Sunbeam Alpine

The Sunbeam Alpine is a two-seater sports roadster/drophead coupé that was produced by the Rootes Group from 1953 to 1955, and then 1959 to 1968. The name was then used on a two-door fastbackcoupé from 1969 to 1975. The original Alpine was launched in 1953 as the first vehicle from Sunbeam-Talbot to bear the Sunbeam name alone since Rootes Group bought Clément-Talbot, and later the moribund Sunbeam from its receiver in 1935.

The Alpine was derived from the Sunbeam-Talbot 90 Saloon, and has become colloquially known as the "Talbot" Alpine. It was a two-seater sports roadster initially developed for a one-off rally car by Bournemouth Sunbeam-Talbot dealer George Hartwell.^[1] It had its beginnings as a 1952 Sunbeam-Talbot drophead coupé. Announced in March 1953^[4] it received its name following Sunbeam-Talbot saloons successes in the Alpine Rally during the early 1950s. On its first competitive outing, the July 1953 Coupe des Alpes, the new car won the Coupe des Dames (Sheila van Damm) and, without loss of any marks, four Coupes des Alpes driven by Stirling Moss, John Fitch, G Murray-Frame and Sheila van Damm.^[5]

The car has a four-cylinder 2,267 cc (138.3 cu in) engine from the saloon, but with a raised compression ratio. However, since it was developed from the saloon platform, it suffered from rigidity compromises despite extra side members in the chassis. The gearbox ratios were changed, and from 1954 an overdrive unit became standard. The gear-change lever was column-mounted.^[1] A true open 2-seater, there were no external door handles or wind-up windows.

The Alpine Mark I and Mark III (no Mark II was made) were hand-built ^[6] at the Rootes Group owned Thrupp & Maberly coachbuilders at Cricklewood London, from 1953 to 1955, and remained in production for only two years. Of the 1582 automobiles produced, 961 were exported to the US and Canada, 445 stayed in the UK, and 175 went to other world markets. In 2000 it was estimated that perhaps as few as 200 had survived.^[7]

The Sunbeam Alpine Mk 1 Special was based on the 2267 cc Mk 1 Sunbeam Talbot motor, with alloy rocker cover and Siamese exhaust ports (cylinders 2 and 3). These motors developed a reputed 97.5 bhp at 4,500 rpm, mainly by raising the compression ratio to 8.0:1 and incorporating a special induction manifold with a twin choke Solex 40 P.I.I carburettor. The motors of the Sunbeam Alpine Team Cars (MKV 21–26) were configured the same as the Sunbeam Alpine Mk I Special, with further tuning by ERA to raise power to 106 bhp.

Very few of these cars are ever seen on the big screen. However, a sapphire blue Alpine featured prominently in the 1955 Alfred Hitchcock film To Catch a Thief starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.^[8] More recently, the American PBS show History Detectives tried to verify that an Alpine roadster owned by a private individual was the actual car used in that movie. Although the Technicolor process could "hide" the car's true colour, and knowing that the car was shipped back from Monaco to the US for use in front of a rear projection effect, the car shown on the programme was ultimately proven not to be the film car upon comparison of the vehicle identification numbers. A Mk I model also appears in the 1957 British horror film Night of the Demon. A reference to the Mark I is also made in Muriel Spark's 1957 debut novel, The Comforters, where the supercharged Sunbeam Alpine prompts a race with the protagonists' MG.^[9]

• 
  Alpine Mk III
• 
  Open two-seater, without wind-up windows
• 
  1954
• 
  Alpine with factory aero-screensregistered November 1953

The first open 2-seater Alpines were based on the Hillman 14 and its successor the Humber Hawk. Rootes replaced them with a softer new smaller 2-seater sports convertible coupé based on the current Hillman Minx and its variants. Kenneth Howes and Jeff Crompton were tasked with doing a complete redesign in 1956, with the goal of producing a dedicated sports car aimed principally at the US market. Howes did some 80 percent of the overall design. He had been on the Studebaker team at Loewy Studios and then at Ford in Detroit before joining Rootes.^[11]

The Alpine was produced in four subsequent revisions until 1968. Total production numbered around 70,000. Production stopped shortly after the Chrysler takeover of the Rootes Group.

The "Series" Alpine started production in 1959.

The Series I was built on a modified floorpan from the Hillman Husky estate car with a 1,494 cc (91.2 cu in) engine and made extensive use of components from other Rootes Group vehicles.^[12] The running gear came mainly from the Sunbeam Rapier, but with front disc brakes replacing the saloon car's drums. An overdrive unit and wire wheels were optional. The suspension was independent at the front using coil springs and at the rear had a live axle and semi-elliptic springing. The Girling-manufactured brakes used 9.5 in (241 mm) discs at the front and 9 in (229 mm) drums at the rear. It had dual downdraft carburetors, 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.

Las versiones coupé de la versión posterior a 1959 fueron construidas por Thomas Harrington Ltd. Tras el éxito del Índice de Eficiencia de Le Mans de 1961, Harrington vendió réplicas como el "Harrington Le Mans", con una carrocería fastback y un motor ajustado a 104 hp (78 kW). A diferencia de los coches de carreras de Le Mans, estos coches tenían una línea de techo trasera más integrada y carecían de las aletas traseras de los roadsters. ^{[ 13 ]} Hasta 1962, el coche fue ensamblado para Rootes por Armstrong Siddeley . ^{[ 1 ]}

En 1959, la revista británica The Motor probó un automóvil descapotable con sobremarcha. Alcanzó una velocidad máxima de 99,5 mph (160,1 km/h) y aceleró de 0 a 60 mph (97 km/h) en 13,6 segundos. Se registró un consumo de combustible de 31,4 millas por galón imperial (9,0 L/100 km; 26,1 mpg _-US ). El automóvil de prueba costó 1031 libras esterlinas, impuestos incluidos. ^{[ 10 ]}

Se produjeron 11.904 ejemplares de la serie I. ^{[ 1 ]} Uno de los prototipos originales aún se conserva y fue pilotado por el campeón británico de turismos Bernard Unett . ^{[ 14 ]}

La Serie II de 1960 ^{[ 15 ]} presentaba un motor ampliado de 1592 cc (97,1 pulgadas cúbicas) que producía 80 CV y ​​una suspensión trasera revisada, pero hubo pocos otros cambios. Cuando se reemplazó en 1963, se habían fabricado 19 956 unidades. ^{[ 1 ]}

En 1960, la revista The Motor probó un Serie II con techo rígido y sobremarcha , registrando una velocidad máxima de 98,6 mph (158,7 km/h), una aceleración de 0 a 60 mph (97 km/h) en 13,6 segundos y un consumo de combustible de 31,0 millas por galón imperial (9,1 L/100 km; 25,8 mpg _{-EE. UU.} ). El coche de prueba costaba 1110 libras esterlinas, impuestos incluidos. ^{[ 16 ]}

La Serie III se produjo en dos versiones:

• GT con techo rígido desmontable únicamente (sin techo de lona)
• ST con techo de lona (guardado detrás del pequeño asiento trasero)

Otras características distintivas fueron:

• aletas altas
• Ventana de un cuarto de altura para poste guía
• Borde trasero angular de la ventana enrollable
• Neumático de repuesto vertical
• Tanques en aletas
• Protectores de parachoques cromados
• Más tarde, techo rígido con ventana trasera "plana".
• Emblema de la Serie 3 en la aleta delantera y emblema del Grupo Rootes centrado en la parte baja del capó.
• El número de serie comienza con B 92___

El Alpine Serie III, el modelo de producción más raro, se fabricó entre marzo de 1963 y enero de 1964, con un total de 5863 unidades. Fue un modelo de transición que incorporaba muchas de las modificaciones de los modelos posteriores de aleta baja, como un maletero más espacioso, un techo rígido posterior (común en el Tiger), amortiguadores traseros de tipo tubular, asientos de microcelda mejorados y un servofreno de vacío. El motor de 1592 cc se ajustó en el GT para lograr una mayor suavidad. ^{[ 17 ]}

There was no longer a lower-output engine option; the convertible and hardtop versions shared the same 82 bhp engine with single Solex carburettor. A new rear styling was introduced with the fins largely removed. An automatic transmission with floor-mounted control became an option, but was unpopular. From autumn 1964 a new manual gearbox with synchromesh on first gear was adopted in line with its use in other Rootes cars. A total of 12,406 were made.^[1]

The final version had a new five-bearing 1,725 cc (105.3 cu in) engine with twin Zenith-Stromberg semi-downdraught carburettors producing 93 bhp.^[1] There was no longer an automatic transmission option. 19,122 were made.^[1] In some export markets, 100 PS (99 bhp) SAE were claimed.^[18]

• 
  Sunbeam Alpine Series III
• 
  Sunbeam Alpine Series III
• 
  Sunbeam Alpine Series IV
• 
  1967 Sunbeam Alpine Series V
• 
  1967 Sunbeam Alpine Series V

A muscle-car variant of the later versions was also built, the Sunbeam Tiger.

The Alpine enjoyed relative success in European and North American competition. Probably the most notable international success was at Le Mans, where a Sunbeam Harrington won the Thermal Index of Efficiency in 1961.^[13] In the United States the Alpine competed successfully in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) events.

Vince Tamburo won the G-Production National Championship in 1960 using the 1494 cc Series I Alpine. In 1961 Don Sesslar took 2nd in the F-Production National Championship followed by a 3rd in the Championship in 1962. For 1963 the Alpine was moved into E-Production facing stiff competition from a class dominated by the Porsche 356. Sesslar tied in points for the national championship while Norman Lamb won the Southwest Division Championship in his Alpine.

A championship for Don Sesslar finally was achieved in 1964 with 5 wins (the SCCA totaled the 5 top finishes for the year). Dan Carmichael won the Central Division Championship in 1964 and '65. Carmichael continued to race the Alpine until 1967, when he finished 2nd at the American Road Race of Champions.

Bernard Unett raced factory prototype Alpine (registration number XRW 302) from 1962 to 1964 and in 1964 won the Fredy Dixon challenge trophy, which was considered to be biggest prize on the British club circuit at the time. Unett went on to become British Touring car champion three times during the 1970s.^[19]

Se creó un equipo oficial de seis coches para el Rally Alpino de 1953. Aunque exteriormente similares a sus homólogos de producción, se dice que incorporaron unas 36 modificaciones, aumentando la potencia del motor a unos 97,5 CV. ^{[ 20 ]}

Rootes presentó la gama "Arrow" en 1966, y para 1968, a las berlinas y familiares (como el Hillman Hunter ) se les unió el coupé Sunbeam Rapier Fastback . En 1969, una versión más económica, ligeramente más lenta y con menor consumo del Rapier (que aún se vendía como modelo deportivo) se comercializó como el nuevo Sunbeam Alpine.

Todos los modelos incorporaban el robusto motor de cinco cojinetes de 1725 cc (105,3 pulgadas cúbicas) del grupo, con la diferencia de que la Alpine contaba con un único carburador Zenith-Stromberg CD150 frente a los dos del Rapier, y los dos carburadores Weber 40DCOE del Rapier H120 .

Aunque tomaban muchas piezas del catálogo del grupo, incluyendo las luces traseras de los modelos Arrow familiares, los fastbacks ofrecían varias características únicas, como sus puertas sin pilar central y las ventanillas laterales traseras, que en conjunto abrían el habitáculo como un cabriolet con techo rígido. Algunos modelos incorporaban salpicaderos de madera muy elaborados y, durante un tiempo, se ofrecieron asientos deportivos.

El nombre Alpine fue recuperado en 1976 por Chrysler (para entonces propietaria de Rootes) en un vehículo totalmente diferente: la versión para el mercado británico del Simca 1307 , un hatchback familiar de fabricación francesa . Inicialmente, el coche se comercializó como Chrysler Alpine, y finalmente como Talbot Alpine tras la adquisición de Chrysler Europe por Peugeot en 1978. El nombre se mantuvo hasta 1984, aunque el diseño (con nombres diferentes) se mantuvo hasta 1986.

• A metallic blue 1953 Sunbeam Alpine Mk I is driven by Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief (1955) with Cary Grant.
• A Sunbeam Alpine Mk III is driven by Peggy Cummins in the film Night of the Demon (1957).
• A red Series I Alpine is driven by Elizabeth Taylor in the film Butterfield 8 (1960) and features in a number of scenes.
• A white Series 1 Alpine was the regular drive of Rod Taylor's character Glenn Evans, a crime fighting news reporter, in the early 1960s TV series, Hong Kong.
• A lake blue "Series II" Alpine roadster is amongst the first on-screen "Bond cars" when it is rented and driven by James Bond in Dr. No of 1962, most notably in a scene where Bond drives it under a crane to escape from pursuing hit men.^[22] It was reportedly borrowed from a local resident, as the only suitable sports car available on the island used for filming.^[23] In the novel, a Sunbeam Alpine was the chosen car of assassinated Secret Service agent John Strangways.
• Michael Caine's character is rescued by a woman in a white 1968 Alpine roadster in the 1971 British crime film Get Carter. The car is later shunted into a dock with the owner locked in the boot.
• A Sunbeam Tiger (the V8 version of the Alpine) was also the vehicle of choice for spy Maxwell Smart in the 1960s TV comedy series Get Smart. An Alpine, outfitted to look like the Tiger, was used for the "gadget" shots, such as the cannon that comes up through the bonnet. The Alpine was used because the cannon would not fit under the bonnet of a V-8 car. The car was modified by noted American customizer Gene Winfield and was the subject of a 1/25th scale plastic model kit.^[24]
• A similar Alpine is seen in the Arnold Schwarzenegger film Commando, where it was destroyed.^[25][26]
• A Sunbeam Alpine is driven by Michael Caine in the 1966 film Gambit. The film also starred Shirley MacLaine and Herbert Lom.^[22]
• A powder blue 1967 Sunbeam Alpine is driven by Tuesday Weld and Anthony Perkins in the 1968 film Pretty Poison.
• A Sunbeam Alpine V is shown in the final seconds of the 1982 short A Shocking Accident
• In the TV series Heartbeat, the character of Jackie Bradley, portrayed by Fiona Dolman, drives a green hardtop Series V Sunbeam Alpine, with red interior, bearing the original registration plate LVY 666F (1967), in series 9–10. This was actually a white (fully restored) car originally but it was sprayed green to appear in the show to prevent glare. In Series 11, episode 12, Closing the Book two characters arrive at Scripps’ Garage in a gold, hardtop Sunbeam Alpine, bearing the registration plate 836 FXH.
• In the 1966 Launder & Gilliat film The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery, Flash Harry (George Cole), possesses a crimson Sunbeam Alpine which he refers to as his 'status symbol'. He and some sixth-formers use the car to chase after the train robbers (led by Frankie Howerd).
• A light blue 1963 Sunbeam Alpine Series III is driven by Nancy Drew in the 2019 TV series of the same name.

• Sunbeam Talbot Alpine Register