mikephillips
Donation Time
The VB floors come from one of the English companies, don't recall which one offhand. But it doesn't really matter since they're about the only thing available these days.
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What should I look for; Buying an alpine from a co-worker?
- Thread starter the ghoul
- Start date
welp some good news today.
I got down far enough to see the vin stamp on the engine and it matches the cowl, so it looks like I have a numbers series 3!!
nother little mistery solved;
It looks like some one layed fiberglass all on the floor bords. I thought it was because the floors were trashed and I was affraid that the x frame would be in the same shape....
well it turns out only the drivers rear floor is very badly off... like, totally missing with some bad patch work with an old metal shelving unit.
the spring shackels are rusted but solid, no flaking or any thing
but the x is perfect
I got down far enough to see the vin stamp on the engine and it matches the cowl, so it looks like I have a numbers series 3!!
nother little mistery solved;
It looks like some one layed fiberglass all on the floor bords. I thought it was because the floors were trashed and I was affraid that the x frame would be in the same shape....
well it turns out only the drivers rear floor is very badly off... like, totally missing with some bad patch work with an old metal shelving unit.
the spring shackels are rusted but solid, no flaking or any thing
but the x is perfect
I pulled off the starter and used the teeth of the flywheel to brake the engine loose. I then put it into 4th gear and pushed the car to turn the engine over.
which is great news, but I think the engine ran away with the transmission.
LOL just kidding,
I found them and got the engine back on its leash
None of my rebuild kits came in so I just decided to finish pulling the engine.
nothing like a happy stack of parts waiting for rebuild!
which is great news, but I think the engine ran away with the transmission.
LOL just kidding,
I found them and got the engine back on its leash
None of my rebuild kits came in so I just decided to finish pulling the engine.
nothing like a happy stack of parts waiting for rebuild!
It may be a good idea to dip this car to remove all the rust and take it back to bare metal before doing any rust repairs.
yep and thats what I plan on doing one day... but not today, and not this time around.
I am thinking aboutgetting the floor pans, tacking them in, and underbody coating the hell out of it.
I am too affraid of getting into a project where Im 4 years away from driving the thing...
No the goal is get the car road worth by next spring.
work on getting the body rust free and streight by the end of that summer.
and then start piecing together the intirror.
When I have the compleet car in running condition and have my own house with my own shop in the back I will strip it down and dip the car, patch it up, get it e-coated and start from there.
its not a bad idea just to do it now, but if I start doing major metal work now I wont be able to help but do it right... and that would totaly brake the bank, even if I did all the fitting and welding my self!!!
holy crap!!!
no wonder I cant find any pictures of a code 61 alpine for refrence when I was trying to see what my car would have looked like new!
http://www.sunbeamalpine.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8984
no wonder I cant find any pictures of a code 61 alpine for refrence when I was trying to see what my car would have looked like new!
http://www.sunbeamalpine.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8984
Those three metallic colors, # 61 Quartz Blue / # 67 Light Green / # 68 Autumn Gold were offered ONLY for the Series 3 Alpine, and as you know the Series 3 had a very limited production run of 11 months. I've seen one light green metallic with black interior and green piping, no quartz blue cars, but many Autumn Gold cars. For some reason many Series 3 GTs were ordered in Autumn Gold.
The fact that you have a rare color combo and the matching engine makes for a very desirable car in my book, but the outcome will depend solely on your bravery in tackling this restoration!
The fact that you have a rare color combo and the matching engine makes for a very desirable car in my book, but the outcome will depend solely on your bravery in tackling this restoration!
i just hope I dont fall pray to my pattern
- get a project
- plan it out
- strip it down
- get frustrated with the cost
- sell every thing off for far less than I bought it
Thats why im pushing my self a little bit to get it road worthy. I dont want to strip it to bare shell and only put it back together after all the body and paint work are done because it will turn into a far bigger undertaking before it sees the road.
Im actully a little intimidated but excited at the same time over this new information.
- get a project
- plan it out
- strip it down
- get frustrated with the cost
- sell every thing off for far less than I bought it
Thats why im pushing my self a little bit to get it road worthy. I dont want to strip it to bare shell and only put it back together after all the body and paint work are done because it will turn into a far bigger undertaking before it sees the road.
Im actully a little intimidated but excited at the same time over this new information.
Those three metallic colors, # 61 Quartz Blue / # 67 Light Green / # 68 Autumn Gold were offered ONLY for the Series 3 Alpine, and as you know the Series 3 had a very limited production run of 11 months. I've seen one light green metallic with black interior and green piping, no quartz blue cars, but many Autumn Gold cars. For some reason many Series 3 GTs were ordered in Autumn Gold.
The fact that you have a rare color combo and the matching engine makes for a very desirable car in my book, but the outcome will depend solely on your bravery in tackling this restoration!
I noticed you have a generator strap still mounted to your now-pulled engine. Be careful with it- they're hard to find. I believe they must be cast iron, as mine was really brittle, and when it broke I had to have one made at a machine shop.
If you go with a generator/neg. ground system, you probably will get a different one, anyway. (Which, if you run a radio, halogen lights, power windshield washer,etc., is a better setup.)
If you go with a generator/neg. ground system, you probably will get a different one, anyway. (Which, if you run a radio, halogen lights, power windshield washer,etc., is a better setup.)
tony perrett
Gold Level Sponsor
Not wishing to discourage you but I think that Alpine Addict is correct. Judging by your pics, I don't see how you can make this car roadworthy without a serious amount of welding and you can't weld to rust. Do it once and do it properly even if it means delaying it for a time.
I don't mean to discourage you, but this car is going to be a seriously expensive restoration. Maybe some won't have the nerve to tell you that it is almost gone, but I will. Not to be a party pooper, but just to let you know what you are getting into.
It looks like the whole undercarrage is gone. Is this the same one that had the rotted out rockers? If it is, it is definitely gone. The fact that it is a numbers matching car, is of little, if any value, considering the shape it is in.
For safety sake, I wouldn't even think of driving it in it's current condition. For what you will have invested in this car by the end of restoration, you could have bought two really nice Series 3's.
Jose
It looks like the whole undercarrage is gone. Is this the same one that had the rotted out rockers? If it is, it is definitely gone. The fact that it is a numbers matching car, is of little, if any value, considering the shape it is in.
For safety sake, I wouldn't even think of driving it in it's current condition. For what you will have invested in this car by the end of restoration, you could have bought two really nice Series 3's.
Jose
well its a good thing that I’m the one making the decision, and who hooo imagine this, I’m the only one here that has seen and worked on this car... Meaning, I can show you 10 pictures that make it look like the biggest rust trap ever, and then show you another 10 that make it look like a rust free jem...
seriously you don’t know what your dealing with till you see it first hand.
I understand your stance but this car is not as bad off as you think it is. the only rust on the structural metal is superficial. I have taken many auto body repair classes (3 away from being a certified tech) and have taken part on multiple restorations and i know how to identify weldable vs non weldible metal...
so
thank you but no thank you.
I’m going to continue with this project as i see fit.
seriously you don’t know what your dealing with till you see it first hand.
I understand your stance but this car is not as bad off as you think it is. the only rust on the structural metal is superficial. I have taken many auto body repair classes (3 away from being a certified tech) and have taken part on multiple restorations and i know how to identify weldable vs non weldible metal...
so
thank you but no thank you.
I’m going to continue with this project as i see fit.
I don't mean to discourage you, but this car is going to be a seriously expensive restoration. Maybe some won't have the nerve to tell you that it is almost gone, but I will. Not to be a party pooper, but just to let you know what you are getting into.
It looks like the whole undercarrage is gone. Is this the same one that had the rotted out rockers? If it is, it is definitely gone. The fact that it is a numbers matching car, is of little, if any value, considering the shape it is in.
For safety sake, I wouldn't even think of driving it in it's current condition. For what you will have invested in this car by the end of restoration, you could have bought two really nice Series 3's.
Jose
Well Ghoul,
You are free to do what you want with your car. I was trying to give you some good advice. I'm glad you are so qualified to repair something like this poor car, because there aren't many guys that can.. Everyone will admire and applaud your efforts, when you finally get it going. We will see just how long it will take and how much money you will spend on it, before you are done.
Jose
You are free to do what you want with your car. I was trying to give you some good advice. I'm glad you are so qualified to repair something like this poor car, because there aren't many guys that can.. Everyone will admire and applaud your efforts, when you finally get it going. We will see just how long it will take and how much money you will spend on it, before you are done.
Jose
See, that’s maybe where we are running into differing opinions. I am not looking at this car as an investment. To me it’s a project that will one day yield a fun to drive car that you don’t see very often, that I can enjoy, maintain, and keep improving over the years. So, the time and money that I put into this car is the time and money I would normally waste away any how; so as long as I have any thing to show for my efforts at the end it’s a win in my book. Even if it is an overpriced pile of new and rebuilt parts that I could easily drop into another alpine…
Seriously though.
I got under the car the other day and the inner rockers, x frame, frame rails, and spring shackles are all solid with some surface rust on them (typical for Michigan). The only thing that I would improve is stretching the tops of the door jambs with bottle jacks and stitch weld the x frame to inner rocker joints (seems the car has settled a bit over the years). The major rot on this car is the floor boards which seems to be very common on these cars.
Seriously though.
I got under the car the other day and the inner rockers, x frame, frame rails, and spring shackles are all solid with some surface rust on them (typical for Michigan). The only thing that I would improve is stretching the tops of the door jambs with bottle jacks and stitch weld the x frame to inner rocker joints (seems the car has settled a bit over the years). The major rot on this car is the floor boards which seems to be very common on these cars.
Well Ghoul,
You are free to do what you want with your car. I was trying to give you some good advice. I'm glad you are so qualified to repair something like this poor car, because there aren't many guys that can.. Everyone will admire and applaud your efforts, when you finally get it going. We will see just how long it will take and how much money you will spend on it, before you are done.
Jose
tony perrett
Gold Level Sponsor
I'm afraid that your definition of "superficial rust" differs somewhat from mine. Maybe you could post the 10 pics that show the car to be a "rust free gem". Believe me, some of us have owned Alpines for 40-odd years and can recognise a car that is realistically restorable from one that isn't and we are only trying to give you some impartial advice.
yep and when i need that advise i will ask for it.
that’s just bs reading a post about some one finding a good project willing to jump into it and restore it cost be damned and say its not worth the time or money.
flat out
if you judging the car by the rusty pictures I showed realize that those are just reference photos of the worst rust I saw under it. It is not pictures of typical rust on the car.
look im not trying to be too defensive here but im not some 16 year old that found this 'perfect car' that 'just needs a paint job and tune up'. I know what im getting into and its really insulting to have that questioned.
all and all, you cant judge it till you see it first hand. ill meet you at Detroit metro airport if you wish.
Duke
Donation Time
What’s the deal here guys?
Who cares if you feel that the car has bad rust....sooooo. Are you restoring the car or putting any money into it......no.
Lighten up. If Ghoul wants to spend $1,000,000 on a $20K car, it is his choice, his money and his time.
Comments on the "feasibility" to restore this car mean nothing unless the OP was asking the opinion of the board.
My .02 is that he should be highly encouraged to bring this rare car back to the road.
Take a look sometime at the complete rust bucket E types that are being restored to show conditions.
Who cares if you feel that the car has bad rust....sooooo. Are you restoring the car or putting any money into it......no.
Lighten up. If Ghoul wants to spend $1,000,000 on a $20K car, it is his choice, his money and his time.
Comments on the "feasibility" to restore this car mean nothing unless the OP was asking the opinion of the board.
My .02 is that he should be highly encouraged to bring this rare car back to the road.
Take a look sometime at the complete rust bucket E types that are being restored to show conditions.
I have a series IV that was worse then ghoul’s car. When I bought it had 50lbs of bondo and 10 coats of paint on it. Didn’t know how bad it really was until stripped down to metal. Passenger side all smashed not much left of any layer of the rockers, looked like Swiss cheese when all the rust was cut out.
BUT I really wanted the car back up and running. I don’t do body work so I have had someone else doing that. Almost 3 years now and the car will be on the road, complete redo from inside to out. I can tell you I have 3x to 4x the value into the car, but value was not the consideration on this project.
If someone has the will, time and means then why not. My car should have been in the crusher, rusted through, no original parts left on it, I am sure most people would have walked away. But it was something I really wanted to do and now there will shortly be another good looking and fine running Alpine on the road and I think that is what counts in the end. Keep them on the road as much as possible. Good luck ghoul and I look forward to seeing your car on the road someday.
Sharong
BUT I really wanted the car back up and running. I don’t do body work so I have had someone else doing that. Almost 3 years now and the car will be on the road, complete redo from inside to out. I can tell you I have 3x to 4x the value into the car, but value was not the consideration on this project.
If someone has the will, time and means then why not. My car should have been in the crusher, rusted through, no original parts left on it, I am sure most people would have walked away. But it was something I really wanted to do and now there will shortly be another good looking and fine running Alpine on the road and I think that is what counts in the end. Keep them on the road as much as possible. Good luck ghoul and I look forward to seeing your car on the road someday.
Sharong
I, like Sharon and others, applaud you for taking on this project. You obviously have a lot going for you in the way of knowledge and training, and that'll be a great advantage over someone like me who has neither. I would discourage being hostile to the other suggestions made on this site, though. These guys have saved my bacon MANY times, and are worth at least reading and considering.
You know if your car is restorable. Go for it.