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1963 Sunbeam Harrington Lemans
- Thread starter bobs_diehl
- Start date
A
AlpineIan
Yes guys... it's pretty rough. Had to pay a pretty penny for it, but between this car and the others I have I will be able to make a complete car out of it.
It's interesting because it's a home market car that is very late in production. Notice that it has no rear vents behind the quarter windows. LeeAnn says they do have the british license plates for the car somewhere... I sure hope she can find them!
I have already located a donor body for this car and I will begin restoration on it this year.
It had a replacement engine with no serial number... 1600cc with Stromberg Carbs.
The steering wheel is not a Carlotti... it's a Sterling Moss. Looks very much like the correct Carlotti. but has not got the swirled engine turning on the spokes.
Original color was 39 Carnival Red, repainted 26 Pippin Red, repainted white. with tons of body work. There was a 2 inch thick layer of fiberglass and body filler around the entire bottom end of the car. The front valance was replaced at one time with a SV valance. Body is rusted almost in half.
It was also a factory steel wheel car. Not all Harringtons had wire wheels.
I think there may be a story behind how this car got to the USA. Seems odd that a HRO LeMans would end up in New Washington, Ohio out in the middle of no where. No one would ever have found this car had Lee Ann not brought it to our attention. It was sitting out in the open, but this town isn't the kind of place you just happen to drive through on the way to somewhere else. You have to go out of your way and want to go to New Washington to find it. Amazing. You never know where these things will turn up.
Looks a bit better with those wheels. Notice that this car has no rear vent behind the quarter windows. The top has now been removed and the body is almost completely stripped. The rear valance was solid fiberglass and body filler. It all came off in one piece with little effort.
It's interesting because it's a home market car that is very late in production. Notice that it has no rear vents behind the quarter windows. LeeAnn says they do have the british license plates for the car somewhere... I sure hope she can find them!
I have already located a donor body for this car and I will begin restoration on it this year.
It had a replacement engine with no serial number... 1600cc with Stromberg Carbs.
The steering wheel is not a Carlotti... it's a Sterling Moss. Looks very much like the correct Carlotti. but has not got the swirled engine turning on the spokes.
Original color was 39 Carnival Red, repainted 26 Pippin Red, repainted white. with tons of body work. There was a 2 inch thick layer of fiberglass and body filler around the entire bottom end of the car. The front valance was replaced at one time with a SV valance. Body is rusted almost in half.
It was also a factory steel wheel car. Not all Harringtons had wire wheels.
I think there may be a story behind how this car got to the USA. Seems odd that a HRO LeMans would end up in New Washington, Ohio out in the middle of no where. No one would ever have found this car had Lee Ann not brought it to our attention. It was sitting out in the open, but this town isn't the kind of place you just happen to drive through on the way to somewhere else. You have to go out of your way and want to go to New Washington to find it. Amazing. You never know where these things will turn up.
Looks a bit better with those wheels. Notice that this car has no rear vent behind the quarter windows. The top has now been removed and the body is almost completely stripped. The rear valance was solid fiberglass and body filler. It all came off in one piece with little effort.
65beam
Donation Time
harrington
ian,
the lip above the tailights looks odd.did they reconfigure it at sometime? fyi:the steering wheel for my red car did not have the swirl marks on it.other than not having the stirling moss on it it is identical to the wheel that was available for mga's of that time.
ian,
the lip above the tailights looks odd.did they reconfigure it at sometime? fyi:the steering wheel for my red car did not have the swirl marks on it.other than not having the stirling moss on it it is identical to the wheel that was available for mga's of that time.
A
AlpineIan
I'll bet it did have the swirls at one time... I think they were polished off very easily. My Red LeMans had them polished off over time. After I took it off the hub I could see them.
The lip is exactly the same as other LeMans tops. It's just the angle of that picture.
The lip is exactly the same as other LeMans tops. It's just the angle of that picture.
65beam
Donation Time
harrington wheel
ian,
i have had this car for twenty five years and i don't remember it ever having the swirl marks then ,plus it has less than 25000 original miles on it so who knows. i took the original wheel off in 1996 and it has been in a box ever since.it's too big for me to drive with any comfort.
ian,
i have had this car for twenty five years and i don't remember it ever having the swirl marks then ,plus it has less than 25000 original miles on it so who knows. i took the original wheel off in 1996 and it has been in a box ever since.it's too big for me to drive with any comfort.
A
AlpineIan
Yah... they are pretty flimsy too. Almost every one I've ever seen was broken... Did yours break or is it still in tact?
4
4beams
"63" Was A Good Year"
Ever wonder why "63" Chevys,Fords.ect never seem to be this trashed?
Ever wonder why "63" Chevys,Fords.ect never seem to be this trashed?
65beam
Donation Time
harrington wheel
JAN,
i would not use the wheel even if it was perfect due to the size of it .due to my physical size,i am not comfortable having my legs hit the wheel every time i shift gears .i also have smaller aftermarket wheels on the other cars except for jeans series 5.i have all the parts on hand to put a later series gas pedal in the moonstone car so that i can have a more comfortable pedal .the early one sets to far out to suit me and my legs.
JAN,
i would not use the wheel even if it was perfect due to the size of it .due to my physical size,i am not comfortable having my legs hit the wheel every time i shift gears .i also have smaller aftermarket wheels on the other cars except for jeans series 5.i have all the parts on hand to put a later series gas pedal in the moonstone car so that i can have a more comfortable pedal .the early one sets to far out to suit me and my legs.
A
AlpineIan
Bob Webb stopped over and visited with me the other day. He got to take a good look at this Harrington and I think he was shocked to see how rusty it was. I had a good time talking Harrington talk with him (even though Scott Christie scolded me for talking with Bob and not working on his S3! ) Give Scott some crap Bob!
Bob... I know you told me the name of the place where you got that rubber trim... but now I've already forgotten... can you tell me again please?
My Wedgewood Blue Harrington went to Jerry's paint shop on Saturday for a repaint. Finally going to get the roof and the damage from the tire blow out fixed. I did the prep work and Jerry is going to shoot the paint. Hope to have it back in 2 to 3 weeks and I'm sure it will be finished to still enjoy this summer. I have a fresh rebuild on the original engine, new 3.70:1 rear end, new OD and tranny rebuild, so everything in the drive train is now nice new and pretty. Now all the details will be finished and it will finally be the way I want it.
Next, I'm starting the restoration on Dave Kellogg's Harrington Alpine along with Jan's 2nd LeMans and the rebody project of the RHD LeMans I just bought. Might as well do all of these Harrington at the same time. All I need to complete the set will be Tiger Tom's Le Mans and Eric Gibeaut's Wedgewood Blue LeMans projects. I could do all these cars at the same time guys and save everyone some money! I need more work! Oh yah... Bob, I could squeeze Jean's Moonstone LeMans in there too... Wouldn't that be a sight... 6 Harrington's in the shop for restoration!
) Give Scott some crap Bob!Bob... I know you told me the name of the place where you got that rubber trim... but now I've already forgotten... can you tell me again please?
My Wedgewood Blue Harrington went to Jerry's paint shop on Saturday for a repaint. Finally going to get the roof and the damage from the tire blow out fixed. I did the prep work and Jerry is going to shoot the paint. Hope to have it back in 2 to 3 weeks and I'm sure it will be finished to still enjoy this summer. I have a fresh rebuild on the original engine, new 3.70:1 rear end, new OD and tranny rebuild, so everything in the drive train is now nice new and pretty. Now all the details will be finished and it will finally be the way I want it.
Next, I'm starting the restoration on Dave Kellogg's Harrington Alpine along with Jan's 2nd LeMans and the rebody project of the RHD LeMans I just bought. Might as well do all of these Harrington at the same time. All I need to complete the set will be Tiger Tom's Le Mans and Eric Gibeaut's Wedgewood Blue LeMans projects. I could do all these cars at the same time guys and save everyone some money! I need more work!
Oh yah... Bob, I could squeeze Jean's Moonstone LeMans in there too... Wouldn't that be a sight... 6 Harrington's in the shop for restoration!
Bob Webb stopped over and visited with me the other day. He got to take a good look at this Harrington and I think he was shocked to see how rusty it was. I had a good time talking Harrington talk with him (even though Scott Christie scolded me for talking with Bob and not working on his S3!
Absolutely NOT true!
My boys sure enjoyed seeing Mr. Ian's boneyard of Alpines, and my 3 year old almost killed himself running to see Ian's Lotus Elan chassis. He's going to be a gear head yet.
A
AlpineIan
Bob... Scott will never find it. I won't tell if you don't!
A
AlpineIan
Rust problem.
Here's how rusty this Harrington was
... yes, that's where the cross member meets the frame in the engine compartment. This is how the entire frame looks!
I literally removed the floors with a vaccuum cleaner! The only thing holding the front half of the car to the back was the area above the tunnel hump!
Here's how rusty this Harrington was
... yes, that's where the cross member meets the frame in the engine compartment. This is how the entire frame looks!
I literally removed the floors with a vaccuum cleaner! The only thing holding the front half of the car to the back was the area above the tunnel hump!
A
AlpineIan
How to fillet a Sunbeam
I had to do it. The body was so far gone that there was simply no way it could ever be fixed. In my opinion, only a fool would try to fix a body that bad. The entire frame was rusted away on the bottom half. This car will get rebodied. Notice that there is only one side of the x-member left. The rest of it is scattered on the drive way and will get cleaned up with a broom.
This is all that remains... in addition to the top and Harrington goodies!
I had to do it. The body was so far gone that there was simply no way it could ever be fixed. In my opinion, only a fool would try to fix a body that bad. The entire frame was rusted away on the bottom half. This car will get rebodied. Notice that there is only one side of the x-member left. The rest of it is scattered on the drive way and will get cleaned up with a broom.
This is all that remains... in addition to the top and Harrington goodies!
Jeff Scoville
Donation Time
Air chisel $80.00, cutting torch $400.00, Milwaukee Sawzall PRICELESS!
There is no better way to chop a car.
I just did the same thing to a Series II yesterday.
While I'm thinking of it, here's the #'s for the registry.
B9104748 LRX color 39 Body No 4713 (RIP 5-15-07)
There is no better way to chop a car.
I just did the same thing to a Series II yesterday.
While I'm thinking of it, here's the #'s for the registry.
B9104748 LRX color 39 Body No 4713 (RIP 5-15-07)
A
AlpineIan
Interesting bit of info that have come up about this car. The back sides of the interior panels and knee bolsters have the word "show" written on them. Makes me wonder if this was a show car? Any thoughts? Could be that that would be the side of the panel showing after upholstered too... but I've not seen that on other cars in the past. Hummm...