Bringing home another Alfa

[Kevin Trent <trentkc@domain.elided>]

I purchased a(nother) orphan alfa recently, a '73 GTV that has sat unused 
and non running for about 8 years.  Here is the story of towing it home on 
a really hot day which touches on recurring digest themes of towing with 
alfas and running them hot.

The GTV towed just fine, really no problems. I use a triangular tow bar 
that attaches to eye bolts that are installed in the front bumper mounting 
holes on GTVs (and Berlinas).  The tow car was my grey '71 "utility" 
Berlina which runs a 2L engine with webers and a front mounted electric 
cooling fan.  My gas mileage on the interstate trip to get the GTV at @ 80 
was 24mpg.  The return speed with the GTV in tow was ~65+ and gave mileage 
of 20mpg.

However, it was HOT, mid 90's temperatures when I started the 200 mile tow 
home at 2pm, the hottest part of the day.  The Berlina usually runs with 
the gauge indicator right on 175 degrees.  The maximum mark is 250 degrees, 
and the car started out 1/3 of the way to 250.  So I ran with the heater on 
ducted through the defroster.  A digital thermometer I brought showed the 
temperature at the console between the seats to be 105.  After I got up to 
crusing speeds of ~65 the Berlina showed 2/3 of the way to 250, so I turned 
on the heater blower, which brought up the interior temperature to 110-113 
degrees - but that brought down the engine temp to 1/3 of the way to 
250.  Then about 50 miles out traffic just STOPPED.  I made it to the top 
of a rise, and the temp gauge was 2/3 to 250 with heater and blower on, but 
traffic was not moving, or if it was, it was too slow for 1st gear.  So I 
pulled to the side to save the clutch and engine.  The car had really not 
over heated, but I thought I would wait to see what happened.  As I stood 
by the side with the hood up and the electric engine fan blowing, I talked 
to the truckers who idled past, they said there was a wreck 7 miles up the 
interstate.  After about 10 minutes I decided to get back in line, so I 
idled on the level and up hill, and turned off the engine for any downgrade 
and coasted.  I was able to manage the temp to about 1/3 to 1/2 the way to 
250.  I would even idle along for a few minutes, then shut off of a few 
minutes and keep up.  At one point we sat on the interstate for 15 minutes 
- nothing moved.  Cars and trucks were overheating everywhere.   Interior 
temp was 110+ degrees.

Finally, after an hour and just as I was pulling in 2nd gear up a steep 
hill in slowing traffic with the gauge showing 3/4 the way to 250 (I never 
run it there!) as if by magic, traffic evaporated and I was able to get 
back up to speed.  The temperature came back down to 1/3  towards 250, and 
the rest of the trip was uneventful.  I occasionally would use the heater 
blower on hills if the temp gauge started towards 250, which would bring 
interior temps to 110, and turn it off when the engine temp came down which 
reduced the interior temps to only 105.  I arrived home at 6:30, about a 4 
hour trip.

Now I have to make a decision: what to do with the GTV?   First I'll do an 
assessment of the mechanics and body, then see if I can get the engine 
started.  I would like to get it to a "able to run and be driven" status - 
though not necessarily licensed.  That way I can diagnose the rest of the 
mechanicals. More to come..

//kct, Powell, TN 
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