• Welcome to the new SAOCA website. Already a member? Simply click Log In/Sign Up up and to the right and use your same username and password from the old site. If you've forgotten your password, please send an email to membership@sunbeamalpine.org for assistance.

    If you're new here, click Log In/Sign Up and enter your information. We'll approve your account as quickly as possible, typically in about 24 hours. If it takes longer, you were probably caught in our spam/scam filter.

    Enjoy.

ford 9inch in series II

mototron

Donation Time
Will a 9" fit under a lowered series II
does anyone have specs for size or any pics installed
want to use the original lug pattern and 13 inch rims

Thanks
Rocco
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
Rocco.. Think you have to shorten it to fit. Iirc didnt brian holmes use one in his turbo alpine setup?

Will your class in historics allow that?
 

mototron

Donation Time
I already have a ford 2.3 In the alpine
They just moved me up to a faster class
I can get a 9" in any length
I was concernef about the size of the carrier and the body and tunnel
 

MikeH

Diamond Level Sponsor
Are you generating enough power to break an 8" Ford rear? The 9" inch is around 25 pounds heavier and the brakes are larger.

Check with Series6. He has a Ford 8.8 with coil overs in one of his.
 
Last edited:

Alpine.67

Platinum Level Sponsor
I already have a ford 2.3 In the alpine
They just moved me up to a faster class
I can get a 9" in any length

Rocco
I was concernef about the size of the carrier and the body and tunnel
Are you still making the change to the bigger Ford rear gear ? if so are you selling the 2.3 rear end?
looking for something better for my Alpine race car. I hope to stay in my current classes this year (VSDCA and SVRA)

thanks
Brad
 

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Brad, what do you call "better"? Ratio? Strength? Ability to change ratios? Not being snarky, I have an axle that might fit your needs.

Bill
 

Alpine.67

Platinum Level Sponsor
Bill looking for better rear gears and ones that can be changed out at the track, And yes looking for LSD. the tiger rear is just too much for the Alpine and adds to many pounds. just asking what's people have come up with. I do have a LSD unit from a S11 or S3 but would need new axels cut and no wants to make them

Brad
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
Brad, not sure what rules you run to, but if you have to keep period, i know guys that have run mgb rears in them and also ford eacort.
 

65beam

Donation Time
It might be difficult to find a rear wheel drive Escort axle here in the states. I don't recall them being sold here. The rear wheel drive Cortina was sold here. Brad may want to contact Tom Patton and talk to him about the quick change rear he uses in the Tiger.
 

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Bill looking for better rear gears and ones that can be changed out at the track, And yes looking for LSD. the tiger rear is just too much for the Alpine and adds to many pounds. just asking what's people have come up with. I do have a LSD unit from a S11 or S3 but would need new axels cut and no wants to make them

Brad
The Ford 8" would be the normal response. The only objection I am aware of would be the ratio selection. While ratios covers a large range, they are not many of them. The good news is that would spare you the agony of deciding between a 3.80 and 3.73. You would have choices like 3,55, 3,8 and 4.1. The excellent news is all that is available new and assembled in a center section at a reasonable price.

Bill
 

Alpine.67

Platinum Level Sponsor
per the SVRA group 1 rules I can have rear axle panhard locating bar, springs, sway bars axels, spindles and hubs are FREE as long as the track remains correct. So I think a change can be done. I need more drive off the corners and better top speed at Mid-Ohio , Road America and VIR. all fun tracks but not so fun for the Alpine. I just hope for rain on the long track weekends. The Alpine does very good on wet tracks and I like driving in the rain.
I can not run quick change rear like Tom Patton can in SCCA.( would be very nice if I could)
So I would look at any ideas that are out their .
After RA mid-May I have time to make some changes as the next race is Mid-Ohio in late June.

Brad
 

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Brad, as you know, I am very, very far from being an expert on this stuff, but am wondering about "things".

1. Is your suspension setup as good as you can make it?
2. What are the transmission and tire limitations?

Bill
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
Bill, while there will always be gains to be had through tyre sock spring and geometry setup in circuit racing especially with classes for prod sports where the tyres will be a controlled selection a car will generally benifit from an lsd especially on corner exit. Rootes never did a true "production" lsd for the alpines, but the scca cars did get a catalogued option of one which was veey bespoke.

Brad... Iirc mike broome offered one of his alpine lsd centres up for sale in the last few month's.
 

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Michael, it seems to me lsd's are viewed as essential silver bullets. In my view, silver bullets are best fired have you have optimized the probability of hitting the target. There is no reason to have the best of everything if the system is not optimized.

Bill
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
Michael, it seems to me lsd's are viewed as essential silver bullets. In my view, silver bullets are best fired have you have optimized the probability of hitting the target. There is no reason to have the best of everything if the system is not optimized.

Bill
Bill .. Couldnt agree more.
However an lsd on a circuit car especially with the alpines setup is a bonus. You can go a few directions with setups on sunbeams, very low and stiff with minimal roll or softer and let the car lean more to transfer weight to outside wheels, but in either situation a decent motor in an alpine racer and the tyres allowed im the prod rules will mean an lsd will help.

You can continue to refine setup on the car as is. In the case of the lsd it will likely change the characteristic of the car in corners so an optimised non lsd set up may not be optimal once an lsd is added.

If he can gain access to a alpine lsd, or if going for an altrnative rear id go for one with easy access to a lsd setup.. Long term its going to help.
 

jdoclogan

Platinum Level Sponsor
Michael you are thinking like the Rootes race team engineers. It is my understanding the Rootes engineers equipped all factory track prepared race cars with Limited Slip Differentials to gain the LSD's inherent advantage. Then they fine tuned each car's suspension for the intended track's layout and conditions. To find an Alpine LSD is near impossible. I'm fortunate to have two. One that was ordered from the factory and installed by the original owner in my promotional Harrington Le Mans for its exclusive racing duties in 1962. And one for my factory prepared (installed at the factory by the Rootes race preparation team) 1962 12 hour Sebring race car (#41). It has yet to be decisively determined if the factory produced some or all of the Alpine LSDs or if they commissioned Doane Spencer from California.
 
Top