My first sunbeam...now where do I start?

[keems06]

Hello everyone,
I recently inherited a 1966 Series IV from a family friend who just didnt have time to work on her anymore. Well my work is set out for me to say the least. It's in rough shape but I just cant see a great car like this go the junkyard or parted out. From what I've been told it ran in 1977 until someone decided to put sugar in the gas tank.(My girlfriends dad worked for an engineering company and aparantly his coworkers were not happy that he was working while they were on strike) Anyways....It began having problems due to the sugar (I'm assuming) and the car wasnt a daily driver so it sat and sat and eventually was stored in a barn until just a few months ago when I uncovered it. It does turn over manually. I've started by removing the Solex carburator and the fuel pump. I've also removed both fuel tanks. The fuel pump didnt look that bad. I removed the glass bowl and found bad gas and some sugar residue on the base. I'm hoping the screen kept out the sugar out of the engine. For $40 I think I'll just replace the pump. The tanks are terribly rusty, and the pass side tank has (you guessed it) nearly 2 cups of sugar that is sticky and rusty stuck to the bottom. Is there any place you would recommend I take the tanks to be cleaned? I read on here that someone used Muriatic Acid to clean their tank...so I tried it, to no avail. Also where do I purchase the fuel lines from? I've checked the Victoria British Catalog and havent found any. Can they be purchased from a local car parts store? I'm very new to these cars, and to be honest I dont have a ton of knowledge about engines (but enough I think, and I'm definitely willing to learn) so if anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears. Thanks for any help!

and here are some pics to show you what it looked like immediately after uncovering.

 

[Dr.NO 007]

Hello "keems06"
welcome to the club and the forum. good luck on the rebuild.
since you say there is a lot of solidified sugar in the tanks, why not remove the tanks from the car and try poring boiling hot water into the tanks to soften, melt the sugar, repeat the hot water when it cools down then dump it out and use lacquer thinner to cleanout the tough gunk ? As for the gas lines a lot of people on this forum use Sunbeam Specialties. I also think a good brake shop could bend and cut steel gas lines to fit the alpine as long as they can get the right fittings for the connections.
Chuck

 

[Rodewaryer]

I have to personally compliment you on the decision to prevent this car from becoming a permanent loss. Excellent logic, and luck to you on the upcoming challenges.

Either someone has the year wrong (unless I'm mistaken as I have been before ahem....) or the designation of the car is incorrect. However you mentioned a solex carb and that most likely makes it a Series IV. Pretty sure that would make it a '64 or early '65. Cars made in '66 should have all been Series V's or Tigers if memory serves me correctly.

Dr.No 007 already made some pretty good suggestions on the tanks, and don't forget to clean out the crossover tube as well.

As for the fuel lines, I replaced mine with steel braided ones years ago so that's another option available to you. I had a shop in the local area do it and have had no issues since.

If Victoria British or Sunbeam Specialties can supply these 'new' that sounds like the most straight forward way to go. I wasn't aware they supplied steel lines or I'd have checked into that.

Once again, welcome to the forum and the very best of luck with the Beam! You'll find folks here are a really good source of information.

 

[Bill Blue]

Fuel line: I think steel brake tubing is the best deal. Its cheap, surprisingly easy to bend, is self supporting and will last. You can buy it in 25 ft coils. I used 5/16" and was able to make most of the needed bends by hand. There is no need to use tubing that large, 1/4" would work fine and be easier to bend. I started at the rear of the car and worked forward.

Fuel tanks. After cleaning them, be sure to re-coat the insides to prevent rust. Some guys do it themselves, others have it done. I used the POR 15 stuff and it seems to be holding up. Be sure to get something that can withstand ethanol, I think we may see the day all gasoline has at 10% of it.

Don't get too hung up on the year-Series thing. It was normal, back in the day, for imported cars to be titled as the model year the car was purchased. The first new car I ever purchased was "1963" Series II that was probably made in late 1960.

Bill

 

[65sunbeam]

You need to restore this Alpine! It looks to me like is a rare SIV GT-wood dash and steering wheel, probably has an overdrive as well and the color (midnight blue) and blue interior is a great combination. Does it have a soft top and topframe? You can clean your tanks with Simple Green and follow up with some phosphoric acid to etch out the rust-put a small chain inside and shake it around to break up the larger particles. Bill Hirsch sells some great gas tank sealer you can slosh around and seal the insides when you are done. I have used a lot of it and it works well to seal small pinholes and prevent future rust problems. Post some more photos and keep us informed-good luck! Eric

 

[sunalp]

Great save, and Erics correct, that's a GT! GT's are nice due to the better interior and wood dash and wheel. I have a 63 Series 3 Gt that I'm restoring and it is really great to see another being saved from the scrap yard!

When you have a chance, please send me your Vin # Sal # and engine # as well as the color code and I'll add it to the registry. We have registries for all Series, and Series IV has the least amount in it (compared to what was produced) so yours will be welcome.

As far as the gas tanks go, if they've has gas and sugar in them for as long as you say, I wouldn't bother trying to clean them as the rust probably has mad the bottoms of the tanks thin swiss cheese. I have a couple of tanks, from a Series IV I belive, that are available to replace yours. As far as I know, they're pretty rust free (If I recall correctly) and will bolt right into your car. PM me if your interested and we can talk from there.

Again, Great Save!!!!


Cheers!
Steve (keeper of the registry)

 

[TulsaAlpine]

Great Save


Wow another Series GT IV, and yours is in much better shape then the rust bucket I started with, seriously mine was left out in the field. Post all and any questions for everyone here will give you advise most very good, most opinions suggestions will be useful but doing what they say will depend on how much money and to what condition your restoring your Alpine too. We have two camps here the Purist that go with restoration to stock, and the Dark Side those that go with a V6 swap. Some of us are in the middle ground for mine was so rusted, deteriorated the goal was to get it back on the road the cheapest way possible, so we took some liberties with parts. It still has the original motor and tyranny, but new wiring harness, (GM) and I think they used mustang shocks since they fit instead of Koni's. After market gages since mine were busted by juvenile delinquents, and a hand made dash, I wish I still had all those toggle switches they are so cool. Make plans to attend the Sunbeam Invasion over labor day you will gain so much knowledge and many bring their surplus parts, cheap parts.

Donna

 

[mikephillips]

One thing on the fuel line, use what size is currently there. I've seen 5/16 and 1/4 inch used on these cars and while either one provides enough fuel flow you want something that with the compression fitting seals well to the tank crosstube. 1/4 inch into a 5/16 hole will leak.

 

[burgy711]

Another option on the tanks is to take them to a local radiator shop and have them boiled. Some shops will do this while I've found some that wont so call around. They can also line the tanks to prevent further rust issues. I've had this done on three sets and the expense wasn't that bad. Sure beats playing with acid and liquid liner in your garage. You can find do it yourself instructions on the Tigers United web site it you choose.

 

[Bill Blue]

Just so you won't get the wrong idea from Steve. Yes, you do have to play with acid in order to coat your tanks. You will have to use either pre-diluted zinc phosphate or phosphoric acid. Both are about as acidic as a soft drink. You have to be really stupid or try very hard to get into trouble with either. Muriatic acid is not needed nor recommended as the other two will do a better job.

If you are able to get your tanks stripped and sparkling clean on the inside, the hard part is done. A shop that will boil them out is probably worth the cost, but not many do it these days due to regulations regarding discharge to city sewers.

Bill

 

[SIVAllan]

The 'red aircraft stuff' that the radiator shops use to coat the interior might be worth the cost and effort to take the tanks (and crossover pipes) to a radiator shop.

They split the tanks open, boil 'em clean, apply the red coat liner, reseal and paint the tanks.

I've read that the red liner will outlast the car, no worries.

Allan

 

[howard]

Some advice: (IMHO)

• Your brakes are probably shot, and if you have the brake booster still hooked up you may have to bypass or replace it. Most times the brakes work fine without the booster once it's bypassed.

• If you smell gas after filling up (if anyone still does that) it may be the equalizer hose that runs behind the panel in the back seat area (connects both gas tanks). They get crispy after a few years.

• Get a fire extinguisher! They're cheap life insurance in these less-than modern cars. Seatbelts, too, even if the locals don't demand them.

Don't hesitate to seek advice from the experts on this site. They will save your bacon at times- I know this from personal experience. They're GREAT! (To quote the breakfast tiger...)

 

[Bill Tubbs]

I'll add it to the registry. We have registries for all Series,

I keep looking for the old registry... where'd it go?

 

[sunalp]

Hi Bill, When the website was upgraded, the registry was taken down to be reformatted for this forum. It's a project that's kind of stalled. Hopefully it will be back on here soon.
Cheers!
Steve

P.S., Don't worry, I have all the info backed up on CD's and have paper files
as well so the info is safe and won't be lost.

 

[ForzaDesign]

It looks like you have a very nice find. Looks to be a GT model. Does it have a soft top? The advantage you have is it isnt a basket case. My suggestion is to replace every rubber part you can think of. all are parts are available from Sunbeam Specialist at very reasonable prices. Id like to see more pics on.

thanks,
Jim

 

[keems06]

Wow I went to work for the day and I was amazed at how many replies I had gotten when I came home tonight! It's great to see that there are so many people so interested in this car. I was just "told" it was a 1966 however you guys are probably right on it being a '64 or '65 (I was given an owners manuel from a 1966 with the car so I just figured...). I will be sure to get the VIN and Engine #'s posted asap. I never thought of using boiling water to clean out that sugar. I guess I'll give that a try and we'll see what happens. If worst comes to worst, I'll just take them to a radiater shop like some of you mentioned. Do local hardware stores sell phosphuric acid and the gas lining liquids? Or will I have to go somewhere specific for that?

The car doesnt have a soft top. I found it with a removeable hard top. Does the GT model simply mean a different interior package? I will definitely be trying to keep it as original as possible within my spending limits (I'm a college student) so that means no V6, and certainly keeping that beautiful midnight blue color.

It's pretty late right now but I will be sure to take some more pictures of it tomorrow and get them posted asap. Thanks again for all the help on this guys, I will be sure to keep you all posted on it's progress.


Volvoguys: I pm'd you back about those tanks. If the system is down and you dont get it, just shoot me your email and I'll send you a message directly.

 

[Alpine Addict]

This is a linl to amn articles on this site explaining the differences between the sports and the GT. Basically the sports came with a soft top the GT with a hardtop (no soft top) and was better trimmed.

The first thing I would do is make the car safe. The brakes will need to be fully rebuilt, I recommend this on all of these cars as they are over 40 years old.The tires will also need to be replaced.

http://www.sunbeamalpine.org/index.php?categoryid=82&p2_articleid=12

 

[TulsaAlpine]

Grand Turismo


Since I have a GT here is the good and bad.
Start with the good: Heater, wood dash (not plastic), better insulation, hard top makes it a year around driver, carpet, more room behind the seats, yours may have Over Drive on the tyranny that would be a plus.
Now the Bad: That hardtop cannot be tucked in the boot, so if you take it off and drive it around as a convertible and get caught in a downpour drive real fast and don't stop your going to get wet.
Best alternative is a tonnue or the flat cover for the car it will protect the interior from the rain, sun and bird while it is parked. The tonnue unzips down the middle so the driver side is open but the rest of the cars interior is covered.
I had a older gentlemen at a local cruise-in inform me that I made my car into a GT since they are rare, not a very practical car really. I showed him the metal tag with the vin and it clearly states GT. Well I guess it is a GT, yes it is and dang it with our dicey weather here in Oklahoma seems I never get a chance to drive it, I hate the hard top and need a clear day to take my Vicki to work, and every day this week 30% chance of rain, dang it!
Have you seen the motorcycles under the overpasses while on a trip waiting for it to stop raining, well you will be joining them if you driving around with out the hard top, LOL

Donna

 

[tony perrett]

keems06 - You ask "now where do I start?". I would recommend that you buy a Workshop Manual and (probably more important) a Parts Manual. You will find them both to be invaluable when you get started on the restoration. I wish you every success. Tony.

 

[Bill Tubbs]

"Hi Bill, When the website was upgraded, the registry was taken down to be reformatted for this forum. It's a project that's kind of stalled. Hopefully it will be back on here soon."


Steve,

Gotcha. When I saw your reference to it I thought maybe it had made its way back on the forum. Good to know it's still 'almost' there

Thanks!

Bill