What We Started With

[Bikesandfires]

I'v promised to post some pics, soooo it's about time for me to take time and do it...

True barn find, these are pretty much as found....last tagged in '86, 43,xxx miles, one owner(we think). The motor was stuck, some PB Blaster down the plug holes freed it up in a couple of days. After we got the motor un-stuck...And AFTER we got the clutch working.....We found out the clutch was rusted tight to the flywheel.

Naturally the tanks leaked, the fuel pump was shot, the gas line was plugged. A couple of days work and we were driving up and down the street....gas can taped to the hood and no brakes.....This thing is gonna be an easy fix......If we only knew.......

 

[Bikesandfires]

In case anyone wonders, I DON'T have a mouse in my pocket...In this instance WE refers to me(in the pic) and my camera shy friend Ted, We've been buying, fixing, enjoying, and then selling cars for 30+ years.

This SV is the first LBC for either of us, and has been a learning experiance all the way thru...My only contact with a Sunbeam was Get Smart on tv in the 60's and Ted saw one at a car show sometime..I wish I had a dollar for each time we said..."If I could just SEE one...To see how this goes together"..

Being good American hot rodders that we are, when he drug it in, the intention for this Sunbeam in the beginning was to clone a Tiger. I'm still not sure if the realization of just HOW much work and fabrication that would require, or the fact that this car was rust free and unmolested, led us to keep it mostly original.

 

[Bikesandfires]

I apoligize for not having more "in progress" pics....but this is what we have now........ 2 years later.

We're trying to keep this project under $6500....We're close to done, but that budget is getting harder to keep.

 

[Bikesandfires]

Heres a few more...I'm especially proud of that front valence. The original was badly mangled, I hammered this one out of a Dodge pickup bedside I scrounged from a buddys bodyshop scrap pile.

 

[Bikesandfires]

And some more...

 

[KenDemp]

Hey that looks good.

Did your budget include the original purchase price of the car?

I am glad you showed the pic with the wheels. I have a set like that that I got as part of a batch of parts that I bought. I was wondering how they were going to look on the car. I have to say I like them, but I have some polishing to do.

Are you going to do another Sunbeam after this one is done?

Ken

 

[Mike Armstrong]

Really looks great, allot of work well done!

 

[MikeH]

Looks really good. I like the addition of the Pinto rims.

If you are looking for the center caps, I believe these are the ones.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/74-75-76-77...Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item20ced07b37

 

[Green67Alpine]

What a great job .hammered a valance from a bedside ...whew

 

[Bikesandfires]

Hey that looks good.

Did your budget include the original purchase price of the car?

I am glad you showed the pic with the wheels. I have a set like that that I got as part of a batch of parts that I bought. I was wondering how they were going to look on the car. I have to say I like them, but I have some polishing to do.

Are you going to do another Sunbeam after this one is done?

Ken

Thanks, it's been a lot of work. Yes, that budget includes the purchase price. Those wheels do look good. We have the center caps also, but they stick out to far IMO. We'd like to find or make some smaller hub covers, more like an Anson Sprint wheel that just snaps into the wheel center, but the fronts don't have enough radial clearance to fit any. Maybe if I enlarged the center hole a little they might work.

 

[Bikesandfires]

Are you going to do another Sunbeam after this one is done?

Ken

I kinda doubt it, especially since there aren't any to be found around here....If one falls in our lap, maybe....But I know I'm not gonna be out looking for any....lol

 

[Bikesandfires]

Looks really good. I like the addition of the Pinto rims.

If you are looking for the center caps, I believe these are the ones.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/74-75-76-77...Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item20ced07b37

Thanks for that link....I have the caps tho, Just don't think they look right. Like I said in the above post they stick out so far they are actually outside the fenderline on the fronts.

 

[Bikesandfires]

What a great job .hammered a valance from a bedside ...whew

Thanks. It's not perfect, and not an exact duplicate either, Notice no license mount for instance. But it also wasn't 700 smackeroos either. I probably had 12-15 hours making it and installing. A good thing labor is cheap when you do it yourself....

 

[DanR]

A start is what you had, not anymore....

Nice work, Guys

Hope you get to really enjoy driving around and watching all the 'EYES FOLLOWING" !

Do another! It's fun!

 

[Bikesandfires]

A few more

 

[Bikesandfires]

All I have for now...Hopefully more progress this weekend.

Constructive criticism welcomed...Let me know where I'm going wrong and how to make it better.
Thanks.

 

[Alpine 1789]

Constructive criticism welcomed...Let me know where I'm going wrong and how to make it better.
Thanks.

Clearly, you need to do another one in order to really learn what you are doing. How about I tow my SIV to Kentucky to let you get a little more practice?

 

[puff4]

Clearly, you need to do another one in order to really learn what you are doing. How about I tow my SIV to Kentucky to let you get a little more practice?

He needs waaaaayyy more practice than just yours. I should think about 4-5 more and he'd be considered adequate.

I'm shipping my Morris to him tomorrow.

 

[mferris]

Awesome job.

A question on the homemade valance, which I'm planning on attempting myself as well - any pointers on how you rolled the edges so cleanly?

-Mike

 

[Alpine 1789]

I'm shipping my Morris to him tomorrow.

Get back in line. I was here first!