R5 Alpine/TS

[mk2zetec]

I drove a Friends 1976 R5 LHD 'Alpine' back from near Gibraltar with my daughter last year. I say Alpine but it left the factory as a lesser model that's had the Alpine engine installed. we loved it. amazing road trip and the old girl didn't miss a beat despite the 40 degree heat through Spain with no A/C - over 1000kms in 4 days via the twistiest roads on the map. The 5 was then driven back down to near Gibraltar by my mate and at some point the Alpine rocker cover, which had been welded before, cracked again and it lost a lot of oil, leading to knackered rings and rattling mains. he's been quoted a lump of money to rebuild the engine in Spain but has other plans which now dont include the little 5.

so here the dilema. id like to buy it but need to recover it from close to Gib.

it will also need an engine. as its not really an Alpine i have less qualms about an engine swap but there doesn't seem like any alternatives due to the engine/box configuration and my googling has led me here.

any ideas what a gordini engine would cost to rebuild? parts seem sparse and expensive. or alternatively any swap ideas?

The car has a 4 speed box but he acquired a 5 speed from a UK Gordini but i understand that there are different drive shafts and hubs so thats a non starter unless i make up custom shafts

thoughts/advice appreciated.
rich

 

[JdeW]

The first R5 Alpine (Gordini is for the UK and Alpine for the rest of the world) is the R1223 from 1976 and it came with a 5 speed gearbox.
I'd check for the correct engine type 840-25 and gearbox type 385, maybe someone changed parts in the past.
At first glimps the car looks well but most of the time we say, it looks good from far, but is far from good.

To bad the rockercover cracked something it the past must have gone terrible wrong.
I can tell Alpine engines and or parts are very rare and when you find they don't come cheap.

Here are interesting ads on Leboncoin;
Engine https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/equipement_auto/2318524755
Gearbox https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/equipement_auto/2805005647 or https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/equipement_auto/2323517673

Good luck

 

[reidalpine]

I'm using the HA1-354 5-speed gearbox on my 1397 840 7 25 motor .This is the one with the highest overdrive,feared "gap" between 4th and 5th could be too high
but NO problem at all! c",) - used the deepest bellhousing (from 5TS?) which fits to a tee.. -Reid

 

[angel]

I agree with Reidar, if you can find a 5 speed HA1 go for it.
Type HA1-003 has a final drive ratio of 3.625:1 which suits better Alpine's torque curve.
Regarding the engine, if there is no damage to pistons themselves or camshaft, the rest of internal parts are common with other 1397 Cleon engines and easy to find.

 

[mk2zetec]

The first R5 Alpine (Gordini is for the UK and Alpine for the rest of the world) is the R1223 from 1976 and it came with a 5 speed gearbox.
I'd check for the correct engine type 840-25 and gearbox type 385, maybe someone changed parts in the past.
At first glimps the car looks well but most of the time we say, it looks good from far, but is far from good.

To bad the rockercover cracked something it the past must have gone terrible wrong.
I can tell Alpine engines and or parts are very rare and when you find they don't come cheap.

Here are interesting ads on Leboncoin;
Engine https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/equipement_auto/2318524755
Gearbox https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/equipement_auto/2805005647 or https://www.leboncoin.fr/ad/equipement_auto/2323517673

Good luck

that's really helpful.
The car is in really good condition having had an extensive restoration in the past
i'll make some enquiries about the engine and gearboxes
many thanks