Hello everyone, and welcome to the Summer 2006 news letter from the Register.
Site News
Work continues on the Register Website, but slowly. Richard Kerr has very kindly agreed to take on the job of organising UK 'events' like congregations and Sunday Runs. Many thanks to Richard for doing this - please support his efforts.
Merchandise
We are now out of polo shirts. If you would like one, please email me at poloshirt@greybeard.co.uk and I'll put you on the list for one when more are ordered.
Cardisk have ignored all my requests for assistance - perhaps they are no longer trading. Does anyone out there know the situation with them??
If anyone has any other suggestions for merchandise items, please let me know.
Spares
A good indication of spares availability, new and used, is the 'Alfa Jumble' at National Alfa Day ( NAD,see story below). This year there was a complete lack of 164 items, so the situation is getting quite serious. Buy what you can, when you can, that's the motto at the moment.
The Beast
The replacement rear centre section exhaust arrived very quickly from EB Spares, and is excellent quality. I couldn't remove the old one, so asked Bathwick Tyres in Salibury if they would fit it. After initial reluctance (can't offer a guarantee sir) they agreed to take a look at it. Once they saw the quality of the product, they fitted it for twenty quid - a bargain!
I've noticed some oil underneath the car recently. The engine oil appears to be OK, so I suspect the transmission has a seal blown somewhere. More importantly, I wanted to check the oil level before I travelled to NAD. I knew there was a dipstick for the gearbox, but I couldn't reach or see it from the front of the engine. Eventually, I removed the near side wheel and managed to get to it from the side. It showed very little oil so a top up was needed. Next issue, was how to top up?? I searched all over for a filler hole, but found none. Eventually, I rang David Thomas in frustration. He told me the only way was to top up using the dip stick hole. This sounded almost impossible, but with some appropriate tube, the nozzel from a mastic gun, and a bit if fiddling, I managed to do it. Took the best part of two hours.
The oil pressure sensor appears to be on the blink now.....
Events/Members Cars
Sunday 18th June was National Alfa Day in the UK, organised by the Alfa Romeo Owners Club UK and held at Boughton House near Kettering, Northants. A number of UK register members went along to enjoy the sights and sounds of hundreds of Alfas, past and present.
Highlight for many people was the sight of Mike Buckler's twin engined 164 'Bimotore' special. Mike had no need of the rear seats in his 164, so decided to replace them with another three litre V6 driving the rear wheels independently of the front two. The accelerators are slaved together, as are the clutches. The gearboxes are joined by a linkage which can be split by removing a pin holding them together, thus allowing Mike to revert to single engine, front wheel drive only. To cope with the cooling of the second engine, a rad and fan are located in the boot (trunk), with appropriate vents cut into the lid. All this extra hardware left little room for the fuel tank, so a custom unit sits behind the solid firewall between the front passenger seats, however, this does mean that the car has limited range. Mike says the car is pretty quiet inside. Naturally, a roll cage is fitted to increase stiffness and provide protection. It is an amazing machine, and Mike is very modest about his achievement (which I think is pretty considerable). So, any more suggestions for totally way out modifications??
Left to right: Enzo, Richard, Ian, Dex, Roger
This is what Roger Potter had to say about the day:
I attended the AROC NAD on 18th June, along with register members Ian
(papa smurf)Preece, Dex, Enzo, Mark(Hobbit)Tozer, Richard Kerr, John
Madman from Middlesbourgh McFadden and Wendy.. plus Mike Buckler.
The whole day was most enjoyable... we stayed till the prize giving
and then left at approx 4.00pm.. Richard Kerr 24v cloverleaf, myself
24v cloverleaf, and Mike Buckler 2 x 12v cloverleaf = 6.0litre
Bimotore 164 piloted by Mark Tozer.
My 21 year old son Darren was the first person to be fitted into the
passengers bucket seat and after 10 miles or so emerged laughing (with
fear and disbeleaf) he got back into my leaf as white as a ghost, and
shocked... I then told him that this car had done a 0-60 in sub 4
seconds.
Richard Kerr was next, who was speechless.. an achevement in
itself! and then me after 15 miles of travel with me as passenger we
arrived at the Greyhound just outside Oxford.. were we tried over a
meal to put it into some form of a description? and failed.
Both my son and me now have neck ache!! but worth it.. may I take
this opportunity to thank Mike Buckler.. and look forward to our next
meet. Regards Roger.
Thanks for that Roger, I hope the trousers clean up OK!
The
International Alfa Romeo 164 Cloverleaf Register
