What a ray of sunshine this car is, which is fairly coincidental with it being a 1962 Sunbeam Alpine. This Series II car is listed on Collector Car Ads in Olympia, Washington with an asking price of $7,995. Thanks to Dean for submitting this Sunbeam!
That opening photo says it all, at least name-wise. A fun little car sitting in the sun in what looks like an alpine setting. Or maybe I’m just fantasizing about being in Switzerland again. Rootes Group made the Sunbeam Series II cars for 1960, 1961, and 1962 before they were moved on to the Series III cars, which, oddly, had a less-powerful engine. More on the engine in this particular car in a minute.
This is, for me, the best angle for these cars. Those rear fins are fintastic! This car is not quite 13-feet long but it looks like a good portion of that length is tail fin. This particular Lake Blue car, or as I call it, “Bond Blue”, because it’s similar to the one that James Bond drove in Dr. No, looks like it’s in very nice shape. It was garaged since 1969 when the current owner bought it and it has been parked since 1975 and hasn’t been started since! It comes with both tops and the hardtop sure looks perfect from the photos.
No, this isn’t a Sunbeam Tiger, the little V8-powered car that has rocketed in value over the last couple of decades. The Alpine, with its 1,592 CC inline-four and 80 hp, isn’t as collectible, not even close. It’s a shame because life isn’t always about how fast a person can go, it’s about the entire driving experience. But, powerful cars rule and they always have, other than in my world. And, in fact, the seller bought this Alpine with the intention of turning it into one of a jungle full of Tiger clones but lost interest and parked it in 1975. That, my friends, is the very definition of “lost interest”! Needless to say, with not having been started since the end of the Vietnam War, a full mechanical restoration is in order. There are no interior photos so a personal inspection would be in order to make sure that it’s been rodent-free, water-free, and every other destructive-force-free for the last four decades. Would you restore this car back to Alpine status or would you join the ranks of the Tiger clone crowd?
James Bond blue definitely trumps the “Don Adams/Get Smart” special edition. I would be interested in the Barbara Feldon special edition Tiger!
Don Adams used his own Tiger in some shots on “Get Smart”, The car with the cannon under the hood was actually a re-badged Alpine (needed enough room under the bonnet for the prop).
Those hubcaps are really strange…
Does the seller really think someone is going to buy this car without wanting to see the top removed, interior and underside photos? C’mon everyone, reveal everything and don’t leave us guessing what is being hidden.
Making a “Tiger clone” out of a Series II would be silly. No Tigers came with the tall fins. It wouldn’t be worth a dime more than a correctly restored Alpine.
V8 conversion widens drive tunnel, narrows footwells, makes the car nose heavy, ruins Alpine’s superior steering and handling. Bad idea unless you can throw LOTS of money and engineering at it. An Alpine provides a fine driving experience if just kept at original specs.
ls swap
Don’t like the look of the vin plate. Numbers look re-stamped over old? Or just my paranoia?
I have a 1960 same color with a factory hard top
And wire wheels
It runs great and looks amazing
Thank you Eric at EM Motors
Stanley NY
I’m not sure why, but this reminds me of a shrunken version of a ’56 Thunderbird.
@Adam T45 , It’s no accident that it looks like a baby Thunderbird. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunbeam_Alpine
The Sunbeam Alpine is a two-seater sports drophead coupé produced by Rootes Group from …. Ken Howes contributed some 80 per cent of the overall design work, he had worked at Ford on the ’55 Thunderbird before joining Rootes.
That makes perfect sense. Thanks for that Mike.
Elizabeth Taylor drove one off a cliff in “Butterfield 8.”
I bought a new 1961 Alpine, ‘Wedgewood Blue’, wires, hardtop, blue interior.
If any one has one in excellent condition, I’ll buy it.
Imagine this with a modern Four Cylinder engine and five speed transmission. Even a smaller V6. Could be a fun project but way above my skill set.
12/13 July 2014 almost 2000 miles up the Appalachian Trail from Georgia, I camped at a blueberry farm where the AT crosses Washington Mountain Road, MA. The elderly blueberry farmer had a Sunbeam Alpine under restoration (and various other classic vehicles of note, mostly trucks I recall)
And an aeroplane….all in a hanger nearby, which he proudly showed us.
I hadn’t seen an Alpine in years, though recall a high speed journey across Kent, UK in a 1960 Sunbeam Alpine as a lad.
Incidently is the hard top of this one custom made ?