Sunbeam-Talbots may not be as desirable as the Talbot-Lagos, but this 1954 Sunbeam-Talbot 90 Sport Saloon is a very rare sedan with rally heritage in its blood. This car belonged to the seller’s parents at the time he drove it into their barn. That was back in 1964 and that’s where it has sat ever since. The car is currently in McClelland Town, Pennsylvania and has been listed here on eBay with a current bid of $2,550 and a BIN of $5,000

The Sunbeam-Talbot 90 isn’t the most sought after car here in the States, but it could be because few were ever imported and even fewer people know much about them today. Most of the cars that did make it to our shores have since rioted away, but somehow this one survived fairly well considering the Pennsylvania humidity. The 90 wasn’t the fastest or best performing car in its time, but it was surprisingly successful in the rally world. With drivers such as Sir Stirling Moss or Sheila Van Damm behind the wheel, the 90 saw great triumphs in rallies such as Monte Carlo and Alpine. In fact, the 90’s success at Alpine lead to the development of the Sunbeam Alpine, which was based on the same chassis.

The photo above is of the car that Stirling Moss drove in the 1953 Monte Carlo. The interesting thing is that this car was a barn find too. After winning the race it made its way into the hands of a farmer who used it to pull pigs to the market. The story goes that when the gear box broke, he parked it in the barn and there it sat for many years. Until the current owner found it, dug it out, and had it restored to its former glory. Now it looks great and we would use this car as inspiration for our own project.

Here is a shot of Stirling Moss himself after finishing second right behind Sidney Allard in the 1952 Monte Carlo rally. He sure looks happy in this photo.

This could be the reason Sir Stirling was feeling so good. He was riding in comfort on luxurious leather seats with plenty of leg room. The pilots probably took turns driving while the other stretched out in the back and took a nap. The body on this car looks very rusty, but somehow the leather is intact.

Our biggest concern here is the engine because the seller has not been able to turn it over. It may be salvageable, but we wouldn’t get our hopes up. Thankfully Sunbeam did a lot of parts sharing across their lineup, so an engine could probably be sourced from another car. In 1952 Sunbeam upped the compression of the 90’s engine, which helped the 2.3 liter engine produce close to 80 hp. This increased horsepower lead to a higher top speed, which necessitated bigger and better brakes as well as better brake ventilation. In its day this car was able to compete with much more expensive British competitors.

The seller’s BIN price seems very optimistic to us, but if they are willing to go down a few thousand it could be in the ball park. This car is going to take some major work and we cant help but wonder if it will ever even see the road again. The rarity and bloodline may motivate the right person though. Anyone here think this old saloon is worth saving? Or should it have been left in the barn?