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Calling all smart guys

C

Crash Bang Alpine

Donation Time
Gentelmen:

I'm addressing these questions to the forum site, hoping to clear up some things for myself and other builders of this conversion.

Radiator: Men of experience, could you go through the whole radiator conversion sequence, IE; transforming the inlet and outlet, especially the
inch and a quarter L shaped nipple pointing 5 degrees towards the thermostat housing. Also, how has the radiator location changed after this conversion...is it higher in the engine compartment or the same? Are there any mods to the radiator brackets?

Gauges: Any tips on what gauges will fit the dash holes where the Alpine speedo and tach were that will work with the T-5 transmission and V-6 engine? And what is the brand and source of the gauges used?

Thanks to Jim E. and Jose for their help in the past.

Joe
 
Rsgwynn1

Rsgwynn1

Silver Level Sponsor
I have a radiator drawing that Jose says is right. Email me at rsgwynn1@cs.com and I'll send it. Mine is currently in the shop being converted.

I'm using Dolphin gauges but haven't installed the dash in the car yet. The small Dolphin gauges fit the Alpine dash cutouts, but I had to buy aluminum billet adapter rings for the two large ones, which are smaller than the oem cutouts.
 
V

V6 JOSE

Donation Time
Crash Bang Alpine said:
Gentelmen:

I'm addressing these questions to the forum site, hoping to clear up some things for myself and other builders of this conversion.

Radiator: Men of experience, could you go through the whole radiator conversion sequence, IE; transforming the inlet and outlet, especially the
inch and a quarter L shaped nipple pointing 5 degrees towards the thermostat housing. Also, how has the radiator location changed after this conversion...is it higher in the engine compartment or the same? Are there any mods to the radiator brackets?

Gauges: Any tips on what gauges will fit the dash holes where the Alpine speedo and tach were that will work with the T-5 transmission and V-6 engine? And what is the brand and source of the gauges used?

Thanks to Jim E. and Jose for their help in the past.

Joe
Click to expand...
Hi Joe,

The only thing that has to be done to the radiator is, replace the core with a heavy duty three core insert and change the location of the inlet and outlet nipples, as shown on Sam's sketch. The radiator will fit in exactly the same place and there is no need to modify the radiator housing. Make sure that you put the same size nipple as is on the engine, because you don't want to have to use stepped hoses.

Jose :)
 
Mark T

Mark T

Donation Time
Crash Bang Alpine said:
Gauges: Any tips on what gauges will fit the dash holes where the Alpine speedo and tach were that will work with the T-5 transmission and V-6 engine? And what is the brand and source of the gauges used?
Click to expand...
Hi Joe!

I have Classic Instruments Hot Rod Series 3 3\8" speedo and tach in my car and they look great. I'm not sure if they required any dash modification as the guages were in the car when I bought it this spring, but I suspect that they fit into the original holes.
 
chris

chris

Donation Time
I'm hoping to use my original gages. I have a friend who is working on adapting the original Speedo cable to mate with the gear in the transmission. He says he can make it work, so I'm going to let him give it a shot..
 
V

V6 JOSE

Donation Time
chris said:
I'm hoping to use my original gages. I have a friend who is working on adapting the original Speedo cable to mate with the gear in the transmission. He says he can make it work, so I'm going to let him give it a shot..
Click to expand...
Chris,

It is pretty simple. All you need to do is take the cable and housing to a speedo shop and have them cut both to the length you need, then have them swedge a Ford end onto the housing. They will also swedge the end of the cable to fit the size of the Ford gear. Get a 21 tooth gear and just slip it in and bolt it up. Will work, but you may need to have a gear reduction box made to calibrate the speedo.

Jose :)
 
B

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
VDO has 4" speedo's and tach's in the the Vision line. As far as I know, the only aftermarket gauges that will fit the Alpine openings. A complete set of gauges will cost about $350. I got mine from Egauges.com. Very decent place to buy from.

Bill
 
B

bluoval

Donation Time
gauges repo

check out http://wwwcaigauge.com/index.htm they are located down-under and produce the smiths that are that are dead ringers for the orig sunbeam gauges, speedo mench or elect . and a host of other gauges just learned or the co yesterday and looked at them on line and do they look good compaired to my pitted and faded gauges ,do not know prices or even if they will ship to the us or can.. good luck earl (blu oval) ps the company name is caerbont automot ive instruments
 
V_Mad

V_Mad

Donation Time
I kept both my original instruments.

As Jose says, you can easily get a specialist company to make a cable. I changed my gearing by swapping out the speedo mechanism for another with near enough the correct revs/mile calibration; I just kept the face for original looks.

The tacho can easily be adjusted by accessing the internal potentiometer, and tweaking for correct revs, assuming that you have something to use as a calibration reference.
 
B

bluoval

Donation Time
fyi check out this site for guages

fyi guageguys.com for smiths guages new also repair and re-chrome.. earl blu oval
 
Alpine 1789

Alpine 1789

SAOCA President
Diamond Level Sponsor
V6 JOSE said:
Chris,

It is pretty simple. All you need to do is take the cable and housing to a speedo shop and have them cut both to the length you need, then have them swedge a Ford end onto the housing. They will also swedge the end of the cable to fit the size of the Ford gear. Get a 21 tooth gear and just slip it in and bolt it up. Will work, but you may need to have a gear reduction box made to calibrate the speedo.

Jose :)
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure my transmission (from a 2003 3.8 Mustang) has an electronic pick-up. I have been assuming I need an electronic speedo. Is this the case, or is there an electronic-mechanical adaptor?
 
V

V6 JOSE

Donation Time
Jim Stone said:
I'm pretty sure my transmission (from a 2003 3.8 Mustang) has an electronic pick-up. I have been assuming I need an electronic speedo. Is this the case, or is there an electronic-mechanical adaptor?
Click to expand...
Hi Jim,

The electronic pick up you refer to, is something that plugs into the hole where a conventional speedometer cable end plug would plug in. You can get a speedoometer shop to swedge a Ford end onto your cable, put a 21 tooth gear on the end and just plug it in. You will find that it will be reading about 10% fast, (depending on the diameter of the rear tire), so you might want the speedo shop to make you a reduction box to put in the cable, so that it reads accurately. With the V6, it might be advantageous to leave it reading fast, because the V6 wants to run faster than what you think.:D It might save you a few encounters with the constabulary.

Jose :)
 
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