Early Series shock conversion

[alpine_64]

Hey Oliver,

Depends what 'vette they are setup for.. If they list the year just look up the spec on weight.. I would guess they will be valved for a much heavier car than the alpine so would likely you would run them soft as they ate probably designed to control larger forces.

When did my first conversion on my sii back in the 2000 i had a very short rear shock that was a monroe unit for the front of a holden ute.. It was to stiff for the application being designed to deal with the weight of an engine.... Gave the car overlg firm control.. Later changed to a longer setup with different mounts and shocks from a more equivalent car.

Re tyres.... Yup those xply are great for shows... Thats about it.....

 

[DanR]

'll have to have a rethink and put a sack of wet sand in the trunk....

Make sure you "tie" the sack securely If they shift you will surely know it

 

[Limey]

Hey Oliver,
Re tyres.... Yup those xply are great for shows... Thats about it.....

Agreed and now I know why those old movies had screaming tyres in the car chases. I can get the Alpine to 'sing' at 30mph on a good bend or roundabout and hold it there. It's amusing as it's low speed but its on the motorway or fast bumpy roads (most of the UKs roads...) that I feel unsafe.

 

[Barry]

Oliver,

The bias-ply tires almost certainly contribute to the issues you are having. A few years ago, a friend put the factory steel wheels and bias-ply tires on his Mk-II Tiger for a United. The car went from smooth and predictable with Michelin radials to bouncing and wandering all over the road with the bias-ply's.

 

[Limey]

I've had advice and will go for these. The have the period correct 'pie crust' tread shoulder. Not cheap tho.....

 

[jdoclogan]

I'll go single adjustable. I'll put Avos on the front as well. To be honest, although I built the HA to factory spec I have not come to enjoy the '60's feel as I thought I would. When 'pressing on' things feel very floaty and random and how anybody could feel remotely in control driving these at 80+is beyond me. Death trap is what springs to mind...I am on Crossplys tho...

Oliver, I have been at 90+ mph in my Harrington Le Mans (HLM) with stock Armstrong shocks and I concur. The experience made me feel as though the spirit of Greg Vederoff (the race driver who originally bought and raced my HLM) was driving. I certainly didn't have a whole lot of control. Note: I was running radial tyres.

A 1963 Corvette's rear weight is about 300lbs heavier than an Alpine. I would think that having an adjustable shock would allow for dialing in the ride for the intended application.

 

[260Alpine]

The Qa1 rides good at 5 or 6 out of 18 clicks on a MGB. Ideal ride height would be .5" above midpoint of travel.

 

[husky drvr]

Approximately 1000 to 1500 +/- pounds depending on model year and specifications. Later models of that generation have more crash protection. Earlier models had big block v8 options.

 

[jdoclogan]

The Qa1 rides good at 5 or 6 out of 18 clicks on a MGB. Ideal ride height would be .5" above midpoint of travel.

Jim, what is the Qa1 shock number?

 

[260Alpine]

ts403 From Barry's list.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...ontent=QA1&utm_campaign=Part+Number+Ad+Groups

 

[260Alpine]

What is the modern equivilant for the front shock on the early Alpine?

 

[bulldurham]

Thank you for putting up info on shock options. If I keep my 62/v6 I need to rebuild the springs and then maybe a shock
upgrade from the Gabriels.

 

[alpine_64]

What is the modern equivilant for the front shock on the early Alpine?

Spax used to do an adjustable gas front sock for the early cars...but think it might be NLA.. I bought a pair for my SII but that's probably 12 years ago now....

 

[260Alpine]

I wonder if a newer Ford, Chevy or Mopar shock would interchange or Maybe Mustang II with lower stud conversion?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/qa1-ts303?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=+qa1++ts303&utm_content=QA1&utm_campaign=Part+Number+Ad+Groups

 

[husky drvr]

Jim,

http://forum.sunbeamalpine.org/index.php?attachments/lower-stud-conversion-jpg.20442/

I wonder if one of the capable designer/fabricators on the board could produce an adapter that would allow use of late Alpine/Tiger shocks?

 

[260Alpine]

Don, I was wondering if you could find a adjustable shock for the front?

 

[husky drvr]

Don, I was wondering if you could find a adjustable shock for the front?

Jim, if the later shocks could be used, then one of the more common substitutes that have an adjustment option could be used. Bill Blue's Camaro(?) shocks come to mind. Maybe the lower crossbar could be used to directly mount the Camaro shock instead of the sandwich plates for the OE stud mount shocks? Just a thought.

https://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/norm/kyb-343127_gx_m.jpg

 

[Barry]

The main issue with using modern externally adjustable shocks on the front suspension of early Series Alpines is that shocks with the appropriate stroke length are physically longer (by about 3/4") than the factory original shocks. A secondary issue is that early Series Alpines used front shocks with a bottom stud-mount and none of the "obvious candidate" adjustable shocks have a suitable bottom stud-mount.

Despite the issues, I think it is possible to use QA1 (or similar) single or double adjustable shocks on an early Series Alpine by modifying the lower shock mount.

If anyone is seriously interested, PM me and I will tell you what I think I know.

 

[Limey]

Hi Barry,

Good front shocks seem to me a much needed area of improvment. You can get cistom shocks made at probably very high costs but like you I'm sure that out there somewhere is a suitable adjustable shock. The challenge is the short length...

 

[alpine_64]

Oliver.. Speak to spax.. They used to make them for the early cars. Maybe they still have some or of there is interest get a group purchase together and get them to do a run