Lot Ended
Description
Fully restored between 2006 and 2012 and carefully used since;
floor-change gearbox; servo brakes; displayed at the NEC in 2014 and used
for film work; original number plate; one of only 1,192 made and perhaps 200
surviving; a wonderful example of this elegant open tourer that was driven 80
miles to the auction
Launched in
March 1953, the Sunbeam Alpine two-seater sports roadster was inspired by a
one-off open rally car built by Bournemouth Sunbeam-Talbot dealer, George
Hartwell. The production version was based on the existing Sunbeam-Talbot 90
saloon but with styling input from Raymond Loewy to add the sparkle needed to
attract the all-important American market.
The 90’s chassis and running
gear were retained, the former suitably stiffened to compensate for the reduced
rigidity of the open-topped body, while the bodies were hand-made by Mulliners
of Birmingham. To enhance the Alpine’s sporting credentials, the 2,267cc
four-cylinder ohv engine received a power boost to 80bhp courtesy of a revised
cylinder head which gave it a top speed of 95mph.
Initially for export
only, the Alpine did not reach the UK market until the autumn of 1953 by which
time its reputation had been enhanced by a blaze of publicity following
victories in the Coupe des Alpes (winning the Coupe des Dames for Sheila van
Damm) and record-breaking 120mph runs by Stirling Moss at Montlhery and
Jabbeke.
Only 1,192 were made (801 LHD and 391 RHD) before the MkI was
replaced by the MkIII in September 1954 (there was no MkII version) and it is
thought that only about 200 survive today.
As the
original buff logbook shows, this Sunbeam Alpine MkI was first registered in
June 1954 and was originally owned by a Mr Alfred Cordin of Dunbar who kept it
until 1968. It then had two further Scottish owners before moving to
Bedfordshire in the 1970s where it remained until the previous owner acquired it
in 2006.
By this time the Alpine had been
completely dismantled and although the chassis had been restored and the engine
rebuilt, the rest of the car was in boxes. Over the next six years it was
treated to a thorough restoration as documented by many invoices on file. This
included new inner and outer sills and wheel arch sections, new floor panels and
a new rear apron.
All the brightwork was
rechromed and the interior was professionally retrimmed in beige leather
(including door cards and dash top) along with a refurbished steering wheel and
dash instruments, new navy blue canvas hood and refurbished side-screens. The
brakes, suspension and steering were fully overhauled with many new parts, and
the wiring harness was also renewed.
The engine
was in good condition following the earlier rebuild and needed nothing more than
a thorough service and tune-up. The original column-change gearbox was swapped
for a floor-change four-speed with overdrive, a well-known conversion which
makes the Alpine much nicer to drive. The attention to detail is most
impressive, with every nut, bolt and screw replaced with new zinc plated items
of the correct type – even the springs for the boot lid mechanism are
new.
Although the car was green when acquired,
during the restoration it was discovered that it had originally been painted
Sapphire Blue, as confirmed by records kept by the Sunbeam Talbot Alpine
Register and by traces of the original blue paint found in the engine bay, so it
was returned to this colour. This not only suits the car beautifully, it also
makes it the same colour as the Alpine so memorably driven by Grace Kelly and
Cary Grant in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1955 classic, To Catch a
Thief.
Once the restoration was completed in October 2012, the car
was in light regular use, including attending national STAR Club meetings in
Wales and the North of England. In 2014 it was exhibited on the Club stand at
the NEC as the focal point of their To Catch a Thief display
and in 2015 it also starred in an episode of the BBC’s Father
Brown series.
Our vendor acquired the
car via Brightwells in 2021 (for substantially more than the guide price
suggested here) and it was given an agreed insurance valuation of £49,200. He
has continued to look after the car well, including fitting a replacement back
axle with a rebuilt diff and half-shafts. He also had the braking system
overhauled and fitted with a servo which has greaty improved the stopping power,
all this work being carried out by Creed and Shore Motorworks of Prees. The
starter motor was also rebuilt and a new distributor cap
fitted.
Our vendor has since covered some 1,700
fine weather miles in the car and we are told that it drives as well as it
looks. Driven some 80 miles to the sale, it has been starting promptly and
driving nicely on site, with good 50psi oil pressure and notably effective
brakes. A spare engine and column-change gearbox are also included in the
sale.
Retaining its original (transferable)
Edinburgh-issue number plate, LSG 588, the car remains in lovely condition
throughout and must be among the best of the c.200 Alpine MkI models that still
survive today.
Consigned by James Dennison – 07970 309907 –
james.dennison@brightwells.com