New 145 1.6 TS Owner Options

[shakrally]

I have just collected a 145 1.6 TS in Rosso Alfa. What a cracker! I've always wanted one and the only one I had ever driven was the MDZ Italtec courtesy car many years ago and thought how fun it was.

One came up for sale locally and by my surprise it was the MDZ Italtec 145! Got in touch with Paul who said it's a good car, current owner is a massive enthusiast with a wonderful Alfa collection but just didn't have time to focus on this one.

So I picked it up yesterday and have began to look at what it will need ahead of an MOT to get it back on the road.

I'll drop some pics in soon. But the current to do list is:

- Sort out brakes. Fronts are new, rears look aged but the pedal feel is poor. Spongy and it's not stopping very well. So I'm thinking new rear discs and pads, new brake hoses and maybe a new master cylinder if it is still no good after a bleed with new fluid.

- Fuel needle is a bit dramatic. Sometimes it's a quarter tank, sometimes the light is on. I imagine it's due to fuel moving around in the tank coupled with a bit of an Alfa quirk. So i'm not massively concerned.

- Basic service. Cambelt was done 3 years ago and it has done minimal miles. Condition of the belt is good. So just new oil, filters and fluids.

- Undersealing! It's relatively solid and I intend to keep it that way. So will try to get it on a ramp, clean the underside and apply some rust reversal solution (Bilt Hamber stuff) and then new underseal as far into the crevices as I can.

- Respray the roof. Lacquer peel everywhere.

- Should hopefully be middle of spring by then, so I can start to enjoy it.

Cannot wait!

[dante giacosa]

Hey shak!

Welcome aboard!

That’s an exciting story- what an opportunity to own a car you had formerly admired in the past.

Is MDZ Italtec an automotive business?

The 1.6 will be a cracker, as it will have had less ‘test pilots’ at the helm!
From what you describe; is it accurate to say the car has never seen welding?!

What’s the mileage?

Pics please!

[shakrally]

Hi Dante.

Thanks for the welcome.

MDZ Italtec is an Alfa & Fiat specialist garage I have been using for a number of years. They are based in Charlwood, near Gatwick Airport. They are absolutely amazing and I take my cars nowhere else. Run by an Italian family and their knowledge of the cars is immense. Highly recommend them if you could not tell haha.

Oh no, this 145 has definitely seen some welding. There are some patches on the floor pan. Though I couldn't see any signs of anything being done in the wheel arches, but suspect it must have been done before.
I know Paul would have looked after it whilst it was at MDZ. But it had some patches on the floor pan done early last year whilst with the previous owner.

There is a small hole in the floor pan at the moment (about 50p) sized, so will get that sorted once I've got the car roadworthy.

Will try to get some pics up soon

[dante giacosa]

Hey 'Shak-

sorry for not replying sooner;

that all sounds good and highly reassuring to be honest; so has there been any movement on the car since your last post?
Welding in the arches is quite unusual; it's mainly the floorpan that needs attention.

And can you get some pictures up? Do you know how to do that?

[shakrally]

Hey Dante.
Sadly I've not been able to do much to the car since I got it. The weather has become to cold and wet. I have a nice pile of parts waiting to be fitted, but sadly when the weather has been nice, I've not been free and when I have been free the weather has not been nice.

If there is a good day I may attempt to get out there and do a few bits.

No pictures as yet, but will try to get some at the weekend.

[dante giacosa]

Hey Dante.
Sadly I've not been able to do much to the car since I got it. The weather has become to cold and wet. I have a nice pile of parts waiting to be fitted, but sadly when the weather has been nice, I've not been free and when I have been free the weather has not been nice.

If there is a good day I may attempt to get out there and do a few bits.

No pictures as yet, but will try to get some at the weekend.

Ah- fair enough; it’s ‘that time’ of year again, anyway...

Perhaps an early fit-part might be a car-cover!?

[shakrally]

Ah- fair enough; it’s ‘that time’ of year again, anyway...

Perhaps an early fit-part might be a car-cover!?

I have always had concerned with car covers. I've heard of people getting scratched paint.
But I also wondered if it would trap moisture and condensation?

[dante giacosa]

I have always had concerned with car covers. I've heard of people getting scratched paint.
But I also wondered if it would trap moisture and condensation?

The car certainly has to be washed clean and dried JUST before the cover goes on, and it’s true; you are going to get microswirls due to fabric movement (you have to have one with a ‘fleece’ inner)- NEVER let the inside surface touch the ground.

But, from someone who takes paint-resto VERY seriously, having as. I do the whole gamut of machine-polisher, cutting and different polishing-pads; I can tell you- the day lost to a polish-up in Spring, was worth the saving of the twenty-year-old paint from seeing weeks of ice and frost on its surface without protection.

In summer it’s a similar story; the plastics and rubber-seals really don’t want the UV exposure from the sun. Not at this age.

I’ve never had a problem with condensation.

Covers need ‘maintained’- it’s not a fit-and-forget solution; on a good day; I’ll take them off and let them dry upside down, and wash the car.

However; it’s a highly contentious issue; from which people are rarely dissuaded from their beliefs, I have found!

This post has been edited by dante giacosa: 13th December 2021 09:16

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[shakrally]

Update time!

It's been one year with the little 145 and although it has not seen much use since it's MOT in March. It's now going to see a bit more use over the winter..... potentially!

I've sold a lot of my fleet and now I am left with the 145, a Volvo 850 wagon and a Mini Cooper Clubman (mainly for Mrs Shakrally). The sold fleet being 2 X 159s and a Toyota Yaris T Sport.

So this allowed me to throw some time at the 145. Things that have been done over the past 2-3 months:

- New brake hoses, rear discs and pads all round.
This includes a few new hard lines in places also and all new brake fluid.

- New front and rear speakers.
The old ones were perished. All the rubber/foam had gone and only the paper cones were left. So they were replaced with Alpine Type E units.

- New front lower wishbones (Febi items)
Old were somewhat easy to remove, but the new ones were a bit of a pig to fit and needed persuasion with a large pry bar and hammer.

- Wire wheeled the entire underneath, treated with Bilt Hamber Hydrate 80 and undersealed
Looking pretty good and solid under there now. Tiny bit left to do just under the boot.

- Serviced
I gave it an oil and filter change. Then took it down to MDZ Italtec for a new cambelt, waterpump and drive belt kit.

I will have to update with pics, but there is still a bit to do.

- Speedline wheels to be refurbed and fitted
- Find and fit a rear wiper
- Repair/replace rear wiper motor
- Sound deaden doors and boot
- Maybe fit a small amplifier and discreet subwoofer
- Respray roof (or vinyl wrap) and respray rear tailgate
- Change front grill for the correct one
- Deep clean and machine polish

Getting there...

[dante giacosa]

crikey Shak-

sounds like it's all change on the 'Rally forecourt! Two 159's! a shame to see them off; but hey, I understand the too-many-cars thing.

that's some list; I hope we get a mild winter if you are considering the whole polishing adventure now!

I've never heard of anyone going down the sound-deadening route; what techniques do you have in mind? Have you considered doing some measurements beforehand to have a tangible reference point..?

With the right speakers, amp & EQ, you can get away without the subwoofer

[VROOM]

Hydrate 80 is brilliant stuff. I used both POR15 and hydrate 80 in various places on the 145 and the bilthamber stuff is far superior. I spilt some on the driveway about 6 months ago and it's still there on the concrete!

[shakrally]

Happy new year all!

It's a sad time, but I think I may have to part with my 145 😢

It does not see much use and with the expanding ULEZ zone, there will be fewer places for me to drive it.

So I think it's going to be time to say goodbye. I've had a great 14 months of ownership.

Thinking I'll put a new MOT on it and put it up for sale - it just had the cambelt and water pump done too!

Would be good to know what people think it's worth.

It was once a Cat C many years ago because of a damaged wing. It was replaced and the rest of the car is fine. Chassis legs are all straight and nothing bent out of place. It's actually very good and largely rot free.
Otherwise spec is below:

2000 Alfa 145 1.6 TS
Rosso Alfa
99,900 miles
Part service history (last in Nov.22)
Lots of work and maintenance done recently:
New brake hoses x 6
New cambelt and water pump
New drive belt
New rocker gasket
New rear discs and pads
New front pads
New front lower wishbones
New front drop links
HID headlights
New Alpine Type E speakers all round to replace the rotten original ones
Undersealed underneath and arches

Bad points:
No rear wiper
Sunroof isn't opening (may be a fuse, I've never checked)
Driver door key lock doesn't lock, but does unlock
Lacquer peel on roof

Everything else works and it drives beautifully. Pulls like an absolute train for the engine size!

I was thinking about £1,500? Is that too ambitious?

[Ganz]

Sad to hear shakrally but I guess you're moving on. £1500 doesn't sound steep considering the rarity of the 145s. 1.6s are so zippy.

Hopefully, you can pop in from time to time to the forum.

[dante giacosa]

£1500 doesn't sound steep considering the rarity of the 145s. 1.6s are so zippy.

[shakrally]

Well, I'm in no rush to get rid of it. The car does not cost me much to run (it's on classic car insurance with my Volvo 850) so it's really just the road tax.
I'm happy to keep it. My only issue is occupying parking spaces on our road. I've been parking it around the corner so the wife doesn't see it. Out of sight, out of mind, is the policy I've adopted 🤣
I went out in it again the other day and it just puts a beaming smile on my face.

It's due it's MOT next month so I'll see if it comes back with any more work needing doing.