John ( and every one else )
I too have been sitting on the sidelines reading all of these fascinating
stories about how people found their Alpines ..and then I came to yours ...I
have a red '62 Sunbeam Alpine ( VIN B9108213 ) with a Toyota engine!! This
coincidence has really prompted me to tell my rambling story.
My long and to-date hopeless affair started when I was a hard up Mech. Eng.
student in Portsmouth, England in the early 80's. Many of my friends had
MGB's and my brother had a Triumph Stag, but I yearned for something
different than the run of the mill rag tops..then one day in Southsea I saw
a pristine white Sunbeam Alpine with those big fins on the back ..I knew I
had to have one. Of course I couldn't afford one , but I started reading
about them , and one day attended a meeting of the local Sunbeam Alpine
Owners Club ( I think in a pub in Hambleden) where I ( foolishly ? ) took
up the offer of a BRG Harrington bodyshell for UKP 50 ( registration 310 HLO
). It was eventually hauled back to a lock up garage near my parents where
it still sits to this day ..now waiting for my Stag less Brother to restore
( I promise I will get the details of it from him and publish it later
).Many years pass ..I change jobs..get married ...give the Harrington to my
brother....
Four years ago my wife and I moved to Kansas City. Our first weeks involved
looking for houses and cars ..imagine my surprise when the first time I
looked in the local paper and I found an item " Sunbeam for Sale"..I phoned
the owner and asked what it was ...he replied " Sunbeam Alpine or
Spitfire..I am not quite sure "...little did I know this was a cunning trap
disguised as hidden treasure!
I got in the car with the top up( not a mean feat for me as I am 6ft 11ins )
and after replacing the battery got it started . I drove it around and
although it needed a lot of work ( bad electrics, bad brakes , new top and
Toyota engine ) it had a relatively good body and new tires and seat covers.
So when I got it for a very low price ( compared to what was available in
the UK at the time ) I was very pleased ( now I see stories about what you
might be able to get a good Alpine for and I wonder is it worth restoring!).
Anyway I drove it for a year as my everyday car until the electrics caught
fire...it languished in my garage ..replaced by a 1994 Montego Blue Mazda
Miata limited edition ...until we were transferred to Menlo Park ,
California , 5 months ago.
It survived the journey in a Fry Wagner truck until it got this end and
split it's petrol tank getting into the new garage. My wife is convinced it
will sit in this garage untouched until we move again ...but I am determined
it will be rebuilt ( I will leave the Toyota engine in it for the while
)..this idea has now gathered critical mass ( mostly because the Mazda got
totaled a month ago ) so I might actually get off my backside and do something .
Thanks for staying 'til the end ( or is that beginning ? )
All I need to do to get it running is rewire it and fix the gas tank ...
and then find out what else is wrong....
I am sure I will be asking lots of questions soon..
Best regards
Clive Pocock
Half Moon Bay
California
****************
John Carriere wrote:-
>I'm now 27 and obviously not any wiser because last month I bought
>another project car. I call this my "bastardized" or "stepchild" Sunbeam.
>Some joker down here pieced together a '64 Series IV with sheet metal
>screws and duck tape, dropped in a Toyota motor, then got a deal from
>Earl Schieb on paint. Now for the icing on the cake: he riveted Tiger
>emblems all over it. I know some snob Tiger owners in Northern
>California who would require CPR if they caught a glimpse of this baby.
>The plan is to keep the step child together, and someday undertake that
>"complete restoration" on the Series III GT. Like the fellow from
>Wisconsin, I love to talk Sunbeam so if any owners find themselves in
>the area drop a line. email: johnc(at)dnr.state.la.us
>
>John Carriere
>'64 Series III GT oxy red
>'64 Series IV Earl Schieb red
>
>
Clive Pocock Tel 415 926 6488
Director Fax 415 926 5908
Engineering Computer Services
and Global Product Release
Menlo Park, California email clive(at)informix.com
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