First post from new Alpine owner in NC

[Callasports]

I am very excited about being here and starting to learn about the '67 Sunbeam that found me last weekend... Don't know how many of you visit BringATrailer.com, but there you'll find a very brief story and photo of this car beginning its journey from Wash, DC to N. Carolina.

Not new to cars - grew up with a great Dad and a bossy older brother where we restored some older Fords in the 70's and early 80's. The last 20 years, which is hard to believe how fast time flies..., have revolved mostly around Miatas. But, this Sunbeam will be my first step back - or forwards - to a pre-ECM and no-EFI equipped bundle of joy - or frustration - just depends on a person's point of view!

Anyway, we got the Alpine home safely Sunday nite, backed under the shelter, unhooked the trailer, and haven't had time to see it since! Can't wait for the weekend to discover all the goodness that this roadster has to share. And, when the mailman finally delivers the original owner's thick folder of receipts, notes, or whatever, then the story should get better.

The next step for me is to have a local, knowledgeable Sunbeam enthusiast look it over and share his thoughts and advice before I put the first wrench or rag on it... Hope to preserve as much of the original patina as possible. One thing is for certain, the 1974 PA inspection sticker will remain on the windshield.

Keep you posted. Thanks, PMC

 

[Series6]

PMC,

Welcome to our happy group. Thanks for rescuing the car. Looks like you have a nice piece to start with. Make sure you get the VIN to us so we can make sure it's in the Registry.

 

[George Coleman]

I saw this car looks like you got a good one. There is a British Car show Sat. at North Hills Mall, I will be there with my Tiger, I am giving the Alpine a rest after the Invasion. I would like to see your car and give you any help you need as I live in Burlington NC. Hope to see you George Coleman give me a call 336-226-2139

 

[MikeH]

PMC, it's too bad, you just missed the Alpine Invasion in Hendersonville 2 weeks ago.

 

[Callasports]

Thanks George. I will give you a call. I'll try and find out more about Sat's event - I believe I can squeeze it in the morning - I'd imagine that it would be in full swing by 10 or so...

I have another George from Raleigh that's supposed to come eyeball it tomorrow late afternoon in Willow Spring, NC (SE of Raleigh) & comment on what we have on our hands. This George, from what I know of him, currently has an Alpine and has had several Tigers and Alpines dating back to the 70's.

Talk to you soon. Pat

 

[Callasports]

Hey Mike! Oh.., if you could have seen the look on my face when I discovered on this Monday that the Invasion JUST occurred and was held only a few hours away Just my luck.

I need to dig up some old photos I took back when I lived in Charleston, SC in the late 80's and early 90's when I walked through an organized meet of Tigers and Sunbeams -- must have been approx 50 - 60, maybe? I can still recall 2 or 3 cars vividly - just stunning looks, stance, and detail. -> everything my Alpine IS NOT as of now!

 

[SIVAllan]

Nice car -- good luck with it

 

[TulsaAlpine]

Welcome Pat

Thanks for rescuing another one of our Alpines, looks like a good starter not a complete rust bucket like some of us picked for our projects. You’re in good company on the East Coast lots of very knowledgeable folks close to you. Since this is your first British car lets go over the language real quick. It is a bonnet not the hood, the top of the car (soft top or hard top) is the hood. The trunk is called the boot. A Sunbeam has a windscreen not a windshield and if it is not leaking oil you had better check to see if you need to add some, LOL. The electrical system will be haunted by the Prince of Darkness aka "Lucas" so take your chances while driving at night!

Donna

 

[Green67Alpine]

Welcome to the forum, as others have said, you will find friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful folks here. We hope to have as a member of our club, this forum is just a part of it. Nothing like getting one back on the road.

Tom l

LOVE the color

 

[Callasports]

Thanks for the warm welcome and even a tutorial on proper terminology My friends won't be able to understand me any more... Talked to George C today - he was most generous with his time and shared his passion for these gorgeous little cars. Will see him tomorrow at a British car show at Raleigh's North Hills & excited about seeing his Tiger. Should be pretty awesome!

Watching Butterfield 8 with Liz Taylor. That's a pretty MG she's driving!

 

[Callasports]

Making space in father-in-law's shop

Safely rolled the Alpine off the trailer and pushed it up hill & into the shop for the upcoming revitalization. Today was the first day in my 2 week ownership when I've had a chance to inspect the car since hauling it home from DC. To allow for plenty of room for my father-in-law's boat and to make the car easy to move around, I purchased 2 pairs of dollies from Northern Tool. (I've been looking for a good excuse to get these for quite some time & the Sunbeam was it!) I then gave the Alpine a "sponge bath" with a soapy rag and "rinsed" it with clean, wet towels to knock off some serious dust that it had accumulated from sitting under the shelter...

After that, I compounded and waxed 1/2 the hood and LF fender to see how good or bad the original green paint will look. And so far, I'm fairly satisfied that this car should remain as a Survivor - with minimal cosmetic improvements other than some new lenses, rubber products, and carpet - just to name a few. Looks like I do have an extra set of headlight rims & I may need them! - but they appear to be just bare metal. My existing LH headlight trim is beaten up and even split on the lower outside portion so I need to figure out what I want to do there. I will have to decide how to paint the very bottom of the rockers and front pan. There just isn't enough paint protection there for future road use.

Side note: the LF hubcap received a serious scrubbing with soap & water and then some brisk action with the rubbing compound. I certainly hope a 4th hubcap will appear in the several boxes of goodness stored in the trunk...

 

[Callasports]

Exterior clean & buff

Slow, forward progress on the Forest Green with (mostly) original paint. The LH rear quarter was repaired rather well in the distant past - the tell-tale primer was under the taillamp assy... I removed the original trunk carpet and cardboard side panels with care & was pleased to see the trunk floor clean and showing no signs of rot .

Monday was my introduction to using a random orbital buffer and some Meguir's buffing/ polishing compound. That's simply amazing how much better the results are with this tool than working the buffing compounds by hand!!! The next pics should show a buffed and then hand-polish job on the old, old paint. I'm simply amazed by how durable the paint is on this car.

 

[George Coleman]

looking good!!!

 

[puff4]

Very nice indeed. It is unusual that the primer didn't get painted... I suspect the person used this car as a daily driver around the time it was repaired... once the panel was banged out, filled and primered, he popped the taillights back in so he could drive it, and then later on he applied the colour coat... and instead of removing the lights once again he simply taped them up.

 

[Callasports]

I like your speculation as to why the PO didn't allow enough time to go the extra small step to have paint under the LH taillight, Kevin. Now, I have something else to wonder and worry about - gotta love the mysteries that these sort of old cars hold sometimes...

Thanks for the comments. I was starting to wonder if I was the only one reading my posts

 

[Jim E]

Welcome aboard. There is a nest of us Sunbeam owners in your area and you are just a short drive away from SCAT!!! which is located in Columbia SC.

 

[65sunbeam]

It is good to hear of another Sunbeam owner nearby! Our next big SCAT event (so sorry you missed the Invasion) will be the SOS held on Oct. 1+2 in Columbia, SC in conjunction with the Columbia British Car Club's show at Weston Lake. Last year we had over a dozen Sunbeam there of all shapes and sizes. Eric

 

[Callasports]

Very cool... I hope to check out some local Alpines - need ideas and suggestions on how to best proceed.

Looks like I may need to make a road trip to Cola, SC in the fall - although, the only way this SV could attend this year would be on a trailer! Is there a link or any add'l info on the event? Do out-of-state'rs ever earn SCAT status? ...Something about NCAT just doesn't work, does it? Maybe that's why there isn't such a club, I guess.

 

[65sunbeam]

Here is a link to the show
http://www.bccmc.com/index.php/cbc-iv/
Hope we will see you there! Eric

 

[Nickodell]

Since this is your first British car lets go over the language real quick. It is a bonnet not the hood, the top of the car (soft top or hard top) is the hood. The trunk is called the boot.

Donna

And don't forget, they're wings, not fenders, tyres,not tires. And it's gearbox, not transmission. If you want to be true to the manufacturing period, it's also rev counter, not tachometer, and flashers, or indicators, not turn signals., and hand brake, not emergency brake. The thing with the instruments mounted in it used to be called the facia (or fascia), and even dashboard.