V8 Sunbeam

[bh891]

I am wanting to build a modified sunbeam with a V8. I am not interested in restoring a Tiger and don’t want to hack up an expensive original car. Does anyone have any comments or tips on doing the mods to an Alpine? Is their a certain Alpine desirable for this? Any frame/suspension mods required to do this? I have seen info on the V6 swap but would prefer the V8 option.

[barry-knight]

There is nothing to it as long as you are willing to completely change the steering system, modify the front suspension crossmember, change the front springs, rebuild the firewall and transmission tunnel, cut exhaust pass-through holes in the front cruciform arms and notches in the rear cruciform arms, change the brake master cylinder location, fabricate or find motor mounts, build a new transmission crossmember, change the driveshaft and rear axle, change the radiator, relocate the battery to the trunk and a few dozen other things and that is to use a small block Ford V8. Using any other engine will make things complicated!

Chuck Ingram can probably add a bunch more issues to the list.

[thor]

Anything can be done. However I recently purchased 2 series v Alpines for $300.00. These cars are totally worthless, someone with more imagination than skill butchered the frames on these warriors, they live no longer. Think first, cut later.

[bh891]

Thanks for the info. Does the V6 conversion involve the same amount of frame and chassis modification? How much power can the alpine rear end take? I am thinking I may be better off starting with a rough tiger if I go with the V8. However a supercharged V6 may not be bad. What are the popular V6 motors that have been installed?

[barry-knight]

Using a modern (typically T-5) transmission requires minor widening of the Alpine transmission tunnel on the left side.

The WEIRD Alpine steering system causes a lot of interference issues with almost any engine except the original Rootes 4-banger. The Ford 2.8 V6 has an unusual exhaust port placement that happens to miss (barely) the Alpine steering box on one side and the pivot bracket on the other side. Jose Rodriguez (V6 Joe) has figured out the problems and solutions and sells a well designed, beautifully fabricated, rediculously inexpensive kit to put the Ford 2.8 V6 in the Alpine and provides pretty much unlimited support. One issue with the Ford 2.8 is that production of the Mustang-II version was stopped after 1978 and the Ranger version was stopped after 1984.

Other V6’s can be used if you are willing to tackle the engineering issues. I am in the process of putting a GM 3.4 V6 in my S-V. The GM engine is still in production, is 20% larger (with engines, bigger really is better) and was made in both carbureted and EFI versions.

I have seen pictures of an Alpine with a GM 3.8 V6 (90 degree layout), but there were some serious modifications required. The modern DOHC V6 engines are neat, but the heads are huge and they are mostly FWD (no RWD bellhousings and transmissions).

[v6-jose]

quote bh891:

Thanks for the info. Does the V6 conversion involve the same amount of frame and chassis modification? How much power can the alpine rear end take? I am thinking I may be better off starting with a rough tiger if I go with the V8. However a supercharged V6 may not be bad. What are the popular V6 motors that have been installed?

Hi bh891,

The 2.8 Ford V6 requires very little modifying of the body, to get the V6 and T5 five speed to fit. basically, it takes cutting along the seam of where the transmission tunnel and floor meet for a distance of about 12 inches on the drivers side. This is required to allow the widening of the tunnel to make room for the five speed to fit. The other place that has to be cut is at the end of the transmission tunnel and a short distance into the driveshaft tunnel, to accommodate the farther back location of the T5 transmission shifter. The sheet metal brackets for the stock Alpine motor mounts will need to be removed in preparation for the new mounts for the V6. Other than that, everything else stays the same.

I can supply a kit to facilitate the installation of the V6, which includes motor mounts, transmission support crossmember and a set of equal length tubular headers. With these parts, you can do the hardest part of the swap, which is setting the engine and transmission in the car.

There are other parts I can supply as well, such as an alternator bracket that will fit three different amp Delco Remy units, (among which there is an internally regulated model that requires just one wire to hook it up), and a modified center link to allow the steering to go to full lock to lock without interfeering with the two top bellhousing bolts on the V6.

If you need more information, just drop me an e-mail at ***mejarodriguez**@** hotmail.com***, dropping the asteriscs. I would be happy to help you in any way I can.

What are you looking for if you decide to modify your Alpine? Do you want a nice dependable cruising car with enough power to be able to pass safely on two lane roads, or a little hot rod to enjoy driving in a sproting manner. It will still handle like the Alpine, because none of the steering geometry has been changed. It is a different car from either the stock Alpine or a Tiger.

Jose 😀

[v6-jim-d]

If you are serious about building an Alpine and installing a V8, I have a fellow hobbyist who happens to have an Alpine rolling chassis with a Tiger front crossmember already installed, complete with the rack and pinion steering. It also has the Tiger firewall and transmission tunnel installed. It has no motor or transmission, but he does have them if you needed them. As far as I know, the car is fairly complete and the body is in good condition but needs paint. No major rust that I am aware of. I can put you in touch with him if you like. He does not have a computer, but I can give you his telephone number. He is here in Phoenix. My email address is:

jimandritalu@hotmail.com

I have no interest, financial or otherwise, in this car. I’m just trying to help out two car guys, one who wants a V8 Alpine and one who has one to sell that is ready for a V8.

[v-mad]

bh891
Go for the V6. The engine just belongs in there. Its very fast, handles great and even better than stock Alpine in many other ways. Much less work than the V8.

Unless of course you just have to have the v8 grunt 😈

[todd-reid]

Barry,
We have a GM 3.4 in the family and I think it’s a terrific engine. I”m interested in hearing more about your swap. Are you planning to run a carb or fuel injection? What trans & rear are you planning to run? How far along is your project?

[Joey Hiykel]

isnt the v6 faster than a stock v8 tiger?

[v6-jose]

YoungTiger,

The stock 2.8 V6 with a two barrel will perform about like a stock 260 Tiger. A V6 with a Holley 390 cfm four barrel and a medium cam will outrun a stock 289 Tiger. A 2.8 V6 with the heads ported and polished, four barrel carb and the 3/4 grind cam, will turn 13’s in the quarter, which will outrun a lot of modified Tigers.

The real strong suit of the V6 Alpine with a modified V6, is in slaloming or autocrossing, because they still handle like the Alpine in the turns, plus have the power to exit a corner hard and accelerate between the turns like the Tiger.

Jose 😀

[Joey Hiykel]

that sounds pretty impressive to me. I would go with the v6 in an alpine. And if i wanted to have a V8, then go with a Tiger body.

[barry-knight]

Todd,

Sorry about the slow response to your questions; I have been doing my “road warrior” routine.

I will be glad to share what I know (and don’t know) about the 3.4 conversion. You can e-mail me at XXXbknight46XXXatXXXcomcast.netXXX (remove the X’s and change at to @).

[Author]

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