1954 Sunbeam Alpine

The Rootes Group acquired Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq in 1935, makers of the Sunbeam-Talbot automobiles. In the early 1950s and with the urging from George Hartwell, a Bournemouth Sunbeam-Talbot Rootes dealer and rally preparation expert, the company introduced the Alpine, a one-off rally car designed to compete at the Alpine rallies in Europe and the Monte Carlo.

Sunbeam launched the Alpine model in June 1953. Along with highly tuned prototypes and the standard Alpine Model, E.R.A. secretly developed the Alpine Special. The Alpine Special was powered by a 2,267 cubic-centimeter MK I engine with a modified 8.0:1 compression ratio to deliver higher output. It used Siamese exhaust ports, an alloy rocker cover, a special induction manifold, and a twin-choke Solex carburetor, helping to produce approximately 98 horsepower. The standard Alpines used a single downdraught carburetor. The Specials used a standard overdrive, revised gearbox and rear axle ratios, and straight-through exhaust system. They were clothed with aluminum panels on the boot and bonnet.

To gain homologation, six left-hand-drive pre-production Alpine Specials cars were made along with six rally cars drawn from production registered MKV 21-26 in early 1953. With drivers such as Stirling Moss (car number 21), Peter Collins (car number 23), Sheila van Damm (car number 25), and G. Murray Frame, these cars were consistent winners. A prototype was tested in Belgium in March 1953 by Moss and van Damm recording a record speed of over 123 mph.

Between 1953 and 1955, a total of 1,582 Alpines were produced, of which 921 were exported to Canada and the United States. It is believed that less than 100 examples were equipped with the specially modified 'Special' engines (perhaps around 70), and of those, 42 were produced with left-hand drive. Each car was hand-built in the United Kingdom by Thrupp & Maberly.

A fleet of Sunbeam Alpines was shipped by the Rootes Group in the mid-1950s to the United States to participate in the Great American Mountain Rally created in the Catskills, in a similar fashion to the European rallies.

The Sunbeam Alpine was replaced in October of 1965 by the MK3.

Production

Sunbeam Alpine Mark I and Mark III

- 1953 to 1955, with 1,582 examples built.

- 961 exported to the United States and Canada

- 445 remained in the United Kingdom

- 175 went to 'rest of the world.'

- There were no Mark II.

- These were hand-built two-seater sports roadster/drophead coupé at Mulliners of Birmingham coachbuilders.

Sunbeam Alpine Series I to V

- 1959 to 1968, with 69,251 examples built.

- Production ceased shortly after Rootes Group was acquired by Chrysler.

Mechancial Specifications

The Sunbeam Alpine Mark I and Mark III rested on a 97.5-inch wheelbase chassis and had an overall length of 168.5 inches and a width of 62.5 inches. The 2.3-liter (2,267cc) engine had 8.0:1 compression, alloy rocker cover, and Siamese exhaust ports on cylinders 2 and 3. It had a twin-choke Solex 40 P.I.I. carburetor, a special induction manifold, and produced approximately 97 horsepower at 4,500 RPM. The transmission was a four-speed column-shift unit with overdrive. The suspension used a torsion bar and coil springs at the front, while the rigid rear axle was suspended by semi-elliptical leaf springs. Four-wheel drum brakes provided the stopping power.

The Sunbeam Alpine Series I to V of 1959 to 1968 had a smaller 86-inch wheelbase with an overall length of 155 inches. The Series I received a 91.2 cubic-inch (1.5-liter) four-cylinder engine, the Series II, III and IV had a larger 1.6-liter (1,592cc) unit, and the Series V a 1.7-liter (1,725cc) inline-4.

by Dan Vaughan

Sport Roadster
Chassis number: A3015176 LRXS
Engine number: A3015176 LRXS

The Rootes Group acquired Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq in 1935. In 1953, at the urging of a Sunbeam-Talbot dealer named George Hartwell, the company introduced the Alpine, a one-off rally car designed to compete ate the Monte Carlo and Alpine rallies in Europe. The Alpine Special was powered by a 2267cc Mk I engine, albeit with an 8.0:1 compression ratio. It included an alloy rocker cover and Siamese exhaust ports, along with a special induction manifold fitted with a twin-choke Solex carburetor. The engine offered nearly 100 horsepower.

Between 1953 and 1955, just 1,582 Alpines were produced, of which 921 were exported to the United States and Canada. It is believed that fewer than 100 were equipped with the specially modified 'Special' engines, and of those, 42 were produced with left-hand drive. Each car was hand-built in the U.K. by Thrupp & Maberly.

A fleet of Sunbeam Alpines was sent to the United States in the mid-1950s to participate in the Great American Mountain Rally. This particular example was shipped to the United States on March 22, 1954, and is believed to have been part of that endeavor, although this car was never raced. It was purchased by Patrick Vanson in 1955 and then driven on a 6,000-mile tour of the United States. Before returning to Europe the following year, it was sold.

This example was the only Alpine painted black at the factory. Standard Alpine colors included Alpine Mist, Coronation Red, Ivory, and Sapphire Blue.

Bill Landefeld acquired the car in 1961 for his daughter to commute to college. The current caretaker was a farmhand on the Landefeld family farm in Unionville, Pennsylvania, It was stored in a barn in 1970 and there it sat until 2000, when it was decided to restore the car for the daughter's 50th birthday. The restoration, a full, body-off project, was performed by Steve Cota of Lyme Pond Restoration in Barnard, Vermont.

The car has 43,000 original miles and it retains the original four-speed column shifter with overdrive. The interior and top have been completely redone with original-style leather upholstery and mohair top.

Since the time the restoration work was completed, this car has been shown at the 2007 Lars Anderson British Automobile Show, earning 1st place, and at the 2007 British Invasion Show in Stowe, Vermont, earning 2nd place in the Concours d'Elegance division.

This car has an overhead-valve four-cylinder engine fitted with a twin-choke Solex carburetor and developing 97.5 horsepower. There is a four-speed column-shift manual transmission with overdrive and four-wheel drum brakes.

by Dan Vaughan

Sport Roadster

In 1935, the Roote's Group acquired Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq, which produced the Sunbeam-Talbot (S-T) automobiles. In 1953, at the urging of George Hartwell, an S-T dealer, the company introduced the Alpine, a one-off rally car designed to compete at the Monte Carlo and Alpine rallies in Europe. S-T cars consistently won with legendary drivers such as Stirling Moss, Sheila van Damm, and G. Murray Frame at the wheel.

The Alpine was derived from the Sunbeam-Talbot 90 Saloon, and is known as the 'Talbot' Alpine. It is a sporty two-seat roadster initially developed by Sunbeam-Talbot dealer George Hartwell in Bournemouth, as a one-off rally car. It had its beginnings as a 1952 Sunbeam-Talbot drophead coupe, and is said to have been named by Norman Garrad of the Works Competition Department, who was heavily involved in Sunbeam-Talbot's successes in the Alpine Rally in the early 1950s.

This car has a four-cylinder 2267cc (138.3 cubic-inch) engine, with a slightly higher compression ratio delivering 80 horsepower. The gearbox ratios were changed from what was used in the Saloon, and starting in 1954, an overdrive unit became standard equipment. The manual shift gear-change lever is column-mounted.

The Alpine Mark I and Mark III (no Mark II was made) were hand-built at Thrupp & Maberly Coachbuilders from 1953 to 1955. Of the 1,582 automobiles built, 961 were exported to the United States and Canada, 445 stayed in the United Kingdom, and 175 went to other countries. It has been estimated that as few as 200 are currently in existence.

This Alpine was found by the current owners in Southampton, England in October, 2014 after an extensive three-year search. It has had four owners in the same family, and is the only right-hand drive example known to exist in the United States.

Sport Roadster
Chassis number: A3013546/LRX
Engine number: A3013546/LRX

The Sunbeam-Talbot Alpine was produced in limited numbers with hand-built coachwork by the old London firm of Thrupp and Maberly. Introduced in early 1953, the model name was selected to celebrate the company's success in the winter-time Alpine Rallies of the early 1950s. Quickly proving its potential in competition, the model won a Coupe des Alpes trophy in the 1953 event with London theater director Shiela van Damm and navigator Anne Hall, the duo completing the event without any penalties. Sir Stirling Moss and John Fitch also rallied successfully in Sunbeam Talbot Alpines.

This particular example has been given a restoration with the hand-built coachwork finished in an appropriate Cream color with an interior trimmed in matching colors with brown carpeting. There are color-coded wheels with chrome trim rings and whitewall tires.

The 2,267cc overhead-valve inline four-cylinder engine breathes through a Stromberg Downdraft carburetor and delivers 92 horsepower at 4,200 RPM. There is a four-speed manual transmission with overdrive, and independent front suspension, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

by Dan Vaughan

Sport Roadster
Chassis number: a3014363lrx
Engine number: A3014363LRX

Sunbeam produced 1,282 examples of the Alpine MKI between 1953 and 1954, including this example. It wears hand-built coachwork by Thrupp & Maberly, has a factory left-hand drive configuration, and is finished in the same color combination as the Sunbeam Alpine that was featured in the 1955 movie 'To Catch a Thief' starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. That color is Sapphire Blue with a Light Fawn interior.

This Sunbeam has a four-cylinder 2,267cc engine from the Sunbeam-Talbot 90 Saloon, but with a higher compression ratio. There is a column-shifted 4-speed manual gearbox, a Stromberg downdraft carburetor, a Lucas generator and electrical system, coil-spring front suspension, Lockheed hydraulic drum brakes, and a Coventry radiator.

This Sunbeam Alpine MkI Roadster has bumper guards, a louvered hood and waterfall grille, AC instrumentation and tachometer, and 16-inch wheels with chrome trim rings and center caps wrapped with wide whitewall tires.

This Sunbeam has been part of a private collection since 1992. In 2002, this Sunbeam was given a frame-off restoration by Peter's Marina Motors of Venice, California.

by Dan Vaughan

The Sunbeam Alpine was introduced in 1953 and its arrival was historic, as it was the first vehicle to bear the Sunbeam name alone since the 1920 merger of Sunbeam, Talbot, and Darracq. It was a derivative of the Sunbeam-Talbot 90 Saloon, and thus (in modern times), is often referred to as the Talbot Alpine. It was the work of Sunbeam-Talbot dealer George Hartwell in Bournemouth who was working on a rally car.

The Sunbeam Alpine was powered by a four-cylinder engine that displaced 2267cc and mated to a four-speed manual gearbox. Hydraulic drum brakes could be found in the front and rear and had a Burman variable-ratio steering setup. The Mark I and Mark III were in production from 1953 through 1955; there was no Mark II. Around 3000 examples were produced during this time and each was hand-built at Thrupp & Maberly. Most were exported to the USA as left-hand drive models. It is believed that around 200 examples still exist.

A redesigned version appeared near the close of the 1950s. It was designed by Kenneth Howes and Jeff Crompton and given a two-door roadster configuration. Production lasted until 1968 with around 70,000 examples produced.

In 1960 the engine was enlarged to 1592cc. In 1963, the Alpine became available in both open and removable hardtop versions. The following year, the smaller engine option was no longer available. The rear had received re-styling with the downsizing of the fins being the most notable change.

The final version was the Series V which began in 1965 and continued until 1968. It had a larger 1725cc engine, with five main bearings and twin Zenith-Stromberg semi-downdraught carburetors. The automatic gearbox that was offered since 1964 as an option was now no longer available.

by Dan Vaughan