Ever since seeing them as a teenager back in '94 dominating the BTCC I've loved the 155... It took me a while, but 4 years ago I got one myself though. A pretty well worn 2.0 16v, but sounded amazing, and was so revvy when the breathing was sorted. To this day it was by far the most impressive NA 4 cylinder I've driven...
I had the 2.0 for a year before part exchanging it for a tidy V6. Ended up spending a lot on this one: Full paint, Comps, last genuine Silverstone (BTCC homoligated) spoiler, last jacking kit in the world from Alfa, straight through, remap, Brembos, etc etc....
Drove it all over Europe, did a 9:46 at the 'Ring in it, and put about 50k on it in a year and a half. Eventually sold it with 200k on the clock!
Great car, the 2.5 12v was mega strong and sounded awesome too.
I'd always wanted a 155 with decent power though (V6 was only 165BHP standard), so seeking out a Cloverleaf 4 (Q4 for short) seemed the best option. There's only 8 in the UK, and luckily enough there was one for sale on the 155 forum; so exactly a year ago I got a couple of trains, and a ferry(!) to Gosport to go buy it....
Then a quick trip up to Gloucester for an MOT. Got through ok apart from an advisory on some oil leaks.
A stop over at a mate's in Nottingham..... where I could see how it was def' a bit more pink/magenta/orange than I'd have liked, but I'd always expected to have to get it painted eventually anyway.
The next day I find myself up at Sitech Racing for a shoot after doing over 600 miles in less than 24 hours! Sadly the oil leak had gone from bad to worse.... we found out that the plug seals had burst leaving the bores to completely fill up and overflow!
Got it sorted and the next issue is that it was cutting the fuel supply at 1 BAR of boost. As this was being diagnosed the clutch plate shattered, then the slave and master cylinders failed too. This started a lengthy process of spending! Not to mention the multiple oil leak repairing jobs which needed the whole drivetrain out more than a few times!
A few months later and it was back on the road, running MUCH better. And now wearing the plate of my old beloved Escort which died for the Alfa cause. (Also badly needing a Silverstone front splitter here!)
This happened a couple of times though in the process of re-commissioning! Just daft things like a hard to find break in the loom thankfully...
It's never been destined to be molly coddled, daily and track use is the name of the game, so as soon as I could it was out on track playing video car at chasing drifters ;D
Handed great on track, and apart from being a bit soft had tons of grip. Still could manage some angle though with a big Scandy flick
This day was the Alfa's best yet, but it did burst a coolant hose and a plug lead fell apart!
The Q4's next outing was a track night at Knockhill.... and it was a bit of a hairy one! Going really well, but after 6 laps I was doing about 100 into the infamous Duffus Dip when the brake pedal did nothing but hit the floor!
Managed to straightline it through the kitty litter enough to not 'do a Tarquini', but believe me it was a very close one!
Almost me at Knockhill:
After some more tweaks (and mos importantly new brake fluid) and a few other fixes the Q4's next trip was to the 'Ring
Made it over fine, along with some good Autobahn blasts.
On the ferry:
At the Ring:
(yes that is tyre smoke coming of the front arch!! ;D)
But at the end of lap 2, just as I was really getting into it, the turbo shat itself! Sadly the miserable doubters got their 'told you so moment'
Bodgery was applied after the failure, with the turbo being unplumbed so I could drive home without a plume of smoke following me...
Might have only got a couple of laps in, but it still deserves this...
Bringing things pretty much up to date, the latest thing has been getting a larger Cossie 4x4 T3 adapted to fit. So now its just getting used and proven.... the 'Ring will be visited again in Spring. I don't give up that easy!
Still planning lots for it, but the main thing was always to get it running reliably first.
Current Spec is:
1994 Alfa 155 Cloverleaf 4
Evo Cars remap (guessing around 250BHP)
Cosworth 4x4 T3
Stainless straight through exhaust
Fiat Tipo 16v inlet cam
Brembo brake conversion
DS2500 pads
DOT 5.1 fluid
Eibach springs
Custom uprated inlet manifold gasket
Dump valve removed
Silicone hoses
Relocated Battery
Turbosmart boost controller
Leather interior
Cat 1 alarm & immobiliser
HID lights
Compomotive MOs
Silverstone spoiler and splitter
Massively empty wallet (owes me almost 5 figures!)
So still to do we have....
Full respray and rear arches modded to run wider rear wheels
Red spoiler and Silverstone jacking kit
Window tints and light smoke sunstrip
FMIC
Coilovers
Recaro leather
Subtle ICE install & Dynamatting
Possibly have the aircon re-installed
AFR gauge
More boost, bigger injectors & a remap to 300BHP ;D
I had the 2.0 for a year before part exchanging it for a tidy V6. Ended up spending a lot on this one: Full paint, Comps, last genuine Silverstone (BTCC homoligated) spoiler, last jacking kit in the world from Alfa, straight through, remap, Brembos, etc etc....
Drove it all over Europe, did a 9:46 at the 'Ring in it, and put about 50k on it in a year and a half. Eventually sold it with 200k on the clock!
Great car, the 2.5 12v was mega strong and sounded awesome too.
I'd always wanted a 155 with decent power though (V6 was only 165BHP standard), so seeking out a Cloverleaf 4 (Q4 for short) seemed the best option. There's only 8 in the UK, and luckily enough there was one for sale on the 155 forum; so exactly a year ago I got a couple of trains, and a ferry(!) to Gosport to go buy it....
Then a quick trip up to Gloucester for an MOT. Got through ok apart from an advisory on some oil leaks.
A stop over at a mate's in Nottingham..... where I could see how it was def' a bit more pink/magenta/orange than I'd have liked, but I'd always expected to have to get it painted eventually anyway.
The next day I find myself up at Sitech Racing for a shoot after doing over 600 miles in less than 24 hours! Sadly the oil leak had gone from bad to worse.... we found out that the plug seals had burst leaving the bores to completely fill up and overflow!
Got it sorted and the next issue is that it was cutting the fuel supply at 1 BAR of boost. As this was being diagnosed the clutch plate shattered, then the slave and master cylinders failed too. This started a lengthy process of spending! Not to mention the multiple oil leak repairing jobs which needed the whole drivetrain out more than a few times!
A few months later and it was back on the road, running MUCH better. And now wearing the plate of my old beloved Escort which died for the Alfa cause. (Also badly needing a Silverstone front splitter here!)
This happened a couple of times though in the process of re-commissioning! Just daft things like a hard to find break in the loom thankfully...
It's never been destined to be molly coddled, daily and track use is the name of the game, so as soon as I could it was out on track playing video car at chasing drifters ;D
Handed great on track, and apart from being a bit soft had tons of grip. Still could manage some angle though with a big Scandy flick
This day was the Alfa's best yet, but it did burst a coolant hose and a plug lead fell apart!
The Q4's next outing was a track night at Knockhill.... and it was a bit of a hairy one! Going really well, but after 6 laps I was doing about 100 into the infamous Duffus Dip when the brake pedal did nothing but hit the floor!
Managed to straightline it through the kitty litter enough to not 'do a Tarquini', but believe me it was a very close one!
Almost me at Knockhill:
After some more tweaks (and mos importantly new brake fluid) and a few other fixes the Q4's next trip was to the 'Ring
Made it over fine, along with some good Autobahn blasts.
On the ferry:
At the Ring:
(yes that is tyre smoke coming of the front arch!! ;D)
But at the end of lap 2, just as I was really getting into it, the turbo shat itself! Sadly the miserable doubters got their 'told you so moment'
Bodgery was applied after the failure, with the turbo being unplumbed so I could drive home without a plume of smoke following me...
Might have only got a couple of laps in, but it still deserves this...
Bringing things pretty much up to date, the latest thing has been getting a larger Cossie 4x4 T3 adapted to fit. So now its just getting used and proven.... the 'Ring will be visited again in Spring. I don't give up that easy!
Still planning lots for it, but the main thing was always to get it running reliably first.
Current Spec is:
1994 Alfa 155 Cloverleaf 4
Evo Cars remap (guessing around 250BHP)
Cosworth 4x4 T3
Stainless straight through exhaust
Fiat Tipo 16v inlet cam
Brembo brake conversion
DS2500 pads
DOT 5.1 fluid
Eibach springs
Custom uprated inlet manifold gasket
Dump valve removed
Silicone hoses
Relocated Battery
Turbosmart boost controller
Leather interior
Cat 1 alarm & immobiliser
HID lights
Compomotive MOs
Silverstone spoiler and splitter
Massively empty wallet (owes me almost 5 figures!
)So still to do we have....
Full respray and rear arches modded to run wider rear wheels
Red spoiler and Silverstone jacking kit
Window tints and light smoke sunstrip
FMIC
Coilovers
Recaro leather
Subtle ICE install & Dynamatting
Possibly have the aircon re-installed
AFR gauge
More boost, bigger injectors & a remap to 300BHP ;D
.
After 6 months it blew oil everywhere and that was the end of it.
