Angel with a Devil's Heart: The “peaceful” spider with the massive engine

Many brands have disappeared over the years. In the UK, there have been several major brands that have gained a reputation for being the best in sportsmanship.

The current car market offers fewer and fewer roadsters. It may be due to an economic crisis, but it is also a conceptual crisis, as even young people today prefer a comfortable car with high wheels to a two-seater convertible. Cars follow fashion, obviously This is no longer the era of relentless sportsmanship.

The Sunbeam brand was famous in the UK for producing fun and agile cars for young people. The Alpine, not to be confused with the French sports car par excellence, was manufactured by the Rootes Group from 1953 to 1975. The first series of the two-seater was introduced in 1953 and was manufactured The first vehicle to carry the Sunbeam name alone in decades.

In 1935, the Rootes Group bought the British manufacturer and brand Talbot. Previously, Sunbeams had been produced, with 30, between 1936 and 1937. The 1950s also brought a breath of fresh air In terms of design. The first generation was derived from the Sunbeam-Talbot 90 sedan, and was also known as the Talbot Alpine.

This was a two-seater roadster created by George Hartwell, owner of the Sunbeam-Talbot dealership in Bournemouth, as a rally car. The unit had potential and for this reason, in 1952, development began by Sunbeam-Talbot. Norman Jarrad, a member of the racing team, named the car after making his name in Alpine rallies. The sports car has a powerful 2,267 cc four-cylinder engine under the hood, derived from other previous sedansYou. Gear ratios were changed with installation on the steering column.

An English spider with racing in his soul

At that time, cars did not have driving aids. They were cars hand-built by bodybuilders in the garage of expert car drivers. Coach builders Thrupp & Maberly were responsible for manufacturing from 1953 to 1955. Most of the 200 examples were exported to the United States where they were very popular. In the 1953 Alpine Rally, four cars won the Alpine Cup, one of these cars, which finished sixth, was driven by Stirling Moss, below, with former Ferrari boss Luca Cordero di Montezemolo.

A legend is beginning to emerge about Sunbeam Alpine. Some models appeared on the big screen. The sapphire-blue Alpine was featured in Alfred Hitchcock's film To Catch a Thief, starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. Due to its success abroad, Kenneth Howes and Geoff Crompton had the opportunity to resume the project to produce a new car specifically for the American market. The two-door car, throughout its history, was manufactured in 5 series. The engines were as follows: 1494 cc for the first series1592 cc for Series II, III and IV, and 1725 cc for Series V. Built until 1968, total production was approximately 70,000 units.

The amazing Sunbeam Alpine that you will love in the video on YouTube channel California Classics It was built in 1966 and was originally equipped with a 1,725 ​​cc (1.7 L) four-cylinder engine. It now has twice the cylinders and three times the power. The owner decided to install a 302-hp Ford V8 with 9.7:1 sealed pistons, a Comp Xtreme Energy roller camshaft, and Airflow Research aluminum heads, Edelbrock intake manifold and 600cc Holley carburetor. Also take a look at this Dodge that is worth a fortune.

The exhaust was extended through Hawker manifolds to the side area with a 2.5-inch stainless steel tubular body. The car is equipped with a T5 five-speed manual gearbox and a Dana 44 rear end with an Auburn Gear limited-slip differential and 3.08 gears. The Alpine's suspension isn't stock, but it is equipped with a BMW Z3 steering rack, KYB shocks, and custom traction bars. The 15-inch wheels hide front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. The car is for sale on Bring a Trailer in California.

It represents a very rare opportunity for all collectors of British brands. Marketing was discontinued after Chrysler acquired the Rootes group. The fifth series, produced from 1965 to 1968, was the last. 19,122 units were processed. The car had a 1,725 ​​cc engine, equipped with two vertically inclined carburetors, and generated 93 horsepower. There was no longer an automatic transmission option on the original version at that time.