1967 Sunbeam Alpine Race Car

Coltec Racing 1725 Holbay engine on twin 45 DCOE Webers

Lightened, seam-welded shell with aluminium bonnet. Fiat Mirafiori 5-speed box, Atlas Floating axle

Recent engine rebuild by Power Engineering (£3,700) Zero race-hours since

Sparco race seat, new TRS Harness and Lifeline fire system (Jan 2019). Gold 15” Minilites

Significant History file. Classic Sports Car Club Vehicle ID document

In 1956 Kenneth Howes and Jeff Crompton were tasked with designing a dedicated sports car aimed principally at the US market and in 1959, Rootes launched the Alpine two-seater sports convertible. The Alpine was produced in four subsequent revisions until 1968 when, with total production numbering around 70,000, the model was delisted shortly after the Chrysler takeover of the Rootes Group. The car made extensive use of components from other Rootes Group vehicles and was built on a modified floor-pan from the Hillman Husky estate car with running gear mainly from the Sunbeam Rapier, and front disc brakes replacing the saloon car's drums. The final version was fitted with a new five-bearing 1,725 cc engine with twin Zenith-Stromberg semi-downdraught carburettors that produce 93 bhp, quite impressive in period.

This example was first registered new in February 1967 and converted during the 90s to a club race car. It has been campaigned successfully in the AMOC Intermarque series, the CSCC Swinging Sixties and has achieved several class wins including the prestigious Eifelrennen and the Spa Classic. Power is from a Coltec Racing 1725 Holbay engine on twin 45 DCOE Weber carburettors, with zero race hours since a rebuild by Power Engineering costing circa £3,700.00. Dyno printouts indicate an output of 138 bhp and this is fed through a Fiat Mirafiori 5-speed gearbox, Atlas Floating axle, and a ZF limited-slip differential. The body shell has been lightened and seam-welded with an aluminium bonnet and the car is fitted with a Sparco race seat, new TRS Harness, and the Lifeline fire system was serviced in January 2019. The car is attractively finished in British Racing Green with a yellow coachline and sits on gold 15" Minilite wheels.

A class-winning Historic race car with a refreshed engine, the Alpine comes with a Classic Sports Car Club Vehicle ID document and would make an excellent entry into the remarkably friendly world of Historic Motorsport.