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David Petrikas's Ford V8 Powered 1965 Sunbeam Alpine Series V

David Petrikas · 1965 Sunbeam Alpine Series V

Sunbeam Alpine

BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports carsas published in British V8 Newsletter, Volume XV Issue 2, September 2007

Read the full write-up at BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars ↗

Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars

A 1965 Sunbeam Alpine Series V converted to Ford 302 V8 power

This Sydney-based Alpine had already been converted to Ford V8 power by a previous owner, and David Petrikas has since completed a full engine rebuild along with upgrades to cooling, steering, brakes and interior. It is worth reading for the detail on sorting out axle tramp and fitting a non-standard steering rack to a Rootes-group car.

Specs

As stated in the original write-up.

Engine
Ford 302 V8, rebuilt 2007 with new rings, bearings, re-ground crank and honed cylinders
Carburetor
Holley 600cfm center-float carburetor
Intake manifold
Edelbrock Performer RPM manifold
Cooling
Modified (shortened) water pump pulley and new alloy water pump
Exhaust
Ceramic coated headers
Gearbox
Ford Toploader 4-speed
Rear axle
Ford 9 inch, with caster wedges added to stop axle tramp
Brakes
4 wheel Falcon GT disc brakes
Steering
Subaru Brumby steering rack, replaced Sunbeam front cross member and tie rod ends, new MGB steering arms
Body
Custom fender flares
Paint
Mercedes silver
Interior
Recaro seats

Parts used

Parts named as used in the original write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.

Engine 2

Fuel & Ignition 2

Cooling 2

Gearbox & Drivetrain 3

Suspension & Steering 5

Brakes 1

  • Falcon GT disc brakesFord Falcon GT

    Fitted at all four wheels for improved stopping power

Body & Trim 2

Interior 1

  • Recaro seatsRecaro

    Fitted as the car's seating

Photos

16 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.

David Petrikas driving his 1965 Sunbeam Alpine Tiger-conversionPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Holley 600cfm center-float carburetor / Edelbrock Performer RPM manifoldPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
modified shortened water pump pulley / new alloy water pumpPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
ceramic coated headersPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Sunbeam custom wooden steering wheelPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Recaro seatsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Leather upholstery and trimPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
TIIIIGRPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
custom fender flares for Sunbeam Alpine and TigerPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
The Festival of Sporting Cars, at Oran ParkPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Oran Park Festival of Sporting CarsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Sydney Australia, June 14, 2008Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
David Petrikas at Oran Park Race TrackPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Oran Park RacetrackPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Mercedes silver paint on David's Sunbeam AlpinePhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Donate Now!Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars

How it was done

A V8 conversion inherited

The Sunbeam Alpine Series V arrived already fitted with a Ford 302 V8, the work of a previous owner. David Petrikas took on the car in Sydney, Australia, and set about freshening and improving the conversion rather than starting over.

Rebuilding the 302

A total engine rebuild was carried out, with new rings and bearings, a re-ground crankshaft and honed cylinders. Induction was updated with a Holley 600cfm center-float carburetor on an Edelbrock Performer RPM manifold, and ceramic coated headers were fitted for the exhaust.

Cooling and driveline

A shortened water pump pulley and a new alloy water pump were fitted to suit the engine's new state of tune. Behind it, the Ford Toploader 4-speed gearbox received a re-surfaced flywheel and a new clutch plate, driving a Ford 9 inch rear axle.

Taming axle tramp

Axle tramp had been a problem at the rear axle, which was solved by adding caster wedges, a simple fix that corrected the pinion angle and stopped the wheel hop under hard acceleration.

Reworking the front end

The original Alpine steering system was replaced. A steering rack from a Subaru Brumby was engineered to fit, the Sunbeam front cross member and tie rod ends were replaced, and new MGB steering arms completed the front suspension and steering changes.

Stopping power and finishing touches

Four wheel disc brakes from a Falcon GT were fitted to bring the braking up to the level of the engine's performance. The body was given custom fender flares and finished in Mercedes silver paint, with Recaro seats added inside.

A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars ↗

Worth knowing

  • Axle tramp on a V8-converted rear axle can be solved by adding caster wedges to correct pinion angle.
  • Fitting a different manufacturer's steering rack, such as from a Subaru Brumby, can require re-engineering the front cross member and tie rod ends.
  • Upgrading to Falcon GT disc brakes at all four corners matches braking to the extra power of a V8 swap.
  • A re-ground crank, honed cylinders and fresh bearings during a rebuild can restore a long-serving conversion engine.
  • Matching the water pump and pulley to the engine's new state of tune helps cooling keep up with performance changes.

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David Petrikas's Ford V8 Powered 1965 Sunbeam Alpine Series V | Restomod Life