Anyone experienced with a Sunbeam Alpine [V]

[tdskip]

Hi folks. I have a chance to buy a very nice Sunbeam at a good price, and am wondering if anyone here has first hand experience with them?

More of a cruiser by reputation, but any feedback or coaching for me?

I promise to get the Bugeye sorted before I dig into the Sunbeam!

(I also posted this on the Sunbeam and MGB forum to try and gather some quick feedback)

 

[aeronca65t]

I've driven one and it was very nice in a cushy sort of way.
Not as bouncy or tight-fitting as a Sprite.
But the steering was not as nice as a Sprite (at least in the one I drove).
I especially like the newer, less "finny" versions.

Stock four-cylinder Alpines are getting rare, because so many have been hacked up into "Algers".
If I saw a nice one for a good price (and I had room in my driveway), I'd buy it.

 

[tdskip]

This one appears to be unmolested, and a Series V she has the smaller fins.

I really don't have the room, but that hasn't stopped me yet.

Thanks for the coaching!

 

[Morris]

Series V? Does that make it a Chrysler?

2.2 Turbo time!!!

 

[tdskip]

Maybe I'll drop in a Hemi!

 

[Morris]

Didn't the later Tigers come with hemis? Or did Chrysler just drop the Tiger when they bought Talbot?

 

[tdskip]

I think Chrysler took full control in 1967 and renamed the group to Chrysler UK in 1970. I think they always used Ford engines based on the following write up of the Tiger (V8 model)

"In the last year of production, the same Ford 289 being used in the base Cobra replaced the 260. These last cars could have been world-beaters, but unfortunately Rootes had just been bought out of bankruptcy by Chrysler. For a brief time, Chrysler was in the position of providing warranty service on the Ford engines in the Tigers, and it was no surprise when the Tiger was taken out of production."

Reference: https://www.sportscarmarket.com/profiles/2001/June/American/index.html

 

[aeronca65t]

Tiger only came with Ford engines, even after Chrysler bought them.

There was some work looking at putting the small-block Chrysler (273, 318, etc) in the Tiger, but it would have required complete re-engineering on a low-volume car (Ford V-8s are rather narrow, GM and Chrylser V-8s are both wider).

In the end, Chrylser dropped the Tiger rather than sell a Ford-powered car.

 

[Morris]

So were back to 2.2 Turbo.

This a good thing. My brother has a Shelby 2.2 car that routinly makes Corvette owners cry.

Of course there's the whole FWD to RWD thing to work out, but that will be a piece of cake for the collective brain power of this forum.