Motor Swap Mechanic for 68 Alpine Needed

[rickondrums]

Hi My brother recently died and left me his 66 Alpine with parts to do a Jose V6 engine swap. The problem is I live in San Diego and the Alpine, 2 engines, transmissions etc are in the Marietta, GA. I would rather get the job done there than ship the car and all the parts out to San Diego. So I'm asking for a referral. I would be willing to pay for labor of course. Thanks, Rick

 

[Greggers]

First, sorry about your loss. Know that many of our members who love their cars the most came into the Sunbeam family in the same way, so you are definitely not alone.

Second, I'm about 10 minutes from Marietta and would be happy to invite some other local owners to go see the car and bits to give you some idea what you have.

I know of a few shops in the area who might do this kind of work, but depending upon what stage it was left it in, I might recommend one over another. If you prefer sharing pictures with the group, that would be helpful too.

An alternative I might suggest is to have the car and a trailer of the bits shipped out to you. I know a guy who would probably do it for somewhere in the $2000 range (not a quote, just a guess). At least that way you can use your favorite local shop and keep a closer eye on the progress. And once the car's done, you'll likely have to pay about that much to have the car shipped home anyway.

Let me know which way you'd like to go. And despite the circumstances, welcome to the family.

 

[rickondrums]

66 Alpine Engine Swap Planning

Thanks Greggers, and the for the good will of interested club members! The VA Docs said my brother's death was a result of exposure to agent orange during the Vietnam War while serving as a USMC crew chief on CH53s. In the Marine Reserves he worked on Cobra Helicopters. He spent hours on the phone with V6 Jose but became too ill to complete the project. I guess it gave him something else to focus on. There is a neighbor who lives nearby who may begin work on the project 9/14, but is more familiar with Chevy's. I don't want the project to be burden to him as he is 72, so I thought I'd better develop some alternative resources. The Alpine currently starts with it's stock engine, but isn't much of a driver. Any recommendations or resources you have would be appreciated. I intend to complete the project as a tribute to him. Thanks, Rick

 

[Tom H]

Rick, Sorry for your loss. I assume your brother was a member of this forum. What was his forum name?

Tom

 

[DanR]

A comrade in arms

Your brothers death could have been the cause for many of us!

An excellent tribute to him....

 

[rickondrums]

billslink

This was my brother's user name. billslink from Marietta, GA

 

[rickondrums]

66 Sunbeam Alpine Engine Swap Project

I created a Facebook page called Sunbeam Alpine 1966 Darksider Project. It has lots of photos of the car and some of the parts being collected for the Ford 2.8 engine swap. Looking for a mechanic or shop for hire in the Atlanta area. Planning to sell the stock engine and trans. Thanks! Rick

 

[DanR]

Why FACEBOOK?

Why not some other option?

Lots of folks don't do facebook.

ME INCLUDED, If you could utilize Facebook and tie it as a link to this Forum might draw more interest.

 

[gordonra]

Hi My brother recently died and left me his 66 Alpine with parts to do a Jose V6 engine swap. The problem is I live in San Diego and the Alpine, 2 engines, transmissions etc are in the Marietta, GA. I would rather get the job done there than ship the car and all the parts out to San Diego. So I'm asking for a referral. I would be willing to pay for labor of course. Thanks, Rick

Hi Rick,

Very sorry about the loss of your brother, and at the same time welcome to the world of Alpines.

I seem to recall his name in relation to posts on the forum, but I'm sorry to say I never had the occasion to converse with him.

There are several people between Phoenix and LA that are either in the process of V6 conversions, or have completed them. If you did choose to bring the conversion work to Southern CA, I'm sure you'd have plenty of the best advice and support if you wanted to take on the project yourself.

Installing the V6 is not really difficult and is quite rewarding. Conversion cost is largely dependant on the level of performance you desire. In the end you'll have a reliable car that will more than keep up with modern vehicles.

Regardless of your decision, I hope to see you on the road, or at Cars and Coffee in Orange County some time.

Rich

 

[gordonra]

I created a Facebook page called Sunbeam Alpine 1966 Darksider Project. It has lots of photos of the car and some of the parts being collected for the Ford 2.8 engine swap. Looking for a mechanic or shop for hire in the Atlanta area. Planning to sell the stock engine and trans. Thanks! Rick

By the Way.... Nick O'Dell was looking for a 4 Cylinder engine... You might want to drop him a PM or email to see if he's still looking. It could help defer the cost of the transport and conversion.

Rich