My New Track Hack: Project Alfa

[Smity42]

Got stuff done today!

First, went and bought this heap of shit:

This will provide 5 stud conversion and V6 conversion bits. Theres also a V6 in it, but its a rubbish one. Also might crim some brakes off it, and with any luck the transaxle in the boot will have better ratios and/or an LSD.

Then I decided to have another crack at seat mounts. Cut up some pieces of 5x100mm flat:

By positioning the holes differently, I managed to move the seat about 6mm further back relative to the rails, which should be JUST enough to still allow me to do up the rear bolts for the rails:

I forgot to get pics of the rails bolted on, but you see where they go.

This time I decided to try fitting them up without using the factory spacers on the rear bols, giving the seat a bit more lean backwards:

Great success! I was able to find a comfortable driving position almost instantly. The most comfortable position for me has the seat pretty much in line with the B pillar:

It can go a fair bit further forward:

Or a little bit further back (harder to illustrate):

Unsurprisingly, it mounted up to the passenger side without problems as well (mounts are the same each side). So then I could use them as templates and make another pair the same for the other seat:

Final job was to cut out the fronts to allow the harness crotch straps through:

It was at this point that I ran out of good cut discs . Managed to finish them off with some sh*t discs but. I then had just enough time to give one side a quick coat of paint. None of the pics came out though.

Then I ran out of light/energy/motivation.

[Smity42]

Turns out the transaxle in the boot DOES have an LSD and better ratios in the gearbox, but sh*t final drive ratio (3.54). I'm hoping I can swap the crownwheel and pinion from the GTV (4.3) into it which would be pretty good.

The brakes are apparently no better than what I've already got though. I'm thinking I'll try to fit some nissan brakes on it

Is anyone still interested in thread? If not I won't bother to update it

[GTRBANDIT]

wow... cant wait to see the final product...

[zebra]

Turns out the transaxle in the boot DOES have an LSD and better ratios in the gearbox, but sh*t final drive ratio (3.54). I'm hoping I can swap the crownwheel and pinion from the GTV (4.3) into it which would be pretty good.

The brakes are apparently no better than what I've already got though. I'm thinking I'll try to fit some nissan brakes on it

Is anyone still interested in thread? If not I won't bother to update it

Im interested.

Keep it up

[Ten Four]

Yes, still interested.

[phoenix88]

Im still interested. Keep up the good work.

[75coupe]

hell yeah keep going...

[Smity42]

OK then

Went and bought some new HT bolts n sh*t yesterday so I could finish of the seat rails.

Brackets bolted to seats:

Rails bolted to brackets:

Then I realised a problem. The linkage for the seat adjust is almost certainly going to get in the way of the crotch straps. F*CK.

I will probably need to make a new linkage to do this or something:

[Smity42]

This arvo I put the back end up so I could make a start on getting the transaxle etc out:

Got the fuel tank out too. Exhaust is completely unbolted:

However due to some f*cking useless exhaust shop putting not a single flange from the headers to the exit, I can't get it out (it runs over the rear end setup). I'll have to attack it with a grinder tomorrow.

Also, I don't have a socket big enough to undo these nuts:

They seem to be about 36mm, probably something imperial though.

[SABBAi]

hahaha, you said flange

[Smity42]

I like flange

[Smity42]

A highly unsuccessful day yesterday

First up, my 5 minute trip up the road to supercrap to get a 36mm socket (as apparently this is what it actually is) turned into half a day of driving to every tool/hardware place on the north side of Brisbane trying to find someone that had one. Finally at trade tools they had a 3/4 drive impact socket and an adapter (no non-impact in stock).

Success, impact socket was cheaper than normal one anyway. Got home just after lunch and BAM:

Socket too big to fit in the hub, F*CK. Hopefully I can go back and exchange it for a non-impact (which I'll have to wait for).

Dan came to the rescue though and somehow got a 36mm socket delivered from his work . 2 rattle guns later though, the little f*ckers would not budge. So we went all old school and got out the breaker bar and pipe. This just started to spin the drive shaft, even with the hand brake on and foot brake mashed against the floor. So we put it in gear as well, and put another breaker bar on the front of the engine. This succeeded in finally freeing the seized clutch, which started to slip .

Then I took some bits of 5mm steel (look familiar? ) and drilled some holes in them so they could bolt on to the back of the hub (where the half shaft would normally bolt to) and stop it from spinning:

Bolted them up and then proceeded to break my breaker bar

It's a super works gold brand, apparently with life time warranty. I shall see about getting it replaced during the week, although I have no hope of finding the receipt...

Sick of it by then, we had a bit of a play trying to get the 75 running. This included some 31 club engineering (read: fuel pump dodginess):

As the fuel pump in it seems to be dead. But even with a definite supply of fuel she would not start, turns out the injectors aren't firing either. Suspect dead ECU or wiring fault.

So failed at that, back to the f*cking hub nuts. Found another short arse breaker bar lying around, this + pipe succeeded in getting one nut off! Although, it was not looking really happy after doing so. Got it on to the second nut and then broke that breaker bar broke as well . But it seems that it did manage to crack the nut in the process, as we were then able to get the nut off with a rattle gun. At least the nuts are now off:

Oh yeah, I also cut the exhaust and got it out. So today's tally:

Get 36mm socket - FAIL

Remove Exhaust - SUCCESS

Get hub nuts off - SUCCESS (Eventually)

Start 75 - FAIL

Remove transaxle - FAIL

Yeah, achieved a lot today .

I'll need to crack those same nuts on the 75 too, so I think its time to invest in a 3/4 breaker bar.

Hope to get the transaxle out today, but it is nearly lunch time and I only just got up, so maybe not

Edited June 6, 2010 by Smity42

[NA_Goodness]

Ouch!! That sucks man, but its all part of owning an old car. Glad you got it off in the end.

[Smity42]

Update:

Bit more luck today, transaxle is out at last (please excuse the shitty low light pictures)

pretty empty under there now:

And yeah, as Dan alluded to we had a bit of excitement when we realised that some idiot had put the axle stands under the de-dion triangle, then proceeded to unbolt said triangle . Oops. It was still holding it up, but very unstable. Found the proper points on the body for the axle stands and moved them, all good.

Ripped the clutch of quickly for a quick look. You can see why it was seized:

Yes those surfaces are meant to be smooth and shiny.

Interestingly, both transaxles appear to be capable of running either a pull or push type clutch, not sure which I'll rock yet. I have everything needed for a push, but a pull is apparently better.

There's more headaches ahead in getting those rear hubs off. Need a puller to pull them off, which I now have (thanks Dan), but it needs something to push against. We tried doing it with the transaxle and half shafts still in there, so that it could push against the half shafts, but it just kept pushing the transaxle over. I'll have to work something else out.

[HOWIROL]

I like flange

Granny flange?!

[Dan_B]

can't believe it took me that long to find that puller.... looking good now. Just need the 75 to start then i'll be happy!

[Beelzebub89]

Solid effort mang. Looks like its coming along nicely.

[Smity42]

So went for a run around this arvo:

Trade tools are happy to swap my socket for a non-impact one. It will be in tomorrow, and they're not even going to charge me the extra $8 it would normally cost. Pretty awesome given that they have done nothing wrong, really can't say enough good things about these guys, they never fail to deliver when it comes to tools. Only downside is they could only get a 12 point socket, not a 6 point. Oh well.

They had some epic strong looking 3/4 breaker bars too. Only short, but should be perfect for hanging a pipe off the end. I'll hang off at this stage though as I'm tempted at this point to swap the whole rear axle over...

Next stop was super cheap. Surprisingly, they were more than happy to replace my breaker bar without a receipt. The problem was, they are discontinuing the super works gold tools and didn't have any in stock. No other stores showed up as having any in the computer either, so they said I could wait (maybe weeks, maybe months) for the replacement brand tools to rock up, or just get a refund. I went with refund. I could tell the manager REALLY wanted to ask how long the pipe I had on it was in order to break it, but he refrained (surprisingly) and just asked what I was trying to undo, so I told him.

Now I'll need to find a suitable replacement, trade tools probably have something for that as well.

Also just rang a dude about an engine, could be promising only problem is he is in Melbourne .

[trackracer88]

Loving it. I used to do hillclimb, and once lined up a mate that had whacked a turbo on one. We had an unofficial burnout contest at the start line, until he tried to hit second gear while it was hard into the boost in first. Promptly blew the gearbox to bits. That said, before it blew up that little Alfa ran hard. Can't wait to see how this one turns out.

p.s. everyone knows the red button is the go fast button;)

[Smity42]

My computer shat itself on friday, but in between rebuilding it I managed to get a bit done.

Decided it would be easier to swap the whole rear axle/triangles over than trying to get those hubs off, so it is out:

Then got the front up:

And the front spindles out:

Had to 'modify' my ball joint seperator to fit the ball joints (cut the opening bigger with a grinder ).

Next weekend hopefully we'll push the 75 round and rip everything out of that to swap.

Also did a proof of concept of new linkage for the seats:

This is just a straight bit of ally flat bar. Works well (actually better than the stock one because there is no give) but doesn't gain any clearance for the straps. Next I'll try something with a 45 deg or so angle to gain clearance. Hopefully it will work.

I've also been taking the transaxles apart to see what can and can't be swapped. It's not looking real promising, with the crownwheels in different positions on the different centers:

Other transaxle pictures for funsies: