First I need to say my Sunbeam is one of the "proper" Sunbeams.
It is a 1953 Sunbeam-Talbot Alpine.
Next, I purchased it in Lawrence, KS in 1988 in really rotten condition.
After retrieving and basically dunging it out, I began dousing it with
penetrating oil and dismantling it. Immediately I encountered the dread
"this isn't your basic American or Metric nut/bolt/wrench/socket" program.
Very quickly my education in Whitworth blossomed. Fortunately, tools,
including taps and dies are readily available. In keeping with my
background of dealing with Honda motorcycle parts, I made sure everything
was separated in paper parts boxes and labeled. As I took everything apart,
I chased the threads to clean them up. Walnut grit in a tumbler or vibrator
does an excellent job of cleaning small parts. The upholstery and seats
were history and later served only as guides for refurbishing. At this late
date, my memory fails me, but it seemed at the time that there was an
endless list of small tasks to be accomplished and everytime I started one,
it initiated another.
Finally I got down to the place were it was sent to be painted (bright red
of course). Problem was/is, I didn't know the correct order in which to
accomplish the various stages of the restoration, so just bulled on ahead.
I did get the engine running after removing the head and gently beating the
pistons until they freed up. At this point I "drove" the car (sitting on a
milk crate) at least a quarter of a mile. That was to be the last time for
8 years.
From then on it lived in my walk-out basement workshop.
During that time I worked on it as apparently many owners do, in fits and
starts. I joined S.T.A.R. and a few parts made their way across the
Atlantic, including a new wiring harness. That occupied my time until I was
cross-eyed. Upon learning that Jim & Brenda Wilkinson were about to
vacation in the USA (1991) and would be driving as far East as Colorado
Springs, CO, I got down on my knees (a little hard to do on the telephone)
and begged them to continue to Topeka. They arrived on a Friday afternoon
after trekking across the Kansas Plains. In-between visiting, Jim gave me
invaluable help in sorting out the wiring. We were able to take them to the
local "Cider Days" where native Americans danced and local"mountain men"
demonstrated their skills. After their departure, I was wildly enthusiastic
about completing the car, until I encountered the horrible "control box"
right in back of the front bumper. Frustration upon frustration. So the
car sat and sat and sat until early in 1996. At that time I took it to
Precision Restoration in Independence, MO. Shortly thereafter, Jim
Wilkinson was called on to send me all new pistons, rings, pins, bearings
top and bottom, cam, oil pump and tappets. Needless to say, Precision did
not have the easiest of time in working on this car, but did progress
steadily.
Hopefully it was to be ready in time for the All British Car Show in Kansas
City over Labor Day weekend (29-31 August) but not to be.
I did pick it up on 9 Sept and as of today, 23 Sept, have 90 miles on it.
Superb job of restoration, beautiful leather upholstery, an engine that runs
very smoothly and a rather odd shifting pattern. A teenager with baggy half
shorts, oversize T-shirt and hat on backwards even came up to me at the
filling station station and said "Nice car, Mister". Everywhere I go,
people give me a "thumbs up".
Reality says there is a lot to do yet with small details to be worked out,
but this will be a car to drive and have fun in, not a "trailer queen".
What Fun!!
Ron Davis
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Sep 05 2000 - 09:57:21 CDT