Engine out

["TJ Noto" <tj@domain.elided>]

Today I removed the engine and gearbox from Shakespeare.  Both are now
sitting on the garage floor, the engine on a dolly my father and I made
a few years back.  That dolly was home to my CS engine for a year or so
while it was being assembled, and I'm sure the Alfa engine will spend
some time there too.  

Getting the engine out was not too hard although I cannot see how it is
easier to remove the engine with the gearbox attached as I'd been
advised.  On our car the gearbox has a flywheel cover which is pretty
deeply dished and which interferes with the steering gear intermediate
rod.  I couldn't get the gearbox up and over it while lifting the engine
so I removed the gearbox and the problem was solved.  It sure is nice
lifting engines that are made of aluminum.  I didn't even have anyone
helping me and there was no drama at all.  Much nicer than that
square-head iron block lump in my Coupe.  = )

I also must comment on how well made these cars are.  I'd always known
it, but seeing it up front in individual details is impressive.  The
size of the hardware, the stoutness of the running gear, are all the
signs of a car made to perform.  Most impressive is the size of the
brakes and the suspension.  The front sway bar may be bigger than that
on my CS.

I just finished cleaning all my tools and the garage.  My floor is a
mess, thank god for Griot's Garage floor paint for tomorrow I'll scrub
it with Simple Green and a floor mop and have a sparkling new garage
floor.  I plan on stripping the rest of the car now and getting the body
ready for media blasting but all that will probably not take place until
early next year.  In the mean time I have a rather greasy little engine
and gearbox which are light and small enough to fit in my solvent tank
so I have a feeling I'll be spending a few nights cleaning off 30 some
years of grease and dirt.

I have spent some time on the Carbs already and with only a little
effort they're looking beautiful.

I was able to clean the block off around the serial number stamping and
wondered if anyone knows if there was logic around the way Alfa numbered
their engines.  Clearly they don't match VIN, but I noticed that the
first number on the block was 0536 which seems to match the 105.36 model
designation of the GT Veloce.  Or maybe that's just coincidence?   There
is then a second 4-digit number which I think is the engine number.  Has
anyone had any experience trying to decipher these numbers?  Does Elvira
know how to provide information on engine numbers?

Finally, because I'm not too terribly bright (but you knew that already)
I have not been able to figure out frames yet in my html authoring tool
and so my super cool attempt at my Alfa Restoration page is still in
mothballs.  Hopefully I'll figure it out soon enough and you can see the
pictures I made of the greasy, dirty, ugly engine bay, gearbox, and
powerplant.

Ciao!
TJ

TJ Noto		AFM #134  	Cowpoke Racing-"Friends in Slow Places"
http://www.cowpokeracing.com
95 Ducati 916 Strada
96 Ducati Monster 900 (Chela's)
61 Ducati Falcone 80			
70 Norton Commando Fastback	
73 BMW 3.0 CS ("deviated from museum reliquary standard"-Perez)
97 BMW Z3 (Chela's)
77 Mercedes 280C (Mimosa)
67 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT Veloce	
00 Ford F150 Supercab		
87 Suzuki RG250 (For Sale!)
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided