6 years later...

Hello! Welcome back! So, the first Alfa project didn't go so well. Above is the end result. Basically we couldn't put it back together, it was far too much work so we stripped it and destroyed what was left. 

 That was a long time ago and following that many things have happened including the Alfa 147 pictured. I bought it cheap from some dodgy looking blokes in Birmingham and looked forward to the project. Myself and a handful of minions managed to change the suspension, brakes, wheels, tires, wishbones, exhaust, injectors, air filter, radio, mirrors, many other things and a full respray. That car has since gone too. So has Benner, anyone seen him??

this place reminds me of that show 'shed and buried'

Return to OPB

Well it's been a long time again but we are back up OPB. Lots has gone on since I last wrote on here, where to start....I guess with the Nissan. That old banger is long gone. Sold for very little as it was rubbish to be honest, When I bought it the clutch had practically given up. I wasn't told this though, Len didn't think to mention that. He still has the Subaru and stupidly wants to sell it. Why?

Anyway, it's the last few days of Summer and as I look out the window towards the old pig barn through the last of the sun I can just see the latest project thats going on up there. An Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf. I bought it as a project as it was very cheap and needed lots of work.

So far myself and some new staff (Rob and Dan/the Gov) have managed to remove the front suspension, brakes, driveshafts etc. and are in the process of removing the engine because Rob wanted to. There are some pictures here as the car may not make it back together. The idea is to fit a new gearbox as when I picked the car up from my friend Graeme in Manchester it had lost only second gear. By the time we all had a play with it that night only fifth gear remains. But essentially this is surposed to be a project to give us something to do and at the end have a quick, cheap reliable car. ok maybe not reliable, it is an Alfa after all. We now have two more projects coming up OPB very soon in the shape of a Land Rover Freelander and a Range Rover. So we better get a move on, See you non.

Right then, here we are, winter again, seems to be permenent in this part of the world but never mind, Anyway, the car, Had a Exedy semi-race clutch and flywheel fitted, was ripped off with the fitting as they said it would cost £250 then the bill came in for £500. slight difference, but I can't really say who did that. So the car has been perfect......honestly......until I blew up the gearbox. I know, its never ending. A friend of mine said he wants it, so we swapped cars. He's getting it rebuilt in some garage in Bristol, not sure who they are, gearbox specialists. I wouldn't be surprised if the bill came in close to £4000. Ouch.

But, some good news, before the gearbox went, Future Power LPG came out to me, ripped out the LPG system and fitted a new one that's half the weight and more efficient. Only thing is it struggles with the boost pressure I'm asking (29-30 psi) But Malc the genius of LPG says he can fix it and I'm sure he can. As I said before I swapped cars with a friend so I will keep you updated on progress of that. Len (the new owner) says he wants to dyno the car too, that would be interesting as the last time that was done it came out at 380 bhp (at the fly) and it's had a bit of tweaking since then including the water/methanol kit being turned on. 400 bhp?? hopefully, as that's what I set out to do. I'll keep you posted.

The car I now have to replace the Subaru is to the right, It's a 2000 reg Nissan 200sx s14a (UK model) with a few tweaks to take it to 300 bhp. Quite good fun, but personally nothing compares to an Impreza turbo. You may recognise it from driving around in circles in Devizes. Thanks for that reputation Len.

been away a while, i'm no bennyblogger1980

hello, how have we been? had a good summer? its over now, right, moving on. The car, well, turned out, it was the oil pump that packed up so no lubrication for any internal parts, the car died, obviously. i had a rebuild at David Hendry Subaru in Malmesbury, not sure how happy I am with that yet, I'll let you know. I had AEM water/methanol injection fitted also, this is very good, big improvement, highly recommended. I did my 1000 miles running in period, then put my foot down and aside from the slipping clutch (Hendrys said was fine, clearly not) it goes like a battering ram. So soon as I have my new clutch fitted (Exedy) and another remap from Bob (BR Developments, Swindon) Then the car is finnished and probably up for sale, so any offers let me know, ciao!

...er, hi. not good news I'm afraid, thats why i been away from here. Firstly, got the car mapped upto 380bhp just to see if all the new components work well enough to handle 400bhp. Brilliant result, next I went down to Somerset and Future Power LPG who mapped the car for gas again....at 380bhp! I'm very impressed with this result, feels a bit quicker on gas too. 

  But then, disaster. Driving through my local town nice and steady and start to hear a grinding noise, the big end bearings have had it. So it's in need of a rebuild now. Not sure who to go to for this because I've not had to before. Tried Graham Goode but they dont do rebuilds anymore. So if anyone can help, please let me know asap (oldpigbarn@gmail.com) I am booked for the Nurburgring in early July so need to get this sorted very quickly! any ideas would be appreciated, thanks!

Right, I've not been on here for a while because I've been busy with the car, so nbow I can tell you that I ruined the oil feed to the turbo somehow (don't ask me how) and had to get a replacement from Roger Clark Motorsport and it arrived the very next day, Im impressed. After that was fitted I put the injectors in and put the engine back togethor. Brilliant. Sounds like a rally car now so my inner child is very happy. All thats left is the remap then I can move on to my next project, which I will let you know about soon. It's a good 'un!

The remap is again from BR Developments in Swindon next Saturday, so if you see a P1 plodding along very slowly it's me on the way there, If you see one overtake you it's me on the way back. Let you know how it goes.

Picture me rollin'

So, another couple of days pass and finally I get to see if there is still life in the Scoob. Stick on some jump leads, turn the key and she starts straight up. Sort of. Ok, not straight up. I forgot to connect the induction kit so all I got was the starter motor going. But once I put that on it was perfect. The new turbo sings beautifully when you rev it a bit. Just waiting for the injectors STILL! And a new up pipe, cos it split some how. Maybe the car thinks I don't have enough to deal with, maybe it wants to test me and see at what point I stop working on it and say 'Right then, screw you, I've had enough of your shenanigans, some one else can do this'. Anyway, be sorted before long, report back soon.
- Sputch x