My entry to the Darkside

[SDuncan]

I thought I would start a thread here, now that I am an official member of the Darkside. After 10 years of Alpines, I am glad to finally be here.

I used Photobucket to organize some photos of the car. Most of the photos are courtesy of fellow darksider, Kelly Mathis, who helped me purchase the car and documented the car's condition so there were no surprises when I got it home. I believe photo #17 shows the 2 hoses I had mentioned in the other thread. The small braided hose leading to the firewall and the small rubber hose coming off the carb...what are they for?

Anyway, the car is far from perfect but I am glad to have it and look forward to making it mine.

Link....http://s285.photobucket.com/albums/ll60/D-Fuzz/V6 Alpine/

 

[twospeed]

The braided hose is for heater core,should be another one about the same size coming back out and to the engine.
The small one is carb bowl vent, probably went to a can some where.

 

[kmathis]

Hey, Scott:

Glad you have it home where you can take a good look at what you have and start making it what you envision.

Your little V6 there runs strong and revs fast, and with only a two barrel, I think there is a lot of good things to come for that car.

My car, on the other hand, is going into prime tomorrow, after 5 months of body work, the painting process begins. I will post pictures of the process later.

Take care,

 

[Bill Blue]

Scott, all I see is solid sheet metal. Can't think of a better way to start!
If you'd started with this body, you'd probably be driving a turbo four banger.

Bill

 

[bulldurham]

Great looking solid car; that other hose from the heater core goes to the water outlet on the bottom, front left of the water pump. But I guess you knew that.
Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[SDuncan]

I sort of figured there should be another hose coming out the other side. I haven't lifted that plate yet to see if there is even a heater core in there. With the bowl vent hose, since it is just laying there, can it be capped off or should I be venting it down into the fender someplace? It is sort of useless the way it sits right now.

I agree about it being solid sheet metal. I took a screwdriver and dug around in that joint where the inner front fender meets the rocker panel. I figured if there was going to be any rust, it might be there, but it was rock solid. I wish I would have started with a car like this 10 years ago when I did that turbo. Like you said, Bill, I might have actually got to the end of that project.

 

[twospeed]

That bowl vent went to some kind of charcole cannister for air polution----you could just tuck it away some place but dont plug it.
That bowl needs a vent.

 

[V6 JOSE]

Hi Scott,

I would vent that tube into the bottom of the air cleaner housing. The Holley four barrel and most other carbs have the vent on the top, inside the filter element, so that the fumes are sucked into the engine.

Jose

 

[SDuncan]

I have to buy an air cleaner for the car, so when I do, I'll hook it into there. At least it will clean up one hose.

I have to figure out what is going on with that braided hose. There is another bit of braided hose on the upper rad outlet that I'd like to replace as well as it looks a bit ratty. Just plain old rubber will work for me. I had a look at the coolant in the rad yesterday and I am thinking it should be drained and maybe get the rad flushed. Who knows how long that coolant has been sitting in there.

I am a bit curious about the original colour of the car. The VIN tag says 19, which is Moonstone. Under the red/orange paint you can see white, so I thought that seemed about right. However, under that, I have found what appears to be BRG, which leads me to think maybe the car went from Moonstone to BRG to white to red. The red that is on it looks like a discount paint job as it appears the trim was just masked off before it was painted. I suppose at some point it should go to bare metal and be painted properly.

After attending Jim Dimond's BBQ in February and seeing all though beautiful cars, my first reaction is to tear into this car and try to get it all pretty, but I don't want it to become garage clutter just yet. I have to keep telling myself to get it running and bang out the dents, then drive it like a ratrod for awhile.

 

[Ken Ellis]

Peek under the hood latch plate for a glimpse of the probable original color...

And I'd vote for 'drive it' to enjoy the fruits of your patience!

 

[Series6]

After attending Jim Dimond's BBQ in February and seeing all though beautiful cars, my first reaction is to tear into this car and try to get it all pretty, but I don't want it to become garage clutter just yet. I have to keep telling myself to get it running and bang out the dents, then drive it like a ratrod for awhile.

Now don't be blaming us for you wanting to do what you want to do anyway....

 

[SDuncan]

So, more puttering over the past week has revealed the following:

- The driver's side caliper appears to be seized.
- I disconnected the brake booster and removed it from the car. The brake line running from the master cylinder to the booster is pretty corroded, so I will replace it. I may end up doing all of them.
- There is a heater core in the car but the braided hose running into the box was plugged with a bolt and a hose clamp and not attached to the heater core. That explains the lack of a return line.
- It appears the car was hit on the front once before the current damage. There is a bit of filler in the passenger fender and the valance. It will get fixed properly this time, with metal instead of bondo.
- I think the next order of business is to drain the rad and take it in to get looked at. I appears the rad may have been filled with water rather than coolant. I bought a motorcycle from down south a couple years ago, and it was the same. Is that a common practice in warmer climates? A realize anti-freeze isn't necessary but straight water isn't a good idea.

I have a feeling the motor is going to come out eventually here anyway. It will give me a chance to clean up the engine bay and maybe paint it. If that happens, I am likely looking at next-year country to get it on the road. Can you hear the project creep starting?

 

[SDuncan]

I drained the rad and took it out. The liquid coming out was clay brown...not good. The rad itself feels a bit heavier than it should too...again not good. Hopefully it isn't completely rusted out.

 

[Tigersx2]

Rad

Hey Scott

Take the rad to Prairie Rad on Winnipeg St and see Curtis he is doing mine now .The 66 rad was very heavy, it was replaced in 1971 and as far as I know has never been touched since as still some of my original soldering errors on it

 

[SDuncan]

Shall do. Maybe I will try to take in tomorrow.

 

[Hillman]

Scott,
I'd be really careful with those old brake lines. A year or so ago, I took my Alpine on a trip thru Alta and BC. On the way back my clutch line broke (no clutch). I drove it most of the way home, but stoped before real traffic. I decided that the brake lines were as old as the clutch line and I might have been dead if a brake line had popped. As of this spring, my Alpine has all new brake lines.

You chose your own poision of cource.

 

[SDuncan]

The rear axle has been changed to a Ford 8 inch and the brake lines running to the back look in good condition. For the cost versus peace of mind, I might as well do the front lines and get it over with. The car is nearly 50 years old, not sure I want to trust my life with 50-year old brake lines.

Al, did you get your brake lines locally?

 

[Series6]

Scott,

On the blue car I had them made up locally. I took the old ones in and had them duplicate them.

....Of course, right after that I found ready made sets on ebay....

 

[SDuncan]

I removed the driver's side caliper today. First off, the flexible hose was pretty much cracked through, so good thing I have decided to replace all that stuff. The caliper itself is pretty corroded. I gave it a liberal soak to loosen up the rust and managed to get the pins out and remove the pads. The pistons are stuck pretty bad though. I gave them another soak, but they won't budge. Any suggestions? I am trying to weigh the pros & cons between rebuilding these calipers or ordering the Capri ones. I can get the Capri ones locally through Napa but I have to muck around looking for some adapter. Or I order new pistons and rebuild kit from SS. I am leaning towards rebuilding, since I need to order some tail/brake light lenses as well.

One thing I am noticing about this "project" is I am a lot more confident in what I am doing this time versus 10 years ago when I started the turbo project. I've learned lots about these cars over the years, plus working on motorcycles over the past few years has helped. With the turbo swap, I felt like I was in over my head. With this car, I am taking my time and learning as I go. Very therapeutic, which is why I bought the car in the first place. No time to think about work when you are twisting wrenches.

 

[Alpine James]

There is a heater core in the car but the braided hose running into the box was plugged with a bolt and a hose clamp and not attached to the heater core.

You have a heater? didn't have no stinkin heater drivin from Regina to Calgary on April 1st a few years back. Soft top and parkas 10 months of the year. Two months topless in between.