• Welcome to the new SAOCA website. Already a member? Simply click Log In/Sign Up up and to the right and use your same username and password from the old site. If you've forgotten your password, please send an email to membership@sunbeamalpine.org for assistance.

    If you're new here, click Log In/Sign Up and enter your information. We'll approve your account as quickly as possible, typically in about 24 hours. If it takes longer, you were probably caught in our spam/scam filter.

    Enjoy.

65 alpine with 99 miata motor build.

D

DemkoG

Donation Time
I have been around the forum a little while now and have gotten a lot of help from a good group of guys here, and now thought to start putting my build up and contribute.
It has been about a year since I started the build and have made some progress on the build.

The game plan 65 sunbeam, 1999 Miata motor, Miata 5 speed, triangle 4 link Ford 8.8 4x4.25 bolt pattern.

If there is room in the engine bay, and the budget a small gt25 turbo from flying miata.

I tore down the car sand blasted it and epoxy primed the body.
Took one of my miata motors tore down rebuilt
Same with a 5 speed and 8.8.

Body mod will be a set of wheel flairs
65 mustang hood scoop.
Brakes will be a set off a svt focus 4x4.25 bolt pattern.
Custom exhaust
 

Attachments

  • sun881_1 - Copy.jpg
    sun881_1 - Copy.jpg
    82.9 KB · Views: 163
  • 1010142218.jpg
    1010142218.jpg
    64.1 KB · Views: 174
  • 1011140155.jpg
    1011140155.jpg
    34.1 KB · Views: 166
  • 1212162229.jpg
    1212162229.jpg
    49.7 KB · Views: 168
Last edited:
I for one am really looking forward to seeing this build. I put a 1.6 into my ser II and love it.
 
1999 Miata 1.8, I know very little about Miatas, but isn't this engine significantly larger than the 1.6? As I recall, this engine has been avoided in Alpines because of fitment problems. Could you give us a rundown on this? Always interested in finding the perfect donor engine for Alpines.

Bill
 
The 1.8 is about an 1.5" longer then the 1.6. After installing the 1.6 I think a 1.8 would work. If I were to try it, I would move the shifter forward 2" and the motor back 1.75". I think the Miata motor is the perfect donor engine for Alpines, they were designed to be in a small sports car, they clear the steering (even moved back 1.75") they are light weight, easy to find, lots of go fast parts and best of all they are cheap to buy and come with a 5 or 6 speed. I have not found a down side to installing these motors in Sunbeams.
 
WOW! Choice of engine locations? That's very, vary rare in the Alpine re-engine world. The usual choices are RIGHT HERE (+ or - an eighth of an inch), start cutting, or forget it. To be honest, RIGHT HERE usually involves some cutting of something, somewhere. So it's really more a matter of how much and where, or forget it.

Bill
 
Sounds like you have a plan. The SVT rotors are 11.8" diameter and will require 16" wheels. There was a guy on here that used the 2000 Contour SE rotor that is 10.9". I plan to use VW Rabbit MK1 patch panels for flares. Popular on the MGB's on Mgexperience site. Instead of full 3" flare I will cut them in half for a more subtle 1 1/2" flare. Plan on the side fender vents also. Here is a pic:
I have the Mustang 350 GT scoop for mine. I cut about 1/2" off the front where the opening necks down. The 8.8 is a little overkill, the 7.5 would be fine. Keep us posted.

http://s1223.photobucket.com/user/genepa/story_18129/story
 
Last edited:
Toyanvil you are the reason that I have gone this direction you thread was very helpful and your car expertly finished.

The 1.8 is a bit bigger asr Toyanvil stated but should still fit. I am not afraid of some fab work that will need to be done. I would like to use a set of motor mounts like ron morris
https://www.ebay.com/i/382110899102?chn=ps&dispctrl=1

This way I can movie it a little and find a good spot.

I am also using the rabbit flares not sure how much flare I want. I will keep going till it looks good then try to copy it 3 more times.

The 1999 1.8 is a motor that I know well having rebuilt many of them for spec miata.
The 8.8 is also a comfort thing having 3 lying around and rebuilt many of them for drag racing friends. Also I have in the past fabed up rear disk before and their cheep and come with a posi.

The brakes will fit in the saab Shelby wheels. Or the focus svt wheels that are 16.

I do have a game plan but with all resto mods its all subject to change.
what is the best way to do picture here?
 
Cool! I like the big pictures! Same scoop I have. I cut the front flange on the scoop to open the front more.
 
Bill it is the intake I ported it and polished it still getting all the pics i took into some type of order. part of Miatas variable intake runner length. looking for the picks of the head work I did.
 
New Wheels

placed at the 8.8 track width 60"






Front will be a bit more of a challenge


it will turn lock to lock in its current position
 
So many ideas

The more posts I read the longer I delay starting my car (both still under tarps)
My collection of cars, motors and parts have been based on installing the 2.8L V6 with the four barrel and five speed (I have all that now)
But the more I read on the miata 4 cyl install the more intrigued I am. It seems the parts available are endless and more readily available. The ability to increase HP also seems more attainable at a reasonable cost.

Will you gentleman whom have installed the Miata ever consider doing up the harness for others with the unnecessary sensor connections terminated?
Although seemingly prevalent in the US I have yet to find a reasonably priced wreck in Canada to salvage the motor, tranny, harness, ecm, etc to complete a Miata install. (cursory look only so far)

On a side note it seems buckets from a Jeep Patriot might be a good fit for these cars, still measuring but looks promising.
 
Expoline Auto in Derry New Hampshire has been a good source of parts.
and
http://partsgroup.com/

as far as wiring I plan using the Miata engine and chassis harness. It is nice to have more then 4 fusses running the whole car.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top