Sunbeam Alpine 3 ... New to me

[BLAIRD]

I never imagined 2 months ago that I would be here today.
I wasn't looking for a classic car, it just happened and now I am immersed and learning as much as I can.
Does it really only have 9400 miles on it, and if so, how does that even happen?
I dropped by my mechanics to get work done on one of our cars, and he was working on this Alpine for the owner who had imported it from Ireland in 2020, and then never really drove it.
I couldn't resist. And I love it.
Twin Zenith carbs ... and what appears to be all original parts under the hood and elsewhere.
So much more exploring to do.
Today was a great day for a drive.

 

[Scotty]

I never imagined 2 months ago that I would be here today.
I wasn't looking for a classic car, it just happened and now I am immersed and learning as much as I can.
Does it really only have 9400 miles on it, and if so, how does that even happen?
I dropped by my mechanics to get work done on one of our cars, and he was working on this Alpine for the owner who had imported it from Ireland in 2020, and then never really drove it.
I couldn't resist. And I love it.
Twin Zenith carbs ... and what appears to be all original parts under the hood and elsewhere.
So much more exploring to do.
Today was a great day for a drive.

Congratulations!! The Series 3's are imo the best of both worlds; fins AND a usable trunk!

 

[BLAIRD]

Congratulations!! The Series 3's are imo the best of both worlds; fins AND a usable trunk!

Thanks Scotty. I do feel extremely lucky to have had this fall into my lap like it did.

 

[alpine_64]

Congratulations and welcome to the club/ madness.

A few Rootes peculiarities.. you car is a series "3" ... ironically as Alpine series I/ II and IV, V all used roman numerals the 3 only one that used numbers .. as with many things the 3 is very unique it bridges the change between early cars and late.. and is the first to gain many of the changes rooted did to evolve the practicalities of the car.

New interior with reclining seats, new pedal setup, new twin tank fuel setup with larger boot, new rear suspension new soft top hardtop and screen design.

Noted your car is RHD and does appear in the engine bay to be quite stock, but there are enough mods on the car that would make me think it's not a 9400 mile car. More photos would help. More detail interior pics. Inside the boot etc

Some mods are just owner preference and not a bad upgrade:
Widened stock wheels retaining the stock trim rings and caps
Sports steering wheel

Some other custom touches
Aftermarket sunbeam gwra knob
Additional warning lamp drilled into dahs next to glovebox, not sure for what
Radio
Fish tail exhaust tip

But I do note some that imply work that's been done.

The windscreen frame appears to be black not body colour, the bonnet latch plate and hardware are painted black as have the VIN and Body plates....those imply things have been off that a 9400 mile car probably would have needed to be removed

Either way .. it appears a lovely car.. post many photos ask many questions.

 

[BLAIRD]

Congratulations and welcome to the club/ madness.

A few Rootes peculiarities.. you car is a series "3" ... ironically as Alpine series I/ II and IV, V all used roman numerals the 3 only one that used numbers .. as with many things the 3 is very unique it bridges the change between early cars and late.. and is the first to gain many of the changes rooted did to evolve the practicalities of the car.

New interior with reclining seats, new pedal setup, new twin tank fuel setup with larger boot, new rear suspension new soft top hardtop and screen design.

Noted your car is RHD and does appear in the engine bay to be quite stock, but there are enough mods on the car that would make me think it's not a 9400 mile car. More photos would help. More detail interior pics. Inside the boot etc

Some mods are just owner preference and not a bad upgrade:
Widened stock wheels retaining the stock trim rings and caps
Sports steering wheel

Some other custom touches
Aftermarket sunbeam gwra knob
Additional warning lamp drilled into dahs next to glovebox, not sure for what
Radio
Fish tail exhaust tip

But I do note some that imply work that's been done.

The windscreen frame appears to be black not body colour, the bonnet latch plate and hardware are painted black as have the VIN and Body plates....those imply things have been off that a 9400 mile car probably would have needed to be removed

Either way .. it appears a lovely car.. post many photos ask many questions.

Good point on the 3 vs III.
I too was skeptical of 9400 miles ... my immediate thought was ... must be 109400., or that the speedo was changed at some point.
I will definitely post more pictures, and yes, I have lots of questions. (Like ... what is a gwra knob, and what are the best ways to lessen brake rattle?)
In the box of parts that came with the car was also a Tiger gear change knob (which seemed strange) ... some previous owner was definitely into mods.
Happy for any and all information as I know next to nothing so far.

 

[BLAIRD]

Congratulations and welcome to the club/ madness.

A few Rootes peculiarities.. you car is a series "3" ... ironically as Alpine series I/ II and IV, V all used roman numerals the 3 only one that used numbers .. as with many things the 3 is very unique it bridges the change between early cars and late.. and is the first to gain many of the changes rooted did to evolve the practicalities of the car.

New interior with reclining seats, new pedal setup, new twin tank fuel setup with larger boot, new rear suspension new soft top hardtop and screen design.

Noted your car is RHD and does appear in the engine bay to be quite stock, but there are enough mods on the car that would make me think it's not a 9400 mile car. More photos would help. More detail interior pics. Inside the boot etc

Some mods are just owner preference and not a bad upgrade:
Widened stock wheels retaining the stock trim rings and caps
Sports steering wheel

Some other custom touches
Aftermarket sunbeam gwra knob
Additional warning lamp drilled into dahs next to glovebox, not sure for what
Radio
Fish tail exhaust tip

But I do note some that imply work that's been done.

The windscreen frame appears to be black not body colour, the bonnet latch plate and hardware are painted black as have the VIN and Body plates....those imply things have been off that a 9400 mile car probably would have needed to be removed

Either way .. it appears a lovely car.. post many photos ask many questions.

Hey Michael, here are some photos. Please let me know what you think. I expect that further photos would be helpful as well (perhaps of the underside)?
As for the mystery of the extra light beside the glovebox ... it's actually just a blank for the optional cigarette lighter. My car also does not have the optional clock, Ammeter or Radio. (my wife would love me to find an install those bits to make it whole)
The paint seems too fresh to not have been re-done at some point (which is understandable).
Beautiful day today ... managed to get in a 110km round trip to an antique market with the top down.

 

[Hupdoc]

Good point on the 3 vs III.
I too was skeptical of 9400 miles ... my immediate thought was ... must be 109400., or that the speedo was changed at some point.
I will definitely post more pictures, and yes, I have lots of questions. (Like ... what is a gwra knob, and what are the best ways to lessen brake rattle?)
In the box of parts that came with the car was also a Tiger gear change knob (which seemed strange) ... some previous owner was definitely into mods.
Happy for any and all information as I know next to nothing so far.

I suspect your guess at 109400 is more accurate -To get pedal wear like that you are generally up to somewhere around 100,000 miles give or take some

 

[alpine_64]

Interesting car.. the cigar lighter blanking plates worn middle reflection made it look like a lamp.
The clock and ammeter blanking plates are stock
You have an extra switch on the far right next to the washer pump, this was a blank unless the car had driving lights. The pump is the slightly late series IV/V pump handle.. the 3 had the domed tudor pump knob.

The dash is interesting, the gauges and escutcheons are all correct and the rare heater escutcheon there...but the dash Is a curiosity. The series 3 dash had raised areas for the gauges, like the series I/II. There is some texture in the photo in the dash... Does it have a covering? It appears maybe a series IV/V dash...if you ever get the chance remove one of the panel switch escutcheon and see if there are small little knobs molded into the dash where the escutcheon mounts .

The carpet on the tunnel is someone's home brew as is the boot carpet.
The rear seat cushion is from a GT.

 

[BLAIRD]

I suspect your guess at 109400 is more accurate -To get pedal wear like that you are generally up to somewhere around 100,000 miles give or take some

Thanks for the confirmation Hupdoc ... makes total sense (and what I though of when I zoomed in on the clutch wear myself)

 

[sunalp]

It also has Series IV seats.

 

[Kristian Jonsson]

Nice car! My advice is that you get should get decent air cleaners. These wire mesh things may stop gravel and dirt, but i suppose you want to save the engine.

 

[BLAIRD]

Interesting car.. the cigar lighter blanking plates worn middle reflection made it look like a lamp.
The clock and ammeter blanking plates are stock
You have an extra switch on the far right next to the washer pump, this was a blank unless the car had driving lights. The pump is the slightly late series IV/V pump handle.. the 3 had the domed tudor pump knob.

The dash is interesting, the gauges and escutcheons are all correct and the rare heater escutcheon there...but the dash Is a curiosity. The series 3 dash had raised areas for the gauges, like the series I/II. There is some texture in the photo in the dash... Does it have a covering? It appears maybe a series IV/V dash...if you ever get the chance remove one of the panel switch escutcheon and see if there are small little knobs molded into the dash where the escutcheon mounts .

The carpet on the tunnel is someone's home brew as is the boot carpet.
The rear seat cushion is from a GT.

The extra switch on the far right (beside the pump) runs the washer, turn it on and you get washer spray whereas the pump I expect was just to prime the pump.

Nice car! My advice is that you get should get decent air cleaners. These wire mesh things may stop gravel and dirt, but i suppose you want to save the engine.

air cleaner recommendations?

 

[Tim R]

What a lovely car, you ar every lucky. As you learn about your new vehicle make use of the 160+ videos on the Sunbeam Alpine Channel on YouTube. There is a huge amount of valuable information contained there and it will help you a great deal.
Tim R

 

[BLAIRD]

What a lovely car, you ar every lucky. As you learn about your new vehicle make use of the 160+ videos on the Sunbeam Alpine Channel on YouTube. There is a huge amount of valuable information contained there and it will help you a great deal.
Tim R

For sure, thanks Tim

 

[alpine_64]

It also has Series IV seats.

From mid 3 the seats are the same as the IV. Only the early 3 have the seperate thigh squab.. without vin would be hard to tell.. some of the twin carb 3 had the single base cushion.... Got to love Rootes.. the fact there were so many details changes and unique parts in a car that was built less than a year....
That said.. the change in seta design was more likely from microcell evolving their design than rootes changing them

 

[alpine_64]

The extra switch on the far right (beside the pump) runs the washer, turn it on and you get washer spray whereas the pump I expect was just to prime the pump.

air cleaner recommendations?

The pump pumped the washers.. there was no electric pump. The sly move is to disassemble the dash pump..take out the pump mechanism and fit a momentary switch for an electric pump.

Re new air filters .. the cars actually had proper filter elements in some markets.. but they used different jetting for the carbs otherwise they will run rich.

 

[alpine_64]

For sure, thanks Tim

However decide what you want re- vehicle originality...

 

[BLAIRD]

From mid 3 the seats are the same as the IV. Only the early 3 have the seperate thigh squab.. without vin would be hard to tell.. some of the twin carb 3 had the single base cushion.... Got to love Rootes.. the fact there were so many details changes and unique parts in a car that was built less than a year....
That said.. the change in seta design was more likely from microcell evolving their design than rootes changing them

Mine was built with only 5 weeks left in production of the Series 3 (B9205602HRO) ... and so I wouldn't be surprised that they threw in various IV parts into it to use them up. Newer parts in a car is likely more desirable than putting parts from the previous model into a new model version. The finished product looks great so I like it.

 

[alpine_64]

Mine was built with only 5 weeks left in production of the Series 3 (B9205602HRO) ... and so I wouldn't be surprised that they threw in various IV parts into it to use them up. Newer parts in a car is likely more desirable than putting parts from the previous model into a new model version. The finished product looks great so I like it.

I think you misunderstood..
The seats are correct for a late series 3 .. they werent using parts up .. and what you refer to "using parts up" is normally older parts into a newee model.

What now is interesting is what's your engine number??
The series 3 mid production was the first model to go to the compound solex carb, for both GT and St, yet yours has a correct series 3 twin zenith setup ( unique S3 manifold)

 

[BLAIRD]

I think you misunderstood..
The seats are correct for a late series 3 .. they weren't using parts up .. and what you refer to "using parts up" is normally older parts into a newee model.

What now is interesting is what's your engine number??
The series 3 mid production was the first model to go to the compound solex carb, for both GT and St, yet yours has a correct series 3 twin zenith setup ( unique S3 manifold)

Right, I backwards spoke ... using up IV parts by putting them into a Series 3 makes no sense ... even to me
I think that I meant that they were using up Series 3 parts and when they ran out at the end of Series 3 production they used Series IV parts.
Regarding the carbs ... yes, having Zeniths in my car, considering my VIN and Engine # (which are the same) just tells me that the Engine # when they starting putting in Solex carbs is approximate.