SpeedDealer 2015 Calendar

The SpeedDealer Motors Calendar is about to go to print. We will probably make a limited initial print run to see what the demand is. If you want one for sure you should let us know. We are planning on offering them for $20.00 each.

We are planning a calendar signing November 22nd at Smarty Pants in Georgetown. Come on down and purchase your calendar and get it autographed by some of the models.

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Working on the Alfa

I was driving home the other day and I missed a shift and over revved the alfa. it started making an awful banging noise. At first I thought the clutch was starting to come apart because it shifted really hard and pushing in the clutch seemed to make the throw out bearing squeal. Upon inspection the clutch seemed fine. I took the cam cover off and noticed the timing chain was very loose. I adjusted the tensioner, checked the cam timing and the valve clearance. I put it all back together. The banging noise is not as pronounced now, and only at idle and right above, but it is still there. I checked timing again and when I reached down to try to turn over the engine, I noticed the crank pulley rotated on the crank about 1/4 turn without the crank turning. I pulled out the radiator to get a better look, with frars of the crank nose being broken. I see that the pulley spins on the crank, but the TDC mark on the crank nose is in alignment with TDC measured with a dial gauge on the piston. I have not puuled the pulley off yet, I am hoping I just sheared a keyway and the pulley bouncing back and forth is what the banging noise is. Compression checks out good in all of the cylinders so I do not think I bent any valves.

Anyhow, here are some pictures of the engine and my helper, Xesia, working on it.

Daily Life with an Alfa Romeo Spider

My daily driver is a 1988 Alfa Romeo Spider. When I purchased it for a very small amount of money it barely ran.

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Since then I have invested way more into the car than it is worth and I am about 1/2 way to being all complete. I cannot say “Finished” because things like this are never “Finished”

So far the engine has been completely rebuilt.
10.4:1 pistons and matching sleeves
.030 shaved head
Girdled Block
High flow oil pump
Oversized Valves
292 duration 10.5mm lift cams
Ported Head
4-2-1 header
2.5″ side exit exhaust

Etc. Etc. Etc.

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It still has the almost stock Bosch (German Relative of Lucas) Fuel Injection which is a future project.

Suspension has been rebuilt by Group 2
Bilstein Shocks
Koni Springs
Polyurethane bushings throughout
New Idler arms
New tie-rod ends
add lots of Etc’s here also.

The body, well, my youngest son took it out (when he was not supposed to) and while it was parked, someone hit it and took off. So I had a friend rough in the bodywork and I sprayed it again in black in the garage. Not the best of jobs but it works until I get the rest of it more together. Then I can spray it properly.

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The Interior, That is what I am working on now. At least I am at the point of putting stuff back
together. I do need to get a roll bar sometime because it does like to oversteer under power.

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Well, that is all for now, I will update as I go along and you can sort the updates under the Category Alfa Romeo

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