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finally on the dark side
- Thread starter socorob
- Start date
socorob
Donation Time
The cars come a long way since i got it. I took the c4 out and installed a T5. Rewired the car, made an aluminum dash, rewired the rear brake lights with all 1157 bulbs so the whole lights are brakes and turns, much brighter at night now. Installed some small driving lights as back up lights. My current project is rear discs and a 4.11 LSD. Im using the TSM kit. Unfortunately it uses GM calipers, which definitely arent the best, but better than drums. Hindsight being what it is, i would have used rx7 turbo rear calipers with a similar rear parking brake setup. A little thinnner disc and aluminum calipers, so less unsprung weight. The tsm kit is nice, priced right and easy to install though. Going to 15 inch vto rims with dunlop direzzas. After everything is broken in i'll go do another autocross and see how much improvement i have over the old setup.
Attachments
socorob
Donation Time
Got the car to be able to test drive it today. With the new wheels and tires, it feels like a totaly different car. An on ramp here thats a 360 degree circle I was able to take it 15-20 mph faster than with my old wheels and tires. Used to be the tires would start squealing to let you know to let off now i lost nerve and let off. These new tires GRIP andactually ride much smoother than my old ones. They are a little noisy though. I have 15x6 vto wheels with 4.4 inch backspacing, and 195/55r15 dunlop direzza z1 star specs. Its a really good combination on the alpine. Even though these tires are a little wider and much stickeier than what was on the MII wheels, i guess the more backspacing makes them so much easier to turn. With the eaton true trac, i should be able to do much better next time i get a chance to autocross it. Now i just have to get passed the 600 mile break in as quickly as possible.
Attachments
Hi Robbie,
You have that Alpine looking great. You also are enjoying it a lot more than the original owner that converted it. I had told him to not use the C4 automatic; that it wouldn't be as much fun as with the five speed, but he wouldn't listen. It eventually led him to sell it, after about 17 years. You have now made it what I thought it should have been all along, a fun sport's car. Keep up the great work!
I know he'd never have taken it to an autocross to run it there. I applaud you for using it as I would.
Jose
You have that Alpine looking great. You also are enjoying it a lot more than the original owner that converted it. I had told him to not use the C4 automatic; that it wouldn't be as much fun as with the five speed, but he wouldn't listen. It eventually led him to sell it, after about 17 years. You have now made it what I thought it should have been all along, a fun sport's car. Keep up the great work!
I know he'd never have taken it to an autocross to run it there. I applaud you for using it as I would.
Jose
socorob
Donation Time
The front valence already wAs rolled by someone to fit the 13s that were on there and these were only about 3/8 taller than my 13 s so basically no difference in height. I wanted to go with 16s but could only find those with 5 inches of backspacing which is right on the edge of hitting in the rears.
Hi Coupe,
I have run 15"X7.5" Panasports on both my Alpines, so they will fit. You'd need to go with a shorter and wider tire, to make them fit. I had to trim the front valence about 3/4" to get the clearance so the tires wouldn't rub when turning. I had a 3.75" back spacing, which made the rear tire miss the rear spring by about 1/2". The tire size I used, was 195/50x15. The tread was 8" wide and the Alpine cornered as if on rails. To run this wide a tire, I also had to bend the fender lip up in the rear fender wells about 8" long, at the top of the wheel well.
Jose
I have run 15"X7.5" Panasports on both my Alpines, so they will fit. You'd need to go with a shorter and wider tire, to make them fit. I had to trim the front valence about 3/4" to get the clearance so the tires wouldn't rub when turning. I had a 3.75" back spacing, which made the rear tire miss the rear spring by about 1/2". The tire size I used, was 195/50x15. The tread was 8" wide and the Alpine cornered as if on rails. To run this wide a tire, I also had to bend the fender lip up in the rear fender wells about 8" long, at the top of the wheel well.
Jose
bashby
Donation Time
I am running 15x6" with a 4" backspace wheels and 195/55-15's I had to trim the front valance ~3/8" so that the tires would not rub when turning and trimmed the rear fender lips as well. I clear the rear leafs by 3/4" but that is determined by the rear axle and mine is a Ford 8" cut to 50-3/4".
Good to know Jose. bashby used abt the same tire size, his 8" is 50&3/4" is that what I shoot for? I've located a 5 lug rear for the car. I 've got the engine, trans, manifold, and the bell is on it's way. I'll prob. start pulling the old drive train out week after next when I get my hoist back....Or so I hope any way! Getting closer and closer.
coupe
coupe
Hi Coupe,
What did the five bolt rear end come out of? I would take your stock Alpine rear end to the machinist who is going to cut it, and ask him to duplicate the flange to flange dimentions of the stock rear end on your new rear end. The only difference I would ask him to do, is to put the pinion right in the middle of the spring perches, because the stock rear end has it offset to the passenger side, which can cause a problem with mounting the drive shaft, because of the battery box being on the passenger side. It can also cause clearance problems in the drive shaft tunnel, because it is so narrow.
Jose
What did the five bolt rear end come out of? I would take your stock Alpine rear end to the machinist who is going to cut it, and ask him to duplicate the flange to flange dimentions of the stock rear end on your new rear end. The only difference I would ask him to do, is to put the pinion right in the middle of the spring perches, because the stock rear end has it offset to the passenger side, which can cause a problem with mounting the drive shaft, because of the battery box being on the passenger side. It can also cause clearance problems in the drive shaft tunnel, because it is so narrow.
Jose