CAR OF THE MONTH
November, 2007

SUNBEAM-TALBOT: ALPINE, Series V 1966

Body/chassis

Number 1509 from the Series V production of 19,122 during 1966 - 68.
“Unit-body”; with both soft-top and removable hardtop.
Dry weight 2,180 lb.

Other specifications

Rootes engine, 4 cylinders, 1725 cc.
Twin Stromberg carbs.
92 bhp @ 5,500 r.p.m.
Manual 4-speed transmission, with overdrive.
Independent front suspension, solid rear axle.
Disc brakes at front, drums at rear, vacuum assisted.

History

She was found in 1984 parked under a tree in an Alberta farmyard… sad, wearing three shades of red paint, a racing number on the door – and her interior, including the facia crash pad, was completely “upholstered” in red shag rug!

            Then  .......

...... and Now                   

At the time, I had the body restored and finished with a period-correct Arctic White. Why? Because this was the high-school-days’ romantic image, unattainable at the time, seen in a dealer’s showroom.

Since 1984, the drive train and suspension have been well maintained, overhauled, or replaced. She’s provided touring pleasure around western Canada – and even to California several times, including Laguna Seca.

Her current set-up was for vintage rallying; with a period-correct Halda Speedpilot, a factory roll-bar, a driving lamp and fog lamps, and even a ‘serious’ Lucas “Flamethrower” back-up lamp. She ran well, for fun, in the Shell 4000 Retro-Rallies of 1994 and ’95. These were 3-day events by the Calgary Vintage Racing Club, starting in Calgary, connecting with Saskatchewan and BC, and returning to Calgary.

For fun?     "Well, yes. My prior serious rally experience was just a few years earlier with other vehicles, all around Western Canada in the 60’s and 70’s, and in the International Criterium events in Quebec, in ’77 – ’79. Retrospective events are – for fun…"

“TEAM SUTUL” was an informal group of gear-heads interested in autoslaloming, racing and rallying. The team was an inspiration of then Edmontonian Ian McArthur. “SUTUL” had a couple of origins, one being LOTUS spelled backwards, with a vowel change…

Current status

As a 1984 restoration, she looks great – from a distance. My objective is maintenance, even to the extent of a “new” overdrive, obtained from a company in Britain set up by the former employees of now-defunct Laycock de Normanville.

For registration in BC with ‘collector’ status, the team signage had to be removed.

So, she goes touring – two Rootes Rendezvous, Brits ‘Round BC in 2006, and even to California again in 2007, without missing a beat. Of note is that all Lucas parts are just fine. The only part to fail on the latest tour was a low-beam bulb (not Lucas, but some other foreign thing…)

Sunbeams (and other British machines of similar vintage) are rather basic, like farm tractors…
........   Even a retired accountant can deal with almost all maintenance, and enjoy doing so!

Robert Leonard,
Mayne Island, BC