GTV Spider (Type 916) 1995 - 2004

I became obsessed that I needed a classic car after watching Bangers & cash series on TV. After a bit of research and the fact that Jeremy Clarkson said everyone should own an Alfa at some point.

Bought this from Perth in Scotland, drove it home to Cumbria with the hood down as it was one of the hottest days of the summer & it didn't even overheat.

Steering felt heavy and front brakes didn't really stop it. Turns out the tyres were over 15yrs old. New rubber all round made a huge difference.

Ordered some front discs & pads

Jan 24 got round to fitting the New Front discs and pads. Schoolboy error, managed to scuff one of the wheels getting the nuts off.

2nd schoolboy error, sheared the pins off that hold the brake carrier on one side. Good mate of mine sorted it my drilling & tapping the threads out, 2 second hand pins from Alfa Romeo city sorted.

New electric aerial fitted as the original jammed halfway.

2nd hand centre console cubby hole from Alfa city, original had a broken hinge so flopped about when opened.

Also purchased a 2nd hand drivers window as original is marked (job for the summer)

Car lives outside but bought a Richbrook custom cover which seems pretty good

& 1st snow foam wash.

Bought a Ctech battery charger to check & renovate the battery over winter while it's not getting much use.

Feb 24 momo seats out for a leather clean & refurb. Found that someone had previously cut the  connector off for the air bag sensor, now repaired with a new connector.

Shampooed carpets

Fitted a wind deflector from Totally Alfa which was 1 easy to fit & 2 makes a huge difference in the cabin with the hood down

Had an accident on my bicycle & ended up in hospital 

Asked my son to put the hood down as I'd been out in the car & left it on the drive with the hood down to finish drying the interior after the carpet shampoo. He managed to trap the deflector under the hood clam! I'm currently recovering from the accident until such time as I can fix it.

Booked in for it's mot, 1st one for me. Following a cycling accident I haven't been able to do any work on it so asked Tony at my garage to change the oil & filter which I had & was due. New n/s/r wheel bearing which I also had but hadn't been able to do because of my injury.

Ordered a cat back stainless exhaust from Cybox which I also asked Tony to fit.

Passed the MOT no issues, exhaust sounds great (he said the old one was ready for the bin so just as well I'd bought this one)

Happy days.

So after I had the rear wheel bearing changed the ABS light started coming on but only once you'd been driving for 10mins or so.

Then the battery went flat as I hadn't used it for a few weeks. Charged the battery & started no problem but now the airbag light was on all the time.

A visit to Tony at my local garage, he reset the airbag light as I suspected it was to do with flattening the battery following a Google search. Fingers crossed hasn't come on since.

The ABS fault said incorrect number of teeth on a wheel bearing? I'm sure I bought the correct part number. Anyway light was off on restarting and hasn't come on since. Time will tell if it stays off.