MGB or Sunbeam Alpine?

[Jimjordan2]

The one thing I noticed and it is a big deal for anybody over 6 feet tall, the doors are really small compared to the Alpine. Hard for older taller bodies to get in and out of.
Now last year at the Queens English Show, the Son-in-law brought his very nice MGB, and he got lost in the mass of MGBs there. Lots and lots of them. Conversely, when the Alpines are there, they get lots of attention. The design lines of an Alpine are so much better. Chick car? Nah..................

 

[Alpine 1789]

• The MG has ... FAR more go fast part options.

This is the only thing that really appeals to me about the MG over the Alpine. I get jealous whenever I look through something like a Moss catalog. I could easily see myself owning a B if I had never headed down the Alpine path, but there is no going back on that one for me.

And, while I have never driven an MGA, this is really appealing to me: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1957-mg-mga-roadster-6/ Not so much that I am going to bid - too many other things going on right now - but I always liked the lines of the MGA (and other British roadsters of that vintage) and adding a supercharged B engine seems like a very nice upgrade!

 

[65beam]

The Alpine does allow easier entrance and exit when you're over six feet and older. The series 4 replaced an MGB back in the 60's. Dad had two reasons for buying it. A single carb and more room. I remember we test drove a Sprite and when we pulled off the lot he said "I don't think so". The salesman had a funny look on his face when Dad asked him how to lower the top so he could get out. We have attended the Pittsburgh show for 20+ years and you'll find two full length rows of B's and many TR's. If you look to the back right you'll see one of the couple Beams at the 2017 event.

 

[Alpine66]

Heresy!

 

[67Survivor]

There is a reason that nobody notices an MG drive by...

 

[67Survivor]

As for Chick car: Damn straight it's a chick magnet. As a single guy, that works in my favor.

 

[MikeH]

There is a reason that nobody notices an MG drive by...

That is not true. Even with rubber bumper Bs I always get comments.

 

[Jay Laifman]

A few responses:

I've yet to drive a TR6 that I cared for. And yet I've so much wanted to like their straight 6 and more "modern" drive. So, I've tried, with no luck. Michael's description is right on. I have driven and really liked TR3s.

On the chick car thing, I know I was the first to mention it, but even in the Porsche world, they call some of the Porsche's chick cars. In fact, I've kind of come to a realization that for some especially macho guys (read: weak egos) any convertible is a chick car, anything without a V8 is a chick car, in fact, anything short of an F350 truck is at risk of being labeled for chicks! (not that there's anything wrong with that).

 

[Alpine 1789]

anything short of an F350 truck is at risk of being labeled for chicks!

My daughter had an F250, so I guess that proves it!

 

[oLD lIMEY]

I have an S3GT. And at the moment am restoring a MGA. Biggest thing I have noticed (not driven the A yet) is the weight of things. The A has all All aloy gearbox, Alpine cast iron. Aloy pumpkin. And the S3 bumpers must weigh 2 1/2 times the A ones. Plus aloy hood,door skins and trunk lid on the A. But must admit the Alpine dose drive nice.

 

[Ken Ellis]

Just a brief note of clarification: chick car ≠ chick magnet Carry on.

 

[todd reid]

I think we need some clarification of terms - chick car can be interpreted two ways:

chick car = chick magnet (think XKE) = good thing! (at least for most of us)

chick car = secretaries car (for those of my non-PC era) (think Chrysler Sebring convertible) = put down!


(full disclosure: there is a Chrysler Sebring titled in my name - my daughter drives it. Would be a hell of a lot more fun/sporty with a manual trans)

 

[67Survivor]

Someone will want to double check these numbers, but I believe there were 660,000 MGBs made and under 60,000 Alpines. In Victoria BC where I live, MGbs are very common and have been for a long time. It is also quite likely that there are more working Tigers in Victoria than Alpines. This makes the Alpine a serious head turner. To the point that I don't drive it at times if I don't want to spend half my day talking about the car. People stop at my house and knock on the door, often starting by saying "I was driving by and thought that was an MGB, but when I saw it is a Sunbeam, I just had to stop. Not trying to hack on MGBs, just listing some of the reasons I passed over dozens of them and chose an Alpine instead. But DAMN, I'd like to have that many parts cars around....

 

[Jay Laifman]

FWIW, in England, they called it a "hairdresser's car." Perhaps that's not overtly sexist, and hairdressers are not a protected class. But I could expect that someone in England in the 60's would consider a "hairdresser" likely to be a "chick" anyway.

I don't think I've ever had someone thinks it's an MG. I have had "that boat car" and an Alfa Romeo more than once. The boat car irks me because I think the Amphicar does have a similarity but accentuates the worst features: short front, long rear, upright windshield. But I appreciate the Alfa reference because I do think the car has a small Italian influence.

 

[alpine_64]

I do think the car has a small Italian influence.

the siv/v does ... But not SI-3 ... The early cars are quite usa influenced

 

[Jay Laifman]

Agreed that the SIV-V have factual Italian design in them. But, I personally see more Italian flair in the S1-3 pointy fin design, especially if the non-peaked headlights like Howes original design are used. That flow was his intended design.

 

[GlennB]

For info "hairdresser's car" was considered a bit of an insult in the UK. It comes from the Alpine's smart and comfortable design, whereas at the time a sports car was praised over here if it was ugly and needed "man" power to drive it. It also didn't help that when the 1725cc engine was introduced Rootes failed to deliver a new works car to the UK press for a critical road test vs the MGB and the magazine had to borrow one being serviced at a dealership without checking its state of tune. The unfavourable report pretty much nailed the Alpine as 2nd best in the UK for the next half century. We all know better of course, and chick magnet is one universal phrase that I am familiar and agree with! It didn't seem to matter that a 1600cc Alpine won the UK Sports Car Championship in 1964 against an MGB or that it was raced pretty successfully in the USA. Actually we have all benefited by being able to buy our Alpines at a decently low price - but times are changing for good or bad.

 

[CArmudgeon]

I like Todd Reid's solution: an Alpine for sunny days and an MGB GT when it's not convertible weather. Pininfarina did a great styling job on the B GT, in my opinion. Personally, I'm not a fan of the "mini-Barracuda" Alpine GTs, but that would be an alternative if you wanted to keep it in the Rootes family...

 

[Jay Laifman]

And at risk of committing further sacrilege, I do like the B GT much better than the Harringtons (from an exterior design point of view, the Harrington interior design and build quality definitely appears to be on a totally higher plane). However, I will admit that I've never actually seen a Harrington in person. In pictures, they look a bit off compared to the tight and balanced lines of the GT. That said, there is one home built "Harrington" in the UK that showed up in the Horn ages ago that was fantastic. The roof line was much less bubbly, flowing back neatly, with perfectly shaped quarter windows. It was a metallic light green.

 

[DanR]

I like Todd Reid's solution: an Alpine for sunny days and an MGB GT when it's not convertible weather. ......

Still better an Alpine with both worlds, soft top for options of open cockpit and Hard top for bad weather, maybe longer trips.

An additional option for the Alpine is an A/C unit which I truly enjoy when I have the Hard top on.

Try it you may like it.

Save a lot on insurance with just one British Car if you are attempting to have options of choice

Of course it's very nice to have more than one, that's what my friend 65Sunbeam has to say