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Hi all, thought it was about time I shared my Sunbeam project on here with you.
I have owned Sunbeams all my car owning life, my first when I was just 17 was a knackered Ti, which was re-shelled into a sprint/hill climb car, the evolving into a stage rally car. In the late 90's early 2000's, I actually did a bit of trtading in cars and parts, under the name Moonbase Motorsport. Anyway, the onset of kids and houses ensued, and I firstly wanted some more modern metal around me, so I got into BMW's, but, as life has a tendancy to do, it came full circle.
A couple of years ago I found myself with a couple of Sunbeams, a Lotus road car and a Lotus rally car, but, again, as things transpire, they were sold on so I could plough yet more money into my house.
Fast forward to the middle of last year, and the fact that my Rover SD1 project had gone stagnant, I found myself with a little cash about, so I started to look around for another Sunbeam, not long into the search, good old ebay came up trumps, presenting me with a very low milage, conifer green 1600 GL. I went to look at her, and was blown away with just how good the shell was. A few days later, armed with the trailer and a wad of cash, she was mine, and ready for the trip home to be stripped and see what we had.
After stripping her of all that is holy, I was pleasantly surprised that she held no nasty surprises, and there really was minimal rot.
I have built a good few cars, both for me and for a good mate of mine, and his last Escort that we built, we had dipped, so at the Classic car show in Nov 2013, I spoke to a local company who speacialise in this field, just testing the water and sowing the seed.
Unsurprisingly, after this, another 2 cars were bought, one being a doner car for the rally car (as it was furnished with all the right parts I required) and the other was a Lotus road car.
At the Autosport show, I did a deal with the dipping guys to dip me two shells, and all the panels.
So, in March, I had both shells dipped, and made a start on the rally car, with a shed full of bits, including the cage, ally arches etc, work on the shell started in earnest, and the following pics will show progress up to now.
A brief spec of the car, 16 Valve Vauxhall "Red top" engine, with around 250bhp, hopefully a Sadev sequential gearbox (when funds allow), fully floating Atlas axle, alloy arched, all steel shell, extensively lightened, strengthened and modified. Any of you that remember my old Sky blue car, well it won't be as radical as that, but not so far away.
Anyway, pics up to now..............................
I have owned Sunbeams all my car owning life, my first when I was just 17 was a knackered Ti, which was re-shelled into a sprint/hill climb car, the evolving into a stage rally car. In the late 90's early 2000's, I actually did a bit of trtading in cars and parts, under the name Moonbase Motorsport. Anyway, the onset of kids and houses ensued, and I firstly wanted some more modern metal around me, so I got into BMW's, but, as life has a tendancy to do, it came full circle.
A couple of years ago I found myself with a couple of Sunbeams, a Lotus road car and a Lotus rally car, but, again, as things transpire, they were sold on so I could plough yet more money into my house.
Fast forward to the middle of last year, and the fact that my Rover SD1 project had gone stagnant, I found myself with a little cash about, so I started to look around for another Sunbeam, not long into the search, good old ebay came up trumps, presenting me with a very low milage, conifer green 1600 GL. I went to look at her, and was blown away with just how good the shell was. A few days later, armed with the trailer and a wad of cash, she was mine, and ready for the trip home to be stripped and see what we had.
After stripping her of all that is holy, I was pleasantly surprised that she held no nasty surprises, and there really was minimal rot.
I have built a good few cars, both for me and for a good mate of mine, and his last Escort that we built, we had dipped, so at the Classic car show in Nov 2013, I spoke to a local company who speacialise in this field, just testing the water and sowing the seed.
Unsurprisingly, after this, another 2 cars were bought, one being a doner car for the rally car (as it was furnished with all the right parts I required) and the other was a Lotus road car.
At the Autosport show, I did a deal with the dipping guys to dip me two shells, and all the panels.
So, in March, I had both shells dipped, and made a start on the rally car, with a shed full of bits, including the cage, ally arches etc, work on the shell started in earnest, and the following pics will show progress up to now.
A brief spec of the car, 16 Valve Vauxhall "Red top" engine, with around 250bhp, hopefully a Sadev sequential gearbox (when funds allow), fully floating Atlas axle, alloy arched, all steel shell, extensively lightened, strengthened and modified. Any of you that remember my old Sky blue car, well it won't be as radical as that, but not so far away.
Anyway, pics up to now..............................
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