Alfa Romeo GT 3.2 V6

Anyone got any experience?

I have been offered one for a very reasonable price, needs a few things sorting, but is generally in excellent nick.

Pretty much built on the 156 platform, so I would suspect similar issues with front and rear suspension bushes, but with the beautiful Busso V6 which I am very familiar with.

Anyone had one?

Haven't had one, but have driven them

You're familiar with the engine and know about the suspension problems, so not much more to know really.

I thought they were built on the 147 platform? Not much difference really though.

The GT's are a lovely car, I think you should buy it

147 GTA is better if you are 6ft plus.

Im 6ft 2. Just driven it home, and it is quite awesome

That looks lovely.

£27k new. 240 bhp.

Does it sound as good as it looks?

What needs doing to it to make you happy?

Nice car Wombat... hope you enjoy.

It has a broken starter, starter spins but does not engage, although car bumps and runs fine. This is why it was cheap because its a huge job getting the starter out. It could be the starter ring on the DMF though as well.

A couple of new tyres needed, service, and I have not looked at the cambelt history yet, but if I say I bought it for well well under 2k, it has 77k miles, and is immaculate inside and out, that gives you an idea of the bargain and feel good factor involved

Niiiiice! I would have driven the length of the country for a 2k Busso.

The process was interesting and quick. My MOT garage know I have a bunch of Alfas, and a local chap got recovered to them last Friday with the starter motor dead. They quoted him for fixing it, and he decided he couldn't afford it and asked them if they knew anyone who might be interested.

They phoned me on Monday and it went from there.

I guess you know you have made it in the local automotive unique brand club, when your MOT garage starts asking you to buy cheap cars off other customers.

I must admit I am not sure what the car is worth, but for the money I paid and a weekend spent working on it, good ones seem to be worth a decent amount. Think its a keeper though. Mrs Wombat loves it (she is an Alfa fan )

Great situation.
I have friends who like to sell me their cast offs - hence I got my Coupe!

Looks nice.

May be worth looking into a Q2 diff if ones not fitted.

Aye!! I have a Q2 diff in my red gtv 24v. Really does make a difference.

and saves a expensive rebuild as well

You bought a car without knowing what it's worth? Good man!

Well, I know what I paid for it, and how much it would cost me to fix.

The prices via eBay and auto trader seem all over the place, but a quick look at what was moving through the market seemed to suggest that if I fixed, played for 12 months, and moved on, I would still be quids in (not including the cost of my time of course, but it is a hobby so it good with that).

Prices seem a bit vague though, with a minimum of 3k seems reasonable.

Just been through the service history, and all the important things done. It had all belts done 25k ago by Days in MK, and full servicing. Receipts for everything found on MOTs as well.

Advisory keeps coming up with light corrosion on NS floor pan so need to get under and take a peak, but same issue with 156s so it is not so surprising!

Stunning. Good purchase!!

I have a secondhand Longlife cat-back exhaust available for the V6 GT if you're interested. Previous owner thought it was too loud (which it probably is for a daily driver - sounded epic though....)

A Busso engined car is on my wish-list - I already run a diesel GT and have been very pleased with it - another 80-ish bhp and THAT noise in the same car would be very welcome

I've run one as a daily driver for three years now. (Have the coop for special occasions!). I think you got a bargain - I paid a fortune for mine and then another fortune getting it rebuilt when it blew up at 29k miles not long after I bought it.

A Q2 or quaiff is an essential upgrade- it transforms the car and makes it really fun. Seats are really comfy.

Expect 14-18 mpg around town though.

You can have my 156 for £2k lol
Them and the 166 are the cheapest way I can think of owning a Busso.
My well serviced but scruffy 92k mile S plate cost £500. £400 worth of welding and suspension refresh later and it's a lovely car to drive. It sounds the part.
It's sound turns heads, but folk don't see the source unless they're in the know.
Snap them up quick before they all get scrapped and the Busso experience rockets in price through Gtv's and GT's

With all the excitement of the GT arriving, I have actually managed to do 40 miles in my GTV today, and it has behaved very well.



I do like my Alfa V6s

Nice collection Wombat - very jealous you have the room for them all!

Thank you, Yes, having a barn is very useful.

The GTV has done 120 miles now. After a run, in traffic, the temp hovers just over 90 and the fans control it well. As soon as there is decent airflow over the rad, the temp drops to around 80 and sits there at oretty much any speed and load.

Water level has remained constant, so fingers still crossed but confidence is building.

I am selling my proteo red GTV 24v now this one is looking sorted. Its a bit scruffier but mechanically good. Ill post some details here if anyone is interested.

Been working on the GT over half term (was meant to do the clutch and cam belt on the Coupe, but I have a sneaky suspicion I don't want to sell it, so put that off until the summer, whenever that arrives!!)

Sorted the starter. Fairly big job as the rear exhaust manifold needs to be removed. Dealer recommendation is to drop the engine, but it can be done by undoing most engine mounts and rolling the engine forward to give enough room. All 3 starter motor bolts were missing and it was pretty much dangling in the bell housing hole. 3 bolts and 5 hours work and all sorted, plus a few other engine related bits.

For a 12 year old car, there is a lot of corrosion. Rear floor pans in particular where looking bad, and an advisory for the last 4 years. Luckily all exposed surface easy to access, so rotatary wire brush, KuRust, zinc primer, Dinitrol 447, and looking much better.

All the sills have been badly damaged by inexperienced tyre monkeys etc, and the front OS had been squashed enough to crack the paint and chip guard, and rot get underneath, creating a 15cm long narrow hole from the front wing join backwards. Chopped out the bad metal and patched, and waiting for a rattle can of matched paint to finish it off (my welding is thorough but not pretty due to lack of practice, so some grinding, knocking in a little, and a skim of filler). Looks good and problem sorted. The cavity will be filled with wax to try and slow it happening again.

2 new front tyres tomorrow, and it will be ready to drive on a regular basis.

12 years only though, and poor on corrosion compared to all of my other cars which are somewhat older.

By comparison:
- Landrover Freelanders (52 plate), no notable corrosion
- Both 155s (1992 and 1995), floor pans about the same but have been sorted.
- GTVs (W and V reg), nothing significant other than a little showing on the sill bottom seams
- Coupe 1997 - Nothing of significance

A lot of factors involved, but 4 years of floor pan advisories for the GT...

You don't hang about do you Neil
I need to take a leaf out of your book and get some jobs done sooner rather than later!

Did your V6 champers sell by the way?

I didn't hang about yesterday, but today the weather is causing a lack of motivation...

Yes, the V6 sold. Deposit taken and just waiting for pickup. Sounds like its going to a good home with is great.

Got this all finished today. Floor pans all finished with dinitrol 447, and a rattle can of holts colour match (metallico nero) and some lacquer to blend the sills back in.

I must admit I am quite pleased with the result.

Got it insured through Chris Knott AR owners club, and just need to tax it, probably at the start of July because...

The GTV aircon got regassed today and actually works!!!

I now own 3 Alfas with decent A/C.

So as a treat I started to clay bar the GTV and get some polish on it!!

Proper car weekend.

Another exciting issue with the GT.

Its the same shift and box as the GTV, but the shift was full of play and 1st/6th and reverse were often hard to get.

Top hat bushes on the gearbox end (the 'cross the gates pivot') were clearly worn, so replaced, but still loads of play. Popped the shift gaiter off and the 3 bolts holding the plastic top cup of the shift swivel to the bottom cup/tunnel were all very loose, and the whole thing was moving around.

A bugger of a job as the tunnel has to be dropped from underneath. Not complex, but means exhaust removal, and the exhaust looked like it had never been off.

Sure enough, cat to mid section stud sheared, and one link pipe flexi had a small hole that became a big hole.

Got it all sorted fairly easily, and boy what a difference. Not quite as good as the GTV (could be because the GTV has a DMF which smooths things a little, while the GT has a regular flywheel), but now a pleasure to drive. Now I need to sort out the creaking clutch!!

Wait, I really need to get the belts and clutch done on the Coupe, and drive that again to make comparisons. And, I have a 6 speed Coupe box etc to ponder upon fitting. Not sure I will though as the car is totally original as it stands and not sure a 6 speed box will add any advantage. Opinions very welcome on this!!

I'm no expert but from posts I've read on here the 5 speed boxes are stronger than the 6 so I wouldn't bother swapping them.
Is the 156 selector system the same as yours? 5th to 6th baulks often on mine. A gearbox oil change at the weekend revealed a lovely brown oil which sparkled with metal flecks in the sun

Yes, i hear the same about the 5 speed box being stronger. Its the same unit used on the 155 V6, 20vt, early gtv 24v, with a different clutch cover casting.

The 6 speed bearing design is a little weaker, and meant to be more difficult to set up when put together (shaft end float etc), so premature bearing wear (input shaft) is very likely.

Yes, 156 6 speed box is the same, and identical cable controls. My GTV dies the same when the box is cold, and there is a cross the gates adjuster on the gearbox pivot that can make a difference to this. The GTV always goes in if the shift is pressured towards the driver, which suggests the cross the gate movement is not quite pulling the selector fork far enough over. The adjuster on the pivot can be moved a mm or so to correct this, although it might be wear elsewhere causing the issue.

On the GT, the shift moves in 6th and no other gear when you accelerate then back off, which apparently means the input shaft bearing is worn, or the roll pin in the gear selection module is worn. Bearing is easy when the box is iut, so itll have to last until clutch time!

Looks like you got a beauty there. I have 3 of the same vehicles as you. Coupe 20VT, GT (Diesel) and Freelander. I had a failed clutch release bearing on the GT and now a stiff shift across the gate, but it is worth a little pain