Project Alfa - Philippines

[BRX0804 30]

Hello Guys,

 

I am currently finishing off a 1996 Alfa Romeo GTV that I purchased from a friend of mine last 2012.  I would like to share this to all. I know some of you may not like what I did to the alfa but remember I got this in a much worst shape from the previous owner.  I just love this alfa body that I had to do some justice  into it and make it my personal toy.

 

The project started off with a running car with a lot of wrong parts on the car.  To start off is that the engine was replaced with a Toyota 3SGE 3rd generation engine and the suspension were converted from different parts from any Japanese car.  More parts were not in place and were converted if ever.  For short it was in a mess and desecrated.

 

As you know, alfa romeo was here sometime in the 90's and brought in these GTV's.   There are still some running units but rarely would you see anything running or in the best condition.

 

So I contracted my friends car shop and worked on the alfa romeo.  We first worked on the engine by replacing it with a modified Toyota 3SGTE 4th generation engine that came from a Supra.  With further modifications on the engine the horsepower is now around 330hp.  I wanted to rebuild the alfa V6 2.0 turbo that was in it but it could not be found anymore.  The Toyota engine was rebuilt from scratch with new bearings, rings, etc..  I would believe that this is  the only alfa romeo with such an engine in the world.  It was repiped with front intercoolers, BOVs, Wastgates, Malfassi Fuel Regulator, Wahlbro fuel pump, Oil intercooler, twin Remus Exhaust system, custom fabricated 3-in stainless steel exhaust system, etc etc

 

The car was repainted to original alfa specs with Duponts.  The interiors are reupholstered leather seats by a famous reupholsterer in the Philippines.  The gauges on top are from Sgear that shows 4 types of reading per dial.  Eonon car stereo and back up cameras were also installed, Sparco seat belts, etc etc. 

 

The 16-in mags are stock but have Federal 595SS semi slick tires on them.   I am still waiting for the delivery of  the Koni Sports tuned shocks. No lowering springs were ordered because the roads in the Philippines are not that great.  In addition, the aircon condenser is located underneath besides the transmission and comes from a Japanese van.  Additional fans are also located at the bottom that sucks out air from underneath the engine.

 

I am still NOT finished on car project as I  am replacing the discs, placing a specially fabricated front strut bar, rear strut bars, Cadamuro spoilers, etc..  I would not recommend that you do this if you don't have the time, engineering skills and a specialized machine shop besides your car shop/garage and a wife who is monitoring your bank account.  The project started last August 2012.

 

The car is very much driveable nowadays but I am still waiting for some of the parts to arrive from all over Europe.  The drive on this alfa will push you back to your seat because of the power to weight ratio and the racing clutch that were installed.

 

See pictures.  if you wish to know  more of the project let me know.  I have full pictures of the project from start to  finish.

 

Thank you guys.  more power to the members.

 

Bobby

 

 

[Damgreg 94]

Holly sh*t what an amazing car you made here!!! You crazy, right?!!

Can't wait to see it move!!!

[Alfaduden 226]

Hehe interesting engine conversion... I thínk it look a lot more messy than the Busso V6, but this must be fast and light?

Edited February 13, 2014 by Alfaduden

[GTV-TB 315]

Talk about an Asian - European blend, how was the slogan.... MY ALFA IS FANTASTIC.

 

[kunev 131]

Welcome here to another tuning enthusiast  .

Very serious work on the car! Without alfa romeo cars and spares there, that is one option for you to save the car.

The engine which you have installed is not installed on Supra from what I read. Wikipedia says:

1997–2003, 2003–2007  -  Caldina ST215 (GT-T), ST246 (GT-Four)

The turbo looks big, what it is and at what pressure do you run it right now? You probably use the ECU that came with the engine?

[Paso 239]

This is properly crazy!

 

What I like the most about it is that you managed to keep it "sleeper-style" - it looks like an old ordinary unmodified GTV... a then... 330 hp!

 

Welcome Bobby!

[BRX0804 30]

Thank you guys.  The car is a rocket especially with its lightweight body.

 

I stand corrected.  The 3sgte 4th generation engine came from a Caldina.  The former 3sge engine that was in it came from a Supra.  Thank you Kenev.   The turbo is stock CT20B and we are operating at 1 bar of boost.  We have plans to replace the turbo with GT38s which should bring the horsepower to 400 easily.  The turbo charger was rebuilt with new bearings and seals so as to provide maximum outputs. The former stock ECU was automatic and we had since changed it with a Manual Version.   Then we piggy-backed it a with an adjustable GREDDY Engine Management System.

 

The engine mess are all aftermarket parts that were installed.  Everything was made to be shown.

 

We are just waiting for all my suspension parts to arrive and hopefully we can have this car run in the circuit here and see how it performs.  At the moment I am just having a grand and proud time riding it here. Pedestrians would gaze this car more than the Porsches and R8s that are here.  Maybe because it is a rare car to see here in the Philippines.

 

At the moment I am still figuring out how the speedometer and tachometer works in this GTV.  Are they electronic or mechanical?  We are contemplating of changing the back side of the dials that are from a Toyota so it will adopt to the engine.

 

Check out the front aluminum intercoolers.  I was shocked that it fitted perfectly in front of the car!!!  I will be happy to  share my experience in this build.  More power to you guys.

[Damgreg 94]

If I'm right, on the V6TB first series the tachometer speed is taken on a plastic (or smtg like that) wheel in the differential.

 

 

[kunev 131]

I'm kunev  .

That is big standard turbo! I read that it is rated at 400 hp, but it not like high pressures.

330hp at 1 bar from 2.0, that is impressive   ! Is this figure from dyno? What is the CR of the engine? Have you make some head work? Performance camshaft? At what rpm is maximum power?

Quotes from Wikipedia:

"The fourth-generation engine uses a proprietary, and once again enthusiast-dubbed, CT20b turbocharger, whose exhaust housing is actually cast into the cylinder exhaust manifold, rather than the normal practice of a separate turbine housing after the cylinder exhaust manifold."

"All Toyota's turbochargers for the 3S-GTE generations use an internal wastegate design."

So do you modify the exhaust manifold (for external wastegate) and turbine housing (block the wastegate port)  or use another ones.

I can not understand you about speedometer and tachometer? Probably you want to use the "face" of the dash from GTV with the signals from Toyota sensors?

[BRX0804 30]

Yes kunev it is from dyno 331hp to be exact.

As of now the cylinder heads were ported and polished. Stage 2 Performance camshafts should be coming soon.

The internal wastegates were not used. We used an external wastegate (see blue circular top between radiator and cylinder head). We used the stock exhaust manifold and modified it to accept the external wastegate. Mine came with a separate exhaust manifold and turbo housing. The springs of the wastegate were changed to heavier ones. I am not sure what my tuner used.

I am looking at adopting a Toyota tachometer and speedometer and just calibrate them to read properly. The other option I am looking into are replacing the Speedo and Tach with aftermarket dials.....

[BRX0804 30]

Thanks damgreg showing ,e where the speedometer readings are done. Unfortunately, my engine was converted into a Toyota 3sgte engine already. So I am still figuring how to adopt the those dials into the New engine.

[kunev 131]

I know what is external wastegate  .

About intercooler. What are dimensions of the core of your? Its frontal area (width and high) don't look big. When mine is installed I want to be mounted as much as possible to the inside of the car for less cutting of the inside of the bumper. Your is mounted more to the front, but maybe it is too deep. The intercooler piping for this engine are long and complicated as far as I can see. They look big. What is the diameter before and after the intercooler.

The next is for my car! The rev counter signal is electrical and come from Motronic to pin 14 of the cluster. So the Motronic modify signals from revolution and timing sensor. The speedometer signal is also electrical and it is supplied by the speedometer sensor to pin 7 of the cluster. The sensor is a pulse generator driven by gear shaft on it, which is connected to gear mounted on the differential (which is shown in the Damgred post above).

[BRX0804 30]

Kunev, I Will get back to you of the dimension of my intercoolers later. There was no cutting or modifications of the bumpers when I installed the intercoolers. it fitted perfectly. Yes, the length of the pipes are a bit long because the throttle body of the 3gte is near the wipers already, I had to cut back a little on the engine partition. I had also to avoid being near the exhaust manifolds. Most front mounted intercoolers of 3sgtes on caldinas and corona exsiors are done this way. Unless I change the stock exhaust manifold and relocate the turbocharger further down the engine. This should at least shorten by 1.5 feet of the pipes between the turbo to intercooler. That will really cost a bit more. The stock 3sgte intercooler is mounted on top of the cylinder head. Very efficient but it will already hit the engine hood and I would need to replace the hood with those that have top scoops on them. Though should I upgrade to a gt35 turbo that would be the only way to do it.

Because of the high rev of the engine it tends to hit the engine partitions. But I had that solved by placing an engine damper (see top left corner) and moveback part of the top partition by half inch.

The intercooler pipes are 2in from turbo to intercooler and 2.5_in from intercooler to throttle body. Exhaust system is 3-in then split into a t-formation then 2.5-in to each Remus exhaust mufflers. All the intercooler pipings made does not require cutting or modifications on the bumbers or foglights. Patience only required.

Thanks for infos on the Speedo and tachs, but do remember my engine is not anymore an Alfa. I dont have thosedrive axles anymore. The engine and trannys are 3sgte manual. I had to even a machine drive axles from the tranny to the wheels. the tranny end was Toyota and on wheel end is for Alfa. This is a special machine and materials used. I am contemplating on installing electronic gauges from AEM or others.

[BRX0804 30]

A bit of tip, the intercooler is not really centered. It is around 1-2in to the right.

[BRX0804 30]

The intercooler measures 18cm x 46cm, more or less

[ViscontiMNE 2]

Hello my friend from Philippines..excellent work you are carrying out, keep on , magandang car (if I used correct word)  

[inspire 2]

Hello Bobby!

 

 

From the Philippines too!  Looking forward to your build.  Do let me know where you are ordering parts and how you are bringing them in.

 

 

Thank you,

 

Chad

[kunev 131]

The dimensions of the intercooler are for core, right? Your intercooler is very narrow and because of that the installation was more easy. The core of mine is 625 mm width and 80 mm depth and its installation will be more "interesting"  . How deep is the core of your?

[BRX0804 30]

Can anybody tell me if the V6 2.0 and V6 3.0 have the same FRONT shock absorbers?  As you know, I am fitting in a Koni Front sports shock absorbers from a V6 3.0 because Koni's don't produce the front Mcpherson shocks for V6 2.0 anymore.   I would have opted for KW Coil Overs but with the cost overrun of this project and others I still need to purchase.  I have to stuck with Koni's.  If it is different then I think I  have to do some machining works.

[BRX0804 30]

Chad, send me an email.  I will respond to  you from there.  Regards.

[BRX0804 30]

Kunev, sorry could not measure the width of  the intercooler core because the front grill mesh is blocking my tape measure and a lot of front gear below  the engine.   But I will try to get the measurement from my supplier.  Nevertheless, to compensate for the small intercooler there are 3 features that were done: 

 

1.  there are 2 aircon condenser with fans units from a Mitsubishi pajero located at the bottom front side of the engine.  These are small condensers with fans connected in series.  The fans sucks in air from the engine and brings it below.  It started out as one condenser fan unit but it wasn't that cold because it was getting heat from the engine. So I added another one which is a bit ok now,  Please note that if this was in Europe one unit will suffice as you know I am in a tropical country and summer here is very hot;

 

2.  there is a small fan unit that helps suck out the engine heat and delivers also down.  This is located near the intercooler;

 

3.  there is a water-methanol spraying system in the intercooler similar to those found on Mitsubishi Evo cars.  We are currently fabricating a big water container to be located on left side wheel well. It is covered by this plastic shroud that is in line with the headlights. The capacity should be around 1 gallon.  (note: I stand to be corrected on what you call those plastic covers) 

 

Notice that the 2-in stainless pipes from the turbo to the intercooler was not pointed down and was maintained to  original position (pointed above the cylinder head).  This was done so that the cooling systems mentioned above could be accommodated.  The overall effect, is a more colder charged air to the intakes.  Moreso, no cutting or modification on the bumpers. 

 

A lot of tinkering  and engineering done here.

[GTV-TB 315]

Can anybody tell me if the V6 2.0 and V6 3.0 have the same FRONT shock absorbers?  As you know, I am fitting in a Koni Front sports shock absorbers from a V6 3.0 because Koni's don't produce the front Mcpherson shocks for V6 2.0 anymore.   I would have opted for KW Coil Overs but with the cost overrun of this project and others I still need to purchase.  I have to stuck with Koni's.  If it is different then I think I  have to do some machining works.

V6 3.0 Koni will fit the TB, it's the V6 TB shock absorber that does not fit V6 3.0 since they lack a bracket to connect the ARB to, that bracket on the Konis will not be used when Koni shock absorbers are fitted to the TB.

[BRX0804 30]

GTV TB, thanks.  that's a relief that would mean no machining for me to do.   My shocks are arriving by March 2014.  Hoping for a better ride soon.

[BRX0804 30]

Friends,

 

I have a supplier problem in UK.  I had placed and fully paid for some alfa parts to Gazzella Racing since June 2013 and they have not delivered a single  piece.  They were not able to send me the coil overs that I had purchased from them and some other accessories.  This was a very big order and they have been leaving me hanging for quite some time.  Our recent agreement was that I will redo  my orders and they were to confirm the delivery last week.  But NOTHING.....

 

If anyone of our friends in this forum or  in UK  have any influence over Gazzella Racing, I would highly appreciate it if you can give these guys some "BS" and tell them to deliver my stuff.  I am a guy who does not wish to loose my cool because I have other things to do than mess with this @##%^&*( kind of guys.

 

It will be the last of me buying from them and I will NOT recommend them...  BIG Thanks in advance as to who will spread this and help me on this matter.

[BRX0804 30]

Viscontimne, the words are perfect Filipino language.  I just had to preserve such a beautiful (aka... "maganda") car.  Unfortunately I had to mess with the engine.   You must have visited Manila. Let me know if you are here in Manila will be happy for  some chats or beers when you are here.