The beginning...

This blog will follow the transformation from a 1984 Alfa Romeo Alfetta 159i into a track / race car. I've wanted to do such a project for quite some time now, and now I have the chance! We will try and do most of the work ourselves.

This is what the car looked like when I picked it up on 4 March 2010.

Currently the car is fitted with a stock 2.0 Nord motor, with Bosch Motronic Fuel Injection. The motor also features a variable inlet cam, which is more for economy than performance though. The 14" (6J) Momo Vega rims look nice on it, but I will probably have to go to 15" for track use. It's just a more popular size.

The overall state of the car is good. There is rust. But that is normal for any old Alfa! The motor revs freely, sounds nice and pulls quite well. It will get a complete service to make sure it is fine.

The gearbox also feels solid, despite the crunching on 2nd when changing quickly. It is probably a worn syncro ring, so we will have to inspect it. Another shorter ratio'd gearbox might be an option, as the 159i's gearbox's ratios are extremely long.

The suspension feels solid, with minor clicks coming from the front. This will be ditched for adjustable shocks and thicker torsion bars though. Most of the rubber components need replacing.

The car is overheating at the moment though. The system doesn't seem to hold pressure, which sees the water temperature needle climb to a 100 in no time. We will have to check the system and trace the problem.

We had to stop twice on the way home to let it cool down a bit. So we had our first to breakdowns within the first 30 mins of ownership!

Breakdown number 1:

Breakdown number 2:

Now the journey begins...