Fastback Sunbeams

aeronca65t

Great Pumpkin

Offline

• Dec 3, 2005

• #1

Here's two Sunbeams I have not seen before...both fastbacks with "That '70s Styling". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/square.gif

The Stilleto (a fastback Imp...also called the "Sport")

The Rapier H120. Similar to the Hillman Hunter and looks like my old Plymouth Cricket (US version of the Hunter) with a Barracuda back-end. Some of these had Holbay 120 HP engines.

 

T

thegoodbeamer

Jedi Warrior

Offline

• Dec 3, 2005

• #2

We had a 69 Alpine GT coupe like the one in the picture.It was black.Unfortunatly it was rear ended by a Ford 1/2 ton at a red light.He didn't see the light or that there were 10 cars stopped and it was the last one in line.My son was driving and when he was hit he had the brakes on and reaction was that he pushed harder which then was only a slight hit to the car in front but the driver had his foot on the gas and left foot on the brake and went pow causing all the other cars to be damaged in sequence. Amazingly the sunbeam took the full force of the impact causing some good damage but it was pulled out and a new trunk lid attached.It sat for many years after that and was finally parted out last winter.I still have gauges and some glass plus miscellaneous parts if anyone is interested.

 

RomanH

Jedi Knight

Offline

• Dec 3, 2005

• #3

Thanks for showing those pictures.
I came across a Rapier H120 in a junk yard last week and had no idea what i was looking at.
Even in it's sad state (everything was stripped off and it was being reclaimed by the earth /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cryin.gif) it looked like a realy neat car. I had never seen one before.

 

Sherlock

Yoda

Offline

• Dec 4, 2005

• #4

Within North America in particular, the fastback Alpine is considered to be the lower rung of desireability as Sunbeam's go... Also few were sold here anyway as I understand...

Here is one of my favourite pictures of a friend's car collection out in Ontario

 

sunbeammadd

Jedi Hopeful

Offline

• Dec 7, 2005

• #5

Stiletto and Sport are actually not the same. Both had the twin carb powerplant but the Stiletto was the fastback while the Sport used the more familiar saloon body.

 

H

Hayfever

Jedi Trainee

Offline

• Dec 10, 2005

• #6

Aeronca: Have you ever seen an Alpine with a top like this?

Dad bought this car on eBay and resold it to someone in CA who is boxing up the hardtop and wheels and shipping them to PA for him. Trying to find out more about it before I go home in a week. The alpine will hopefully be running before I head back here in January.

 

jfslenes

Senior Member

Offline

• Dec 10, 2005

• #7

Awesome photo of fastback alpine! Hate to suggest possibly good biz ideas (without retaining ownership thereof) but perhaps you should creat a mold and sell a few replicas. Let go racing!

 

sunbeammadd

Jedi Hopeful

Offline

• Dec 11, 2005

• #8

I've seen that hardtop before. I forget the maker, but it's an aftermarket one of course, not factory. Doubt there'd be many surviving examples left.

 

OP

aeronca65t

Great Pumpkin

Offline

• Dec 12, 2005

• #9

I have never seen an Alpine hardtop like that before.
There where Spridget fastback-hardtops made in the past (see "Spridget Specials" in the Spridget section of BCF)...but I've never seen this on a Sunbeam.

 

Roger

Luke Skywalker

Bronze

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• Dec 12, 2005

• #10

The best-known were probably the Harrington fastbacks, of which this is not one, I think. I don't remember this one.

 

B

Barry Knight

Freshman Member

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• Dec 12, 2005

• #11

The top in question was made by Astro Fiberglass in Azusu, California in the late '60's.

https://community.webshots.com/photo/380666890/481672629yMMLyV

 

Sherlock

Yoda

Offline

• Dec 13, 2005

• #12

That aftermarket fastback top is certainly interesting... Not all that good looking, but I'd imagine rare by now and well worth preserving.

[Edit]

Just looked at the E-Bay auction, that angle from the back looks much nicer, I take my first comment back. And I also notice in the comments that the fastback top was quite popular during the auction, more popular than the car itself...

 

petervisor

Freshman Member

Offline

• Aug 28, 2006

• #13

The Plymouth Cricket was the Hillman Avenger. I notice the Rapier uses the tail lights from the Hunter estate. I miss the Hillman Hunter. Were they ever imported here?

 

racing girl

Jedi Knight

Offline

• Aug 31, 2006

• #14

I know I've posted this link here before, it's Franka's Imp Site, and this page is about the Stilletto. Still a great resource if you want to know about the Imps and variants. I've still got a soft spot for the Beech Sport Racer... there's one still competing in the Pacific North West, still has the Imp engine in it, although the owner's about to take the Imp trans out and replace it with a Hewland.... I'll try and find a photo.

PZ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif