First drive in the Visalia Dodge boys Alpine

[sunbeam74]

Well, I took the Visalia Dodge Boys Alpine out today.

It runs pretty well but I hate to say the front springs are too tall.
I may take the original competition spring, clean and paint, and put them back in. They may be too low! The limited slip seems to be working.

Otherwise it was a pretty nice drive. The engine is VERY smooth and revs quickly.

Now the question I have is why does this 1592 engine seem like it revs freer than the 1725 in the Sports Car Forum Alpine? Both are similarly prepared as far as lightening. Maybe it is just my imagination. I'll be interested how it feels when I really put my foot down.

Steve

 

[alpine_64]

Steve,

Was this a run down the street or an open track session? Where are the pics?

 

[sunbeam74]

Just down the street as a test....to the neighbor's dismay. I will ask one of the kids to shoot a movie with the digital camera.

Steve

 

[alpine_64]

Just down the street as a test....to the neighbor's dismay. I will ask one of the kids to shoot a movie with the digital camera.

Steve

now steve.... dont forget to film the part at the start where you say "hey kid, hold the camera and film this..."

 

[Ken Ellis]

"The limited slip seems to be working."
Hee-hee-hee.

Do you think the 1592 revs nicer because there are 40% fewer of those pesky,
power-robbing main bearings?

Film at 11 -- one way or the other!

Ken

 

[Armand4]

Oddly enough, I've just been reading up on Alpine tuning (thanks Jim E!) and the differences between the 1592 and 1725. Besides having fewer of those pesky, power-robbing main bearings, the 1592 has a high-quality forged steel crank rather than the cast one in the 1725. The 1725 also has an extra quarter-inch of stroke, giving it the slower-revving characteristics we usually expect from an undersquare engine. Now, I'm sure a 1725 could be made to rev as high as a well-tuned 1592, but I would guess that given similar cam profiles, head flow, et cetera the 1592 would be happier at high revs.

You know, Steve, the only way to settle this might be for you to let me drive your Alpine a little bit.

 

[sunbeam74]

Changed the springs

Well, I changed the front springs. It helps with the ride height.

The springs that I replaced were 11.25" tall. The new ones were 9.5" tall.

 

[Rodewaryer]

I had a prepared 1592 in the race car I had, and for a while had that engine in my road car (autocross results show the effect it had, quite dramatic) at any rate it revved VERY freely, and I've heard from friends that raced them that the 1592's were great at high rpm and something about being able to rev them higher than the 5 main bearing.....

 

[Armand4]

I think the ultimate high-revving Alpine motor would be a five-main block with a custom forged steel crank. The thought of a 9000 RPM Alpine haunts my dreams...

 

[alpine_64]

I think the ultimate high-revving Alpine motor would be a five-main block with a custom forged steel crank. The thought of a 9000 RPM Alpine haunts my dreams...

Think billet crank. There was a UK 5 main alpine a few years back with one of these....

A local racer had a very well developed 1592 that put out 136KW and spun to 8700