New owner, newbie questions

[clhiller]

Hello.
Just picked up a series 1 alpine. Older restoration, but runs and drives well.

4 speed transmission that sometime jumps out of second, but the purchase included a "rebuilt" transmission with OD that will be my winter project. I'm also going to replace all engine gaskets and seals as it marks it's territory with enthusiasm!

I was planning on rebuilding the original Zenith carbs, but I now have access to a pair of Zenith-Stromberg carbs and manifold from a series 4. Will it fit? Are there any benefits to going with the later carbs? I can get the series 4 headers as well that look to be in better shape than mine. Will they fit?

I am planning to recore (3 row) the rad and install electric fans to deal with the overheating issue.

Body is in in great shape. Was thinking about a rear shock conversion. Are there still kits available?

One issue I was wondering is the front right brake caliper doesn't want to release, so is dragging. I took the caliper off and tried to push the pistons back in manually, but they won't both go at the same time. What I mean is if you push in one side, the other side extends, so the pistons are not stuck. If you try and push both in at the same time, they won't go. Any ideas?

I am sure I will have a hundred more questions before I'm done, but I have already read most of the posts on this forum so I have gained a glimmer of knowledge. And I have the workshop manual!

Thanks,

 

[sunalp]

Sounds like a nice car. Post some pics when you get the chance, and don't forget to send your info ( Serial # and SAL# to the
registry.

Those carbs and manifold ( the Zenith Strombergs) are actually from a Series V although someone may have had them on a Series IV.
If they fit on the 1592, assuming that the SIV had it's original engine, then they should fit the S1. The main differences would be that your
manifold has coolant that runs through it (for colder weather driving) and the later manifold doesn't. You'll have to block off the rear
fitting in the head and either replace the Y fitting on the water pump with the later single outlet fitting, or block the one that goes to the
manifold. You'll have to do that no matter if you use these carbs or convert to a Weber and manifold.

AS far as the caliper goes, if you are able to push the pistons in that means they are not stuck. If it's hanging up your
brake hose may be to blame. Whatever you do, don't take shortcuts when it comes to brakes.

Good luck with the car. This is the place to get all your questions answered!
Cheers!
Steve

 

[Gordon Holsinger]

Sounds like a nice car. Post some pics when you get the chance, and don't forget to send your info ( Serial # and SAL# to the
registry.

Those carbs and manifold ( the Zenith Strombergs) are actually from a Series V although someone may have had them on a Series IV.
If they fit on the 1592, assuming that the SIV had it's original engine, then they should fit the S1. The main differences would be that your
manifold has coolant that runs through it (for colder weather driving) and the later manifold doesn't. You'll have to block off the rear
fitting in the head and either replace the Y fitting on the water pump with the later single outlet fitting, or block the one that goes to the
manifold. You'll have to do that no matter if you use these carbs or convert to a Weber and manifold.

AS far as the caliper goes, if you are able to push the pistons in that means they are not stuck. If it's hanging up your
brake hose may be to blame. Whatever you do, don't take shortcuts when it comes to brakes.

Good luck with the car. This is the place to get all your questions answered!
Cheers!
Steve

Your carbs are zenith 36 wip 2’s the air filters are a steel gauze the parts to oh them are around I would say stay with them. The trans popping out of gear could be stuck or broken detent springs on the shifter. The overdrive is a nice piece to have make sure to check the solenoid they stick. Good luck!

 

[alpine_64]

To add to the above good advice. You say you will go to a 3 core radiator and electric fan to cure overheating. That is likely masking an issue.. Or it may not actaully be overheating.

1. How does it overheat? Just by the gauge? The gauges are often matched to wrong temp sensors or just old and need recalibrating or rebuilding. Use an infrared theometer and point at the temp sender and the radiator core.

2. When it overheats is this at long standing idle, in traffic or while moving?

3. Does it spit coolant out the overflow?

4. Does it have the oroginal early series header tank? Series I single radiator cap with overflow hose or series ii with rad cap and seperate overflow valve ( also angled edges)

5. The early tanks require a certain length of rad cap. If its to short the system wont prrssurise and the car will run warm and spit coolant.
A good modification is a return cap and return overflow bottle.

6. If the radiator is blocked with sediment and corrosion the chances are the water jackets in the head are also corroded and blocked and likely the rear water passage in the block also will be restricted.

 

[Gordon Holsinger]

Your carbs are zenith 36 wip 2’s the air filters are a steel gauze the parts to oh them are around I would say stay with them. The trans popping out of gear could be stuck or broken detent springs on the shifter. The overdrive is a nice piece to have make sure to check the solenoid they stick. Good luck!

The zenith carb kits are available from Classic Sunbeam Auto Parts in MY

 

[clhiller]

Thanks for the replies.
I am trying to up the performance a bit if I can. I plan on doing the Vizard mod this winter when I pull the engine and tranny out. Is there a consensus on the amount to skim off the head to compensate for combustion chamber volume increase due to the mod?
If there is no performance increase changing from the Zenith to the Zenith-Stromberg carbs, I will just rebuild the originals. Is it helpful to blank off the coolant passage in the intake manifold for regular driving? This is a summer driving only car.
Would the headers fit if they are off a 1725?
As far as overheating goes, if I'm on the highway it seems to be ok. Any stop and go in the city the temp starts to rise and once it rises, even if I get back on the highway, the temp won't come back down. I will check all the passages when I have it torn apart this winter. I added a full fan shroud and coolant recovery tank and it has helped some, but not enough. Early expansion tank with what I am pretty sure is the correct cap. I measured cap and neck and seems to be right. The coolant tank does fill up and then empty as the engine cools down so it must be sealing.
The brake hoses look ok. Is it possible for them to collapse inside and prevent the calipers from releasing? I will replace the hoses this winter.
I will post pictures and other info as soon as I can.

Thanks,
Collin

 

[bernd_st]

The original Zenith carbs are way better than the Strombergs so would recommend you to rebuild them. Not that easy but feasible. If you decide to do so I can support you with further advise and proper repro spindles.

The brake hoses can internally collapse and would assume this happened to one of yours. Easy to exchange though...

 

[65sunbeam]

Agree with Bernd-those Zeniths with the flycatcher mesh air filters on them look great, flow well, and are a unique feature of the early cars as is the tubular exhaust manifold.
Also the early Alpines had front brake calipers that will not interchange with the S3-S5 cars and they are hard to find. Best to rebuild the ones you have if it is needed-after you replace the front brake hoses.

 

[jumpinjan]

The overheating could be sludge inside the engine. When was the engine last overhauled? If not, the radiator core could be at fault. Thats expensive.
Stick with the S-I Zeniths carbs.
Jan

 

[ALC 68A]

Thanks for the replies.
I am trying to up the performance a bit if I can. I plan on doing the Vizard mod this winter when I pull the engine and tranny out. Is there a consensus on the amount to skim off the head to compensate for combustion chamber volume increase due to the mod?
If there is no performance increase changing from the Zenith to the Zenith-Stromberg carbs, I will just rebuild the originals. Is it helpful to blank off the coolant passage in the intake manifold for regular driving? This is a summer driving only car.
Would the headers fit if they are off a 1725?
As far as overheating goes, if I'm on the highway it seems to be ok. Any stop and go in the city the temp starts to rise and once it rises, even if I get back on the highway, the temp won't come back down. I will check all the passages when I have it torn apart this winter. I added a full fan shroud and coolant recovery tank and it has helped some, but not enough. Early expansion tank with what I am pretty sure is the correct cap. I measured cap and neck and seems to be right. The coolant tank does fill up and then empty as the engine cools down so it must be sealing.
The brake hoses look ok. Is it possible for them to collapse inside and prevent the calipers from releasing? I will replace the hoses this winter.
I will post pictures and other info as soon as I can.

Thanks,
Collin

As a Series I, if your car still has its original engine, it is a 1500cc, not a 1600cc or 1725cc. I don't know if the Vizard mod is as applicable to the smaller engine.

 

[jumpinjan]

If the engine is the original Series I 1500, the bottom end is pretty wimpy and they usually break a rod. I recommend dumping it and getting a Series II 1600 short block. Also, parts for the 1500 are very rare, so it's the right thing to dump it.
Jan

 

[alpine_64]

If the engine is the original Series I 1500, the bottom end is pretty wimpy and they usually break a rod. I recommend dumping it and getting a Series II 1600 short block. Also, parts for the 1500 are very rare, so it's the right thing to dump it.
Jan

Jan, given the owner has indicated he probably will drive ir with some spirit a 1600 or 1725 might be a good idea and probably wven tbe base later motors extra torque and cc would be a performance step worth having fir some eztra oomph

Yes the 1500 is the weakest of the bunch, but if its just for normal street driving i see no reason to change it out unless its a perfomance preference. Especially if the numbers are matching.

As a side note i still have a 1500 in one of my cars still on 10.6:1 with 2x dcoe . yes it spun a bearing in 1999 but that was more to do with me going round a corner on its door handles and pulling 5000rpm causing starvation than the motors basic floors... Rebuilt it and still going 20 years later.

 

[clhiller]

Thanks for all the replies. The engine is a 1494 that has less than 20k on it after a rebuild. Oil pressure is 55lbs at 3500rpm at 190*f. 30lbs at idle. Compression ranges from 152-160lbs so I will run it until it craters. If I can squeeze a few more horses out of it with the vizard mod and put the od transmission in it, it should be plenty good for my needs. I’m not going to be doing any racing with it. If it does decide to blow up on me, I’ll look at upgrading at that time. It does have a PerTronix Ignitor in it and I wouldn’t mind swapping out the generator for an alternator just to improve reliability.
I basically want a nice tight reliable driver.

 

[alpine_64]

Your oil psi seems solid, but what is the psi at warm idle 900-1000rpm?

Your compression seems a bit low id expect more 175-185 in the cylinders...how did you measure it? Plugs out and WOT?

If you drop some oil down the plus holes what is the compression?

The vizard mod on an early motor will lose a fair bit of compression, but depends how skimmed the head is.. You might be able to tell by the holes for the side cover see how much meat there is below them.. When you pull the head you will know from the wear bars.

When the motor was rebuilt did they bore it? For the 1500 i found it easier to get flat tops than dished pistons so that would help bump compression up as will any overbore.

 

[clhiller]

Ok. So I decided to enter the serial number and engine number in the registry and the engine number has me confused. Can anyone give me more info. I don’t think it’s original. The fellow I bought it off of was not the fellow who restored it and assumed it was original engine rebuilt.
Curious

 

[clhiller]

Maybe a Rapier II ? It has the alloy head and dual zeniths so maybe the rapier bottom end was used?

 

[alpine_64]

Ok, not an alpine block as it would be B90... The 59 rapier also had the alloy head and twin zenith carbs but not the alpines seperate header tank that was used to allow a shorter radiator to accomodate the low profile bonnet.

Also the airfilters have had the oil soaked wire mesh gaugze removed so now they only stop stones and mid sized birds entering the engine.

 

[ALC 68A]

Rootes rallied the 1500cc Rapier quite successfully in the 1950s, so the engine does have potential. However, I should think that specific parts for it will now be hard to find.

 

[65beam]

The 30PSI at idle is great and the 50 PSI at road speed is where you want it so the engine should be a good driver. I've seen much worse engines that ran for years. Buy an infra red thermometer and check to see if the engine temp is really rising. They can be bought on E Bay for $10.00. Replace the front brake hoses and your calipers will probably be OK.The air filters are the same that are on my Harringtons and I've driven one of them since 1983 so don't worry about them. If it starts and runs then drive it and don't worry about all the negatives mentioned above. Enjoy!

 

[volvoguys]

Rootes engines that begin with A38 prefix were used in the Series II Rapier. It has a 1494CC displacement with a iron head.

Mark .…. volvoguys