)

Hope you enjoyed!

Thanks, Andrew.

P.S: Sorry for making so many comments, I couldn't get this to fit in one reply 😬

Congratulations, what a fantastic job! Welcome to the world of 164s!

Thanks Joe!

I love it, would never own anything else!

Andrew.

Good stuff, very swanky first car too young fella. I'm about to tip a whole bunch of internal trim from my 164 track car that your welcome to have, as long as someone can pick it up in Sydney it's yours?
Don't know if you've addressed it elsewhere, have been seeing a few of your posts popping up, but have you had the all the belts changed? Timing, accessory, etc? Coolant hoses would also be wise, 10 years of idleness on rubber can be harsh (even tyres). Without use they loose their elasticity and will fail quickly.
My 164, also sat around for a decade and I'm slowly replacing all rubber components of importance before I hit the track. Not just hoses and belts, but seals aswell such as the brake calipers etc. just a thought? Don't want you to come a gutsa on a spirit drive of the busso.

Keep the pics coming  8)

That shot with the car on the jack and no stands gives me the hebies.. You're too young to be maimed by a falling car

Cool Jesus, I don't have anyone I know live in Sydney but may be driving up in the near future for a short holiday, may pop around if that's ok? Thanks a lot for that offer too 😀
Craig, I know, I didn't physically get under the car so it was 'ok' in that way but I realised I should have used stands, I will all the time from now on!

Thanks guys!

Andrew.

No worries, PM me if you are certain as I was going to ditch it all within the next few weeks.

Impressive thorough work, 20 + years on a oil change interval,wow,what oil did u put in it to renew her.

Congratulations, you could do a lot worse than a 164 for a first car, both of them look generally good condition, always good to have a spare 164 handy, it's actually good you are starting so young, you will learn and have the skills, just always remember safety first when working on and around cars, especially if laying underneath to do work, if unsure, ask, great work so far, keep us updated  :)

Thanks guys,

The old oil actually wasn't that bad. I used Penrite 15W-40 mineral oil.

Yeah the other 164 is in decent nick, funny story, when we bought the car off the previous owner, the guy said 'just remember to put some led additive in the fuel when you fill it up every once in a while' :o Despite a HUGE sticker on the inside of the fuel filler door saying 'UNLEADED FUEL ONLY'
That makes sense!

Thanks, Andrew.

Good work & great pics. Love seeing people showing old 164s some love, they are getting rarer quite quick because they cost a bit to fix, but still don't fetch much when selling. They are a bit of an unloved car by many because of the front wheel drive and transverse engine but a nicely running 164 is just such a lovely car to drive, especially on the highway when you have a lot of kms to cover.

The torque steer on the older cars is certainly noticable when you plant it from the lights, but that is not really what the car is for anyway, it's more a high speed cruiser and feels super planted at (sadly) more-than-legal speeds.

Anyway, you are doing a great job & sounds like the 164 bug has bitten you too. Keep posting pics as often as you can, always love seeing what others are doing with their cars.

Oh yeah - get in and do that timing belt asap if it is 20 years old. On the 12v cars it's not as hard as it sounds - first time around you might want to take it slow and clean/reco everything you find whilst in there, so it may take a couple of days to do belt, tensioner, water pump. For peace of mind though get in and do it before something lets go.  While you are doing this be sure to check fuel hoses - the ones on the top of the engine are easy but there are two short ones down the back that get forgotten about and if they go will spray fuel all down the back of the engine (not good!). Do a search for the timing belt cam timing template on AlfaBB to help you keep the cam pulleys in the right position when you take the timing belt off - you'll want to pull the cam covers off first time you do a belt change to check pulley timing marks are correct.

Thanks for the kind words stustu,

Regarding the timing belt, I am getting our friend who is the mechanic to do it for me, as he has worked on alfas before. I'm not confident enough, I fear if I replace the belt and one of the cams is not perfectly alligned.... Crunch....

Thanks, Andrew.

P.S: the 164 bug has certainly bitten me, may be going to see another 164 to buy later today!

Get a Q if you can :-)  had mine since I saw it in the showroom at Alfa Melbourne in 1992!! It was on NSW plates (an Alfa demo)

Actually the one I am looking at is a q! I particularly like this one because the q skirts have been removed and the standard ones fitted (sorry but I hate the q skirts). It's a 91 model with some paint fading on the roof but apparently it is straight and never been resprayed.

Wow, I wish I can find a completly original one in perfect condition with one owner (like yours) 😃

Thanks, Andrew

It may not be an official Q, it may be a private manual import from Hong Kong with a spoiler attached :-)  There were only 40 odd official Australian delivered Qs. Not sure how many are left, my guess would be less than 20. 

Great work! Keep the reports coming in...

I still miss our 164, that v6 was so deliciously smooth and torquey and a very comfortable car. We did some good long trips in that car and always got out fresh at the other end. I didn't even mind the auto.

I believe it is a genuine one. It has the stiching on the dashboard and has the colour coded mirrors. It also has a cloverleaf on the rear bootlid and on the side fenders with a spoiler attached. Also on the dash it has the controls for the 'comfort' and 'sport' suspension settings.
Anyway it is in nice condition so I'm not really fussed.

Also I believe there were only 4 black Q's sold in Australia?

I agree Evan, on the way back from Sydney, despite being in a sauna, it just ate up the kilometres! And only really used 1 and a bit tanks of fuel so pretty economical for a v6.

Thanks, Andrew.

I was told 13 black Qs by David Wright

Quote from: V AR 164 on June 11, 2015, 01:11:22 PM
P.S: the 164 bug has certainly bitten me, may be going to see another 164 to buy later today!

Haha, good work. You can never have enough 164s IMHO (despite what my wife claims).

Hahaha!
I'm going to see it tonight! Can't wait 😃

Hey Joe,

Just discovered something, my dad recognised your car in your profile picture. Turns out he used to pick up specimens at your practice in old princess highway in Werribee and always admired your car!

Small world haha.

Thanks, Andrew.

Quote from: Joe Garra on June 11, 2015, 05:02:01 PM
I was told 13 black Qs by David writ
well looks like me and Joe must have the last Two black 164q

hey Stu
did you get your 164 back and how is the progress?

I've PM'd you the long story!

Short story: it's still in my garage with lots of toasty bits. :(

Small update,

The rear bumper on the car had some paint peeling off. I sanded it down to make it flat and then painted it using a can of spray paint I got mixed up at Supercheap Auto.

Before:
(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg1_zpsn3zb7ngq.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg1_zpsn3zb7ngq.jpg.html)

After:
(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg4_zps5fhi7ang.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg4_zps5fhi7ang.jpg.html)

Big improvement for 2 hours work!

Thanks, Andrew.

Wow, that looks really great! Good work blending it all in.

How long does it take to get the spray cans mixed? Can they just do it on the spot or do you need to order/wait? Wonder how well they can do some of the other Alfa colour codes.

Hi stustu,

They can mix it while you wait, generally takes 10-15 mins and costs $32.99. The colour match is almost perfect, would not even know.
I actually went back this evening and got a can of Rosso Alfa 130 mixed up, painting the fuel filler cap tomorrow, as well as touching up some stone chips etc. Just use a gloss clear coat as it the base colour coat comes out in a matte - semi gloss finish.

Thanks, Andrew.

Hey guys,
Another small update -
Today I got tired of looking at the bottom front skirt under the bumper on my car. So I bought some satin black spray paint and decided to paint it.

As you can see, there were parts where paint was scraped off and it looked horrible.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg5_zps65vhtbki.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg5_zps65vhtbki.jpg.html)

After washing it all down, I masked it all up and sprayed the first coat being a primer.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg8_zpsfk2nayur.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg8_zpsfk2nayur.jpg.html)

Then the first coat of black was applied

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg9_zpsrftxjsag.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg9_zpsrftxjsag.jpg.html)

After 3 coats of paint, I peeled off the masking tape

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg11_zps5x1uxiav.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg11_zps5x1uxiav.jpg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg12_zpsamyyfu3t.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg12_zpsamyyfu3t.jpg.html)


Not bad for an afternoons work 😄

Thanks, Andrew.

How damn cool is this thread!!!!    Relatively experienced Alfisti asking a 15yo questions about Alfas  ;D ;D   And a 164 being saved.   Just when I'd started to lose hope for our planet, it seems it's in very capable hands.

You are doing a great job Andrew and don't forget to stand back and admire your work mate.  Also say this out load a few times:  "My first car was a red Alfa Romeo Busso V6 with a body designed by Pininfarina...."      It'll still sound cool in sixty years (or whatever you'll be calling cool then).

The 164 is more than enough to satisfy a young blokes hunger for a great car, but not so much as to scare the fathers of prospective girlfriends  8).  Anyone can love a coupe, but it takes real commitment to the marque to own and love an Alfa sedan.

You repair efforts look great.   8)

Have to admit it's awesome to see someone repairing an early model auto 164 because there really aren't many left that are shown this sort of love. How often to you see a 164 on the road these days, let alone a well kept one? Not very often at all!!

Keep up the great work!!!

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the kind comments.

I love that white 164! Would be great to find one in perfect condition. White would have to be my favorite colour on the 164, followed by red then black.
Yes it is coming along nicely, however just discovered tonight the alternator isn't working arghhh. Anyway it will get sorted soon along with a new timing belt, water pump and anything else related.

Also, I want to give him a name (the car), I've decided its a he and leaning towards Alfie. Opinions? hahaha

Thanks, Andrew.

White is also my fav 164 colour! I see a lot of guys on Alfabb.com state they like white the least, but I think it looks really elegant. Each to their own I guess...

Hey guys,

I may purchase similar wheels to these soon, my tyres need replacing so it's a good excuse to change the rims aswell 😋

Any opinions? (Photoshopped)

Thanks, Andrew

Looks good, what size are you thinking?

I really like these original rims (are they the Q4 rims?) but I expect they'd be hard to come by...
(http://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/1994_Alfa_Romeo_164_Q_Quadrifoglio_Sedan_For_Sale_V6_Front_resize.jpg)

I'm thinking 17' Nothing too big.

I love those too, but yes they are extremely hard to come by and super expensive, I believe they are called Zender Milanos.

Thanks, Andrew.

Those pictured by Evan are the genuine Alfa 164Q4/Cloverleaf speedline rims which, as you suspected, are hard to come by.  They look like a split rim but are a one piece unit with plastic bolts to give the split rim appearance.  Quite hard to refurbish damaged ones because of the little decorative plastic bolts.

(http://www.helmuth-hauck.de/AR/bolted-Wheel.JPG)

There are also Zender Milanos which look similar to the above but have a smoother look IMHO. I like them better than the Alfa ones but again they are also very hard to find.

However, You can get these (http://www.ntmwheels.com/en-US/products/ntm-wheels-for-classic-cars/ar-rzsz) genuine 3-piece rims from NTM which were produced with the SZ/RZ in mind and look very similar.  These are available in a range of sizes up to 19".  Not sure on price however - may not be that cheap!

(http://www.ntmwheels.com/ImageHandler.ashx?i=~/Images/Gallery/ar-rzsz-7x16-8x16-silverpolished---alfa-romeo-75-3-0-red-001-1.jpg&width=900&height=700&crop=0)

The genuine 164 QV 24 valve wheels and the Zenders are not that hard to come by if you look on a worldwide level, they come up regularly in all conditions, 15 inch wheels are just that little too small for the 164, 17 inch are the best re looks but a pothole will get you eventually, when and where will be luck, either busting the tyre or denting the rim dependant on make, type and strength, bit of a luck game, 16 inch is the best all rounder, still great looks but tyre height good enough to contend with potholes, striking hard objects  :)

Great car man!!! I still miss my 164Q to this day!  A mean machine!
Like the others have mentioned,  be sure to change all rubbers and belts! Check through all the suspension,  they are a very fine balanced car,  get it all right and I can assure they are more comfortable and rewarding to drive than a new Mercedes. (Personal experience,  maybe biased:-p? )
Some weak spots on these are the bonnet hinges and what they are notorious for, are the mounting points where the boot hinges mount on the body.  I'd highly recommend to reinforce this area.

I know early internal door hinges are weak, I heard post '92 models had better designed ones but!
Another item would be the front demister plastic panel on the dash, these are also notorious for cracking, if yours is good, take very good care of it and try keep it out of the sun!

Great stuff man, great to see there are younger Alfisti than myself or there:-) any questions give any one of us a yell!

Hey again,

Quick question: Is changing the timing belt on these cars easy or hard? I have looked at other forums with instructions but one says I need to lower the engine? I am off school for another week and want to attempt it, should I? If so, how would I go about it?
I have a new timing belt, water pump and belt tensioner bearing.

I also have workshop manuals explaining how to change the timing belt but it seems a bit to complicated as you need to remove valve covers etc.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Andrew.

Hi Andrew,

Good question as it's a job you want to make sure is done on time (or before) and to spec. Otherwise, well I'm sure you know what can happen!

You'll probably find there are already some marks on the cam pulleys from previous cambelt changes, but the first time you perform the task on the car yourself it's good to remove the cam covers to check the pulley marks are actually correct. This is the most tedious bit of the job IMHO, but once you've verified the marks are in the right position you won't need to do this on the next cambelt change.

The thing that I found helped me a LOT is a PDF document on Alfabb.com (in the 164 section) that someone has drawn up that you can print out (sorry I don't have a link).  You use it to align the pulley markings (& check the match the camshaft markings) and thus verify cams are in exactly correct position (& haven't moved) when fitting the belt.

It's not as hard as it sounds, but first time around I certainly took my time to verify everything was cleaned & there were no oil leaks in the vicinity of the belt, particularly from the oil fed tensioner.

And check, and then check again that it all lines up after fitting the new belt - make sure you can turn the engine over a few cycles and everything stays lined up and there is certainly no slack in the belt at any stage of the cycle.

Good luck, let us know how it goes. It's very satisfying to do it yourself - certainly not that hard provided you check thoroughly as you go. :)

Thanks for the info stu, I believe this is the template? http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/attachments/164-168-1991-1995/66906d1179330802-cam-timing-cam-timing.pdf

Really considering if I should go ahead with doing it. Would anyone be able to provide basic steps in what to do? I've already read the alfabb 164 timing belt replacement thread and have a basic understanding on what to do. I just would like another reference.

Thanks, Andrew.

Hi Andrew,

Yep that's the template! Tape it to a bit of cardboard to make it stiffer & then cut out the holes & outside bit and you have a handy little guide for lining it all up.

Regarding attempting the belt change yourself - I reckon given all the other work you've shown you've done on the car so far, then this shouldn't be too hard for you.

I think the main things to think about whilst doing the belt change is:
- Re-check all your work after you've done it
- Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions
- Take your time

Go back to AlfaBB & read some of the other threads on doing the job if Steve's notes are a bit hard to understand. I think that once you get into it you'll find it's not as hard as it might initially sound. 

My simple steps were (off the top of my head!):
- Jack up the car & remove drivers side wheel & inner wheel liners
- Remove accessory belts for AC, alternator, power steering. Note that all Aussie 12v cars seem to have the V belts, but photos on AlfaBB will most likely show ribbed serp accessory belt with an idler pulley.
- Drain coolant & remove top radiator hose
- Remove plenum, crankcase vapour hosing & separator, idle control valve & upper engine dogbone mount
- Remove ignition wires & spark plugs.
- Remove thermostat and disconnect temp sensor wiring.
- Check condition of 2x small stubby coolant hoses between cylinder banks & thermostat housing.
- Remove timing belt covers NOTE: I've just had a look at AlfaBB notes and Steve advises lowering engine & subframe to get better access when removing cambelt covers. I've never done this and always found it possible to do the job without lowering engine, it's just a bit harder to wiggle the covers off.
- Remove front and rear rocker covers exposing camshafts
- Remove crankshaft sensor on front of engine
- With car in Neutral or Park - roatate engine until TDC marker/line on crank pulley on front of motor lines up with indicator. #1 cylinder should be at TDC at this point. Note that mark on crank pulley can be a little hard to see sometimes.
- Once at TDC check (using paper template) if cam pulley markings line up. Each camshaft will also have a marking on it that lines up with a mark on the camshaft bearing cap. Hopefully all these markers line up whilst engine is at TDC. I've read reports of people finding rear bank is off by a belt tooth (or two) but have never seen this on a 12v myself.
- Once you are happy engine is at TDC it's time to remove timing belt. You'll need to de-tension the tensioner - I used a long flat blade screwdriver to lever tensioner pivot arm & then hold it in detensioned position with a small screwdriver in locking hole.
- When bolts holding tensioner unit to engine block are removed you should now be able to pull it away from block.
- I'm assuming you'll have an oil fed tensioner which may or may not have had it's oil feed disconnected (often sealed with a dab of weld). Either way I always pull the whole unit to bits & inspect inside. If it's still oil fed then good idea to fit a seal kit, or if it runs dry then I make sure there is some grease on piston & bore so it doesn't sieze. I've never dealt with the sprung tensioners they discuss on AlfaBB but they sound somewhat unreliable and very fiddly to set up.
- Fit your new tensioner bearing once you've cleaned up tensioner and are happy that it won't leak (if oil fed) & piston is able to move freely.
- If you've got a new tensioner bearing but it doesn't have the centre (with offset pivot hole) then you will need access to a bearing press to swap this out from the old bearing & into the new.  Once done I always put a few drops of locktite on the small bolts that hold bearing centre to tensioner arm.
- Check behind both cam pulleys for any oil leaks. I've never had to replace the seals here yet but if there is a bad leak you'll need to fit a new seal after removing cam pulley. There is a spot on either camshaft for an open end spanner to hold it / stop it turning.
- Fit a new water pump while you are here if you detect any shaft play, or want some peace of mind! Be sure to clean mating surface on block & use a small amount of gasket compound to seal. Same for thermostat once new belt is fitted!
- I found it easier to refit tensioner first, then fit new timing belt after. You may need to coerce belt back over tensioner bearing with something like a large flatblade but obviously be careful not to damage belt. It can be tricky to do this whilst making sure both cams plus crankshaft all stay lined up & might take a few goes.
- Setting belt tension is a bit of a black art, but the consensus (from what I've read) is that you should aim for 6mm deflection on the longest section. On a new belt I've always set it ever so slightly tighter on the assumption that a new belt will stretch a very small amount in the first few thousand kms, and I think it is better to have belt slightly tight than slightly loose (risking slippage). The belts are very unlikely to break unless you set it majorly over tension.
- Once you have belt refitted - turn engine over many times by hand to ensure it has no slack at any point of cycle, and everything is staying lined up when engine returns to TDC again.
- Refit all the other stuff you removed from engine earlier & refill with fresh coolant (& bleed system). If you are keen you could check clearances - exhaust clearances are easy to check/correct whilst rocker covers removed but intakes require shims (& cam removal!) so you can leave these unless they are badly out of spec.
- Start engine & let it get to temp while it is still jacked up with wheel off - watch for any coolant leaks around thermostat or water pump.
- When you are happy all marks still line up at TDC then refit all the remaining bits & you should be good to go.

Hope this helps! My steps above are more an overview for you, you should supplement them with info from AlfaBB threads that go into much, much more detail.

Wow thank you so much for the explanation! I really appreciate the help you have given. Knowing it's not an extremely hard job I may have a crack at it.
Again just quickly, to remove the rear bank of spark plugs, do you need to remove the intake manifold? I can't seem to pull the distributor leads out from behind.

Again Thank You!

Andrew.

Sorry for late reply, you've probably already moved ahead now, but you don't actually need to remove plenum to get rear spark plugs out. That said, it makes it a LOT easier if you do!!

No worries stu, thanks for that. I probably will remove it because I still can't manage to pull the leads out  >:(

I haven't started it yet, instead I will taking it to a mates places who is a mechanic and I will be helping him with the timing belt. Still not confident enough to undertake it myself.

Thanks a bunch!
Andrew.

Hey guys,

My other 164 has a bit of an attitude. Sometimes she will not start, I have even flattened
the battery several times trying. Other times she behaves. I tried to take a video but she turned over instantly  >:(
The problem seems to be a fuel issue. I turn the key and it wants to go as the engine almost kickes over for a second or so, but then it stops and goes back to doing nothing. It does this a few times. When it finally goes, it misfires badly as it seems like it runs on 4 cylinders, then after a minute or so it smooths out.
Also I should add, compared to my other 164, it is soooo down on power. It has been like that since I purchased it, so it's nothing new.

Any ideas what the problem could be?

Thanks, Andrew.

Hi Andrew,

Have you checked the small fuel hose on the top of the fuel pump unit? It's submerged in the tank, so you'll need to take the carpet out of your boot, remove the access panel, and then lift out the fuel pump unit.  This piece of hose often starts to break down over the years and leak & cause reduced fuel pressure. Fairly easy to check this one but obviously be careful working around a fuel tank that will have fuel in it (best to disconnect the battery first!).

If it needs replacing you should use hose that is capable of being submerged in the fuel tank (not sure what diameter it is - possibly 7.5mm?).

Thanks again Stu, you are such a great help around here!
I'll have a look at it tonight, hopefully that's all it is and nothing major.

Thanks, Andrew.

Update:

As the car was sitting for so long, some surface rust had formed on the chrome intake pipes in the engine, I used a scourer on them and removed the rust, surprisingly without scratching them to pieces  ;D  Then I used some polish to clean them up a bit more, then I applied some spray on wax, Turned out great!

Left: Before, Right: After:

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg4_zpseglt6omg.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg4_zpseglt6omg.jpg.html)

After:

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg1_zpspqprr463.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg1_zpspqprr463.jpg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg2_zpshtinfs3l.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg2_zpshtinfs3l.jpg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg3_zpsvez0gmv6.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg3_zpsvez0gmv6.jpg.html)

Unfortunately I forgot to take a full before shot, but you get the idea.
It looks much nicer now :D

Also it is going in on Tuesday for a new set of tyres, then the timing belt, then off to go get a roadworthy :D

Thanks, Andrew

Hey guys,

I just got an unregistered vehicle permit for my Alfa and my father drove it on the road for the first time in 15 years (very exciting by the way 😃😃😃)
However, I have noticed the speedo is out. When travelling at around 60kmh the gauge reads 25-30.
It doesn't 'flicker' as it stays reading a consistent speed.

Any ideas? My mechanic says the gauge may need to be re calibrated. Or I can just take the one out of my other 164 and put it in.

Thanks, Andrew.

Finally!

Timing belt replacement in progress!

Over at the mechanics now and getting a new timing belt, water pump, thermostat and replacing rubber hoses. Plus a new stock exhaust.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg1_zpssk6fyc6f.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg1_zpssk6fyc6f.jpg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg2_zps1eokhyy1.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg2_zps1eokhyy1.jpg.html)

Almost there!

Thanks, Andrew.

So the bonnet on my donor was in terrible condition, it had been resprayed and was looking aged.
I thought I'd give it a facelift  ;D
A sand down and few cans satin black spray paint. I'm pretty pleased with the results!
Also sprayed the chrome surround Rosso red.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg3_zpszvmine4e.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg3_zpszvmine4e.jpg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg1_zpsl52zyec8.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg1_zpsl52zyec8.jpg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg2_zpsimqmxdyp.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg2_zpsimqmxdyp.jpg.html)

Not bad!
Andrew.

Looking good! Will be great to have it back on the road I'll bet. I'm not a huge fan of the red scudetto bet hey, each to their own! Your engine bay looks pretty clean by the way, a lot of older 164s tend to look pretty scruffy by now unless someone has given them some TLC.

Did you have any issues sourcing a thermostat? I bought a Tridon one a few years ago that was marked for a 164 but it was just the internals & would have required modifying the housing to fit, so I took it back and bought a proper one that included housing.

Yeah it looks better in person, the camera exaggerates it a bit. Also I mention this is my donor car, not my actual one, so it probably will never be on the road again.

Yes I can't wait for mine to come back, at the mechanics now and missing it dearly!
I got a thermostat from Itallian Automatovie Spares with the housing included, no issues at all.

Also the deadline for my car to be completed by is the 30th of August, including roadworthy and rego, to make its debut on the Bundoora Sunday drive the club has organised. Also because I'm getting my learners on the 28th, and it would be great for me to drive it on the day  ;D

Exciting few weeks to come!
Thanks, Andrew.

Unrelated post but I got my learners today!
Been driving everywhere, sadly not in my Alfa because it's still not ready, but in the GTS so it's just as much fun as you can imagine 😆

Can't wait to spend more time on the road! Certainly a lot of fun!
If you see me say hi!
Thanks, Andrew.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg1_zpskdzhdk3k.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg1_zpskdzhdk3k.jpg.html)

Hey guys,

Got my new wheels all on today, really pleased with how the car looks now  ;D

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg1_zpshhr3ugdq.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg1_zpshhr3ugdq.jpg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg2_zpsutqoxzxq.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg2_zpsutqoxzxq.jpg.html)

Andrew.

Looking Good Andrew! 8)  Keep up the good work! 
This  was my favourite car (until I sold it). More importantly I still have the SZ genuine Speedline Rims.

Andrew, I thought you may like this.  Its a 1of V10 164 ProCar (F1 derived mid engine)

 ;)

Formula 1 driver Ricardo Patrese drove this car at the 1988?, Italian Grand Prix, for some demo laps and described it as one of the most terrifying cars he had ever driven, due to enormous power output, with lack of downforce and it being under tyred.
It was Bernies short lived idea to kill Group A Touring Cars, by having a replicar body shape of the production car with a Formula 1 motor stuck inside it.
Only catch was that the Formula 1 motor suppliers may not have wanted to enter Procars, as Formula 1 was expensive enough.
Alfa Romeo in 1986 had built a 4 cylinder 1.5 litre Turbo charged motor for the French Ligier Team, Ligier Team driver and Ferrari discard  Rene Arnoux, described the motor as "used food".
The now broke Alfa Romeo Company was sold to Fiat and promply withdrew Alfa Romeo from Formula 1, as they didn't want to be funding a competitor to the Ferrari Formula 1 team.
They were interesting times, Alfa Romeo would have to wait until 1995 with the 155 2 litre, to taste victory in the British Touring car series, which they won hands down, Colin.

Looks good Andrew! Must be a whole lot easier to clean than the original wheels. I actually like the originals too, never a huge fan of the Q 'cookie cutter' style though.

Can't think of the last time I saw a 164 on the road - there still seem to be quite a few turning up on eBay that people are wrecking etc, but the actual running, registered (and in regular use) car number must be quite low now.

Wow very nice work getting your car to good running condition is only most the battle to keeping
your car on the road.
I believe that a well maintained car (any car) is gold.
by the way I just did my first oil change on the Q I used a oil flush for the first time
with 10w60 Liquid moly & k&n hp-2004 filter it double my oil presser I'm really happy .

all the best keep up the good work

Thanks guys!

Yes not many around now, so glad to have it up and running finally. I was mainly focusing on getting the mechanical side of things fully sorted before I start with the visuals, but these wheels came up and I just had to have them. So much better than the originals IMO.

That procar sure is cool. I have read about it a few times, sad that it was never raced.

Regarding oil pressure, I've noticed that my oil pressure meter reads 0 once warmed up. The red light isn't on and when you rev it a little it increases but then goes back down. Is this common? I read that it is, but just want to make sure. It too has had an oil flush additive run through it and new oil.

Thanks, Andrew.

oil flush some people like them and some people have horror stores.
only use them when you are about to do the oil change put the flush in get the motor hot then drain
DO NOT GO FOR A DRIVE the oil flush cleans and lower the oil stick ness

cheers

That's what I did. I put the bottle of oil flush in, turned on the motor and let it idle until warm, then drained out the oil. Replaced oil filter and put in new oil.

Andrew.

Well done Andrew, very impressed. Just make sure your school/uni results don't reflect inverse proportionality to your degree of interest in car projects like mine did  :)

//dean

Got my car back again from mechanics where I got outer tie rods, steering rack rubber mounts and 2 engine mounts replaced.

Here's what 1 old engine mount and the steering rack rubbers looked like :o

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg1_zpsh2blr9zb.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg1_zpsh2blr9zb.jpg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg2_zps6xrk0zhw.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg2_zps6xrk0zhw.jpg.html)


It was time for them to go...


Thanks Dean!
I'm not that bad (not yet anyway)...

Thanks, Andrew.

Wow, it's going to feel like a different car now!!

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Finally!!!

Picked it up this afternoon and passed!
Time to get paperwork sent off and get it registered! Can't wait!


It certainly does feel different now, much more planted and feels new!

Also anyone here going to spettacolo? I'm going although not entering the car but I'll be bringing it along to make its debut. Hope to see some other 164's there too.

Thanks, Andrew.

I am going along to Spectacolo as with thousands of others, Andrew by all means, bring along your 164 and enter it, from memory there was only a few 164's there last year, so polish yours up and enter and be prepared for lots of talking, see you there, Colin.

Thanks Colin,

I just don't think it's worthy. There is paint fading a little bit on the roof and threre are a quite a few different shades of red on it. If cars like this are 'allowed' I'll definitely enter it then.

Thanks, Andrew.

Quote from: colcol on November 02, 2015, 06:42:16 PM
I am going along to Spectacolo as with thousands of others, Andrew by all means, bring along your 164 and enter it, from memory there was only a few 164's there last year, so polish yours up and enter and be prepared for lots of talking, see you there, Colin.

I look forward to seeing you there Col.

We haven't discussed "which is the best oil to use in my Alfa" recently. :'(

Which is the best oil to use?, far too many disputes going on at the moment to touch this one.....so how about, when i change my oil, which is the best oil filter to use?, Colin.

Col, which is the best oil filter to use?  ;)

Well, We've done it!  ;D

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image.jpg1_zpsb2bxqpow.jpg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image.jpg1_zpsb2bxqpow.jpg.html)

After a lot of work, time, money and love, my 164 is officially registered for the first time in 12 years.

See you all at Spettacolo!

Andrew.

Good one Andrew!

Great job, will we be seeing you at Spettacolo? 8)

Congratulations, looks very good!

Thanks guys!

Yes, I'll be there as well as my car which will be on the oval, some come past and say hi!

Andrew.

Congrats Andrew, looks great with the historic plates on it. Would love to say hi at Spettacolo & talk 164s but will be away for holidays. :(

 >:(

Today one of my headlight washer nozzles decided it was no longer needed. I believe it is camping out on the Calder freeway at the moment.

Anyone know if it is difficult to swap the whole unit from car to car? I suspect the bumper needs to come off?

Thanks, Andrew.

Okay, so I took the bumper off, but I am unable to pull the unit off the bumper. Does the nozzle twist off or something so the actuator can be slid though the gap? I've attached a photo to try and make more sense.

Thanks, Andrew

Well it's been a while since I've posted here, but my car is finally fixed again after there was an electric issue.

This morning I was up at high tech exhausts (highly recommended) and got a new sportier rear muffler made up, has a louder deeper note to it now.

I picked two 3 inch (?) exhaust tips to finish it off nicely, suits the car really well imo.
(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpsixglcsd4.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpsixglcsd4.jpeg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpshlcsorjk.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpshlcsorjk.jpeg.html)

Andrew.

Great work, car is looking awesome. Would be interested to hear how it's sounding now too. The stock muffler system sounds fairly refined with a limited amount of that lovely V6 'throb' escaping, so definitely room for improvement without adding a huge rice cannon. The twin tips looks great because they are fitting of a car like this and look stock without shouting 'look at me', hahah. Nice job!

Cheers stu, I definitely agree with you haha.

Just got back from a trip down to the Mornington peninsula and back, great to test out the new system.

Right off the bat it is significantly louder than the stock system. It indeed has a great burble too it at idle and around 2k. But I find it most fun to shift it into 2nd and 3rd and rev it out to around 5k, where it kinda sounds like an old Ferrari v12. But most importantly there is no 'rasp' to it, something I do not like at all.

(I must also add, the Burnley tunnels do help make some sweet sweet noises! At legal speeds of course!)

Also I will record a small sound clip and post it tomorrow if anyone is interested.


Cheers, Andrew.

Meant to ask - did you come across any lowering springs for your car? I saw a set of SPAX springs (30mm lower) on eBay (located in UK) for 193GBP plus 65GBP postage to Aus. You'll probably find it hard to get a used set in Aus as I haven't seen any local ones for sale that I recall. I have a set the same but have plans for them (so am unable to sell!).Link to eBay. (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/S001015-SPAX-LOWERING-SPRINGS-fit-Alfa-164-2-0-T-Spark-2-5TD-3-0-V6-09-88-01-99-/291683906695?hash=item43e9b73487:g:d3EAAOSwB4NWvs4s)

Yeah upload a soundclip if you get a chance, love a good 12v sound.  8)

Hey stu,

No I have not come across any springs, I would like to purchase a set from Australia due to cheaper shipping, and also I do not want to spend that much money haha. Also I'm debating on whether or not to lower it due to the oil pan being quite low in these cars and I don't fancy cracking it  :-\

Here's a small video on my exhaust:
http://youtu.be/c4rTvxA6Qvs

Cheers, Andrew.

Andrew the exhaust tip looks good.
I like that style as well and have them on both my Alfetta GTV and GTV6. Different sizes of course.
I might have to put one on the 164 as well.

Cheers
Steve
Adelaide

Quote from: V AR 164 on February 14, 2016, 06:36:43 PM
Here's a small video on my exhaust:
http://youtu.be/c4rTvxA6Qvs

Yeahhh!!   8) 8) 8)

Hey guys,

Thanks for the replies, yes I do like the sound it makes  ;D

So as usual, the clear coat on the roof of my 164 was peeling. I hate seeing it everyday, so instead of getting it resprayed (I can't afford it), I went to Supercheap and picked up a roll of satin black vinyl wrap.

It was a very difficult job, as the vinyl wasn't very flexible and most of the time we were battling with air bubbles and creases. It took us all up about an hour.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpswsg7fv08.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpswsg7fv08.jpeg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpsve3nlmwd.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpsve3nlmwd.jpeg.html)

Overall I'm pleased with the result  ;D

Cheers, Andrew.

Looks good, certainly better than peeling clearcoat. That stuff might also be good if the black window surrounds at the B pillar ever start looking tatty.  How does it work on concave surfaces - I assume it is sticky on the back too?

Your mirror brackets/mounts look nice & shiny, they are a bit of a bugger for corrosion forming under the paint and causing bubbles but looks like you've addressed this already!

Hey stu,

Yes it is sticky on the back, pretty much like coloured sticky tape. I haven't tried it on concave surfaces and wouldn't want too, it is a bugger to work with!

Yes my mirrors I sorted out last year, they were corroding and the paint was peeling off, I took them off and sanded them back to bare metal. I sprayed them using satin black and look great. I also sanded and painted the little pillar on the back window as they were corroding too.

Also how's your new super going? Would love to meet you on a drive day or something when it's finished!

Cheers, Andrew.

Hey Andrew,

What a brilliant solution to the paint problem!

... and a hint of the never before seen Abarth 164? ;-)

I had a black 75 that had its clear coat delaminating on the bonnet. Polish would fix it for the day, or if lucky a few days, but then it was back to looking NQR. Your approach would have been the perfect fix.

Your 164 is a credit to you.

Ciao

Cheers guys, I appreciate the positive feedback!

Well ughh, ummmm.... I kinda got another one....

Welcome to my new baby!

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpswk6bmttf.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpswk6bmttf.jpeg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpsbjqoyvyg.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpsbjqoyvyg.jpeg.html)
(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpsu63eksao.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpsu63eksao.jpeg.html)

Let restoration no.2 commence!

Cheers, Andrew

Haha, awesome!! Looks like you've been bitten by the 164 bug pretty hard, eh? They are pretty damn addictive aren't they (and a lot of car for the money too).  Keep posting your updates, love seeing the progress as it inspires me to do more (when I can). I love those 156 wheels on a 164 too!  8) 8) 8)

So you opened the bottle.....

The voices stop at ten

Looks great, how did this one come about?

Is this one going to eventually be your everyday 164 or just a second toy?

How is she mechanically?

Put up some external rear, interior and engine bay photos when you get the chance

Look forward to the updates  :)

Yes I certainly have opened the bottle!

I actually found this one in the background picture of an Alfa 1750 ad on here. I messaged the guy and he said 'yes it's for sale if you are interested'. Here it is now!

Mechanically it is in great condition, the only problem being is that it has a noisy power steering pump. Although I am going to give it a full service soon (timing belt, water pump, oil filter, spark plugs etc).

She is also lowered all round on Koni yellow shocks and has a k&n intake which makes some sweet sweet noises  ;D
I am wanting this to be my everyday car because it has a lot of kms compared to my red car (360,000 in fact, and still pulls hard).
Today I gave her a bath with a clay bar, which took off years of grime. Next stop a polish, wax and full interior wet clean.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpskcwoass4.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpskcwoass4.jpeg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpsmqkfs4mg.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpsmqkfs4mg.jpeg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpsk2guizjo.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpsk2guizjo.jpeg.html)


Can't wait to continue work!
Cheers, Andrew.

Glad to see you're taking care of the car brother sold you! Couldn't be more happy for you to have bought the car! My brother knows it's in good hands:-)
Like i said when i met you, if you ever need a hand or some advice just send a message, having a Q myself in the past i know a bit about the manual and the auto:-)
Once you get the power steering pump sorted you'll have a fantastic car to travel around, i assure you that! If you can, try put an upgraded exhaust from the cat back and let that busso sing!
All this 164 talk is making me want to buy another Q again!

Cheers gtv6, yes it is happily sleeping next to all the other 164's. Since that post, I have taken out all the seats and thoroughly cleaned the interior, came out really nice, the carpet is like new!
I'm going to ring around tonight for a power steering pump and get it replaced so it can go off for a roadworthy, can't wait to drive it around!
Oh and yes you do need to buy a Q again, there's one on gumtree for $5,980 I believe, looks to be in great condition, if I only had that money  :(
Thanks, Andrew.

Well instead of posting updates on my new Q in the thread named '164Q Clutch Issue', I decided to move it over to this thread because it makes more sense IMO.

So far I have managed to fix my sunroof, it turned out to be a bad solder joint coming off one of the switches. So now that's fixed and my sunroof works a treat  ;D

I have also stated to 'cut n polish' the roof as the paint had lost its shine. It takes a loooong time but after several hours of hand polishing and sore arms I have done half the roof. Just need to do the other half haha.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpso8sbseqt.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpso8sbseqt.jpeg.html)

Also I have cleaned the interior and 'restored' the leather seats with conditioner and shoe black, works a treat!

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpsl8hxat4o.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpsl8hxat4o.jpeg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpsnxfyfb0k.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpsnxfyfb0k.jpeg.html)

She still hasn't fired up yet. I believe the injectors are clogged as it seems fuel is not getting into the cylinders. The fuel fump does work though.

She's coming along nicely though  ;D

Thanks, Andrew.

Car parts have arrived!!! Thanks to the boys up at Itallian Automotive Spares.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpsd04nucjo.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpsd04nucjo.jpeg.html)

Time to get the Q up and running!  ;D

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpsbfol7k7e.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpsbfol7k7e.jpeg.html)

Andrew.

No wonder I could never find a decent 164 when I was looking, Andrew ... you keep buying them all!

Great to see the collection blooming.

Where do you put them all?

Hahaha thanks poohbah. Yes the collection is coming along nicely, although I have a few too many haha.

As for where I put them all, my motto is, wherever there is an empty space, put a 164!

Cheers, Andrew.

Best looking driveway in the street (& possibly Melbourne for that matter!)!!!  8)

Hear hear, Stu! I've still got a way to go at my place: ;D

Hahaha thanks guys.

Very nice poohbah, love that lineup!

I put new wheels on the Q this evening. Love how it sits right now  8)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zps2khgi3pv.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zps2khgi3pv.jpeg.html)

Cheers, Andrew.

Nice wheels Andrew. Are they from a 156?

BTW - I loved your idea to wrap the roof of your daily driver. It got me thinking about possibly wrapping the roof on my 156 which also has some peeling clear coat. I got a quote to have it done professionally in plain black for $350 or $400 for black carbon fibre-look vinyl - both of which could probably give it a unique racy look.

But I'm going to get a quote just to have the paint/clear coat redone and then decide what way to go.

Thanks poohbah, yes they are from a 156. They bolt straight up and fill the arches quite nicely.

Yes I think the wrap idea turned out pretty good. Honestly you can do a decent job yourself, you just need ALOT of patience and an extra helping hand. I bought my vinyl for $90 at Supercheap, they have satin black and carbon fibre. All up it took me about 2 hours to wrap.

Also I must add, if your clear coat is peeling and there are 'high and low' spots on your roof, you will need to sand it down completely smooth otherwise you will see where the clear coat has peeled underneath. I sanded my roof down but if you get up close you can clearly see the outline of the peeling clear cost, oh well, better than it was before.

Hope this helps,
Andrew.

Thanks for that Andrew, the quotes I got included cost of sanding roof also ($50).

How big is the sheet from Supercheap? I'd want to practice on something before I tried the 156 itself, so  if I need to buy two sheets, I may as well just get it done professionally.

Regardless, I will get a quote from a panel shop in the next few days. If the cost of getting paint and clear coat redone is going to cost $500 or more, I will get it wrapped.

Fair enough. The sheets of vinyl come is different sizes. Not sure on exact dimensions.

Yeah it seems logical to get it done professionally as it is tricky doing it yourself.

Also this leads to another point, can anyone tell me why it costs so much to respray a car? I heard that for a closed door respray on a 164 would set me back a minimum of 3k. Respraying a roof IMO shouldn't cost more than a couple hundred dollars.

Andrew.

I'll let you know what they quote me for a respray, but I agree that in a fair world it should really only cost a couple of hundred bucks.

I've also starting noticing how many current cars (particularly performance cars finished in white duco) now have black roofs - really seems to be a trend, so it could be a really neat way of updating the look of the 156.

Hey guys,

I need to replace my from speakers on my Q as they are the originals and have gotten 'foam rot'. The foam around the cone has disentegrated. I can't simply replace the woofer as the whole unit is one piece and is riveted onto the door.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpsq9hmo9pn.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpsq9hmo9pn.jpeg.html)

Has anyone got a solution for replacing them? Or does anyone know where to purchase the whole speaker unit?

On my other standard 164's, the speakers are actually mounted to the doorcard. So I may just remove the speakers in the doors in the Q and swap over the doorcard from my donor 164 with new speakers.

Thanks, Andrew.

I remember drilling the pop rivets out of mine to replace the speakers (also originals which had the same issue).

I think also it was tricky to re-attach new speakers to the plastic housing as they seemed to have some sort of one-use clips holding them on, and attempting to remove can very easily break the plastic that they are mounted to. You should be able to do it if you are gentle. On second thoughts, they might have screws on the back holding the speaker to the plastic housing, and maybe it was the non-Q car that had the easy-to-break attachment????

Other option would be to make your own mounting plate out of some MDF maybe as the Alfa ones are fairly flimsy.

Thanks for that stu.

I probably will drill out the rivets tomorrow and figure out a way to mount new speakers. MDF sounds like a pretty good solution. Although I will try and use the doorcard idea first.

Thanks, Andrew

Hi AR,
I have two mdf speaker holders if you would like them it would only cost you postage with pioneer speaker
I do not need them .

cheers Shane

Hi Shane,

Thanks for the offer, but I think it would be cheaper if I made them myself then pay for postage to get them down to Melbourne.

Anyway, I gave my baby a wash and tried out my V AR 164 plates.

Mmmmm that is nice!!!

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpsonez988d.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpsonez988d.jpeg.html)

Cheers, Andrew.

Totally hot!!!!  8)

Nice work Andrew, she looks fantastic.

Hi Andrew,
car looks gooder then mine. At the moment I am in the middle of fitting a air/oil cooler and respraying my front bumper
I happen to noticed that you have removed the water jets from your bumper like mine.
I am working on making some alloy caps to cover the holes in the bumper.
cheers Shane

Cheers guys, yes she certainly is a looker. I used to hate the QV skirts but now I love them  ;D

Shane, I actually rather the 164 in white, yours especially looks good with the wheels you have.
The water jets on my car were not there when I bought it. They have snapped off and I am going to replace them from my parts car.


Thanks, Andrew.

Hi all,

I am wanting to remove the plastic demister vent cover on the top of the dashboard off my parts car to see if I can sort of fix it as it is cracked as usual.

Anyone know how to remove it without breaking it more than it already is? Do I just pull on it or do I need to remove screws/clips?

Thanks, Andrew.

Lever up, slide out  :)

HO THAT nice
I never seen a vent cover before that was not crack !
IF any one know of one 4 sale please pm me
sorry V RA 164 Asking .
cheers

If you can remove the speaker you can have the foam surround replaced and have the speaker refitted to the original plastic housing pictured this keeps the original speaker in place

Hey Alfapride.

Thanks for the help. I'm not exactly sold on the sound quality from the standard speakers so I might as well use the 'whilst I'm in there' card and upgrade the speakers and make some custom mounts.

Also, I might as well add my 'goal' for the car. I hope to have it running and registered by Spettacolo at the end of the year. I will be bringing both my 164's: the Q and the auto. Fun times ahead!

Ps. Stu, you have no excuse to miss out on Spettacolo this year, you are coming along!!!

Cheers, Andrew.

Quote from: V AR 164 on June 16, 2016, 08:50:53 PMPs. Stu, you have no excuse to miss out on Spettacolo this year, you are coming along!!!

Haha, will deffo try and make it as a spectator at least. My list of work is going to tide me over til next year, but would be great to see your cars on the field. Never see many 164s there so good work on planning on taking two of them.

How did you go getting the Q running? Found the issue that was stopping it from starting? Hopefully just something simple electrically that you can fix (or have already fixed) yourself. The earthing points are always a good place to start on these cars!

Sounds good. Last year there were only two 164's, mine and another red Q.

Still haven't got her running yet, but I have been really busy cleaning and detailing it. Honestly looks like a brand new car  ;D (biased maybe ::) )
In saying that, next Monday it will be towed over to a mates place and we will get it running.

Also stu this weekend the club is running a drive up to Daylesford, try and come along, it should be a great day.

Thanks, Andrew.

My gosh, I cannot get over my excitement tonight  ;D ;D ;D ;D

The Q is finally running after 5 years! This is not the first startup, sadly I wasn't there for that, but, I went over this evening and my gosh does she sound good!

First thing I noticed was it sounded like it was missfiring, but it wasn't, and that may be down to the fact these have larger cams from the factory in comparison to the standard 164's which gives it that aggressive idle, (me like  ;D ) And also that ANSA exhaust sounds wicked!

Tomorrow she is getting a brand new slave cylinder (old one was rusted and seized) and then onto the timing belt and accessories. She should be finished by next week I assume.

Anyways, here is what you came for:  https://youtu.be/XoL2QMN65GQ

Cheers, Andrew

Congratulations mate on getting her going. Sounds as good as she looks. Happy hooning!

Thanks poohbah, that Busso certainly does sound fantastic. Unfortunately, my other Busso doesn't sound that good anymore  :-\

I started it today for the first time in months and too my surprise, she blew a bottom radiator hose. I believe it was because the rad fan did not engage and it overheated. And boiling hot water under pressure with 25+ year old rubber hoses do not go well together. This can be a lesson to replace all lines and hoses!

https://youtu.be/O_fnBaWDHuQ

Cheers, Andrew.

Sensible advice, whatever age of car. I had to replace pretty much all the hoses in my first 156 (had major hose blowout), and in my GTV (preventative - they were a bit crusty).

Anyway, you've worked out the secret for happy Alfa motoring - if you have more than one, one should always be working!

Did you just have regular water in it?  :o

Very true poohbah, you need at least 2 Alfas!

I'm not sure what was in it. I haven't touched the cooling system on it since I bought it. And the previous owner probably didn't do anything with it for a few years. I have topped up the coolant tank with water once before though. It did look green on the ground this evening, so it was probably mostly coolant.

Andrew.

Hey guys,

I am in urgent need of a clutch master cylinder to suit a 1992 164Q. I have found some on eBay but I am unsure if they are for a RHD car. I have found one but it will take too long to get here and costs too much. If anyone knows of one or has one please let me know.

Thanks, Andrew

Ahhhh the never ending parts list for the Q. Who would have thought  ::)

Just a quick little update for anyone who is interested.

So far the new parts:
Timing belt
Water pump
Idler bearing
Thermostat
Fuel pump
Fuel filter
Brake rotors
Clutch slave
Clutch master (refurbished at Monza Motors)

To buy:
Brake pads
C.V boots
Suspension bushes
Side skirts
And finally.... Gulp..... Clutch kit. Ouch.

So yeah, she runs but doesn't drive. And my worst nightmare was confirmed, a new clutch is needed  :'(
Plus it is lowered that much, I highly doubt it will pass for roadworthy....

The dream for Spettacolo is slowly drifting away, but fingers crossed, there is a miracle.

Cheers, Andrew.

Oh and here's a pic of what 2 money pits look like :P

Looking great 👍

Dream driveway*!!

8) 8) 8)




* = Mine, not my wife's!

 ;D :D ;) 8) 8)

Cheers guys!

Guess who came home today! The Q is back from the mechanics and runs like a dream. Although I really need to sell a few 164's, I have a tad too many!

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zps1v34pimt.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zps1v34pimt.jpeg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpssyvsfk3e.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpssyvsfk3e.jpeg.html)

The Q is AWESOME!!! It is so much fun and I never want to stop driving it! I think my auto car will be neglected as soon as the Q is registered  ::)

Cheers, Andrew.

WOW that awesome group of alfa 164
I am wreaking a Q and have a spare sunroof and leather trim if you need it.

I only have 2 in my line up and one is about to be a ute.

Cheers
Shane

Andrew, I reckon you have the makings of a new business - A 164 hire fleet for Alfisti Weddings and Funerals

BTW - that must be the best looking street in Australia.

BTW - that must be the best looking street in Australia.
here here lol ;D

Hehehe, a wedding car hire company sounds good to me ;D

Shane, one of your 164's is going to become a ute? Fill me in with your plans!

Andrew.

A few weeks ago I saw looking on the net and found a cool photo of an Alfa 164 Ute.
So I have started on my, taking lot of pic but not ready to reveal get
what this space. Lol

That's pretty cool, will definitely be interested to how it turns out.

How low can you guys go? This is my Q currently. Looks great but is ridiculously low, will definitely not pass roadworthy. Surprisingly doesn't scrape as much as I thought lol.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpsjoaqjewy.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpsjoaqjewy.jpeg.html)

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss132/Andrew_Goldun/image_zpsys69itty.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/Andrew_Goldun/media/image_zpsys69itty.jpeg.html)

Andrew.

I reckon your Q looks roughly about as low as my GTV.

Is it just the skirts/spoiler that are an issue, or does the underside/exhaust etc also scrape when you go over speed bumpsc? If its just skirts/spoiler scraping, maybe you can just take 'em off for the inspection?

Luckily in WA, you don't need to get regular RWCs as long as you keep the car registered continuously and it does't attract unnecessary attention from the coppers for obvious faults.

I checked the DoT records for mine and its last "official" inspection was in 1989!

So you guys in W.A don't need to get an inspection when changing owners? Lucky! Here in VIC, we don't need regular checks, we just get an inspection when transferring registration or registering a car that has been unregistered.

The skirts are the things that scrape. I was considering taking them off too but the subframe is a tad lower than the legal limit aswell. I'm just gonna go for the roadworthy soon and see what needs to be done.

Andrew.

Good luck with the RWC.

It certainly takes some of the hassle out of selling cars over here, not having to get a roadworthy every time you sell.

You do need to go over the pits to register a car from interstate or O/S though.

 ;D

Well that's one way to remove rust from the subframe!

BTW Andrew, I saw your silver 164 advertised on gumtree. Any luck selling it?

Quote from: poohbah on October 05, 2016, 11:55:40 AM
Well that's one way to remove rust from the subframe!

:o I reckon! Ouch that hurts just looking at it!

I have had a guy offer me 450 for it on Sunday, I turned it down because it's worth way more and it's just to good to use as a parts car which is what he wanted to do with it. So it's still for sale.

Andrew.

Definitely worth more than that. I thought you were generous at $900. If I was in Vic I would probably be tempted.

Hey guys,

I can't seem to get my bootlid to stay open. I open it, but it just falls back down again as the springs that hold it up are not strong enough. I have tried swapping them over from another car but they do the same thing.

It is because of the spoiler which makes the bootlid heavier. So my question is, are the springs on a Q different to a standard 164? And is there any way of fixing it?

I have move the springs to the 3rd most setting but it still doesn't stay up.

Cheers, Andrew.

Does the 164 have gas struts in the boot, like the 156? If so, you could get them regassed.

Just realised that's a stupid question, you said it has springs. I'll go back to sleep...

Hahaha all good.

Actually that sounds like a good idea  ???

Somehow modifying gas struts to fit. Maybe eventually I'll look into it as I can assume it would cost a lot for fabrication of brackets etc.

Andrew.

Quote from: poohbah on October 13, 2016, 09:23:29 PM

Just realised that's a stupid question, you said it has springs. I'll go back to sleep...

Funny you say that, my Q has both Springs and struts, still didn't stay open haha!

Early models had springs later models struts  :)

I fixed the boot of my 75 (springs) that was sagging by installing a similar length but smaller diameter spring (from bunnings) inside the existing spring on one side only i.e. it now has three springs but it worked. I now no longer need to prop it up with my head and it cost me peanuts.

Again, I'm pretty angry. I have just spent the past 6 months preparing the Q for its debut for Spettacolo. The last few weeks have been hectic trying to prepare it ready for registration, after spending countless dollars on roadworthies, unregistered vehicle permits and repairs, I go to register it this evening on club rego only to find out it is not possible as the car is not '25 years old'.

Now in theory, it certainly is. It was manufactured in October 1991, which works out to be 25 years and one month. HOWEVER, VicRoads go off the Australian compliance plate date, which is January 1992, which means it's only 24 years and 10 months.

So in short, I have been unable to register it (I don't want to spend $700 for normal rego, for a car that will only be driven a few times).

Pretty disappointed to say the least. Just informing people of this absoubtley stupid rule and to not make the mistake I did.

Andrew.

Per the compliance plate, the car's 25th anniversary is January 2017.  But as Vicroads do not record days of the month, I suggest do not go back there until 1st February 2017.  I had the same happen to me and told to come back the following month. 

Another temporary rego... for Sunday at least?

Do VicRoads allow you to pay for three months, like ACT? Also, normally an inspection certificate is only valid for 1 month. Then change it to club rego...

It has an unregistered vehicle permit that actually is still valid up until the 27th. Although the conditions of use only say 'To get the car ready for a roadworthy'. So not sure if I should risk it?

I was considering getting full rego and then transferrring it to club and getting a refund, but right now I really can't afford it.

Thanks for the info Victor, I will do so.

Andrew.

Of course you could drive it to Spettacolo if you were meeting someone to seek, advice and guidance to resolve a mechanical issue ... ?

That's what i have heard enthusiasts say at other events with similar mechanical issues that have just come to light ...

JH

Hey guys,

Firstly I would like to thank everyone for putting on such an awesome day today. It was great talking to some very knowledgable people (Steve and Patrick), you guys were awesome!

On a less happy note, on the way home I had a massive problem in the Q. Firstly the throttle would stick on and keep accelerating with me not pressing the pedal. Then when I put it in neutral it would rev to 2.5k and back down again, and repeat, like it was surging.

I turned the car off and back on again. The problem went away for around 10m down the road until it completely cut out. I pulled over and it would not start again.

We waited for it to cool down and we managed to get it to run, but idle like it was on 3 cylinders, and backfiring very badly.

So now the car is on the side of the road and will be towed tomorrow.

Anyone have any ideas what the problem could be? I should also add when it finally started, I press the accelerator and it would do nothing, not increase revs at all. My only assumption would be a throttle position sensor?

Andrew.

Hey Andrew - I saw your cars today but did not get the chance to meet you as I wasn't around very long. :(  Cars looked great by the way!

That's a bugger about the Q. I hope it's parked somewhere safe until tomorrow - doesn't seem to take long for vandals in some areas to attack any cars obviously left sitting/broken down. It kinda sounds to me like there is possibly some sort of air leak - meaning air is possibly entering the system after the AFM. Are there any obvious leaks? Hope it's an easy fix...

Cheers,
Stuart.

Hey guys,

The car is back home. I was just wondering if I would be able to plug in an auto ECU into the Q? Would it be fine? I have a feeling it's the ECU that is giving me grief.

Anyway, here is a video on what my troubles are with the car at the moment. Any ideas?

https://youtu.be/xEMspXRpBek

Cheers, Andrew.

I can't see it being an issue. These Motronic ECUs are pretty robust... The calibration may be slightly different, but inputs and output pins will be the same.

That tacho needle is surely doing some strange stuff... Which says the negative side of the coil is getting some weird signals.

I would try a different coil first of all.

What a bugga... I was on the way to the men's when you were leaving. It sounded great even bumbling along. Hope its an easy fix. Least you got there.

Pin 28 is grounded in when in Neutral or park.

Thanks for the info Luke,

I pulled the motronic out this evening and noticed that someone had previously been inside. So me being curious, I carefully opened it up and found something interesting. One of the chips has a handwritten sticker on it saying:

22/2193
QV REVLIMIT
@7000

Any information regarding this? Obviously the revlimiter has been raised from 6.5k to 7k, but what does 22/2139 mean? I believe the car has had engine work done to it before, with larger cams fitted as it has quite a lumpy idle, as you would have heard. This just further confirms my suspicions.

Anyhow, I'm still trying to figure out how to get it to start. I have swapped the coil over from one of my functioning cars this evening and it made no difference. When it does finally try to kick over, it revvs up to around 3k and then dies. I have checked over the whole ignition system and cant fault it.

I have even cleaned out the Idle Stabiliser, Distributor (cleaned points), swapped over ignition leads, adjusted the throttle min/max switch, checked all vacuum lines, intake lines etc. No difference at all.

Not sure what to do from here.

Andrew.

Check that the crank angle sensor is clean and tight.

Check the ECU for fault codes. Festy is the guru on this.

Any news?

Hey guys,

Yes I actually just got it started yesterday, However, it idled very high, around 2,500 rpm. It turned out to be a misadjusted throttle min/max switch (The one attached to the throttle body, the black sensor). I re-adjusted it again and it ran fine. This also seemed to solve all of my issues when the car would sometimes not run correctly prior to this incident.

The correct adjustment for the throttle switch is 1 degree of throttle, that is, when the throttle moves ever so slightly, the sensor should click on.

I took the car for a quick 2 min drive up and down the street and it seems to run perfectly fine. I think it was a combination of dirty contacts throughout the ignition system, a dirty distributor and a worn out coil which lead to the failure. Plus pulling out the ECU and letting it sit overnight seemed to do the trick, maybe it needed to reset itself?

Andrew.

Hey Andrew,

In case you haven't already, I'd advise to replace the fuses, spark leads/plugs, dizzy cap and coil, I know it's simple, but highly effective.
Where possible, I'd highly advise to keep the electrical items new/fresh, these cars are great, but have a lot of electrical stuff that can go wrong, best to get on top of it all before it leaves you stranded again.
Alfissimo in America have quite a range of parts for the 164 range.
I'd highly recommend to speak to the boys down at Abruzzo Auto Electrical in Thomastown, they know these cars like the back of their hands!
They can tell you what to look out for and upgrade/help prevent common failures, be it electrical or mechanical.

Just my 2 cents worth from when I owned mine😊

Stefan.

Cheers Julian, slowly but surely I am replacing everything I can possibly replace.

Also finally got the Q registered on club plates last Friday. I can tell you one thing, my automatic 164 is sadly going to get little to no use anymore.

(http://i.imgur.com/Sq6zSxd.jpg) (https://imgur.com/Sq6zSxd)

(http://i.imgur.com/U8dM3wE.jpg) (https://imgur.com/U8dM3wE)

Also tomorrow I get to drive it to school  ;D ;D ;D ;D

Cheers, Andrew.

Looking good!

Well done mate - good on you!

Both cars are looking great Andrew. Quick question - what's the cost and compliance difference between club plates and normal rego?

Not sure I could ever be bothered with the hassle of keeping a log book.

Cheers guys, really enjoying the fleet right now hahaha.

Club permits are DEFINITELY worth it. Normal rego is around $750, club rego (for 45 driving days) is around $75. Massive difference.

Log books are not that bad, take around a minute to fill out and off you go. No need to record the distance travelled or anything like that.

I would highly recommend it on a 'weekend' car. You can also get special historic car insurance deals which more than halve the normal insurance costs too.

Cheers, Andrew

Bravo Andrew..... you are living the dream matey!!
And yes, once you've driven a well sorted Q nothing else comes close in that class.
The Q was the pinnacle of modern Alfa ownership in the 90's and you get to experience it all now...and you're still a teenager!!
Can you believe your Q is 26 years old?
I'm stretched to think of a more sexy sedan with performance of the past 3 decades.

Well done mate! Fantastic to see another young kid be this much into Alfas, and what a car to enjoy!!!

Have fun!

Stefan.

I love the "stealth" badging on the rear of the Q Andrew - or was that standard?

Yeah that's standard. The Q's don't have the 3.0 or V6 badges, instead get a cloverleaf, which is pretty cool.

All I need now is a set of cloverleaf triangles for the front fenders, I reckon they look awesome.

Definately good for the younger generation to get into old Alfas, they just have so much character and make perfect first cars (IMO) 

Cheers, Andrew.

All the photos have gone from your great 164 project thread Andrew, is there any way you can reinstate them?

Yes I noticed that too.

Photo bucket decided it was a good idea to destroy years of work from tens of thousands of forums by removing the ability to host pictures on third party websites. The only way to get back all the pictures is to pay them $500 a year to enable third party hosting  >:( >:( >:( >:(

I think in the coming weeks I will transfer all my photos across to imgur and replace all my initial photo bucket links with the imgur links, as imgur is free to host on third party websites.

Andrew.

Hey guys!

GOT MY P's!!! (You can just about see it in the front window)  ;D ;D ;D ;D I have had them for about a month now but thought I'd let everyone know hahaha

Well I have updated the thread so hopefully the pictures are back up. I moved them over to Imgur and linked them to the thread by editing previous messages.

It does seem that some photobucket pictures still are visible, so could someone have a quick look through the pages to make sure that they are visible? Thanks!

Anyhow, did some more cosmetic stuff on the Q. Installed proper tyre lettering and painted my calipers (red of course!)

Turned out pretty good in my opinion  ;D

(http://i.imgur.com/brubHzc.jpg) (https://imgur.com/brubHzc)

(http://i.imgur.com/wq6AWWx.jpg) (https://imgur.com/wq6AWWx)

(http://i.imgur.com/MgvnWjs.jpg) (https://imgur.com/MgvnWjs)

(http://i.imgur.com/eZWxW1r.jpg) (https://imgur.com/eZWxW1r)

(http://i.imgur.com/Zf3o0tL.jpg) (https://imgur.com/Zf3o0tL)

Cheers, Andrew.

Car look fantastic!

Second that last comment, wheel lettering looks great, what particular type of paint did you use?

Thanks guys!

The letters are actually stickers. They introduced at work as a new product so I thought I would try them out. They are a bit pricey but I think it is definately worth it.

http://search.supercheapauto.com.au/search?w=Tire%20stickers

They come in packs of 4 and have special glue that you stick them on with. Been driving with them on for a few hundred km now and haven't had any issues.

Cheers, Andrew.

Interesting product! The high price probably deters people from writing silly stuff a bit.

Quote from: Citroënbender on October 10, 2017, 08:08:47 PM
Interesting product! The high price probably deters people from writing silly stuff a bit.

Yes that's true too.

Did some more work today on the Q. Finally got around to painting the entire underneath with underbody rust protector spray paint. It comes out a wrinkle satin black finish, looks much cleaner now. Also painted the exhaust with ceramic exhaust paint, also turned out good.

Gives me some piece of mind knowing the underside is protected if I ever get caught in some rain.

(http://i.imgur.com/oc2MLN2.jpg) (http://imgur.com/oc2MLN2)

Cheers, Andrew.

Well, its time to resurrect this thread once more, this time with yet another car build.

As most of you know, another Q has joined the family at the 164 residence. Despite the cars excellent exterior condition, the interior leaves much left to be desired. I am starting to pull the whole interior to bits, and remove any unnecessary stuff that is not needed. This one in definite need of some TLC, as seen by all the wires sprinkled around the car.

(https://i.imgur.com/boNkAyI.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/IWvq7jo.jpg)

Although engine issues may be more problematic, my first job that needs addressing the 10 kilometres of additional wiring installed by the previous owner. The car had a full sound system, but when I bought it, the speakers and amps were removed, but the wiring remained.

(https://i.imgur.com/Y3RD4W6.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/VT24SvS.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/P7ARuew.jpg)

The fuel pump was also run off a separate relay, which was connected into the front window winder switches. I bypassed this completely, but I believe that the fuel pump was turned off and on when the window button was pressed  :o Plus all the switches have been soldered together with speaker cable for some reason...

(https://i.imgur.com/Xcpxm6H.jpg)

An aftermarket alarm was also installed, which has cemented my HATRED for these bloody things!!! Honestly, do NOT even think about installing one. It is a complete waste of time and effort, resulting in a system which never works properly and makes a complete mess of the factory wiring with relays and fuses placed all over the place.

(https://i.imgur.com/QBfMi00.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/eCjuEsx.jpg)

The dashboard has also been cut up and manipulated. The previous owner had an ipad installed in the dashboard, and as a result, has cut out all the original headunit support mounts, so my parts car is going to ever so kindly donate a complete dash assembly...

(https://i.imgur.com/gbkl0A0.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/bTLRUlO.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/DDh1rg1.jpg)

So far here is some of the cables I have removed:

(https://i.imgur.com/RNe1FrJ.jpg)

Still a lot to go though. Next job is taking out the seats and pulling out the black carpet. The original carpet is underneath and in decent condition so that will stay.

Stay tuned for more updates, I have finally scored some days off between work and uni, so I can get some car stuff done.

Cheers, Andrew.

Hi Andrew
I have a good top of the consol
With vents of you need one .
If you pm a list I will see if I have it
In my parts

Cheers

Crikey Andrew, can't believe what the guy did to her on the inside. What a potential fireball in waiting! Hope no hidden surprises and that you get her tidied up without drama.

And who installs an ipad in the dash of such a stylish car? I saw something similar (some god awful ipad-style big screen stereo unit) on a 156 some guy was trying to sell over here a while ago. It looked ridiculous as well as covering up the clock, temp and fuel gauges. No wonder it took months to sell.

Whoa, big job fixing all that wiring. Good luck Andrew, let me know if you need any bits. Got a whole dash and centre console here which aren't perfect but def better than that one. Interesting to see the 24v door cards have been installed and would love to know how the conversion between the different opening mechanisms has been done.

In the RAAF we used to call it "Rats Nest Wiring Syndrome".

Yes, indeed a big job to fix all the wiring. I have essentially removed every aftermarket wire and have started to strip the whole interior down for a clean. Plus going through the wiring harness to make sure nothing else has been tampered with.

Had an hour or so tonight so I got to work removing the seats, black carpet, centre dash component and the centre console.

(https://i.imgur.com/bI8P0Tm.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/JwJqXOn.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/OztArdn.jpg)

I have got the recaro interior removed and am very tempted to install it in my red Q. I think red on tan would look awesome and black on black in the new car would be pretty sweet too. I would however need black 24v doorcards if I was to swap interiors around.

(https://i.imgur.com/ky0rqJJ.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/bp3WScl.jpg)

The previous owner has cut away metal armrest tabs to mount the 24v doorcards, and has completely removed the 'push/pull lever' system in the door. In its place, a tube with a metal rod has been somehow connected to the factory door lock mechanism. Meaning I cannot go back to the series 1 door cards, which is a bit annoying as the new ones don't seem to fit as well. I will post up some more pics tomorrow.

Thanks for the offer of parts as well Shane and Stu, for now I seem to have everything I need in my parts car.

Cheers, Andrew.

It's always nice to see someone else suffering wiring headaches!

Had the doors been fitted with aftermarket power locking kits, too?

Quote from: Citroënbender on March 11, 2018, 10:51:46 PM
It's always nice to see someone else suffering wiring headaches!

Had the doors been fitted with aftermarket power locking kits, too?

A wiring headache is an understatement hahaha.

Yup, the car had an alarm system fitted which controlled the factory central locking from a remote key fob. I unplugged the alarm control box, pulled it out, hit it with a hammer a few times and removed all the wiring from the car. MUCH better  ;D

Have you checked out what going on with
The suspension wiring the boot ?
I have just sorted my out and the only wire
You need is the red one that go to the rad fan
Relay
So I wrapped all the other wiring up in a plastic bag
To keep out water and dust.

Cheers

Quote from: ARQ164 Shane on March 12, 2018, 09:02:30 AM
Have you checked out what going on with
The suspension wiring the boot ?
I have just sorted my out and the only wire
You need is the red one that go to the rad fan
Relay
So I wrapped all the other wiring up in a plastic bag
To keep out water and dust.

Cheers

No I haven't messed around with the car's factory wiring as of yet, everything seems to work so I have left everything be for now  :)

Well from what it was, I think it looks half decent!

Got a new dash vent and centre console from my parts car and installed them to bring the car back to its factory trim. Still need to install the new glovebox compartment, door cards and the steering wheel shroud but she's getting there.

(https://i.imgur.com/sJ0SPgf.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/kHLoCZO.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/Qn4amYQ.jpg)

The blue carpet is in half decent condition, however the glue the previous owner used to glue the black carpet onto the side carpet panels has ruined it due to the lines of glue visible.

(https://i.imgur.com/xrwDMNc.jpg)

Also took out the recaro's and put them in my red car. I think the red bodywork with the tan interior looks great, and the original black Q interior when into the black car.

(https://i.imgur.com/kGakKLZ.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/9F6MA4I.jpg)


Today is the job of pulling the valve covers to decide if the engine is toast or not... I'll keep everyone informed.

Cheers, Andrew.

Hi Andrew,
Your Alfa looking like it's  coming together then awesome mate,
the my wiring is on the fuel cap side i just pulled back the boot carpet and remove the plastic cover

this is some one had dune in my Alfa see photo