Alpine 1968 Renault R8

[DaveL485]

What you mean is, don’t expect to see the 9 finished for another 2 years, so you don’t have to bribe an MOT tester to prove it’s roadworthy??

It'll be in for MOT this summer you cheeky little monkey! I'm one front side light away from all the required lights working (and it was working, now its not for some reason), I think washer pump/jets, geo alignment and some light reassembly.

Oh and a map for the engine but I can squeeze it through MOT without that, just trim off the fuel master trim at idle to get it below 3.5%

Oh and new wing mirrors.

And some wiring.

And trim/bumpers.

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

Oh and new wing mirrors.
And some wiring.
And trim/bumpers.

Just started my 2year countdown clock..

 

[Wheelers Workshop]

Cheers for the offer, I think ill worry more about the aesthetics once its closer to useable but defo going for chunkier tyres

Jacked up the one side today and whipped the wheels off (haven't got any pics) brake callipers are there and look good, lines look like they may have been replaced in the last decade too, nothing looks like I need to worry too much, got the front up to check some lines there and see why there was no fluid in the brake reservoir to find............ no master cylinder. I think I have it in a box somewhere, so maybe its knackered and can be rebuilt or it just needs replacing completely. More investigation needed it think.

EDIT
So I couldn't help myself and went and had a look at the MC. Didn't look too bad, pulled it to bits as you do and it looks like its either had a rebuild or is a NOS item.

Can anyone confirm its the correct item for the car?

View attachment 216480

I agree with Steve regarding the master cylinder diameter, every R8/R10 I have worked on in 50 odd years are 20.6mm, the 19mm is usually on French cars, the 22mm is for the R8Gordini as a huge servo is also in the system. I have never seen a painted one either, but yours looks good in the pics , the acid test is examining the bore which should be blemish/pitting free, the worst wear takes place just behind the end washer / circlip area where moisture can invade.
The brake lights switch is a sod to change on the car so I would put a new one in while its on the bench, they slowly degrade and the lights only switch on with greater and greater brake pedal pressure, which puts the willies up the car driving behind you on the road when you are stopping.
As its 22mm cylinder it may have been erroneously installed from a Dauphine Drum set up hence its worth checking the end valve type which should have holes like a collander and not a miniature poppet valve and spring.

The 4 Calipers should have new overhaul kits fitted, especially to the rears as at 32mm diam the pistons seize very easily, so apply copious rubber grease behind the boots when you assemble them, the dot on the piston should align clockface wise with the Bleed nipple.
Sticking Bleed Nipples can be persuaded to undo with a small gas blow lamp locally heating the alloy caliper body, patience is the rule.

I always fill the calipers on the bench with fluid to aid bleeding the system, if you have a rear proportioning valve fitted, they can only be replaced, but I find that the rear wheels never seem to be a problem with locking up anyway. Your call.

Finally, overhaul kits are available from the French suppliers
Cheers
W

 

[Wheelers Workshop]

Battery is 048 case from memory.
Alternator is the key.

Yes Steve is correct, I use a 048 battery in my R8G, but the bonnet Hinge next to it can foul the base of the battery body, where the plastic is
wider, so a little judicious junior hacksawing to provide clearance may be needed.
Cheers
W

 

[Steve Swan]

Take the rear axle load valve and throw it away, replace with tee piece.

 

[Adey]

I've been super lax with updates, so I will write something up at a later date. But check this out

 

[Steve Swan]

Better than watching Thunderbird 1 launch. Loving the commentary, definite improvement on your usual standard.

 

[sparkie]

I didn't think it was possible to dislike something more than I do already. Those wheels, really REALLY ruin the vibe. Great video though!

 

[Adey]

I didn't think it was possible to dislike something more than I do already. Those wheels, really REALLY ruin the vibe. Great video though!

They won't so much when it's a few inches lower

 

[sparkie]

They won't so much when it's a few inches lower

Few .... feet

 

[Steve Swan]

There's something strange going on with the suspension. A std 135 is not tall on the sidewall. It's up on it's toes like it's got the wrong springs in. One of the benefits of 13" wheels is you get a minimum 1" drop straight off. If you then take 2" off the suspension you have a 3" drop. Staying on 15" means you can drop it about 2" and that's your wack. Spring rates and front geometry is all wrong as standard. You can chop it down, but it won't work too well, you got to start somewhere tho.

 

[Adey]

I agree there Steve, it loos way too nose high. looks like it wants to be a gasser.

I have a future idea for the suspension, it wont be to the purists liking though.

 

[Turbell]

Can't make my mind up if it's the low profile tyres that are making the arch gaps massive, like @Steve Swan says 135's don't have a massive sidewall height, but I reckon that's all it is.
Ours is on 145s and they look much taller than 135's that on Dauphine Gordini and my 750.
I'd follow Steve's advice on suspension to the letter, you'll end with a car that sits right and handles
Great work so far, deffo about enjoying the process

 

[Steve Swan]

The air ride thing could be a genius move for finding the sweet spot on the rear suspension , so I'll wait and see. When using wider tyres ,you can't get away with mad camber, without it feeling strange and misbehaving. I need to lift the Dauph just a touch at the rear, 245's will stand less static negative than 185's did, and I think this is the root of the instability issue it has. The old G was rock solid and poker straight hands off at the Ton no problem. @paule78 sent me a short clip of the 8Turbo getting mapped and it looks good and sounds great, maybe a bit wearing on a longer journey tho.

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

The car looked as though if it got any lower, it would be beached on the hump of your driveway!??

 

[Adey]

The car looked as though if it got any lower, it would be beached on the hump of your driveway!??

how dare you come in here with your normal thinking and sensible attitude!

I want it super low, but will be trying to add air sus in the future to allow for these minor inconveniences (speed bumps, driveway, cats eyes)

 

[Adey]

Its been a busy few days, and im definitely starting to feel way too old to be rolling around on the floor messing with old cars. But it has still brought a smile to my face.

Right where are we up too. Started on all the brakes. Fitted the MC, new front hard lines and remade some of the rear fittings. Got everything filled with fluid on Thursday and then spent ages trying to get fluid through everything. No joy at all. Initially I thought it was because the system was bone dry but after cracking off some fittings I realised that the brake hoses I hade mentioned earlier as looking ok were actually fucked. Internally blocked. Anyway, a quick jaunt over to HoseTechnik (attached to Forge Motorsport) saw me with a custom set of orange braided lines. Managed to get them all fitted up and the first round of bleeding done. I do think it needs another go as there isn't much feedback on the pedal and it feels a little spongy so ill revisit that soon. Once i was happy that was 90% wrapped up I moved on to the next job.



The suspension. Now long term I have some ideas on what I want to do to get the best of both worlds, lows and drivability. Now I used be hardcore static but these days with the amount of shite roads and speed bumps I feel I need the adjustability of air. That's further down the line though so for now we are going povo spec static lows. I needed to get some measurements from it all anyway so did a test with no suspension fitted at all, and resting on the bump stops. It looks cool as fuck tbh (don't care what anyone else thinks or the practicality of it all the car is getting built to go low and cruise) After I got what i needed I chopped the front springs to give me some useable lows. The front is good where it is, bar a little positive camber on one side which I need to address. I've started on the rear but will wrap that up in the next week. Once ive finished the suspension and brakes ill move to the rest of the electrics and we can hopefully start putting some miles on it

No Suspension fitted



And where we ended up



Thanks for reading

 

[Steve Swan]

Better, but still high, that's the joys of 15" wheels. Lots of positive camber on the front axle as standard, needs to be got rid of, no easy method. Offset bush kit, pricey and a pest to fit. Re-drill x member, not advisable, springs rub shock bodys. Slot balljoint mountings and re-enforce, time consuming, but works well. Make your own offset lower bushes, depends on getting them made cheap. Finally you can make your own top arms from scratch, best solution, but not for the feint of heart.
Sorry No easy fix for this look at R8 pics and hardly any cars have neg camber on the front axle. Pos camber makes it twitchy followed by understeer, yuch! What you need to understand here is that if you get it right, this can go round corners better than anything you have ever driven.

 

[Adey]

Cheers for replying Steve, I've been reading a few threads on the TeamR8 forum. they have the same things there that you have spoken about with pics. Its odd that only one side looks to be positive. Once I get it up and running ill take it to a flat surface and check it all out. Rather than my sloped and twisted driveway. I think with the 15s and skinny tyres it wont be much higher than an 8 on 13s and chunky tyres. The pics don't do its lowness justice, looks lower in the flesh.

 

[Steve Swan]

1.5 deg pos factory spec. Not adjustable as standard. The issue here is that the front suspension design is good and the rear is questionable. From standard the front end is hamstrung to make it reasonably safe to drive as standard (understeery) If you get the front end working properly its a revelation compared to standard , but more grip is required from the tyres.
You should always pick your tyres and build the car around them. Remember the Top gear idiots trying to make a Vel satis?? go faster with trackday tyres, but it didn't. If they'd stiffened it it would have. That piece always serves to remind me what you should never do, in the order you shouldn't do it in......