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quite difficult, not knowing where to start, as there was so much to be done.
One of the big disappointments was taking off the engine sump and rocker cover and
finding nothing inside the engine. Nothing!! I managed to find a set of new 1647cc pistons
and liners at “Colliers” in Sydney and decided to send both the engine and gearbox to them
for a rebuild.
“Colliers” looked after the
Renault Australian Rally
program in the 70s.
Whilst waiting for that to be
completed, I managed to refit
and buy many of the pieces
and slowly the car took shape.
Bumpers were re-chromed and
lights re-silvered, side
windows and associated
aluminium strips fitted,
instruments, fuel tank straps
made and fitted. All brake, and
fuel hoses were replaced, as
were the water hoses, pipes
and elbows. Suspension and
steering bushes, wheel
bearings and anything related
have also been replaced.
The brake master cylinder and calipers, plus the clutch cylinder were also rebuilt.
Thank goodness for Alpine specialists in Europe for hard to get Alpine parts.
As Renault 8, 10, 12, & 16s were sold in Australia; I picked up many of the missing drive
train, suspension parts and
other common pieces at
wreckers or dealers that I
needed.
The rebuilt engine and
gearbox eventually returned
and after a while we were ready
to install them into the car. The
champagne was on ice!!
However that was the start of
a major rebuild because when
we attempted to install the
engine, the downdraught
carburettor had 1 millimetre
clearance under the bodywork
without a top on.
So instead of champagne we
had a few beers to figure out
what was wrong.
It took a while to go through
to make sure I had the correct parts one by one. The manifold, carburettor, engine mounts
The Alpine with the back-end removed during the major rebuild
Mark fibreglassing the seat base