• 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.

3000RW bare block for sale

65beam

Donation Time
It would be neat for someone like me that has started a restoration of another LeMans that has some race history to own this actual LeMans block, rebuild it and some day install it to power the car. You're right about the asking price being a little high.
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
The block is actually block from a harrington alpine that raced at Lemans... Ao the block gave the name to your model not actually your model.

A person could just install a 1725 in a new project and stamp it with those ID numbers..
 

65beam

Donation Time
I'm quite aware of what it is. Our current project LeMans is not the RHD that we just finished but is another car she bought and it has some racing history. She wants the new car to be set up similar to what it was when raced in the 60's / 70's and to say it has the heart of the actual LeMans car would be nice. We have my old race engine built by Paeco in 1970 so we already have those parts along with many NOS items in our stash. But you're right about the cost for this block being high.
 

bernd_st

Bronze Level Sponsor
Looks like any old early series rusted block. Other than the stamps I can not identify anything special. 150 bucks and we go :rolleyes:

P.S. Even more so since the main bearing lower halves seem to be missing. Without those the block is almost useless...
 
Last edited:

65beam

Donation Time
There's a lot missing and once it came out of the tank it's hard to say what may be found. It would make a good paper weight.
 

RootesRooter

Donation Time
If the block is intact, why wasn't it rebuilt and reinstalled when the car was restored? Installing a 1725 makes no sense under those circumstances. The seller claims it was bought from Clive.
 
Last edited:

alpine_64

Donation Time
If the block is intact, why wasn't it rebuilt and reinstalled when the car was restored? Installing a 1725 makes no sense under those circumstances. The seller claims it was bought from Clive.
The car has passed through 2 owners since Clive sold it iirc. Im surprised the block was not part of the package when the car was sold.

Maybe the new owner didnt want it? Maybe Clive thought he could sell it to them seperatly for a high price and they turned it down.

Id be interested to know if the current owner was the one who bought the bob avery car and then flipped it...

Either way the value is really to being with 3000rw ... Maybe another works car... Like a Sebring or LM car.... But the price is just greed and stupidity... And i dont see any alpine owner paying near 1/4 that for it
 

65beam

Donation Time
The sad thing is that some one with the disposable income and collects items may buy it simply because they want it because of what it is. It's just like spending double the money for a Tiger part when the part was also used on Alpines. I've seen that.
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
I dont see it the same as people overpaying for comon parts between alpine and tiger. Thats a lack of knowledge of someone buying a part they do not know is xomon to a different model and paying a premium for it.. Like people buying 70s aston martin tail lights and door handles for crazy money when they are hillman hunter parts.

This is a part of a historically significant car... But the value lies with it being with the original car, the part offers no performance advantage etc... Its value is linked to that car mostly. It could be worth slightly more than a standard part for someone with am ex-works alpine.. But again main value lies with 3000rw

Maybe someone could pay slightly more for ome of the works heads ( but likely todays rootes race heads are better prepared) .. Sure for a factory LSD ...those parts offer a performance adavatange.

Given this block was with the car and it seems to have been seperated within the last few years which just seems unfortunate .
 

65beam

Donation Time
Some folks use Tiger parts to restore an Alpine. Does that make an Alpine more valuable? We were going to use Patton's rear fenders but had problems finding wheels and tires100_0534.JPG 100_0549.JPG
 

Limey

Donation Time
The seller lives 10 minutes from me. If I where Mr Harrington I would not have sold this part. However the amount of rust suggests it was not in the car when he found it but part of the odds and sods with it and had been bare for years. That makes me ask why is a good block with an historical pedigree left to rot. I suspect it's faulty and the expensive internals and head were saved/fitted to another block. Without a crack/deformity test it is, as said above, a paperweight/curiosity piece.

You can bet your last dollar that the seller offered it to the current owner as his first action and was turned down.

I'll watch with interest

Limey
 

bernd_st

Bronze Level Sponsor
Oliver ,

good to hear from you. Does that guy have the main bearing lower halves or or not ? Without those no point even considering to buy it...
 

Limey

Donation Time
Hi Bernd,

There can't be 2 engine blocks with the same stamps can there? Ebay shot and current owners report stating ''proud ownership of block EXP421''.........

:rolleyes:;)
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot 2019-07-17 at 21.18.12.png
    Screenshot 2019-07-17 at 21.18.12.png
    844.2 KB · Views: 18
  • Screenshot 2019-07-17 at 21.18.41.png
    Screenshot 2019-07-17 at 21.18.41.png
    330.5 KB · Views: 18

Limey

Donation Time
Certainly not. No doubt about originality but what to do with an incomplete block ?
But Bernd - which block is genuine?? There can't be two EXP 421 blocks in the world with RAC stamps and both be genuine?

The block is virtually worthless to everybody except to a certain US party. If he owns this one as well as the one in his car then his statement is difficult to challenge (and his vehicle retains it's value);) I'm sure his engine block is what he says it says but maybe our UK vendor ain't so dumb asking £5300:D I bet you that the ebay add for the block will be pulled before the end of the auction.

I might even buy it myself and build a 140bhp++ Le Mans spec engine out of it (£15000 courtesy of MASS Racing) and make a 'continuation' Le Mans car est £15000 to mod the bod and make the front end correctly. At least mine will have a correctly made front end unlike the one in the States ( what a dog)...

Is the present owner tiring of it yet? Anybody got any recent race history for it? Gathering dust in a beautiful garage or getting used?
 
Last edited:

alpine_64

Donation Time
Oliver are you still on your old email address from a few years back? If not can you pm me your new one?

Thx
 
Top