Well maybe 3 up. Its only a couple of miles. Just watching to "catch a thief" on DVD Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in a "55" Sunbeam Alpine. Mrs F must be buying in to the whole Alpine thing.

(I caught her admiring the boot earlier compared to the Midget)

Chard "a bit of a sucker really" F

Chris

Re evaluating the White Alpine.
Following a post from another member (I dont know your name, CXD01 thx v usefull) I have had another look at the car. The Exhaust doesnt just need realigning all the joints have been welded!! a non standard box has been bodged on and bashed with a hammer it doesnt foul the propshaft. A whole new exhaust will be required £250-300 I reckon. The box slips out of 3rd when you play around with the overdrive (I didnt notice just going up through the gears)
recon box £250 + fitting I can live with it now but willwant to deal with it at some point. This + the offer issues would mean the car would end up "standing me" @ £6500 top money methinks. Could put it on the "no side of maybe."

Chard "maybe I should look at some more" F

This is the car I looked at and negotiated down to £3200 earlier this year but walked away because of the gearbox.
As you de-celerate and shift down from 4th to 3rd it kept jumping out of gear, may have been fixed now? The clutch was also locked solid and we had to run the engine and crash it into 2nd gear to free up, pretty typical if it had been stored for a while.

The rev counter is the wrong type/ratio so you'll never get it reading properly.
Steering really heavy and vague but this may have been rectified as well.
Car was repsprayed around 10 years ago and the bonnet had chipped paint off of the fron edge (Left/nearside of centre)

I'm assuming that the owner who had recently purchased a Tiger must have put it into an auction so did really well to get £5200.

I personally think you'll find something just as good for around £4k and a steering whell for around £100 that needs a refurb and upto £400 for a top notch one.

As you say, the 'no' side of maybe.

Thanks for your input. The clutch is ok and car drives well (looks like a new steering box) The exhaust is knocking against the chassis and will need a complete pipe. I drove the car for 40 miles and the gear box didn't misbehave once, my tame mechanic (drove the car for a couple of miles) didnt notice it either. After reading your post I played with the car today and when engaging and disengageing OD in 3rd it slipped out, seemed OK on down changes.

My quandary is that the body and paint work are very good, the car has just been valeted and looks stunning. The exhaust, window winders and interior, I can sort for a few hundred pounds. The gearbox can wait. if this makes it a "condition 1" car? I wont be too upset. I think it's a bit pricey but I dont have to worry about a body/chassis (previous cars have been chock full of fibreglass and filler)
I don't want to pay over the odds. but this one is a known quantity and will be a nice car when finished.

I'm sure someone (P/O or a trader) is pretty pleased with the Auction result. Wouldn't this have made a good car for you @ £3200 as the body/paint work are in pretty good shape and the car is basically sound?

Chard "I used to be decisive" F

Always difficult to walk away from a car when you want one and its a very pretty car, but then all Alpines are!

If it helps, I spent six months searching for a Series IV/V and after looking at 4 cars ended up with a Series IV GT with a 1725 engine, 3 owners from new (last one 25 yrs) for £2200. I estimate that a respray, new minilites, new dash, refurb gearbox, electronic ignition, hood conversion, re-chromed bumpers, and other bit and bobs will set me back c £2400 I sold the wolfrace wheels and hard top for £500 so fingers crossed I should have a really nice car for around £ 4100!!!!

Good luck with it if you decide to buy it, in 12 months time the price you paid won't really matter if its the car for you.

There are plenty of really helpful SAOC members in the West Mids area and they are helping me with my car. Chris B always seems to know the answer to any question you ask.

Regards
Chris

I'm surprised you sold the hardtop - they are very good indeed in winter.

Its going to be April to October only for me!

Regards
Chris

My quandary is that the body and paint work are very good, the car has just been valeted and looks stunning.


Anything can be made to look 'stunning' using the dealer budget option of superficial spit and polish and I suspect a generous dose of black tyre paint.
But I sense you can see beyond the flannel.

I was some excellent advice which I suspect is accepted wisdom to most and that is:

1. When considering a car, put aside all the emotional issues that brought you to the car in the first place..

2. Assume the car is a load of rubbish and has every possible fault going.

3. Proceed to examine the car on the basis that it has to prove to you that your assumption is wrong.

Doing it the other way round, getting all excited and then looking for faults which in your heart of hearts you don't want to find, clouds your judgement.
You have to decide with your head not your heart UNLESS you are prepared to pay the price of so doing later.

To loosely quote John Ruskin if you buy from the lowest bidder you may not get what you want and may have to pay later to put it right. Better to pay the right price now.

Or as a Mr Rolls or maybe his mate Royce said "Quality service is remembered long after price is forgotten".

Bill

You are quite right of course.

a) The valet was completed by me (not dealer bullshit) on the basis that a detailed clean of the car is a good way to get to know it.
b) Every car I've ever inspected (even brand new) has had a fault somewhere. When a car is 40 years old I have learnt to be a little more forgiving.
c) I hate repairing bodywork, so if this is good everything else I can resolve.
d) If I bought a car with my head not my heart I would not be even considering a 40 year old Alpine!!

The car is now bought and paid for (after some negotiation) at what I consider to be a fair price to both parties. (I would liked to have paid less, but that is the human condition)

I'm looking forward to getting to work on it (no fun if it was faultless) so I guess this thread is closed.

Hi Richf, i am the previous owner i believe.I am sorry to read that you have doubts about the car.We had 3 years enjoyment with it taking it 4 times to Jersey enjoying topless sunshine without any problems.We also attended 2 nationals.Yes wbh had some issues namely uneven idle,if you have history file there is mention of stage 1 head.This head is NOT unleaded.Ithink an electronic pointless dizzy should be fitted.The exhaust is another story,when i bought it it ran under the crusifix,first speed bump killed it.Because it was good i had it "made to fit",once warmed up the knock stops.When i sold it gearbox played up but can be lived with,guy in club does great recon at fair price ,ask on forum,he's not far from you.Any other q's please ask.I do hope you enjoy the Alpine experience as much as we did,it made me go and get a Tiger

Greg

Thanks for your reply. I've bought the car and v happy. I've set up the ignition and serviced the car it pulls ok and I can live with the uneven tickover (stage one cam)

I've had a new centre section exhaust fabricated so that's sorted.The jumping out of gear seems to be getting less frequent as I use the car more. I will change the gearbox oil tommorrow and run the car for a bit to see how it goes.

A new window regulator has been ordered, interior trim being sorted, tacho going off to "The Gauge Shop"

A carpenter buddy will be re-veneering the dash during the winter.

Your old Alpine is in good hands and being well cared for.

Enjoy the Tiger I may be able to get to Wawick at the weekend but not for long. I'm hoping to get to the Rootes meeting at Blenheim August Bank Holiday.

If I can meet you at one of these events I would ne delighted.

Chard