Bangernomics
Danny bags an MOT failure and turns it into a world of smiles
An Italian special this month.
I’ve had Alfa 156s before… both the V6 and the Twinspark. Both beautiful, inside and out. Both a bit flaky and both cheap as chips. But the smaller 147 had never crossed my radar, until Barney Sleep called to tell me he had one festering on his drive that needed a new home. I am a sucker for a sob story, so I headed over to Barney’s to collect the baby Alfa.
Like the 156, the 147 is at the bottom of its value curve right now and cars, with the possible exception of the V6 GTA, are swapping hands for pin money. This is madness, obviously, given that the interior is a work of driver-focused art and the engines are an absolute hoot. Here’s the thing. Having driven both the V6 and the four-cylinder cars,
I prefer the four. Particularly the 2.0 that, when spun past 4000rpm, delivers more horses (thanks to its VVT) and is therefore, more fun.
Back at the workshop, battle commenced. I needed to fight the 147 to get it to an MOT. A full day of swearing was required to deliver this. Both Matt Tomkins and I attached a new exhaust and then a new top and bottom offside wishbone. I’ve done the job on a 156 and it’s not difficult… on a 147 it involves careful removal and even more careful insertion, particularly of the bottom wishbone.
Much lifting of the anti-roll bar and unseizing of seized bolts was required. A horrible job.
Once done though, a drive up the yard revealed superb handling and a smooth and level ride. A new Lambda sensor sorted the emissions, although the idle was still intermittently rough, and a temperature switch allowed the fans to work. I also needed to sort the saggy gearchange as the top-hat bushes that cuddle the main gear selector rod were virtually seized. Another afternoon’s swearing resulted.
With the MOT secured I now have a 69,000-mile beauty to play with. And play it does. What a super little car. It is physically and emotionally impossible to drive it slowly. Not quite as poised as a 156, but nippier. I love it.