R4 Alpine conversion

[Andy Rosson]

I have run a 1982 R4GTL in the Algarve for the last 12 months and was a little bored with its performance.
So a 1400 Alpine engine was acquired from the uk and shipped out.

Had some small issues with the exhaust manifold fouling the lhd steering column but a small modification sorted that.

The car was completed in July and now I have travelled more than 2000kms. It's a rocket! I have tried the suspension at different heights and the lower you go the better it gets. Still going to lower the rear some more. 165 70 13 Michelin tyres offer plenty of cornering grip, however the wheels can still be spun on dusty Tarmac roads in third!

Currently using the original 4 speed GTL box and brakes, but I do have a five speed Alpine box with drive shafts and brakes so probably the next part of the project as the standard brakes are only just OK! The car will cruise at 135kms ph all day and had masses of low down torque.

The car is battleship grey and a little battered but amazing fun.

A conversion that I can highly recommend. I drive a new 911 normally and this is much more fun to drive!

 

[pepper]

Awesome, best car I ever owned was the Renault 5 alpine

 

[Andy Rosson]

Awesome, best car I ever owned was the Renault 5 alpine

Did you change the shocks and brakes?

 

[Andy Rosson]

The motor as found! With loads of old oil sludgeHead off, a good clean and lots of time, new gaskets, water pump, bigger radiator and an oil change after the first 100kms and she flies.

 

[malcolm]

The Alpine engine works well in the R4. I'm running GTL brakes with a servo and they seem OK.

 

[Andy Rosson]

Engine in!

 

[Andy Rosson]

As found and run for the first 12 months, now an additional 60bhp!

 

[Andy Rosson]

Wheels bought on e bay for £65, bit of a polish and good to go. They look great and very "period".

 

[Ndelilio Nnko]

Hi Anndy thta wheel you bought in ebay for £ 65 each wheel or all four wheel for £ 65?

 

[John Doe]

Nice car, congrats
I would recommend you to find 5 speed box from R5 TX/TS as I did so you could keep the dashboard gear lever.

 

[Andy Rosson]

I have a five speed box that came out of the 5 Alpine Atmo with the current engine, but that's a job for when I leave Portugal for a couple weeks. Just can't get enough of driving it. On second four speed box at the moment as I destroyed second in 2000kms and next one starting to become baulky into second again, not sure if the four speed is up to continual use and 100hp. Car continues to surprise many modern car drivers and will happily cruise at 140kph all day.

Small problems that still need resolving:

Flat spot when accelerating, goes like crazy once revving but flattish from low down (any ideas anyone?)
Wheel bounce when travelling quickly on some of Portugals poorly maintained roads (up rated shocks any ideas?)
Body roll? But think I'm stuck with that.
Fumes coming into cabin, have done a temporary fix with sponges inside the rear hatch closure and ordered a genuine boot rubber.


Can't wipe the smile from my face when driving it

 

[Andy Rosson]

Hi Anndy thta wheel you bought in ebay for £ 65 each wheel or all four wheel for £ 65?

All four for £65. Bargain, keep looking!

 

[Andy Rosson]

quick (very) trip to the shops!

 

[malcolm]

Flat spot when accelerating, goes like crazy once revving but flattish from low down (any ideas anyone?)

It's probably not advanced enough lower down, but advancing will likely make it too advanced at high rpm. I've just changed my coil which seems to have helped with flat spots. I think the Alpine engine is too much work for the standard R4 coil, and a Bosch Blue coil (Brazil) works noticeably better.

 

[Dave Z]

Andy, is your car lowered from standard and if it has been how much.
It really looks nice.
I have set of slotmags which i will be fitting. Polished silver with 4 squarish holes around the edge.

 

[Andy Rosson]

It has been lowered a lot! When I first fitted the Alpine engine I drove the car at standard ride height on standard wheels for a quick test, the most scary drive of my life (and I have driven/owned a lot of classics and supercars!).
The handling was completely wayward and out of control. I initially thought I had made a massive mistake! However once the suspension was dropped and some 175/70/13 Michelin tyres fitted the car was 100% better. You cannot expect it to handle like a modern hot hatch but it's ok and you can have some great fun on twisty back roads, just need to go in a bit slower but you have plenty of power for fast out too! It's a hoot!
I did try the rear lower but the car bottomed out a lot when carrying passengers so I went back up a little. Also I had to bend the lip on the inside of each of the front wings back on the inside as the tyres occaisionaly touched when on lock and compressed.
With practice you can make some rapid progress and surprise most other roars users. It necpber ceases to put a smile on my face. Have just ordered a new coil to try to cure the small flat spot when accelerating from low revs. Thinking of the car as an ongoing development project.
Would love to hear if anyone has any ways to stiffen the whole suspension up a bit, it would make the car even quicker across country.

 

[Andy Rosson]

A small problem! Big end bearing shells! The car started to make a knocking noise when hot. Assume the engine was still full of crud and dirt from standing so long! But now I have also found an R5TX 5 speed gearbox which is going in while the engine is out. Also noticed the rear engine mounting had fallen apart. Looking forward to first drive now when the car is back in 1 piece.

 

[mr-reno-139]

Just to mention the 5 tx box is no stronger than the 4speed you currently have and will not raise overall gear ratio
There are 2 types ha 1 boxes the gtl one is a better choice of the 2
Post the gearbox code as i've got the book and can tell you more if interested

 

[Simon Sapsted]

Hi there Andy ,car looks great I am undertaking R5 Alp engine conversion next year with help/guidance from Mr Reno Paul C.Nice to get some inspiration. Good luck with the engine freshen up.Cheers Si..

 

[Andy Rosson]

Hi Paul, see pics attached of gearbox in situe. Had some serious surgery on front crossmember to make it fit, but all is well. What a transformation, car can cruise along happily at about 130kmph all day now. A must have option!

Gearbox code is 000 141 4200, not sure where it came from?

Big end bearings quiet as a mouse now and a new fasy jet in the carb to remove a flat spot. The 4L gets better by the day.