This Sunbeam Alpine got away, but there are more like it here.

Ex–12 Hours of Sebring 1962 Sunbeam Alpine Factory Race Car

Bid to $51,000 on 6/6/23

Ex–12 Hours of Sebring 1962 Sunbeam Alpine Factory Race Car

This 1962 Sunbeam Alpine is a right-hand-drive example that is said to have been campaigned as one of three factory cars at the 1962 12 Hours of Sebring. The car was later relocated to Pennsylvania, where it reportedly was raced in various SCCA events followed by running hill-climbs in the mid-1960s. It was acquired by the seller in 2002 out of Pennsylvania and subsequently refurbished with work that involved stripping the body, placing it on a rotisserie, and refinishing it in green with #43 roundels. The vehicle was campaigned in California vintage-racing events over the course of several years and participated in support races for the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2012. After being retired from competition in 2018, the car was fitted with a 1,592cc inline-four mated to a four-speed manual transmission with overdrive. Additional equipment includes a removable white hardtop, 13″ wire-spoke wheels, front disc brakes, driving lamps, a roll bar, a fire extinguisher, a Harmon Racing fuel cell, and dual Zenith carburetors. This Series II Alpine race car is now offered with a spare set of wire wheels and parts, historical and refurbishment photos, and a clean California title in the seller’s name.

The body was mounted to a rotisserie and sandblasted during the 2000s refurbishment, receiving bodywork including rust repair before a repaint in a single-stage enamel color intended to replicate the factory Seacrest Green (30), according to the seller. The number 43 is brushed onto the white roundels, and the removable white hardtop features a vent passage at the rear along with bright window trim. The hood, trunk, and outer door panels are crafted of aluminum, and further exterior details include front and rear yellow jack points, Rootes driving lamps, round taillight lenses, and a right-side mirror.

Refurbished silver-finished 13″ wire wheels are secured by two-eared knock-off spinners and are mounted with aged 5.50L-13 Dunlop Racing tires. The seller states that the front suspension was overhauled in the 2000s, the steering box was rebuilt in 2006, and the spindles were Magnafluxed. A front sway bar is fitted, and braking is provided by discs up front along with drums out back.

The right-hand-drive cabin houses Microcell-style fixed-back bucket seats upholstered in black vinyl with silver inserts accompanied by color-coordinated door panels and vinyl floor linings. The replacement dashboard was refinished in gray during the refurbishment, and a four-point roll bar was installed.

A Harmon Racing Cells fuel cell is located behind the seats, while its filler neck protrudes through the plexiglass rear window behind the driver seat; the fuel cell was replaced in 2022 and expires in January 2027. Mounting hardware for a fire-suppression system remains in place, and a fire extinguisher is mounted between the seats. A kill switch is positioned behind the passenger seat.

A banjo-style steering wheel features a Sunbeam-logo horn button and fronts a mechanical-drive Smiths 8k-rpm tachometer affixed to the steering column. The dashboard houses a 120-mph speedometer, a 6k-rpm tachometer, an ammeter, and Jaeger auxiliary gauges. An additional oil-pressure gauge is mounted below the dash. The five-digit odometer shows 59k miles, approximately 800 of which were added under current ownership.

The 1,592cc inline-four was installed under current ownership and is equipped with dual downdraft Zenith carburetors. A Joe Sheppard signature adorns the engine bay near the cowl. The battery is in the trunk.

Power is sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission with overdrive. Additional underside photos are presented in the gallery below.

Images documenting various stages of the refurbishment are included in the sale.

Various spare parts including a set of 13″ wire wheels mounted with Dunlop Racing tires will accompany the vehicle.

The photograph above shows the three Sunbeam Alpines campaigned by the Rootes Competition Department at Sebring in 1962. The #41 car finished highest out of the group at 15th overall; driven by Tom Payne and Joe Sheppard, the #43 completed 151 laps to finish 32nd out of 65 cars that started the race. Additional photos of the #43 car being raced in the 1960s and also since 2009 are viewable in the gallery.

A reproduction data plate is affixed in the engine bay.

Photo Gallery

Auction Result

High Bid	USD $51,000 (Reserve Not Met)
Auction Ended	June 6, 2023 at 11:20AM PT
Bids	19

19,848 views

1,076 watchers

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