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LX9 Alpine

shapeshaver

Donation Time
I am going to start a new thread for my build now that I am building it with the LX9 3500 V6 and not the nissan motor and trans. You can see pictures here I am commited to getting this all installed and running in the next couple of months.

I have the engine and T5 transmission sitting in the car with the stock steering in place. Everything looks good and I have ordered the parts to fabricate the headers. I am using 1 5/8 primaries. They will be a tight fit and have to do some acrobatics to get around the steering box and still have access to the flange bolts.
 
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crs

Gold Level Sponsor
Here are pix of T5 shifter in in my S4 Alpine V6 during installation and after completion:



 

shapeshaver

Donation Time
Thanks for posting those. That looks like a very nice installation! How far back would you say it is from the steering wheel?

If I remember right, the wheel is fairly close to the drivers seat as well, but it has been many years since I sat in the drivers seat of a sunbeam. I remember wishing I could move my seat back further than it could. I'm, 6'3" so I value a little leg room.

I like the remote shifter setups I have seen on the net and they would be quite easy to build. So if the shifter does require a stretch to reach the forward positions I may do something like these:

DSC01328.jpg


popup_image.php


Then there's the home depot variety, which looks like it would produce a lot of play and just looks ... not right.
IMG_2459_small.jpg
 
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crs

Gold Level Sponsor
I see what you mean wrt distance from steering wheel and have a couple of thoughts.
On my installation the knob is about 2 inches back from the stem that comes out of the tranny; this is due to the shape of the lever. This works for me (5'10") and my wife (5'2") when the seat is adjusted for leg length.

IIRC, my original 1963 Alpine shifter was a longer rod bent back toward the rear and that worked great.
Since you are aware of the issue, it may be best to use the least expensive shifter available (and there are many available for the T5) until you get things all together and ready to test drive. Then, you can experiment with steering wheel and seat adjustments to see how you want those set. When your legs and arms fit, then you can focus on the ideal shifter solution even if it requires a custom set up.

Meanwhile, I will measure the wheel to shifter distance on mine next week (leaving town soon to hunt spring turkeys with my grandson) and let you know. ;)
 

coupe

Donation Time
This is mine after reconstruction of the tunnel and useing a hurst shifter. I had to remove the ash tray to move the shift hole to the rear. Before that tunnel cut I had redone the floor pans so I had good metal to weld to when spreading the tunnel for the t5 install. I know what you mean, I'm 6' 2" I sit high in the seat and have bent legs, but it's not real bad for short runs, long ones are a different animal!
coupe
 

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shapeshaver

Donation Time
LX9 Alpine - shifter position and headers supplies

My first alpine had some previous modifications done to it prior to my ownership. One of those was a set of seats from some unknown car. I remember it seemed like i sat really high. I was going to channel, or drop, the floor pans under the seat so the seat could sit lower in the car. Of course I have no idea how much of that was the seat and how much was my height. I also remember wanting a couple inches more leg room, but again it could have been the seat. I will have to put one of the seats back in the car and put the hardtop on to check it out I guess.

I am assuming I will have to make the same tunnel mods as others here who are using a T5 behind the ford V6? I have an alpine tunnel as well as a tiger tunnel, not sure what I will do at this point.

Header flanges, mandrel bends and motor mounts come Monday, so this is where the rubber hits the road so far as the LX9 Alpine goes. Should be interesting!
 

shapeshaver

Donation Time
Where it all began

I ran across this photo of my first Alpine. I was in my mid twenties (~1990) and it was my only vehicle. I drove it year round for several years in the Denver Colorado area. The hard top came in handy during the winter months and the car got me around just fine unless the snow on the roads got deeper than about five inches. I learned how to drift out of necessity! :D



4001934_orig.jpg


It had a Volo P1800 engine with twin SU carbs swapped into it by a previous owner it. I would love to know what happened to it if anyone in the Denver area knows anything about it.

What a fun car!
 
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Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Very slick way to route the header primaries! Best of all, they fit when installed in the car. I could of done that - on about the third try.

Looks like the starter solenoid might be a problem, or is that a photo induced issue? At worst, it looks like you can clock the starter.

Bill
 

shapeshaver

Donation Time
Thanks Bill,

The solenoid isn't a problem, it must just be the picture. The oil filter location is a problem however. It is really tight in that very small area that all the primaries have to go through and after I got everything all tacked together cylinder #2 primary went right through the filter! So I either get to angle them around the filter or just remote mount it. The second problem I am having is that I will have to redirect the primaries or the collector to avoid hitting the bellhousing starter bulge. This bellhousing has two starter bulges on it, so it extends downward much further than is necessary for the LX9 application. Long story short, part of my collector will run right into it. So now I have to angle my collector to get around it I guess.

906565_orig.jpg


Just as a tip for anyone else who might want to build long tube headers for their Alpine, it really helped in laying the primaries out to tack weld a strip of metal to the cross member to act as a guide that defined the space I had available. Then with the cross member bolted up to the engine, I could lay out the tubes using that guide. Then just remove it when your tubes all tacked into place.

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I have to admit, it is exciting to see it in the car and everything working well!
 
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shapeshaver

Donation Time
Motor Mounts

I could use some input on motor mounts. I purchased some doughnut style mounts from SpeedWay Motors, but they seem huge!

1439144.jpg


Aren't there any other smaller urethane mounts that would work better? I looked on the net and couldn't find a set (suitably priced that is).
 

shapeshaver

Donation Time
Mine are 3" dia. 2 1/4 sounds more reasonable.

Are yours like this?
mount.jpg


That is what mine look like, just bigger. I really wanted something like small like this;
MotorMounts.jpg


But can't find a good source. Ideas anyone?
 

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Can't get to the large doughnuts to measure them. The small ones are 1 1/2" diameter, 7/16" hole and 13/16" thick. The large ones are the same thickness and hole diameter.

Bill
 

shapeshaver

Donation Time
Crossmember welding

I cleaned up and re-welded the joints on the front crossmember. Not only does it look nicer, it will be more capable of handling the extra force a higher power engine and some track time will put on it.

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You can see more pics here http://lx9alpine.com/chasis.html

Now I need some pictures of what the tiger guys are doing to their crossmembers to reinforce them. I have a list of the mods I found on the internet somewhere a long time ago, but it isn't obvious,at least to me, exactly what they are talking about. Does anyone know where I can get a good pictorial or illustrated description of how to reinforce these front crossmembers?
 
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Barry

Diamond Level Sponsor
There is no need to reinforce the Alpine crossmember beyond what you have already done.

The problem with the Tiger crossmember is that the two large "notches" that were made to accommodate the Tiger steering rack significantly reduce the strength and bending stiffness. Over time, the extra weight of the V8 engine and the reduced strength / stiffness result in the middle of the crossmember "taking a set." The end result is negative camber which cannot be "shimmed out."

No notches = no need for reinforcement.

Doug Jennings at Tiger Automotive in Dayton told me that, other than rust or damage, he had never seen an Alpine with the sagging crossmember problem.
 
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