Hi everyone! I'm pleased to report that my overhaul of the radiator (it
now has a modine core) seems to have solved the overheating problem very
nicely. I had it running in my garage, at a rather fast idle, for about
25 minutes yesterday, and the temperature never got above 160 degrees.
Incidentally, the temperature guage I'm looking at is NOT the original
one, but an extra (!) guage that is set in the place where I believe a
tachometer would go. This guage appears to be fairly well calibrated,
since it showed the temperature going up to 212 when the car was
overheating so badly.
At any rate, I'm ready to move on to the next stage, which is to get the
engine up to snuff. I already know it needs a valve job, and it appears
to burn oil bigtime! Since this is something that I simply lack the
expertise to do myself, I'm looking for a reliable mechanic that I can
take it to. Dave Sotero, a couple of months back, recommended a fellow
named Paul Gray, and I spoke with him, but he disavowed any current
knowledge of the Sunbeam line, and seemed to feel that he just couldn't
help me out.
I've recently come across a guy in Pasadena, named Jim Rickman, who is
VERY involved with Sunbeams, and has two Alpines currently in progress.
I'm not positive, but I think they are "proper" Alpines, which suits me,
since my car is a '53 Saloon. I liked Rickman quite a lot, on the basis
of one phone conversation with him, and wonder if anyone out there knows
him, or of him. Any advice or suggestions you can make would be greatly
appreciated.
Thanks,
Irv Kostal
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