Getting To The "Rootes" Of The Matter...

[MidcenturyMillennial]

Greetings all, from the banks of the Missouri, dead center of the US!

I'm brand new to Sunbeam (and British auto) ownership, having enjoyed (mis)adventures over the past decade with Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Mercury, Honda, Toyota, Chrysler, Volkswagen and most recently, Mercedes-Benz.

I've been searching this season for something with a four cylinder and a manual to scoot around town with, and now I eagerly await this 1963 model's arrival from sunny Cally-for-nye-eyy. The seller told me that "only a battery and a brake job" are needed for it to be a driver. What could possibly go wrong?

In my initial perusal of this forum, I've already discovered that I will have to ascertain the exact build date of my "new" Alpine, as '63 seemingly straddles the end of Series II and the beginning of Series III (Although I'm sure you cats can take one look at these listing photos and tell right off!).

Speaking as a tall drink of water (6'3", 35" inseam, size 13 shoe), I'm already anticipating adjustments needed to squeeze every spare centimeter of room out of the cabin (adjusting pedals, remove flip bar under the seat, etc.)

In any case ,thanks very much in advance for making me welcome! I'm glad to have this resource as I start this new chapter of motoring.

 

[alpine_64]

Car is a series 3 and appears to have an iron head hillman motor with a series I/II header tank ...quite the mix

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

Oh, Wow! That's neat to hear. Gotta love a transition year special. Good mix or bad mix?

 

[RootesRooter]

Welcome to Sunbeaming! That's a nice-looking Series III. It sounds like you've already found the pedal adjustments? It's only two-position, but for us taller guys, it makes a big difference. With VIN in hand, you can look up the week of production here under "Tech Data." Like many 60-year-old cars, yours appears to have been modified. From the valve cover, it looks like your engine was replaced, probably with a cast-iron head model, that puts out a few less horsepower than stock. But who buys an Alpine for acceleration anyway! Oddly, the steering wheel appears to have come from an earlier Series car.

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

Har! Well-Said, Rooter! Many Thanks for the tip.

If mine is indeed a series III, does that mean: A), it has the telescoping steering wheel? And B) I can track down a hardtop for it (which would otherwise not fit a Series II)?

 

[Warren]

Unfortunately the S3 shares the same hard top as the Tigers and late Alpines making it an expensive option.
That's one tired looking radiator hose but good looks like fun.

 

[volvoguys]

Here's a thread you may be interested in reading:

eBay: Series 3 with a Series II VIN B9112356

Just a heads-up: Now on eBay is auction 334840233745, a Series 3ST Alpine claimed to be a Series II. The seller claims the VIN is B9112356 and that it comes with a “clean title”. But based on the few (5) pics offered, the body presents obviously as a later-production car and has likely had a VIN...

forum.sunbeamalpine.org

Mark

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

Warren, Mark, many thanks t'you both. Welp, that's a helluva thing.

I'll admit, I'm a mite embarrassed at having not done my due diligence beforehand, but I'm not *terribly worried, as I'm not out to win any car show trophies or street races. As long as I can register the car and drive it, I'll be content. The mention of rust damage in the trunk is new to me. In my contact with the seller (who was a lady, for what that's worth), I was assured that only "surface rust" was present on the undercarriage and the underside of the driver's door. Oh well. We'll see what the car looks like when it arrives. I'm anxious to see the passenger side!

 

[hartmandm]

I'm a bit taller than you and I don't find the Alpine cramped. I didn't adjust the pedals. You already know about the seat level adjustment, so that will be a big help.

Congrats on the purchase and have fun with the project. Welcome to the club!

Mike

 

[Bill Blue]

It seems that the a person's driving position is critical to the cars ability to accommodate drivers. Do you seat bolt upright in the car, knees together (legs scraping the steering wheel) or seat laid back, right leg against the tranny tunnel and left leg against the door? Makes a huge difference.
Bill

 

[alpine_64]

Ok... Some serious questions about this car...

I'm wondering if it's had an ID swap.

The screen, seats and soft top and folding panels are all series 3.

The steering column and dash and cooling are series II..

I zoomed in on the VIn.. and it's Series II vin.. B91...

We need to see photos of the inside of the boot and rear suspension to determine what it is.

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

Mike, Bill, Thanks very much for the warm words of welcome! I found that in warm weather, I could sit up straight in my MB 560 SL because the soft-top was convex, but when the concave hardtop was on, I was obliged to recline as much as possible and spend the Winter driving in a lounge position.

Sounds as though I've got a Frankenbeam on my hands! Once the car finally arrives, I'll be sure to flood this forum with photos. I'm looking forward to the knowledgeable commentary from you all!

 

[Aladin Sane]

I am quit a bit taller than the OP at 6' 8", and I have a wider trans tunnel to deal with because of my v8 conversion. I will be addressing some of my legroom issues with a tilt steering column so that there is room for my knees beside the wheel. A pretty common driving position for me all my life.

Brian

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

Brian, you've given me hope!

No way to know how well I'll fit until the car ultimately arrives. Should be an enlightening experience all around!

 

[Aladin Sane]

Brian, you've given me hope!

No way to know how well I'll fit until the car ultimately arrives. Should be an enlightening experience all around!

The alpine is considerably more roomy in the cabin than an equivalent mg or triumph.

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

The alpine is considerably more roomy in the cabin than an equivalent mg or triumph.

That definitely factored into my car-snooping criteria! I had occasion to test a '74 MGB GT recently, and I was surprised to find myself quite comfortable inside. That bodes well for the Alpine!

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

Well lads, the title came in the mail today, along with a seriously outdated Iowa registration and more questions than answers. You'll note that the car with this VIN, whether that's indeed the car I've bought, was white in 2016. Where was it exported to, I wonder?

 

[MidcenturyMillennial]

Port of Houston, indeed.

 

[Aladin Sane]

That car has some strange story to tell. I doubt you ever get to the bottom of it. Odd that it came to a small town in iowa in 2016. BTW, I live in Iowa. Cedar Rapids.

 

[todd reid]

FYI - I added a wood rimmed steering wheel a few years back that required using an adaptor that moved the steering wheel a couple inches closer to the driver. It made a huge improvement to legroom -I wish I had done this 20 years earlier.