Nice SV, albeit in South Africa

[Alpine 1789]

I received the following via an email to the club account. It is probably cost prohibitive to import it to North America, but am forwarding it in case any of our world-wide members are interested. I have the original sender's email address and will share it with anyone who wants to follow-up further.

I AM FORWARDING THIS ON BEHALF OF A FRIEND. PLEASE USE THIS EMAIL ADDRESS AND I WILL FORWARD ALL CORRESPONDENCE.

Dear Jim,

My name is John Banks and I live in Johannesburg, South Africa. I am the current owner of a 1965/66 Sunbeam Alpine 1725cc Mark V. This vehicle is left-hand drive and is one of the few Sunbeam Alpines assembled in Germany. It was brought into South Africa about 1968, by a German immigrant. I bought the car from him in 1969 and it was even used by my wife and I on our honeymoon. In 1970, shortly after buying the car, I started the Sunbeam Club in South Africa and am the only Honorary Life Time Member.

This model, known as a GT, came standard with the normal steel detachable hard top, as well as a vinyl retractable soft top and tonneau cover. The car is about 95% original, with only minor modifications, due to the unavailability of original parts in South Africa and economic restrictions: i.e. the ZAR exchange rate. The car is totally rust free due to the dry South African climate, with original upholstery and is in perfect running condition.

Due to the current Covid19 restrictions not allowing much in the way of Club Fun Runs or gatherings, as well as my own restricted garaging/storage, I have decided to reluctantly sell the car. I have owned this car for about 50 years and having been a qualified mechanic, I have always kept the car in perfect condition. Due to the current economic conditions in South Africa and timewasters, I have been unable to sell the car locally. Therefore I am offering the car overseas and will be prepared to accept a good, but reasonable offer.

I am sending also this information to a number of Sunbeam Clubs, which I found on various Websites, as this particular car is not popular in South Africa due to it being left-hand drive.

I have attached pictures of the chassis plate and photos of the vehicle, including the German assembly plates.

If any of your members might be interested please let me know. Thanking you in anticipation of your interest.

Yours faithfully

JOHN BANKS

Tel: +27 (0) 66 202 2733
Home +27 (0)11 615 5704
I am on WhatsApp

 

[Gordon Holsinger]

An aftican violet!

 

[puff4]

Very pretty. But... someone drilled lightening holes in the bonnet latch?! Wow.... that's extreme.

One wonders what the access panel is next to the latch arm.... Hmm.....

I think the statement that "This model, known as a GT, came standard with the normal steel detachable hard top, as well as a vinyl retractable soft top and tonneau cover" is perhaps incorrect - this appears to be a regular Series V model and not a GT model.

Also, this appears to be a 'heater delete' car - note the plugged heater hose holes in the bulkhead.

From what one can see, it appears to be in good order. A few things under the bonnet are questionable in terms of originality (fuel pump, wiring, etc.), but nothing that couldn't be put right fairly easily.

I am concerned a bit about the left lower reinforcing strut mounting plate. It appears to be bent in a curve, which often means the car has taken a shunt to that side.

 

[DanR]

I don't believe it is a GT model. First the VIIN Plate would be stamped as such with the letters "GT" and from a tiny view of the door there is no GT Trim showing.

Nice looking Alpine though.

 

[alpine_64]

Assume that the car is an ex military purchase? The " african violets" were the CKD Tigers...

This car has a LRX Vin.. And oddly am SAE tag... Not SAL .... the south African assembled cars were all Right hand drive....

Wonder how this car ended up there

 

[husky drvr]

Assume that the car is an ex military purchase? The " african violets" were the CKD Tigers...

This car has a LRX Vin.. And oddly am SAE tag... Not SAL .... the south African assembled cars were all Right hand drive....

Wonder how this car ended up there

Made in (CKD) and shipped from Germany.

I don't believe it is a GT model. First the VIIN Plate would be stamped as such with the letters "GT" and from a tiny view of the door there is no GT Trim showing.

Nice looking Alpine though.

SV GT's weren't shipped to USA. Are SV GT's specs the same as sIV GT specs?

 

[alpine_64]

Made in (CKD) and shipped from Germany.



SV GT's weren't shipped to USA. Are SV GT's specs the same as sIV GT specs?

Svgt was broadly the same.. Same interior spec as earlier GT except the dash became walnut veneer over a normal bakerlite dash with standard cubby box surround instead of ply and avoided the need for different mounts for heater and glove box and deeper switch escutcheons.

Engine became identical spec as ST.


Re the CKD in Germany... Hence my bemusement... Exporting a lhd car to a rhd market.....hence a guess at military order... All the european LRO tigers bought in europe by USA servicemen

 

[Alpine 1789]

I confess that I didn't read the original letter with a critical eye, although I did find it strange that a 50-year owner (no less the founder of the Sunbeam Club in South Africa) would refer to his car as a "Mark V" rather than a "Series V". Now add in the fact that he seems confused by the GT/ST distinction. I Googled the original sender and he seems legit, but didn't come up with anything re: the owner, John Banks. To be safe, I have reached out to the Sunbeam Car Club of South Africa to see what they know about the owner and the car. Stay tuned...

 

[bernd_st]

We have a club member currently living in South Africa and he already asked regarding that car offered. Not even in my wildest phantasy I can imagine a SV " Made in Germany". Rather regard it a "home brewed" plate as German authorities required an additional Chassis identification plate back in those days. The car is quite reasonably priced and transport/duty to Germany wouldn't add up too much. Anyway, regard it a nice opportunity to buy a LHD early SV ...

 

[Alpine 1789]

I did not hear back from the club, so I would advise at least some caution. Like I said, the original sender checked out on Google, but the mistakes in the letter from the owner still seem a little 'off' to me. I can PM the contact details for the gentleman who send me the note ("I AM FORWARDING THIS ON BEHALF OF A FRIEND. PLEASE USE THIS EMAIL ADDRESS AND I WILL FORWARD ALL CORRESPONDENCE.") but since the owners phone number is in the letter that may not be necessary.

 

[Alpine Addict]

I do not believe this car is a GT. It does not state GT on the ID plate. I also note it has a softop, the sports dash, steering wheel and door cards

 

[DanR]

Also, Take note the Bonnet release "pull" has a rod not the custom wire normally seen on the SV.

 

[alpine_64]

I do not believe this car is a GT. It does not state GT on the ID plate. I also note it has a softop, the sports dash, steering wheel and door cards

Thats probably just a seller assuming a hardtop makes a car the GT...if you dont know the cars well you will read on the net "GT cars came with a hardtop".. And not look any deeper

 

[Alpine 1789]

Thats probably just a seller assuming a hardtop makes a car the GT...

That makes sense, but wouldn't you think a 50+ year owner, not to mention the founder of the Sunbeam Club of SA, would know better?

 

[husky drvr]

That makes sense, but wouldn't you think a 50+ year owner, not to mention the founder of the Sunbeam Club of SA, would know better?

Also, Take note the Bonnet release "pull" has a rod not the custom wire normally seen on the SV.

Jim and Dan,

I was just looking through the parts manual and noticed two small factoids concerning this car and applicable discussions.

The first is the bonnet release rod is correct for the car considering its VIN is well before the listed change to the cable operation.

( cable starts B395004386) Parts manual PDF pg. 305

The other is the VIN is NOT a CKD car. ( sV CKD VIN starts B395900001) PDF pg. 2

I will hypothesize the "Made in Germany" tag was applied to identify the car so the owner could bring the car back to Germany without having to deal with import duties, inspections, and paperwork. After change of ownership and time elapsed, I have no idea if that exemption might still exist.

Just a thought,

 

[DanR]

Thanks Don for your keen eye and ever so help in identifying SUnbeam "stuff"...

 

[bernd_st]

If my memory serves me right there was a time in the 60s/70s where it was mandatory to specify the weight rating on a car's VIN tag in Germany. Authorities could decline registration when it was not there . So that's why I believe it was home made to comply to the regulations. The "Made in Germany" appears an owner's joke addition in that context...