As the frequently ignored third leg of the everyman British sports car trio (MGB, Triumph TR, Sunbeam Alpine), the Sunbeam Alpine often doesn’t get the consideration it deserves. And as if that’s not bad enough, it also lives in the shadow of its hot-rod hybrid brother, the Tiger. So let’s take a look at the Alpine, which featured greater civility than its competition while maintaining a decent power output and slightly more flamboyant style than the competition. Check out this 1965 Sunbeam Alpine for sale for $2250 near Concord, CA.
Although the car was running when it went into storage 30 years ago, and the engine still turns over, the seller suggests building a Tiger clone, also known as an Alger. But let’s not be so obvious – maybe there are some other good options for this that would also result in a cool name: pull the PRV V6 out of a Renault and make a Renault Alpine? Pull the inline 6 from an Alpina BMW and make an Alpina Alpine? How about the V6 from a Mercury Villager to make the Alpine Village?
Joking aside, this is a sweet little car in an appealing medium blue color. The black interior seems to include seats from a late 1980s Alfa Romeo spider, which is interesting since their installation would have happened after the car went into storage. The black California plates confirm long-term residence in that state.
As with all old cars, there are some odds and ends in the trunk. Would you take on this little project in the name of keeping the alternative choice alive?
Tags: alpine, british, convertible, Feature, sunbeam
Rusty But Trusty 
September 12, 2014 at 4:21 am |
I always liked these cars, and it certainly got the best ‘role’ in a TV show, vs the MGB or TR, as Maxwell Smart’s car in the early years of Get Smart – until replaced by a lowly Karmen Ghia in later years…. I think maybe Agent 99 made him get something more reliable when they got married.