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Round Non-Peaked Headlight Rims

alpine_64

alpine_64

Donation Time
65beam said:
Michael,
I did say that they may have used the generic rims because they were cheap. lucas was stamping the round rims out in large quantities instead of having to cast them as they did the peaked rims for rootes. i don't remember anyone ever saying what car the rims used at sebring originally fit. someone needs to ask steve what he uses on the sebring car today. but how would they have used the MK 2 rims? the alpines raced at sebring in the early 60's. the first tiger had not even been built yet. the guy that restored my cars has a saying. " some modification required " . the rootes competition department could find a way to mount the round rims in a matter of minutes. maybe they saw the non peaked rims to be more aerodynamic. the bad thing is that no one will ever know the real reason.
Click to expand...


Bob... you are way off on the the "MKII" rims... If you had read any of the earlier posts.. and something i think someone with your considerable Sunbeam exposure should know... the non peaked rootes rims were used on the Hillman Husky in 1959 and on the Singer Gazelle. They existed before the Alpine production began, so they were available to Rootes at Sebring and LeMans.

Rootes used the generic round 7" rings on the LM Alpines and Tigers and on the '62 Sebring cars. If you noticed the Theodolli Sebring Harringotn and the Theodolli Alpine run the previous year ran the rootes non-peaked rims... so the factory could have if they wanted.

However the factory '61 Sebring cars used the rootes non peaked rims as did most of the alpines racing stateside from 61-63.. look at all the period pictures. Also the UK club racers often ran them as did the works rally Tigers on several events.

The rims Steve has on his Sebring car are correct for how the car as it ran at the race in '62.. when the car was first restored he had some of the non-peaked rootes ones.. which look better on the car.. but are not correct for his "as raced" spec.
 
RootesRooter

RootesRooter

Donation Time
65beam said:
Michael,
I did say that they may have used the generic rims because they were cheap. lucas was stamping the round rims out in large quantities instead of having to cast them as they did the peaked rims for rootes. i don't remember anyone ever saying what car the rims used at sebring originally fit. someone needs to ask steve what he uses on the sebring car today. but how would they have used the MK 2 rims? the alpines raced at sebring in the early 60's. the first tiger had not even been built yet. the guy that restored my cars has a saying. " some modification required " . the rootes competition department could find a way to mount the round rims in a matter of minutes. maybe they saw the non peaked rims to be more aerodynamic. the bad thing is that no one will ever know the real reason.
Click to expand...

As posted earlier, Rootes first used the Mk II Tiger, late Series V style non-peaked rims on the last of the Mark Huskies and on the Series I Singer Gazelle around 1958 or so. It seems like Rootes should have had a few rims lying around the spare parts bin just three years later. They look so much better, cleanly matching the body contour, than the plain round ones.
 
alpine_64

alpine_64

Donation Time
Rootes built cars all over the world Bob, and the headlight rims were available in Australia in the late 50's, UK and USA. They had access to the headlight rims at all locations. it's not like the comps department didn't have access to them.

The comps department had access to the rims given they had used them on the Rapier rally and circuit cars and as mentioned had used them on the Sebring cars in 61.

In fact if you look at the photos of rootes testing the Alpinein 61 at silverstone to decide about entering Sebring the car had the Rootes non peaked rims.

basically most Rootes comp cars and supported cars ran the rootes non peaked rims, but for some reason the 62 sebring cars didnt and neither did the LM tigers and LM Alpines.. yet the rally Tigers did and at the same time other cars they prepared did. It was not an accessibility issue.
 
65beam

65beam

Donation Time
rims

now that we have brought these non peaked rims to the attention of a bunch of folks I bet those that have several sets will list them on e bay. they may bring in a lot of money.
 
alpine_64

alpine_64

Donation Time
65beam said:
now that we have brought these non peaked rims to the attention of a bunch of folks I bet those that have several sets will list them on e bay. they may bring in a lot of money.
Click to expand...

That's moving off topic yet again Bob... you have a habit of doing this when in a bit of a hole/corner.. but to answer what you have said most of us in the sunbeam community are more interested in our cars than turning a quick $ unlike some... should we be looking for a flourish of rims listed by 65beam on ebay?

I have several NOS sets of the non peaked rims, both chrome and in factory primer, they wont be going on ebay.. they will be held as spares for myself or others. I gave a NOS one to a fellow member when his fell off his car and was destroyed on a freeway a few years back as thanks for all his help he gave me over the years.
 
65beam

65beam

Donation Time
rims

you won't be seeing me sell rims for awhile. I still have two harringtons and a tiger to finish first. remember that the old guy mates the fender and rims for a good smooth fit.
 
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