Alfa engine rebuild

[GModelle@domain.elided]

GregYoungblood asked about the time required to rebuild a 2-liter engine.

Greg,
When I bought my old spider, it came with a spare engine, seized, on an 
engine stand. That was just about a year ago. Yesterday, I picked-up the 
flywheel that I had lightened at a local machine shop and will mate to the 
crankshaft (see question this number/volume).  All the reciprocating parts 
will be dropped-off at another shop for balancing, including the rods, 
pistons and the crank assembly. I purchased new rods, pistons and liners from 
Ereminas Imports. New bearings and gasket sets from the same source. The 
original head was not rebuilt, but a good deal was had on a reconditioned 
head on ebay. The ebay head was taken totally apart by Peter D'Amico in New 
Jersey and checked for serviceability. I sent in my old Spica pump cores to 
Wes Ingram for exchange on a rebuilt pump. Wes provided reground cams to 
compliment the pump.  I bought a Thermostatic Actuator on ebay, too. All 
other aluminim parts, the front cover, sumps and block were hot tanked to 
clean them very thoroughly. Oh, and I forgot to mention, I sent the crank to 
Don Ereminas to have the oilway holes drilled and tapped to receive new brass 
plugs.  I strongly recommend you establish a rapport with Don as you proceed. 
He is extremely approachable...a character trait not often found in the realm 
of italian machinery gurus. Anyhow, the engine has reached maximum 
entropy...it's as disorganized as it perhaps ever will be. I have collected 
articles from 15 years of the AlfaOwner magazine, read and reread Jim 
Katalakis's book: How to Power-tune Alfa Engines..." (recommended), poured 
over everything Braden has written, collected lots of tools to fill a cramped 
workspace, bought an air compressor, asked numerous questions on this digest, 
developed several good corrospondences with other alfa-nuts and have 
generally been self-assured that I'm doing as good a job as I can do under 
the circumstances. I have spent about $3500 on parts and services. It's been 
a year in my spare time. The engine is still not together. I've had a great 
opportunity to learn about a sophisticated bit of machinery, elegant, and 
very beautiful in it's way. 

Greg Modelle
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