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Charles John's Alpine Build

Charles Johns

Donation Time
Looking at Dan and PROCRAFT's Alpines, mine will need a lot of work just be accepted. Trying to fit the Ford 2.3 and A4LD now but running out of funds. Selling the 65 Mustang to keep working. Full set of gauges, a tan top, and bunch of tools lost in move in 2017. Then a bunch of $$$ lost to contractors who are probably living high in Mexico. Question, what size bore master for a dual chamber on a Sunbeam? I found I can fit one in the clutch hole.
 

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
The optimum M/C for stock, non-power brakes is 11/16". 3/4" is a workable size. Anything larger and pedal pressure gets too high for some drivers (like me) unless you go to a 6:1 brake pedal. Power brakes is not an option with dual piston M/C.

Bill
 

Charles Johns

Donation Time
THANKS Bill. Working on motor/trans installation now and it looks like I will have to make a bigger hump in the floor. Thankfully I found a good metal fabricator locally who can make it from my pattern. I am great at making patterns but metal fabrication...only passible.
 

PROCRAFT

Donation Time
Looking at Dan and PROCRAFT, mine will need a lot of work just be accepted. Trying to fit the Ford 2.3 and A4LD now but running out of funds. Selling the 65 Mustang to keep working. Full set of gauges, a tan top, and bunch of tools lost in move in 2017. Then a bunch of $$$ lost to contractors who are probably living high in Mexico. Question, what size bore master for a dual chamber on a Sunbeam? I found I can fit one in the clutch hole.
We're using 1" single channel high volume masters onthe brakes and a 7/8" on the clutch
 
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PROCRAFT

Donation Time
And actually I built a kit using the same calipers he's using a 1.125 master cylinder.
 
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Charles Johns

Donation Time
I probably should have said I am using the factory brakes but totally rebuilding them. I'll remove the rear and rebuild or clean and reassemble it...depending. My 65 Mustang has a kit for front discs and I installed it without the booster. The pedal is hard but has a good "feel" in the manual mode. The booster goes with the car for those who want power assist. Question, I have run 80/90 in my cars for decades with moly added. Any problems with the Alpine rear doing this? IMG_2092.JPG IMG_2098.JPG
 

Charles Johns

Donation Time
The 16 gallon fuel cell is set 3" into the floor and will attach to the original filler on passenger side. An electric pusher fuel pump will be mounted close by with a new floor just above the tank top. I may make a safety-bar to fit behind the tank between the side-rails as an anti-Pinto-grenade bar. We had a 75 Pinto with V6 and loved it, and last I heard, when all was figured into the case, Pinto's were no more dangerous than other cars of similar size. Looking at facts and not hype, our Alpine is a SMALL vehicle with the tank(s) in the rear...if we get rear-ended at any substantial speed, seatbelts and a fire extinguisher are our best defense...with maybe divine intervention. I did install a metal firewall behind the rear seat in my 65 Mustang because we did drive it all over the US. Sealing that area from the passengers in the Alpine seems like a good idea too. I upgraded my sponsor to platinum because this site is by far the best for builder tech info. Looking at how professional the work looks here as compared to other on-line places, I trust what people say here.
 

DanR

Diamond Level Sponsor
Charlie, I like your fuel cell being 16 gallon, makes for a long haul in an Alpine:)
 

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Joel uses the larger Wilwood calipers that work well with the larger master.
I'm using 2.5" GM Metric calipers. A 3/4" M/C bottomed out, so installed a 7/8" M/C. People complained about the hard pedal. 13/16" seems to be just right.

I've decided that a hard brake pedal is dangerous in a panic stop. Because it is a panic condition, you do not think, you react. My reaction process does not increase pedal pedal pressure if the rate of speed reduction is inadequate. I proved that to myself this past summer, that is why I went shopping for more aggressive pads.

Bill
 

Charles Johns

Donation Time
Charlie, I like your fuel cell being 16 gallon, makes for a long haul in an Alpine:)
Dan, with the 4-cylinder set up for torque with a 2150 (287 cfm) 2-barrel, 14" tires about 2" taller than OEM, plus a .75 overdrive, even with the 3.89 rear gears, 30 plus MPG should be possible. Like several other Old Dudes on here, I want AC, nice tunes on MY CD or USB port, cruise-control, and comfy seats for all day driving. I already have a dense-foam steering wheel and plenty of floor insulation. Bill's is the only car I have driven and road noise is a problem in any open car...even with a flip-off top. I'll probably foam the headliner area and sand to my preferred shape before gluing the interior material on. Right now, lots of ideas but not much $$$. Once the 65 sells I'll be busy with 12 hr. days I'm sure. Though at my age enthusiasm is not as strong as it once was...it now hits me in spurts. Though I still love building cars. The 2 shots of the Mustang show when I built it for the wife, then when I did it for me. The 32 Was way back in the 70's before I got the Sunbeams. The SV shots show what I am working with. Basically I have 2 solid cars to make one and I love the look. When people ask why not build a Cobra? I say...No top, no windows, no comfort items, plus mine is not a re-pop but original.
 

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Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
I predict you will be very happy with your gearing. It is very close to mine - 3.80 rear with .79 5th gear. About 3,000 @ 70 mph is great. If you offered to change my rear ratio to anything I wanted, no charge, I'd have to say, "No thanks". You will be able to cruise at any speed you want and get 30 mpg on the highway.
Love the '32.

Bill
 

Charles Johns

Donation Time
Bill, the 32 had a rumble seat and while in Memphis in 75 I was riding in it smoking a cigar, listening to ZZ Top on the headphones, sipping a glass of wine. It was the only time I got to ride in the rumble seat as I usually was the driver. A cop pulled us over saying, "I see by your license plate you are not from Tennessee. We don't allow open containers of alcohol in the cab of motor vehicles here." I told him I was not in the cab but in the trunk. He politely told me to empty my glass...which I did. He then said I had a very nice DEUCE and did NOT give me a ticket, and I thanked him. Larry, my bro-in-law was driving and told me I should have argued with him because I was right. I told Larry, "I have a cigar and a glass of wine, while he has a badge and a gun...I would lose the argument!" That was a fun car.
 

Charles Johns

Donation Time
Charlie, I like your fuel cell being 16 gallon, makes for a long haul in an Alpine:)
Dan, Figuring 32 mpg and filling up at 15 gallons equals 480 miles. That is about as far as I want to go in one constant drive. My most distance in one day is just over 700 miles. That was in my 1965 Mustang just a few weeks ago to Mississippi. About 400 miles before fill up, then 300 plus to get there. In a well built car driving can still be fun.
 

Charles Johns

Donation Time
One reason for the fuel cell is today's ethanol gas. I replaced my Mustang tank twice due to rust. Now I keep it as full as possible and use stabilizer. So far so good. With the fuel cell being poly ethanol is no problem.
 

DanR

Diamond Level Sponsor
Very fortunate here is Sunny South Carolina, I have good access to 90, 93 & 95 Octane Non ethanol.

I run non-E in my lawn mowers, weed-eaters, chain saws, etc., etc., Besides the Blue Boy likes high grade :)
 
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