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WHAT YEAR/SERIES did the alpine change from the round front signal lights and tall fins?

fonz

Silver Level Sponsor
WHAT YEAR/SERIES did the alpine Change From the round front "signal lights' and 'tall fins" To the rectangular front lights and shorter rear lights?.was there a "split year around '63-64 ?? Thanks. also, years changed for round doors, hood trunk corners ?
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
The series 3 was a short production run less than a year.. It crosses 63-64.
The siv introduced the small hillman style rear wing and the intergated front signal units
 

fonz

Silver Level Sponsor
small round front lights, tall fins, dual gas tanks, wing windows on doors rounded door bottoms and trunk corners. no provision for conv top. series 3 ? Year '64 ?
 

fonz

Silver Level Sponsor
seen pictures of 1964 With fins and Without. "Series 3" must be the "determining factor". LOL
 

hartmandm

Moderator
Diamond Level Sponsor
"Year" listed on a registration or claimed by an owner isn't really relevant. People registered cars long after they were built. E.g. a car made in 1963 could be listed as a 1965. I believe I saw an EBay listing claiming 1968 when the car was manufactured in 1965 based on the VIN.
 

fonz

Silver Level Sponsor
do you know how many times I've been told 1964 did NOT have fins ?! face it, these cars are Not like a chevy or a ford ! (where you Can get "definite " answers) there seems to be alot more "Guessing" posted. and this car has showed me that things that "Should be" are not always so .
 

rixter

Gold Level Sponsor
Maybe this is a super rare prototype that was presented to Lord Rootes on the rotation platform in the design studio to see if he liked the fins clipped or not for introduction of the Series 3. Ha ha.
 

fonz

Silver Level Sponsor
#9200202 says it was made jan 20- feb 22 of 1963 but is still a 1964 series 3. Thank You
 

Tom H

Platinum Level Sponsor
Fonz, With Alpine Series, there is no actual "year" associated with the specific model. The only year associated with it is what your local title bureau assigns to it, usually the year it was first titled. Quite unlike US auto models where you can distinguish a 57 Chevy from a 58 and a 59, etc., the Series V, for example, was produced from Aug 1965 thru Jan 1968. But there is no such thing as a '65 Sunbeam Alpine or 68 Sunbeam Alpine. Your title may say so, but any such info is not useful in identifying parts, asking questions, or solving problems. All Series V produced over that 2+ year span were pretty much identical with minor changes identified specifically by VIN number. I cannot imagine any value in using the year noted on the title in any discussions, parts search, or valuations. In fact, using that year designation will most likely lead to confusion and likely errors. Just FYI, I have a couple of Sunbeam Alpine sales brochures and they have absolutely no reference to any year. In fact the Series V brochures do not even mention Series V, just "New" "Sunbeam Alpine" "now with 1725 engine". But they all came with badge plates that says "Series V".

Tom
 

fonz

Silver Level Sponsor
Fonz, With Alpine Series, there is no actual "year" associated with the specific model. The only year associated with it is what your local title bureau assigns to it, usually the year it was first titled. Quite unlike US auto models where you can distinguish a 57 Chevy from a 58 and a 59, etc., the Series V, for example, was produced from Aug 1965 thru Jan 1968. But there is no such thing as a '65 Sunbeam Alpine or 68 Sunbeam Alpine. Your title may say so, but any such info is not useful in identifying parts, asking questions, or solving problems. All Series V produced over that 2+ year span were pretty much identical with minor changes identified specifically by VIN number. I cannot imagine any value in using the year noted on the title in any discussions, parts search, or valuations. In fact, using that year designation will most likely lead to confusion and likely errors. Just FYI, I have a couple of Sunbeam Alpine sales brochures and they have absolutely no reference to any year. In fact the Series V brochures do not even mention Series V, just "New" "Sunbeam Alpine" "now with 1725 engine". But they all came with badge plates that says "Series V".

Tom
OK, I guess it makes no difference with mine anyway being it's converted to ford 302/ C4. just did not want any problems in the future. It'a a '64 sunbeam ALGER. LOL
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
In fact the Series V brochures do not even mention Series V, just "New" "Sunbeam Alpine" "now with 1725 engine". But they all came with badge plates that says "Series V".

Tom

Slight correction Tom..

Series 3 came with a "series 3" sheild on each fender under the alpine script.

Series IV came with " series IV" sheild on each fender under the alpine script and one on the RHS of rhe boot lif vertical face.

Series V came with "ROOTES 1725" sheild on each fender under the alpine script and one on the RHS of rhe boot lif vertical face.
 
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