Wie bitte?

Today I learned why the engine is leaking water. The core plugs , or in good German 'Froststopfen' were corroded, or even missing. Thanks to Bert Kanters' journals on the Alfa Romeo forum SCARB I leared that these plugs have to be installed for closing the cool water circuit. In fact they must be installed to give way for when the coolant is frozen. So the engineblock will not be damaged.

Happily my old 1.7 QV block is still sitting in my garage, so the comparsion of the both undersides of the engine was easily done. One with core plugs and loads of oil, no corrosoin. One without both: no oil, no plug.

Interesting, isn't it?

 The 1700 ccm block covered in oil but with all the Froststopfen in place and 'clean'.

Happily I never put away this engine. some day I'll revise it. 

Or let someone who's capable to do it, revise is

Core plug missing, block, engine bay and spaghetti exhaust manifold fully covered in rust.

On the other side of the engine one plug is leaking.

A clean boxerengine underside with installed core plugs (this was Berts block in progress)

So, replacement is due. Now I'll have to contact my main man in Old Bayerland again. Today he mailed he'd become some front disc brake caliper rubbers. 

Domtidom, making progress. This summer I'll be driving the Blue Lord...

I guess Pip will be happy she can be driven in proper wheels. Her two wheel motoring days will be over then. 

Pip's two wheel driven transportation for the holidays.

Did I mention the Fiat we bought...? Oops, we've sold the 146 while it was getting too expensive in fuel consumption and taxes. Now we're driving a 20 years old Fiat Punto 60 bhp. It's a very practical and handsome little cruiser. Pip likes it and all family members like it.

60 bhp, 1,2 ltr engine, 800 kgs, 4 door small salooncar.

Italian genes, sporty and good design. Cheap driving, simple engineering.

Radiator springs

In Cars, the Pixar animated movie, I liked the scenery that was created with car bodies, fronts and rear ends. In fact, the whole movie was inspiring especially for a landscape designer like I am. The little town in which the Lightning McQueen unintentionally submerged, was called Radiator Springs.
Actually, that was exactly the scene under my Sportwagon today, after putting the brandnew radiator in the engine compartment. Not that the radiator was leaking water, but it was the engine itself that reproduced the wet. Now I'm looking for the fault, what's wrong?

In the mean while, I tried to order two front disc brake caliper repair kit, to fix the front brakes. But that was not as simpel as I thought. My local parts man had only one kt and it was 27 euros. Too much for a few rubber rings, some metal springs and some bits. I set out an inquiry at Bosman's in Old Bayerland, but it was their day off, today I guess.

The water already dried up, but it poored out of the engine earlier

Looks good though

Claustrofobia

Outside after a long time.

Finally I managed to fix the renovated subframe under the 33. While doing so, I cleaned the frontbrake calipers and put on new hoses. This was past yesterday. In the mean time I ordered a new radiator and all appropriate hoses to mount is in the blue lord. Probably by tomorrow, monday the radiator will arrive, with some internal cleaner to clean up the rusty inside of the cooling circuit. I don't know yet where that rust comes from.

I pushed the SW out of the garage today, but the front brakes aren't working right now. While cleaning the calipers I noticed the rubber of the brake cylinder was bad and in an unattentive moment I pushed too hard with my steel brush, and the rubber was torn. So, a ATE-repair kit is the next part to order for both sides, along with some new brake pads.

I hesitated to renew the front driveshaft caps. I think they're OK. I'll know it when the car is checked for the APK before I bring it for the national register (it still is a Belgian vehicle). Only when needed I'll renew the caps. It still is a low budget restoration.

Here some pictures of the proud mechanic and his dog Pip, for which I'm doing this all the way, haha ;-). I figure my wife will be happy to drive it again, too. In fact she's my main manager of motivation and money. I'm just the guy who does the job... enjoyably.

Just a picture of me and our Bracco Pip

No radiator, but is is a handsome car,already, isn't it?

The trick

Somehow I can't manage to make some progress on the subframe on the front of my Blue Lord. At least het coil bushings are changed in the front. This was a tricky work, because at first the bushings wouldn't come out of the wheel branch. On the internet I found some instruction videos of guys who countered the same problem. It's actually a trich with some pipes and the right daimater, plus a decent pushing instrument. I used the vise I got from my father.

Secondly the new didn't fit as they came out of the box. Some mailing to and fro with my "main man from Bosman" Ed Borghout, and I got this trick too.
There has some flining to be done before the bushings can be fitted in the lower front wheel branch.  With the old bushings pushed out with a cutted pipe of the right diameter (this pipe has to push the outer edge of the bushing, and fit in the braches hole), a vise, an old bushing and a plate (in this case I used an old grinding wheel): job done. Is is actually quit easy, once you get the trick.

The lower wheel branch with the empty hole of the pushed out coil bushing

Filing the new bushing in the right diameter. This takes exact proceeding, too wide
and the bushing will be pushed wrong, too narrow, and it will be too loose

Fiiling and filing, exercising my patience

The hew bushing (all white) is pushed into the brache with the old one an my father's vise

The new bushing is in place now. Look for a plate or in my case a grinding wheel
(it's the hole in the plate that's important) to hold the old bushing on this side in place

Job done...

... fix it under the car!

While fixing the wheel branches I noticed the attachment rubbers were bad. Now I'm looking for new rubbers. Notice the anti roll bar from my QV is already in place. Instead of the "schicky micky" red color every youngster uses, I painted it black, since nobody ever watches under the car.

anti roll bar almost fixed in place 

Looks good, does it?