As they used to say, "Ask the man who owns one!"
You have an engine block from a Sunbeam Arrow station wagon, probably
1967 or 68. (Mine is a 67.)
"B08" identifies the Hunter-range Arrow, and LUX designates left-hand
drive, estate, "non-standard equipment". It originally had a cast-iron
head and a single CD150 carb, but when it was put into the Alpine, they
probably swapped many parts from the original Alpine engine.
This raises some red flags - the camshaft would have had to be changed
in order to use the 1592's alloy head. If they used the 1592 cam, they
would have had to use the matching oil pump, as the drive gears are
different. So be very careful sourcing parts - a new 1725 pump won't
work with a 1592 cam, and vice versa. As for pistons, the single carb
Arrow motor would have had 7cc dished pistons instead of the flat top
Alpine high compression pistons. (With the quality of today's gasoline,
that might not be a bad thing.)
I guess it all depends upon what happened when the engine swap was done.
It could have been a full rebuild to Alpine spec using the Arrow block,
or just a swap-over of enough bits to make it fit the Alpine.
HTH,
Jon Arzt
Omaha, NE USA
-----------------------------
Andy Walker wrote:
>Hey, guys:
>
>I've got a question for you all. A buddy of mine who owns a top-notch British
>car repair and restoration shop here in Oklahoma City, Mike Glass of Glass
>Auto Works, has recently taken in a Series IV Alpine GT. It seems that the
>car has been sitting for years and the owner has decided to have the motor
>gone through so he can once again drive it. The car was supposed to be all
>original and, at first blush, it sure looked it.
>
>Then, Mike pulled the motor, took it all apart and gave me a call. During the
>course of the conversation, I made reference to the well-known oiling problem
>on the middle crank journal of the 1592 cc engine. Mike paused for a moment
>and then said that there was no "middle" crank journal on the motor he pulled
>out; further stating that the engine had five main bearings instead of three.
>Consequently, I went by his shop that day on my lunch break and, sure enough,
>it was a five main bearing motor, ala Series V 1725. Then I took a quick look
>at the number stamped into the passenger side of the block, expecting to see
>the serial number start with "B95" and end with "LRX." Instead, it started
>with "B 08..." and ended with "LUX." To my best recollection, I've never seen
>that type of a serial number. What motor does he actually have and what is it
>out of?
>
>Thanks,
>Andy Walker
>Edmond, OK
Check out the new British Cars Forum:
http://www.team.net/the-local/tiki-view_forum.php?forumId=8
|