Posts

Image
Next up was to drain the coolant, remove the coolant hoses, remove the plastic fan shroud and remove the radiator. Fairly simple process and opens up the front of the engine for more work- that Italian Snowball again. Car on wooden ramps, and coolant draining. Removal process.  The large black plastic thing is the radiator shroud with the white fan inside it. Rad, fan, shroud and hoses removed.  Now that is some working room! Cooling fan removed.  Not going back in since I am installing an electric fan on the front of the radiator. Radiator out, started cleaning, painting, etc.  This is the bottom, with the brass drain plug shown. Next up I removed the exhaust manifold.  It's the cumbersome manifold used with the air injection system for US emission standards, so I want to get rid of it for the European 2-piece manifolds that are smaller, flow better, etc.  This change requires I get a new exhaust system as well...snowball. Eve...
Image
So I just finished replacing all of the rubber fuel lines in the back of the car. Not too bad- just no room to move around under there which was no surprise. The Spica mechanical fuel injection pump stays cool with flowing fuel- so most of the gas is just being circulated back and forth from the fuel tank, with a little skimmed off to run the engine. I bought new fuel line clamps as well for everything- but some of the ones I pulled off the car are excellent clamps so I just cleaned them up and reused them in a few locations. Here are the new lines up above the rear axle coming out of the top of the fuel tank (the feed line is the larger -1/2" i.d.). The smaller is the return line. Here is the electric fuel pump (mounted behind the right rear wheel) with new lines, clamps, etc ready for install).  The brass piece is a line diameter reducer since the line from the tank is 1/2" i.d. but the connection of the pump is 3/8" i.d..  There was a plastic one in there ...

The Beginning of another adventure...

Image
So I sold the MGB and decided to replace her with a new project: 1977 Alfa Romeo Spider. I bought her off of Bring a Trailer, had her shipped from California to Maine, and started immediately tending to her multiple needs this past weekend (Nov. 23, 2019). I was first able to take her for a quick spin in the misty rain (top down of course) once the deliver person backed her out of the delivery truck. After driving the old girl, there were many obvious areas that will need attention:     1.  She would not really maintain an idle once warmed up.     2.  The handling was pretty poor turning left (felt loose)- turning right felt o.k.  Could be tire     pressures     3.  Most electrical did not work (tail lights, hazards, heater fan, interior lights, etc.)     4.  The center console is worn out from use.  Will need a replacement or repair if possible.   ...