And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
A good friend in HS had a Sunbeam. Nothing anywhere this nice. I rode in it a couple of times, once on the freeway. I recall drafting a semi just to get up to 55 mph.
It’s a Sunbeam Alpine Series II (specifically a 1961 race-prepared example), not a Tiger. The body style alone rules out a Tiger. Tigers (1964–67) were based on the later Alpine Series IV/V bodies. Those have trimmed-down rear fins and vertical taillights. This car has the earlier Series I–III look: prominent, higher rear fins with the characteristic sloping/angled taillight lenses integrated into them. Other visual cues match the early Alpine:
“SUNBEAM” script letters on the front panel above the grille (Series V dropped these; Tigers used the later bodies). Early-series front-end details (grille style and overall proportions) rather than the single-bar grille and revised details of Series IV/V. No Tiger-specific exterior cues such as a “Tiger” script badge or other markers associated with the V8 cars.
The Sunbeam Tiger was Carroll Shelby’s V8 (Ford 260 or 289) conversion of the Alpine and only appeared from 1964 onward on the Series IV body. A 1961 Series II predates it entirely and was powered by the 1,592 cc inline-four. The car matches a documented 1961 Alpine Series II race car (green, wire wheels, hardtop, race prep including roll cage, fuel cell, etc.) that has appeared in historic/competition contexts (e.g., with RETRO 2023 event stickers). Sources identify it as the four-cylinder Alpine, not a Tiger or “Alger” conversion. In short, the body series (fins, taillights, and front details) is the clear giveaway that this is an early Alpine rather than a Tiger.
I'd pass it ... easily with my Datsun 1600, while a 2000 would smoke both of us! Miss those little sports car convertibles. Racing down the highway, top down on a summer afternoon, wife sleeping in the passenger seat, dog on the rear deck (behind the seats, about 16" wide deck, about 16" lower than the rear trunk - perfect for a medium size dog). She loved to drive that little thing, it sure attracted the guys, good looking chick, in a quick little sports car!
I have the 4 banger Alpine and enjoy it much. Later model body style, without such pronounced fins. Could not imagine an 8 cylinder in this car, it’d be a death trap!
A good friend in HS had a Sunbeam. Nothing anywhere this nice. I rode in it a couple of times, once on the freeway. I recall drafting a semi just to get up to 55 mph.
ReplyDeleteSunbeam Alpine or Tiger? The Alpine had a four cylinder while the Tiger had a Ford 260 or 289 smallblock V8.
ReplyDeleteAl_in_Ottawa
I've got a 65 Sunbeam, languishing in my garage with the Stromberg "carburettors" non-functional.
ReplyDeleteFor the third time.
I'm ditching the OEM idea and getting after market injectors put in.
From Grok:
ReplyDeleteIt’s a Sunbeam Alpine Series II (specifically a 1961 race-prepared example), not a Tiger.
The body style alone rules out a Tiger. Tigers (1964–67) were based on the later Alpine Series IV/V bodies. Those have trimmed-down rear fins and vertical taillights. This car has the earlier Series I–III look: prominent, higher rear fins with the characteristic sloping/angled taillight lenses integrated into them.
Other visual cues match the early Alpine:
“SUNBEAM” script letters on the front panel above the grille (Series V dropped these; Tigers used the later bodies).
Early-series front-end details (grille style and overall proportions) rather than the single-bar grille and revised details of Series IV/V.
No Tiger-specific exterior cues such as a “Tiger” script badge or other markers associated with the V8 cars.
The Sunbeam Tiger was Carroll Shelby’s V8 (Ford 260 or 289) conversion of the Alpine and only appeared from 1964 onward on the Series IV body. A 1961 Series II predates it entirely and was powered by the 1,592 cc inline-four.
The car matches a documented 1961 Alpine Series II race car (green, wire wheels, hardtop, race prep including roll cage, fuel cell, etc.) that has appeared in historic/competition contexts (e.g., with RETRO 2023 event stickers). Sources identify it as the four-cylinder Alpine, not a Tiger or “Alger” conversion.
In short, the body series (fins, taillights, and front details) is the clear giveaway that this is an early Alpine rather than a Tiger.
I'd pass it ... easily with my Datsun 1600, while a 2000 would smoke both of us!
ReplyDeleteMiss those little sports car convertibles. Racing down the highway, top down on a summer afternoon, wife sleeping in the passenger seat, dog on the rear deck (behind the seats, about 16" wide deck, about 16" lower than the rear trunk - perfect for a medium size dog). She loved to drive that little thing, it sure attracted the guys, good looking chick, in a quick little sports car!
Our scoutmaster had the 289, man, those days, that was a sexy machine, like James Bond.
ReplyDeleteI have the 4 banger Alpine and enjoy it much. Later model body style, without such pronounced fins. Could not imagine an 8 cylinder in this car, it’d be a death trap!
ReplyDelete