Building a V8 non-Tiger Alpine

[260Alpine]

Another nice LS car:

Alpine progress pictures : Alpine Club Forum : Sunbeam Experience Car Forums : The Sunbeam Experience (sunbeamclub.com)

 

[fonz]

If you want an Alpine with a V8, buy a Tiger. It will be quicker, easier, probably cost less and will certainly be worth a lot more than a V8 conversion.

If you insist on doing a V-8 conversion, start with the knowledge that a short-deck (8.2") SBF engine with a toploader or T-5 transmission BARELY fits after removing the Alpine steering box and upper steering mechanism, fabricating engine mounts that "hang" from the original mounting locations for the steering box / steering relay lever assembly, moving the lower firewall back about 4", completely removing / replacing the transmission tunnel, modifying the inner fender panel reinforcement braces, modifying (or completely replacing) the front suspension crossmember to accommodate a front-steer R&P steering setup with terrible geometry and moving the brake and clutch master cylinders outboard by about 5". You will also need to cut holes in the front cruciform arms and notches in the rear cruciform arms to provide ground clearance for the exhaust pipes, remove the Alpine battery box and relocate the battery to the trunk and replace the Alpine rear axle with something that will stand up to "V8" torque (FWIW, a Ford 9" or equivalent will not fit without significant surgery to the rear floor / trunk panels).

A comprehensive side-by-side comparison of your S-V and a real Tiger would be a good way to start.

OR, use a "front Face Plate" Mount" (instead of the side brackets and drop downs .(makes alot more room). A Lot of work in any event. LOL
If I had to do it all Again (knowing what I Now Know, (you have to cut the firewall no matter what you do). I think I'd use a SBC.

 

[Thunderbolt]

OR, use a "front Face Plate" Mount" (instead of the side brackets and drop downs .(makes alot more room). A Lot of work in any event. LOL
If I had to do it all Again (knowing what I Now Know, (you have to cut the firewall no matter what you do). I think I'd use a SBC.

We're leaning towards an aluminum LS

 

[Barry]

We're leaning towards an aluminum LS

I think an aluminum 5.3 or 6.0 LS engine would be a hoot in a Series Alpine, but the LS engines have a 9.2xx" deck height which makes them about 3/4" taller and 1-1/2" wider than a short-deck SBF engine with a 8.2xx" deck height.

I have seen a Tiger with a 351 Cleveland (same 9.2xx" deck height as a LS). IIRC, the Tiger with the Cleveland still had stock inner fender panels, but needed a sizeable hood scoop. Not exactly apples-to-apples, but if a Cleveland will fit, an LS should fit. The owner of the Tiger with the Cleveland engine told me that he had to drop the engine an inch or two to get the valve covers off and that the installation required custom fabricated headers. As Fonz noted, mounting the engine with a front motor plate simplifies the exhaust issue. IME, cars with traditional solid mounted engine plates typically have NVH issues.

 

[Thunderbolt]

Sorry in advance for the questions...
What is IME?
What is NVH? I have 7 cars with solid mounts and I am not aware of any issues.

 

[Barry]

Sorry in advance for the questions...
What is IME?
What is NVH? I have 7 cars with solid mounts and I am not aware of any issues.

Sorry about that; abbreviations are obvious for the writer, but sometimes less so for the reader.

IME = In My Experience
NVH = Noise, Vibration & Harshness

Acceptable NVH for a race car and a road car are typically very different.

 

[Thunderbolt]

Our street cars run 9.90@132, 9.34@144 and 9.08@151. No NVH at all......where's the eye roll emoji....