1961 |
| Click for larger
view |
It is always nice to attach some
personal experiences to what I write about, other
than just being familiar with the literature.
I acquired a nice, used Sunbeam Alpine quite by
accident after my MG Midget had been driven over
by a runaway garbage truck while parked outside
the popular "watering hole", The Elizabethan
Club. The place as Tripoli, Libya, in the Fall
of 1968. My employment as a geologist had just
begun and my car was demolished beyond recognition.
A friend, who was transferring back to the U.
K., offered me his Sunbeam Alpine. A fun car that
got me down the road until Khadafi took over control
of the country and kicked all foreigners out -
but keeping all their property, which naturally
included my Alpine.
Back in the U. S. A., the U. S. Army was still
actively drafting for the Vietnam war - and Khadafi
put me right in their arms. I went from enjoyable
trips along the Mediterranean coast, enjoying
the cool breezes with the top down, to hiking
in combat boots under the blazing El Paso sun
(basic training).
Most Americans probably associate the name Sunbeam
with household appliances… from electric
shavers to can openers. But from 1945 through
1970 Sunbeam sold cars in the U.S. The most memorable
for sports car enthusiasts was the Alpine that
Carroll Shelby stuffed a V-8 in and called it
a Tiger.
 |
| Click
for larger view |
|
| |
1949 |
1949 |
| |
|
|
1949 |
1952 |
| |
|
|
1952 |
1953 |
| |
|
|
1953 |
1953 |
| |
|
|
1953 |
1953 |
| |
1953 |
| |
|
|
1956 |
1956 |
1959 |
| |
|
|
1960 |
1960 |
1961 |
| |
|
|
1962 |
1962 |
1964 |
| |
|
|
1964 |
1964 |
1964 |
| |
|
|
1966 |
1966 |
1966/67 |
| |
|
|
For complete lists of Sunbeam and Sunbeam-Talbot
click on the following links:
Sunbeam
Sunbeam
- Talbot
And for those of you fortunate enough to still
own a Sunbeam, here are two owner's manuals that
we have to offer:
|
| Click
for larger view |
|
| |
1953/54 |
1954/55 |
| |
|
|
