Life with a Gamma

[Harvey]

I'm very excited to be the proud owner of a Gamma Berlina, and also undergoing a baptism of fire with regards my mechanical skills. I thought this section was lacking a regular update, so I thought I'd start a sort-of-blog on my efforts to maintain and improve the car. I'm not going to promise this will be of interest to anyone other than myself, but here goes anyway!

The car has managed to fail three MOTs in quick succession, all on the brakes: the front n/s caliper is seizing on and the rear n/s is failing to demonstrate any effort at all with the parking brake. The car seems fine when it leaves the workshop, but the 10 mile drive to the sympathetic MOT centre is causing everything to go wrong again.

Harvey gets oily hands shocker: I spent Saturday afternoon raiding Andy's donor car for the relevant calipers, and on a "just-in-case" basis, making off with the front flex hoses, too. All under supervision, of course, but that's the most I've done to a car apart from change a wheel!

Fingers crossed for the 4th MOT attempt. Then I'll be hoping to make it to the AGM. I'd really like to get the waterpump swapped out, and the belts changed, but time is very much against me...

[sparehead3]

Don't worry - I'll read it Photos are ok too ....

[fay66]

Harvey,
Keep it coming as I've no experience of working or indeed having anything to do with Gammas, but I'm severely tempted

This is one of the great parts of the Forum, sharing others experiences with their Lancias
Brian
8227

[Dilambdaman]

Keep it coming Harvey, a welcome addition indeed. Look forward to seeing the car at the AGM.

Robin.

[ncundy]

I had an occasional read of the colonels re-build on the Gamma consortium - good stuff, so it would be great to see something on here.

[fay66]

I had an occasional read of the colonels re-build on the Gamma consortium - good stuff, so it would be great to see something on here.

And what a lovely job it is.

Brian
8227

[Thotos]

I'd really like to get the waterpump swapped out, and the belts changed,

Welcome to the wonderful and strange world of Gamma ownership! The Gamma Consortium have had some water pumps rebuilt (they come with lifetime warranty!) and I am the custodian of one of the spares. The Consortium also has plenty of timing belts as I am storing a box or two for them...

[Harvey]

That's good to hear! How quickly can I get my hands on them? I posted my membership cheque for the consortium yesterday. The pump is rumbling nicely. Opinions vary on how urgent it is to replace it, but I'm not one to gamble so would rather do it soon.

[Thotos]

If you sort out money with Ian (treasurer@gammaconsortium.com) you could have them in a day or two. Gamma pump bearings can rumble on (isn't that a Led Zeppelin song?) for years. As long as the pump is not leaking you'll be OK. Even when they start to leak slightly they don't get bad quickly. My water pump started to leak on the way to Turin for the Centenary Celebrations in 2006 and I got to Turin and all the way back to the UK with no major hassle. I had to top up the water once a day while in Turin and on the way back every couple of hundred miles which coincided nicely with my need for coffee/comfort breaks. 

[sparehead3]

*Ramble On - Led Zepplin II Track 7

[Thotos]

*Ramble On - Led Zepplin II Track 7

Ok, so that's a ramble and not a rumble but I wonder if Jimmy Page ever had a Gamma for inspiration 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nWMNnypWEg

[Harvey]

The car made it through the MOT at 4th attempt. A million thanks to Charles Shelton who worked hard on sorting the brakes. The car was taxed on Saturday, and collected from Charles in the afternoon.

My first proper drive, eagerly anticipated, and with my daughters in attendance.

Seeing the car parked next to a modern family saloon makes it look quite small, but there's something Tardis-like going on. The amount of space inside is surprising, and there were no little feet in the small of my back at any stage. Imogen (aged 8yrs) was in the front, and as usual, Chloe (aged 6yrs) was in the back. Chloe had enormous fun - firstly using the electric windows (no rear windows at all in the Ypsi) and then generally falling all over the seat whenever I went round a bend. There are no rear seatbelts in the car (yet - my life is on the line otherwise!)

There's plenty of torque available. South of Bath on the A36 there's a village called Woolverton, which has a 30mph limit, and a long straight hill afterwards - quite a gentle gradient, but you'd know it on a bike! Anyway, driving sedately, I accelerated gently upon leaving the limited stretch, and the car quite happily pulled up the hill in 5th gear. The Ypsi does the same, but it's a very slow increase in speed compared to the Gamma!

Imogen made me feel old when she asked where the CD slot was, and I realised that she's never seen a tape cassette... The car has only a LW/MW radio, too, so I couldn't even find a music station easily!

Charles did some tinkering whilst the car was in his care and has changed the water pump, and repaired a wing mirror mount, as well as a touch of spray-painting. Therefore, there's nothing urgent that needs attention. Current restoration / maintenance tasks planned are:

• Restore the electric mirrors to the correct mounting points and re-connect
• Remove the period alarm (or at least the external activation keyhole mount!)
• Attend to rust patches and re-spray
• Improve leather interior with restorative cream
• Change the cambelt

This will be as funds allow. Firstly, I intend to get some use out of the car and get to know it a little over the summer before committing it to the care of a dry garage.

See you at the AGM!

[Harvey]

Here's the car in Bath (until tomorrow). You can just see the Ypsi parked 2 cars behind.

[sparehead3]

HECK !

YOU MANAGED TO FIND TWO PARKING SPACES IN BATH AT THE SAME TIME ON THE SAME STREET !!!!!!

Looking for to seeing it (not in a field) ....

[Harvey]

Yeah. It was lucky. 

I parked the Gamma with about 8 feet clear in front so that I don't need full lock to get out of the parking space. Fingers crossed that the car in front stays there until I've managed to move the Gamma. I might be blocked in all the week otherwise.