1960 Sunbeam Alpine Series 1
About the Sunbeam Alpine Series 1
The first of the finned Alpines, this model was introduced in October 1959 and produced until October 1960. 11,904 were built, and most were exported to the USA. The new Alpine set a trend for refinement in low cost British sports cars which was soon copied by Triumph, MG and Austin Healey. The car used a modified Rootes sedan engine with an aluminum head and dual Zenith downdraft carbs, a soft top that could be hidden by special integral covers and the first available wind-up side windows offered in a British sports car of that time. Roll-up windows, convenient soft top. and American styling influence made it popular in the USA.
teae.org/field-guide-to-sunbeam-alpines
- High fins, angled like ’57 Chevy
- Low (4?) roll-up window guide post
- Horizontal spare tire over gas tank
- All chrome bumper guards
- Rear edge of roll-up window is curved
- “Bubble” shaped hardtop with wraparound rear window
- Soft top stored under folding louvers
First owner: Nick Francis, pilot stationed at RCAF Base Greenwood NS
Received off the boat at Halifax docks, spring 1960
1963 driven to Ottawa, garage storage
1981-84 major restoration, Alan Griffin’s classic auto restoration shop in Ottawa, ON
- Installed Series 5 engine block 1725cc, retained original manifold and carbs
- Body work steel-fabricated by Scottish panel-beater (see photos); no body filler
- Original equipment: glass, steering wheel, seats and upholstery, dashboard, gauges, tonneau cover, wheels, wheel covers, gas filler cap, windshield wiper arms, mirror, hard top, horn, jack, some tools.
- All new hoses, wiring, rubber, etc.
- Basecoat/clearcoat in Ferrari red (deeper than original Carnival red)
- 1988 trailered Ottawa-Vancouver (Galiano Island) on custom-built tandem axle flatbed trailer;
- inspected and licenced ever since with BC collector plate B05-396
- 1988-2018 continuously driven and maintained in road-worthy condition, under cover in garage
- 2011 authentic soft top cut and installed by Geoff Horsfall’s shop, Duncan, BC
- 2017 checked over, minor repairs David Gilmour’s BMC Motors, Vancouver, BC
- 2018 relocated to dust-free, dry underground parking in Vancouver awaiting sale