Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ellis]

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Think about British Sports Cars of the 1960s and you can include the Jaguar E Type, MGA, MGB/C, Triumph TR4/5/6 and the "big" Healys but right there among them was a Rootes offering.
The Sunbeam Alpine in several series until 1968 and I thought they were handsome cars with sophisticated lines.
I can only recall one Series 1 which was owned by a supply teacher at my primary school in 1962. He taught us for three weeks while our regular teacher convalesced following an operation.

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One like this and in the same colour too.

The parents of one of one of my friends bought one in 1967, a metallic green roadster, GGX 219C, part exchanging their Mark 2 Jaguar 2.4 litre against it.
Twelve months later they bought a new green hardtop, LCA 484F which must have been one of the last ones produced.

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A handsome car I think you will agree. I remember being a passenger in the 1968 hard top and admiring the walnut veneer dashboard and the comfortable seats.

I believe Peter Scott owned one in the mid 1960s and although I have not driven an Alpine I would be interested in hearing of any of your opinions, experiences or memories of this, the rather overlooked Sports Car.
69000 + were produced but you rarely see one today.
The late Roy McBurnie, one of my closest friends and a superb mechanic decided after retiring to fulfil an ambition to buy and restore a Sunbeam Alpine.
He bought a "barn find" series 111 and was able to restore the 1964 car and use it before he fell seriously ill. He took me for a run several times and I was surprised at how powerful it was and how modern it felt.

I cannot finish this post without referring to the Sunbeam Tiger :

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I never saw one but have gathered it was quite a car![/img]
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Starting Handle Expert

1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

[Penman]

Hi

[Rick]

[Ellis]

[Ellis]

[Ashley]

I had use of a Tiger for a time, it was torquey and quite fast, but frighteningly tail happy, so I was glad to give it back. It was quiet and comfortable.

My son had to fit a trim kit to a late Alpine the other day and it was all vinyl and cheap carpets, so not as good quality as the inside of MGBs or Healeys.

[peter scott]

I have experience of my series 4 and my cousin's series 2 but I am without a proper keyboard at present so will add more in a few days.

Peter
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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[peter scott]

I have experience of my series 4 and my cousin's series 2 but I am without a proper keyboard at present so will add more in a few days.

Peter
_________________
https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[norustplease]

[peppiB]

1978 and my secretary had a Tiger (1965 if I remember correctly) with a cut down Esso sticker on the back simply saying 'I've a Tiger'

At 13 years of age it was disintegrating rapidly

[peter scott]

I bought my Series IV after having had several years of owning a Series III Rapier. The all syncho box of the Alpine was nicer than that on the Rapier although I missed the overdrive. The performance of the Alpine felt much as the road tests suggested. The Rapier 0-60 was 16 secs and the Alpine 13.5.

This wasn't as good as the obvious rival, the MGB roadster which I think managed about 12 secs but on a drag test against a friend the B was only a couple of car's lengths ahead by 70.

My Alpine had a detachable hardtop but it was a two man job to remove and it had no soft top so you got wet if it rained.

My Alpine was quiet and comfortable in stark contrast to my cousin's Series II which was raucus and clattery but probably had the edge in performance by virtue of lower gears +overdrive.

It also had a detachable hardtop but also had a hood. I seem to remember the rear screen popping out of its frame on the hardtop.

You can see photos of both cars here: http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/sunbeam.htm

Mine was very rusty and I sold it for spares or repair and that put me off steel bodies for my next three cars.

Peter
_________________
https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[goneps]

I'd call the Alpine pretty rather than handsome—the latter is a better fit for the TR4/5.

Early in my apprenticeship at Garrod and Lofthouse in Caterham we printed brochures for the Tiger. The principal by-line was "65mph in second, 20mph in top", or words to that effect. There was also the claim that an exchange 4.7 litre Ford V8 (in the unlikely event that the owner would manage to wear out the original in such an over-powered car) was a ridiculously low sum, around £70 from memory.

I suppose this stuck in my mind because I've always been a fan of factory shoe-horn jobs—or equally competent conversions such as the V8 Fords
of Basil Green in South Africa.

Richard

[greenbeam]

OK, an Alpine owner here, just tidying up some of the thoughts in this thread.

Series 1 and 2 Alpines had a soft-top as standard that stowed away under metal flaps around the body opening - very neat, but a bit fiddly to use. An optional aluminium hardtop was available, painted black.

Series 3 Alpine (the last of the '50s finned model) introduced two versions:
Sports Tourer (ST) had the softtop under the metal panels with an optional black hardtop. The hardtop is now much more square in shape and made of steel (ie heavier than S1 & 2).
Grand Tourer (GT) has no softtop, only a hardtop, painted in body colour. The interior trim covers where the softtop would be on a ST, and there are a few other luxuries and more sound deadener used.

Series 4 carries on the GT, and adds the option of an automatic gearbox (which does nothing to diminish the idea that Alpine is a 'softer' car than the MG or TR). Fins trimmed off to look more 1960's.

Series 5 is the last of the series, during which time Chrysler buys Rootes and we see the model fall out of favour with the manufacturer. Metal panels for the softtop are replaced by a soft cover that clips over the folded softtop.

Tigers were available using Series 4 and 5 shells (ie no fins).

Harrington Alpines had fibreglass tops that flowed into the rear bodylines - not meant to be removable as they replaced the bootlid. They were trimmed differently too - a coachbuilt Alpine effectively. Harrington also did a series of tuning kits for the cars.

I hope that helps clarify things. If anyone is interested in the concept of a 1960's British roadster with wind-up windows, a heater with fan, adjustable pedal box, height and rake-adjustable seats, adjustable steering column, timber dash and steering wheel (GT only), and electric overdrive, the Sunbeam Alpine Owners Club would be happy to help you (end owner's bias .

Cheers,
Paul.
S3 Sports Tourer.
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1963 Sunbeam Alpine Series 3
1935 Armstrong Siddeley 17HP Sports Saloon
1935 Armstrong Siddeley 17HP Coachbuilt Saloon

[Rick]

Thanks for the clarification greenbeam

Is there a thread running for your car(s) as yet?

RJ
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[Riley 9]

We had a 1968 Sunbeam Alpine PMY 711 F in British Racing Green with a removable hard top but no soft top.
I think it may have had overdrive but can't remember.
Anyway it was a lovely car, and drove it many miles.
saw it in the 80's in East London and it was in not quite the same condition!