Sportwagon 2, adaptation

Well, the 156 is a kind of project car. "A kind, what do you mean?", asked my wife. Lots of euros are going to the 156 and she's not happy at all. "At last there are some works to do in and around the house!!"

In a fortnight I ordered a new thermostat, a CD containing the workshop activities, the OBD contact. Oh, and I disconnected the ugly towing hook ("do you think this is clever?"she asked me). I want to derust it and fit it anew. But the sexyness of the rear side is saved, for now.

The works covering the dismantle were plenty. This is a modern car with ample covers and plastic parts to shape t he inside of the most beautiful part of the Sportwagon. It cost me half a day to say goodbey to the towing hook. Look for yourselves.

Luckily I had a watch dog to monitor the progress.

A ton of parts came out of the boot

Well?

Towing hook assembly in the naked boot

The other side. 

Both plates I left in the car to fit the hook later again.

Deja vu?

King Bleu, dismantling by Kiki

Royal rust by the wheel arches in the 33

Oh dear!

Not much rust here. God bless.

Giulia, oh Giulia

Oh, did I mention I drove the Giulia recently?

Our local Alfa Romeo dealer had an event to participate in, and drive the brandnew Giulia. With some doubts. (I still remember the one time we had an similar invitation of our Citroën dealer. We drove a 2CV and we were invited for the new AX to drive. That I saw as an insult for the rightious 2CV-driver) I subscribed, but I made a critical fault, one could subscribe for the Giulia Quadrifoglio, the Stelvio(!) and even the 4C(!!). I gained a place in the event and I was to drive in the (moderate) Giulia 2.0. After a few dissapointing minutes, I heard, we could drive the car without an instructor, so Martianne and I were happy to go on our own. In the slipstream of the three other cars, alas. 

But is was fun anyhow. This automatic shifting Giulia was just the car for me. Not too fast and not too expensive. The Giula Q and the Stelvio are very expensive cars, this 2.0 is available only for about 40.000 euros :-). So in about 10 years it will be within our reach. (we waited 16 years for the 156 Sportwagon!)

Giulia, oh Giulia 

(why do you have an automatic gearbox?)

Concentrating on the road and on our buddy Alfa drivers in the 4C (what a sound!)

Back on the parking lot, amazed and overwhelmed. 

And it wasn't even a Quadrofoglio!

One for us, please.

Our smiles were big when we left the Giulia on the dealers parking lot. But the fun we have in driving our own 33 Sportwagon, DIY built and costing less then 1/10 of the Giulia is undescribable.

Sportwagon 2, the second

In my last post I mentioned out new 156 Sportwagon. We're still very content with it, although the problem with the 3000 rpms is not solved, yet. But I bought a little device, an OBD linking contact to read the ECU's calls.
It's WiFi connectable tou my iPhone with an app of the same firm. (Other apps work as well, for now this is appropriate to the job on hand). Some fancy gadgets are availbable with these OBD-linkable devices. But I think a dashboard af an alfa 156 is designed properly. so no extra geges for me, for this moment. Extra are the gages to read the state of the battery, the engine pressure and so one.
Nice toys, for boys.

The thing is, the device called an error, being P0340, that's a camshaft sensor error. Now it seems this sensor is located behind the distribution belt from the engine, so that's a good thing. The distribution was due too. Look here how it's done (in German). This is rather a illustratieve video of the problem I have. A simple sensor (90 euro's) and a fix for about 500 euros. That's good, but it's bad too. The distribution is about to be renewed, but why didn't this sensor problem occur when I bought the car?

Yesterday I polished the Sportwagon, inside and out, in the rain. Can you dig it? and every time I pass the car (I still do most of my errands by Brik bike), I wonder why it is such a beautiful car.

Even our daughter thinks now she has to go 

for her driving lessons, since this car is great!