Resurrecting a MKV

Several years ago, when I had no 'car space', I sold my 67 MkV to my brother. He drove it rarely, and it's been slowly rotting away in his yard for quite some time now. I'm thinking about negotiating for its return. The down side is the body condition (I'm not even sure of the condition of the rest of it nowadays). The rear left quarter was heavily bashed in when I got it and I never had it repaired because of the cost. Assuming I could find a clean quarter, does anyone have any idea of what a competent (but not exorbitant) shop would charge to tack a new one on?

Bill

Being in CA, where rust afaik is more limited, bringing a dead 'Pine back to life is a more resonable proposition than for the rest of us. Cannot say about the $$$$, though, most of restoration costs will be the same as a Tiger.

There's a place called Martel in Canada, highly thought of, for body panels. Bob Martel???

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by PiperBill:
Several years ago, when I had no 'car space', I sold my 67 MkV to my brother. He drove it rarely, and it's been slowly rotting away in his yard for quite some time now. I'm thinking about negotiating for its return. The down side is the body condition (I'm not even sure of the condition of the rest of it nowadays). The rear left quarter was heavily bashed in when I got it and I never had it repaired because of the cost. Assuming I could find a clean quarter, does anyone have any idea of what a competent (but not exorbitant) shop would charge to tack a new one on?

Bill<hr></blockquote>

I know it's not going to be cheap, nor easy, but have complete quarter panels been adequately welded onto Alpines/Tigers before? I remember that was the only down side to the car -- lack of bolt-on body parts.

I finally went over to look at my new/old MkV. My brother has had it stored on the side of his house for years and that has taken a toll on it. However, if I look at this as a long-term project and don't rush it, it may be doable. The interior is in need of a complete rebuild, and the rear fender has been worked on over the years so that I think it's salvageable instead of going for a new one. The rust appears to be all surface variety, and THAT was the issue I was most concerned about. Once I remove all the junk that's in it and start cleaning it up, I'll be a little more optimistic on the long-term prognosis. The engine was working when well when he last ran it. Carbs are okay. Needs a new master cylinder. Lots of little things (as I remember when I had less money than I have now, I couldn't never justify buying all the little things from the fledgling Alpine supply guys in the South Bay. At least I know the sources now... AND, there were no internet resources then!!!

One cool thing I'd forgotten -- I got the very last Series V workshop manual from Chrysler/Rootes when I owned the car. I know that because another owner asked where I got it and when they ordered one the following month, Rootes told them some guy in California got the last one.. and they sent him a copy.

Hope more Alpine owners start to frequent this forum!

Bill

I don't have a lot of Rootes "connections", but here's a few:

1. I owned a Cricket (arghhhhhh!)
2. I owned a Hillman Minx before I had a drivers license (and blew it up before I could legally use it)
3. My Dad worked for Rootes when we lived in the UK (in the '50s).

Anyway, here's a nice Alpine I saw at Britfest (May 4 in NJ). Car was very original and owner was asking $4000 OBO (got a lot of "lookers"....it was the only Sunbeam at the event). This might serve as an example for cost of nice Alpine.

That's a nice looking Alpine. Well, I can dream ;-)

Hmmm. I had a 1971 Cricket, too. It was actually running okay at the end but the interior was really getting bad (Brit car in Hot California - doesn't mix). Ex-wife decided it needed to go and now sits in the yard of a guy who just acquires old junkers.

Parents had a Hillman Humber back in the 60s....loved the walnut trays in the back.

I just made space for the new/old Alpine by getting rid of a junker VW I mistakenly bought before I knew where to look for rust.

Maybe I'll have the hulk by the end of the week.

Bill Tubbs
https://tubbs.cc/mg
https://tubbs.cc/bug