Jay you have a very good point. By offering the engine and transmission he
may be saving another Alpine from the scrapyard. Good luck with your
project. The "Butcher of Bakersfield" T. Cornett
-----Original Message-----
1960 almost converted Alpine
From: Jay Laifman <Jay_Laifman(at)countrywide.com>
To: alpines(at)autox.team.net <alpines(at)autox.team.net>
Date: Wednesday, January 13, 1999 9:10 AM
Subject: Keeping them alive
>
>
>
>Tim writes:
>
>>I thought I'd make one last go-round before I start dismantling the
>Alpine.
>>I have a 62 Series 2 which is 99.5% original - wire wheels, dual
>Strombergs,
>>no rust that I know of etc... I am about to do an engine swap to a V-6
>and
>>T5 and have all the parts. Before I start taking the Alpine apart I
>thought
>>I'd once again offer it for trade/purchase/sell to someone who might have
>a
>>poor old 'Pine (any series, but s3-4 preferred) without an engine and
>>tranny, but is otherwise complete.
>
>Kurt writes:
>
>>Someone PLEASE help him out! We have to stop chopping up all the good
>Alpines.
>>We are supposed to love these cars and want to protect them. 99.5%
>complete
>>Alpines with no rust should be treasured. There just isn't enough of them
>left.
>
>>Please don't get me wrong here. I personally have no problem with
>conversions
>>but please, please, please let's try to do it with incomplete cars. Thank
>you
>>Tim for trying to save this one. I really hope you find one.
>
>Here are my thougths, which by the way are a very recent 180 degree change
>from my position for the last 35 years. Tim should go ahead and do it.
>These cars are over 30 years old. The market for them has never been large
>and it's going to keep getting smaller. Engines and transmissions wear
>out. There is no denying it. At some point, no matter what we do about
>it, a block, crank, head, etc simply cannot be fixed. New replacement
>parts do not exist; no one is going to start making them again. And really
>good used replacement parts for these are not widely available. So, if we
>want to see these cars keep going for years to come, we need to accept and
>welcome whatever it takes. I applaud Tim's offer to get a car without an
>engine. And I agree with Kurt, except that I think this is "loving these
>cars" and "saving them." But, why not use the nice car he has to restore,
>and make the engine and transmission available for someone who wants to
>keep their old engine going? Does it really matter that the engine number
>and the body don't match? Maybe for cars worth much more than the Alpines.
>
>Ok, so that's my soap box.
>
>Jay
>
>
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