(no subject)

[MDefelice <MDefelice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

For the guy with the broken trunk cable,  if the cable broke at the
release
> lever then follow the instructions given by the other guy, however if
yous
> broke as did mine at the lever in the trunk your s***wed.  I had to
remove
> the access panels to the trunk behind the seat, fortunately my 74
spider has
> no interior and only a drivers seat, key and 6 wires to the fuse
panel.
Then
> you must use, I believe a 1/4 inch drive, 10 or 13 mm deep socket to
remove
> the 2 each side nuts holding the rea deck on,  have someone hold the
trunk
> down as the spring action will caus it to buckle.  Then once you have
the 4
> nuts out, gently raise the hinged end of the trunk while guiding the
sring
> loaded mount upwards.  you'll see what I mean when you do it.  Don't
raise
> the hinge end of the trunk to high as you will bend the lid itself.
Once
you
> have done this, you can easily, yeah right!,  use a long screw driver
or a
> needle nose plyers to pull the lower end of the latch lever towards
the
> drivers side of the car. remember not to put too much pressure on the
lid or
> it will bend or possibly break the latch.  Two people must remove the
lid.
>
> Now  that you have it off, its a good time to adjust the tension on
the
> springs.  They work as torsion springs and can be adjusted by changing
the
> location of the end of the spring bar.  Use big vice grips and
gloves!!! it
> takes to to put the lid back on as well but if the nut marks are still
on
the
> spring brackets you should have no trouble aligning it.  Once on,
adjust it
> one side at a time.
>
> This is your mission if you choose to accept it.  Let me know how it
works
> out for you.
>
>
> To every one else....
>    Hi, my name is Mike and I seem to be the new guy on the block.
Allow me
> to introduce my 74 spider 2000.  I baught it 3 months ago and have had
more
> fun(trouble) with it than I thought Iwould.  However I am extremely
pleased
> and would like to give you all the status there of.  If any one has
any info
> or would like to know how I remedied any of my troubles, you can post
a mssg
> to me or E me direct at MDefelice@domain.elided   (alpha/alfa no
> relation!).
>
> To begin with...
> The top leaks and has no front rubber weather stripping  (use 5/8
neoprene
> single sided door sealer from home depot until you can order one)
> I removed the entire interior, dash and pass seat incl.  to weld new
floor
> pans in,  by the way if any one knows where I can get a real set of
floors
> let me know,  Right now I have to make patches.
> All the wires were shorted out because the window leaked,  later found
to
> have rusted frame.
> I rewired the lights from scratch and now have only six wires in the
whole
> car.  If any one has a wiring diagram I would greatly appriciate it if
you
> keep the laughter to a minimum while I pull my hair out or you could
simply
> give me a few hints.
> I put new tail light assy's in and found a pair of newer ( yellow, not
faded
> to white) side markers for the front.
> THe real fun began when I climed under to fill the tranny with oil and

> realized that the moron who owned it before me didn't want to spen $69
(IAP)
> for a new front exhaust pipe so instead they had a peice of playground

> equipment welded in.  Thats when I found that the center pipe was
leaking
> also( approx$80)IAP.  I removed the system and decided to impersonate
a
Piper
> cub for the weekend(and they said for an aircraft mechanic, I 'd never

get to
> work on and airplane).  Thats when I realized that it was missing
really bad
> and looked closely at the rotor,  (for the guy who wants to know about
the
> electronic ign.)  The rotor was shortend almost .050 on the end and
the
> pickup points on the cap were chewed of in the middle.Too much slop in
the
> shaft. the cam rider on the points was worn past 50 % and the contact
had
> what looked to be a fruit roll up flem coating on it.  No doubt their
was a
> four year old working with the last guy who changed this.  Had the
part sent
> from Cali ( Alfa Parts Exchange)  {Thanks guys}  give them call for
the
bosch
> dist you will need for the conversion,  510 782 5800, and commit the #
to
> memory.
> On the way to UPS to pick it up ( by the way they don't take cash so
make
> sure you leave a check with the neighbor instead), the steereing box
let
> loose, with the front of the housing looking like swiss cheese, and
ball
> bearings going every where, by the way if anyone needs a worm shaft I
have
> one although I have no idea how to get it back into a steering box
with all
> the bearings in place.  That part I had to get from Allums European
Auto in
> ST. Pete FL.  great bunch of guys, has at least 8 alfas for parts (
call
> bruce and tell him the steering box guy sent you)
> to make a long story short an the way to St. Pete, in my wifes Escort,
I
> noticed her brakes grinding(  leave it to a woman " I thought a light
would
> come on")so after work, wed night, I work in a bar,  1:30 AM , the
marathon
> began.
> \
> I put the '83 steering box in with out the idler arm by removing the
> alternator, battery , battery tray and 1-4 exhaust manufold, I you are

> careful you can get away with ony the 1-4 and not the 2-3.  After
puting it
> all back together, I replaced the front, and center exhaust pipes, and
put
> the old muffler,  rear pipe in,  mounting was simple but phisically
difficult
> when the front of the car is only 10 inches higer than level and the
rear is
> saging like 500 lbs in it.  you will have to raise and lower the front
and
> back at least twice.  The rear nut on the rear manifold tube is hell,
does
> any one have a suggestion.  Once I had the exhaust in, it was time to
change
> the dist, and by the way if you are REAL carful you can get away with
not
> being at TDC,  just make sure the new one is in EXACTLY the same
positions,
> points cap, rotor as the old one and leave it loose enough to adjust.
once
> you have it in,  It is impossible to do with out a 12" 10 mm with a 1
1/2"
> offset.  Try starting it and make sublte adjustments till it will
run,  two
> people makes it easier if your car naturally stalls out after haveing
sat
too
> long.  remember its a cold engine.  Now that it is running, even if
not
> perfect, you can time it by ear untill you get to the computer to ASK
ANY
ONE
> OUT THERE HAVE A SUGGESTION AS TO TUNING THIS THING A LITTLE CLOSER TO

> PURRRFECT?
> well by that time it was 9:30 in the morning and I had gotten the
steering
> box, alternator, exhaust manifold, batery, batery tray and steering
wheel
> back on, the new exhaust in, the new dist in and timed it,  also put
new
> front and rear brakes on the wifes 95 escort.  I 'm not bragging but I

didn't
> have much of a choice, I had an organic Chem mid term at 10:30, a
forty
> minute commute and 15 min for a shower.
> My advice is simply this, enjoy your car, take your time, do it right
and
> never ever ever fix everything at the same time unless you have
another car
> to drive.
>
> by the way I got an 85 on the exam
>
> If any one has or can send me copies of the wiring diagrams for a 74
spider
> with dual 40DCOE's let me know, I am willing to pay for them.  Also
looking
> for a late model canvas top for the same car, frame and all,  up to
$300
plus
> shipping, no holes, good plastic,   trim and weather stripping intact,
floor
> pans and rust free( no holes) seat frames{especially bottoms}, new or
good
> dash 70-74 dual cowl,  drivers door, matching exterior door handles,
pair of
> mirrors, lighted rearview or someone to repair the glass in mine,
rubber
floor
> mat sets(original equipment),  front and rear bumpers (ithink there
were 3
> styles that year ar at least that will fit on the car,  front is split
with
> out the guiliatta sheet metal (round tail had a closed cowl) and a
front
> grill assy, Alfa Triangle with 4-5 cross bars and the emblem in the
center.
> These and other parts are neede to make this project work so if you
have any
> then let me know.  also I am looking for alfa's in junk yards. if you
know of
> any in Fl, S. wisconso, or new jersey/ pennsylvania.  Good luck.
>
>

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End of alfa-digest V7 #197
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