Vehicle Description
The Sunbeam Alpine was one of those awesome experiments in British
motoring that turned out much better than expected. A 2-seat sports
car built by combining parts from a half-dozen other vehicles, it
was the same kind of low-slung fun that the MGA and MGB
represented. Today, they're a great alternative to the usual stuff
you see at British car shows and prices remain quite
reasonable.
This is a late-production Alpine, called a Series V, which had all
the improvements integrated over the previous decade. More power,
better brakes, improved handling, and a slightly more sophisticated
look. Finishing it in bright red doesn't hurt and there's no
denying the appeal of a low-slung sports car, even an affordable
one. There's some good workmanship on this one, too, with good gaps
on the bodywork (probably better than new) and a pleasing shine to
the paint, which looks just about right for the time period. The
hood headlights and vestigial tail fins are leftovers from the
initial design in the late 1950s, but that's all part of the look
and they did a nice job of updating the trim to keep it fresh. The
bumpers appear to be original, so they're not quite perfect, but
all the other details are very appealing, from the little side
marker lights up front to the SUNBEAM lettering on the trunk lid.
Those tall taillights should be instantly recognizable as well,
giving this little car a big car look.
The interior has been fully reupholstered with gray and red vinyl
that's not quite the way it came from the factory but quite
sporting nonetheless. The contrasting red piping does give it a
very British look and the low-back buckets remain comfortable and
supportive for sporting drives. The gauges are big, easy-to-read
Jaeger dials arranged across the dash, with secondary controls
apparently stuck in wherever they would fit. The big steering wheel
makes it easy to hustle the little sports car and a horn ring gives
it the perfect period look. The 4-speed shifter and wooden knob are
right within reach and someone has thoughtfully added a center
console to add a little comfort. There's a vestigial back seat
that's really more of a package shelf, but the trunk is
surprisingly deep, even with a full-sized spare on board. And for
weather protection, you get a nice-fitting gray top that matches
the upholstery inside.
The Series V cars received a larger 1725cc engine good for 93
horsepower. Combined with the car's light curb weight and 4-speed
gearbox, performance is energetic. Twin Stromberg carburetors
should look familiar to anyone who has been under the hood of a
British car in the last 70 years and the Sunbeam got its own unique
valve cover even though the engine was shared across several
platforms. The head has been reworked with hardened valve seats for
use with unleaded gas, there's a new alternator, a fresh fuel pump,
and there's an electronic ignition system in the distributor. It
runs and drives quite well and thanks to an entirely new brake
system, fresh shocks, and replacement U-joints, it feels great
going down the road. Underneath you'll find a fresh stainless
exhaust system and an undercarriage treated to a layer of
undercoating for protection but it has nothing to hide. Factory
steel wheels with hubcaps are the right look and it carries
right-sized 165/80/13 radials.
A little unusual and a lot of fun, the Alpine represents the last
of the independent sports cars coming out of England. With lots of
recent work, this is a dialed-in specimen that's ready to enjoy
right away. Call now!