V8 anyone?

[NorCal]

I realize that the majority of the owners in this section of the forum are V6 owners, as am I.

I’m assembling the components to drop a v8 in a Sunbeam, whether it is the current car, a different Alpine or a Tiger project. I just picked up a 6 bolt 289, which I will go through, I pick up a rebuilt narrow case HEH-E trans next week. I have a line on the larger Toploader bearing retainer, as well as a drilled/tapped 6 bolt bellhousing that have the casting in the right spots for the narrow trans. The linkage/shifter are available after market as are all the other bits and pieces I can think of.

Besides @PROCRAFT are there any others with a small block in their Alpine? Any other key/hard to get pieces I’m missing?

 

[260Alpine]

I have a 5 bolt 260V8 and SROD(4speed with OD top gear) in pieces. You need high rear end gears for the 4 speed. I'd find a Dana 44 from a Postal Jeep or 72-75 CJ5 and put in 3.07 gears. Tiger had 2.88. I'm using a 7.5 Ford with 3.45 gears, OD is .7. Also rack and pinion steering and firewall mods. Larger radiator. Look at Joel's and Tiger pictures for ideas. Picture of my 260 and SROD transmission:

 

[Barry]

I realize that the majority of the owners in this section of the forum are V6 owners, as am I.

I’m assembling the components to drop a v8 in a Sunbeam, whether it is the current car, a different Alpine or a Tiger project. I just picked up a 6 bolt 289, which I will go through, I pick up a rebuilt narrow case HEH-E trans next week. I have a line on the larger Toploader bearing retainer, as well as a drilled/tapped 6 bolt bellhousing that have the casting in the right spots for the narrow trans. The linkage/shifter are available after market as are all the other bits and pieces I can think of.

Besides @PROCRAFT are there any others with a small block in their Alpine? Any other key/hard to get pieces I’m missing?

Aside from the engine and transmission, Tiger specific parts include the lower firewall, transmission tunnel, engine mounts, transmission mount, driveshaft, Salisbury 44 rear axle, rear leaf springs, speedometer, tachometer, exhaust manifolds, radiator and expansion tank, remote oil filter setup, front suspension crossmember, front coil springs, steering rack, steering arms, steering column, clutch linkage and probably a bunch more I can't remember off the top of my head. A parts car might be a good idea.

 

[DanR]

I have a transmission mount designed specific for the Tiger.

Took an original and had my Draftsman Engineer Laser buddy fabricate a duplicate. Sold several of them. Works great as replacements for the Tiger and excellent for the Alger (V8 Alpine) too!

 

[DanR]

Just remembered I have a new set of transmission gears for the tiger.

 

[NorCal]

Aside from the engine and transmission, Tiger specific parts include the lower firewall, transmission tunnel, engine mounts, transmission mount, driveshaft, Salisbury 44 rear axle, rear leaf springs, speedometer, tachometer, exhaust manifolds, radiator and expansion tank, remote oil filter setup, front suspension crossmember, front coil springs, steering rack, steering arms, steering column, clutch linkage and probably a bunch more I can't remember off the top of my head. A parts car might be a good idea.

Thanks for the list, I have not thought through the steering.

 

[PROCRAFT]

Thanks for the list, I have not thought through the steering.

You'll need to do something with the front cross member all the Alpine s..t will be in the way PEROID! I make my own stuff you can turn the Alpine cross member into a Tiger one by putting a steering rack on the front of the cross member try and find some body who will let you measure their cross member and duplicate it its not very hard to do,you can get a generac rack from Moss Motors that will work just fine and there are others that will work as well just takes a bit of figuring.you can probably switch the steering arm left to right and make the work, as to motor mounts there is a guy in CA. Named Sandy Ganz who is making mounts that are really clever look on the Tiger Page on Facebook or look him up on Facebook and contact him there. Any thing else you may need contact me.

 

[PROCRAFT]

You'll need to do something with the front cross member all the Alpine s..t will be in the way PEROID! I make my own stuff you can turn the Alpine cross member into a Tiger one by putting a steering rack on the front of the cross member try and find some body who will let you measure their cross member and duplicate it its not very hard to do,you can get a generac rack from Moss Motors that will work just fine and there are others that will work as well just takes a bit of figuring.you can probably switch the steering arm left to right and make the work, as to motor mounts there is a guy in CA. Named Sandy Ganz who is making mounts that are really clever look on the Tiger Page on Facebook or look him up on Facebook and contact him there. Any thing else you may need contact me.

And use the Tiger Rad. from Griffin saves a lot of work pricey but! Just open up the core support so it doesn't shroud the core like it does on a Tiger and an Alpine.

 

[Barry]

Aside from the engine and transmission, Tiger specific parts include the lower firewall, transmission tunnel, engine mounts, transmission mount, driveshaft, Salisbury 44 rear axle, rear leaf springs, speedometer, tachometer, exhaust manifolds, radiator and expansion tank, remote oil filter setup, front suspension crossmember, front coil springs, steering rack, steering arms, steering column, clutch linkage and probably a bunch more I can't remember off the top of my head. A parts car might be a good idea.

Forgot about the rear Panhard bar (an unnecessary evil), the larger front anti-roll bar, the brake pedal linkage to relocate the brake master cylinder, the exhaust pass-throughs in the front cruciform extensions and the notched rear cruciform extensions.

 

[Barry]

You'll need to do something with the front cross member all the Alpine s..t will be in the way PEROID! I make my own stuff you can turn the Alpine cross member into a Tiger one by putting a steering rack on the front of the cross member try and find some body who will let you measure their cross member and duplicate it its not very hard to do,you can get a generac rack from Moss Motors that will work just fine and there are others that will work as well just takes a bit of figuring.you can probably switch the steering arm left to right and make the work, as to motor mounts there is a guy in CA. Named Sandy Ganz who is making mounts that are really clever look on the Tiger Page on Facebook or look him up on Facebook and contact him there. Any thing else you may need contact me.

Reversing the rear-steer Series Alpine steering arms does not work; front-steer steering arms need to angle outward (not inward) for semi-proper Ackermann. If you are really brave, the Series Alpine steering arms could be reversed and then heated / bent.

 

[Aladin Sane]

I have a alpine that I am putting a 302 from an 89 mustang gt into. I bought it as a half done project, so someone else had already modded the firewall, engine mounts and fabbed a new trans tunnel. It came with a c4 auto trans that at first I had planned on replacing with a t5, but trying to get three pedals and my size 14 feet into that narrowed foot well made me decide to stick with the auto trans.

 

[PROCRAFT]

Reversing the rear-steer Series Alpine steering arms does not work; front-steer steering arms need to angle outward (not inward) for semi-proper Ackermann. If you are really brave, the Series Alpine steering arms could be reversed and then heated / bent.

Id heat them myself, butt hats just me! and don't bother with a Panhard Rod never worked very well on a Tiger.

 

[260Alpine]

MGB steering arms and rack like Aladin has. Plus ujoints to connect steering. Battery in trunk. Traction bars.

 

[volvoguys]

Aside from the engine and transmission, Tiger specific parts include the lower firewall, transmission tunnel, engine mounts, transmission mount, driveshaft, Salisbury 44 rear axle, rear leaf springs, speedometer, tachometer, exhaust manifolds, radiator and expansion tank, remote oil filter setup, front suspension crossmember, front coil springs, steering rack, steering arms, steering column, clutch linkage and probably a bunch more I can't remember off the top of my head. A parts car might be a good idea.

Yeah, there's a number of other necessary bits needed to shoehorn a SBF into the small/narrow engine compartment.

I agree that a parts car would be a good idea but even Tig breakers are quite expensive. Last year I found an incomplete, terribly wrecked and rotted MKI that was way to far to bring back. For the price I paid, I could have gotten FIVE complete SVs in far better condition. FWIW, I currently have practically every Tiger-specific part to cobble a V8 Alpine, including panels. The parts ain't cheap but they're only getting harder to find.

Finally, I'll soon be picking up a stripped-out authentic rolling MKIa shell that still sits on its Tiger rear and front end. The body is pretty rusty, but solid, and deserves to be brought back. This car will not be cut or parted and will be available in its current, original state.

If interested, send me a PM and I'll add you to the list of already interested buyers.

Mark ..... volvoguys

 

[Warren]

Plus I have a rolling project Tiger too in So. Cal.

 

[MikeH]

Forgot about the rear Panhard bar (an unnecessary evil), the larger front anti-roll bar, the brake pedal linkage to relocate the brake master cylinder, the exhaust pass-throughs in the front cruciform extensions and the notched rear cruciform extensions.

What purpose does a pan hard bar serve with leaf springs?

 

[Barry]

What purpose does a pan hard bar serve with leaf springs?

A good question with no good answer. According to some accounts, it was an attempt to change the rear roll center and reduce the terminal understeer of the Tiger. Especially in the Mk-I's, it mostly resulted in broken chassis mounts.

 

[PROCRAFT]

You don't need any Tiger specific panels to build a V8 Alpine everything you need can be made from a sheet of cold rolled 20 ga.

 

[PROCRAFT]

A good question with no good answer. According to some accounts, it was an attempt to change the rear roll center and reduce the terminal understeer of the Tiger. Especially in the Mk-I's, it mostly resulted in broken chassis mounts.

As I said never worked well and by the way my engineer buddy says the same thing and it pushes the axle to the side.

 

[RootesRacer]

What purpose does a pan hard bar serve with leaf springs?

If there is any arch (or leaf to leaf slop) to the rear springs, the panhard will at least keep the cornering loads from causing the arch to want to roll the spring. De-arched springs reduces this effect and makes a panhard rod unnecessary for the most part when the springs and its insulators are in good condition. The goal is to keep the tires from changing the vehicles geometry while cornering.