OK, here is a link to some pics of my two other cars.

http://s122.photobucket.com/albums/o262 ... ra%20Area/

The red Sunbeam Alpine I restored during the 1990s. It's a 1963 model, and has an alloy head 1600 motor, 4 speed manual with Overdrive, disc brakes. It also has a twin choke downdraught Weber - not standard, but it bolts straight onto the standard manifold . I did all the mechanical stuff but had it professionally resprayed (after being bead blasted). Alpines (like most Rootes cars) are notorious for rust, but fortunately mine had been a Canberra car all it's life so had very little. It did, however have lots of bog from a previous bad repair - the panel beater ended up making a new drivers side doorskin and rear mudguard. I still remember getting the painted shell back from the shop and thinking "now where do I start putting this shed full of parts back into it?"

The White Hillman Hunter I acquired in 2008 - from its original owner whose father had given it to her new in 1969 when she started university. It had been always registered and on the road, so it was in pretty good condition mechanically - I use it as a daily driver and it never misses a beat. It has a 1725 iron head motor and 4 speed all-synchro box (Hunter boxes are great, this one has 200,000 miles on it, is quiet and still shifts beautifully). It only has a single Stromberg CD carby (like an SU), but I have a set of twins that will be fitted one day. I paid the sum of $500 for this car - and it had $500 worth of rego on plus a boot full of parts, near new tyres etc. The current motor is tired (100,000 miles) but a mate gave me another one which has only 13,000 on it (from a car he had written off).

Great looking Alpine VK

I have always liked the look of them and have never driven one but am told they are a superior sports car of the era.

Subtle Americana touches about them make them stand out but not on a gross manner. You'll be looking for a Tiger next, to make the pair. Max Smart Agent 86 obviously new his cars.

I seem to remember that the Humber Vogue motor is almost identical to that of the Bellett G150. Is that right?

Thanks. When introduced in 1959 the Alpine had a number of features uncommon or absent on the cheaper sports cars (like the MGA)- like an 8 port alloy cylinder head, unitary construction, disc brakes, wind up windows - However some of the British traditionalists lamented comfort and civilisation it offered, preferring the kind of ride that loosened their fillings and the draughty side-curtains of the MGA.

While I'd like a Tiger, I couldn't justify the $50,000 to get one that was running, registered and worth driving. There is one for sale in Canberra at the moment for that price and it's OK but not brilliant. A mate of mine has a car that would be a good basis for a restoration, bur he want's $25,000 for that - I'd have to sell the Alpine and find another $8K even before I started fixing it up.

The Hillman/Humber/Sunbeam four cylinder motor certainly looks like the Bellett G150 - hardly surprising given their relationship - but internally they are different (different bore/stroke) and Brett tells me there is little parts interchangeability. eg The "1500" in the Hillman is 1494 cc, Bellett is 1471. There were two versions of the Hillman motor - iron head and alloy head - the latter was used for 'performance' cars like the Sunbeam Alpine/Rapier. The alloy head was actually designed/developed by Armstrong-Siddley and the curious thing is that it has a different port sequence, so you cant just swap heads - you have to swap cam, carbies and manifolds as well.

Cheers, Vic

Hi VK

Talking about Sunbeams.....Below are some photos of a Sunbeam that lives in my family - not quite the same as your Alpine and restored in the late sixties after being saved from a farm where is was used for keeping piglets in.
OHV, steel crank, ticks like a sewing machine, massive four speed box, weighs heaps and rod operated brakes




Your mention of Armstrong Siddeley also prompted me to post a photo of the Armstrong Siddeley Hurricane which lives in our shed, following a full nut and bolt resto in the 70s-80's. It is a 46 model with lovely silky smooth and torquey six cyl motor. It is great to drive. Some sections and panels such as bonnet are aluminium.

Yellowperil, Sorry I haven't replied sooner - just a bit slack at uploading the pics i wanted you to see.

First up is a Sunbeam of similar era to the one in your family.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o262 ... mKdark.jpg

This one was owned by a bloke called Billie DeGraf in Canberra, he sold it a couple of years ago to make way for a new project - restoring a Sunbeam engined special racer from the 1920s.

Now some Armstrong Siddeleys. There a quite a few in Canberra, these are from one of the car shows.
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o262 ... ge0075.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o262 ... ge0073.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o262 ... ge0072.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o262 ... ge0071.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o262 ... mS1BCD.jpg

Cheers, Vic

nice cars i like the boxiness of the hillman hunter myself, and its good to see one that has been regod all its life and not driven into the ground! oh the sporty one is a good looker too!

Some very nice Armstrong Siddeleys there Vic
thanks for taking the time to load them up.

Our Sunbeam has recently gone to Canberra also...too many cars and limited space