Series 5 Sunbeam Alpine

My series V Alpine was manufactured in June 1967, but was not regesterd until 1968. The car was restored in 1985-1986 by David Cooper car body repairs in South Cornelly, Mid-Glamorgan, Wales. This well done, meticulously documented restoration, included a high performance H120 Holbay 'Rally' engine modification, raising power from an original 90.5 (net) bhp to 122 (DIN) bhp, a 30% increase in power. This gives the Alpine similar performance and top speed to that of a mark one Sunbeam Tiger, although completly different to drive, being rather high reving.

Althogh the Tiger has a Ford V-8 engine giving 164 bhp (gross)/136 bhp (net), the big engine made the Tiger about 15% heavier than the Alpine, giving the Holbay 'Rally' Alpine more h.p. per ton. The Holbay engine replacement in my car came from a 1972 Hillman Hunter G.L.S., the fastest Hillman ever produced. To increase the standard 105 bhp of the H120 engine from the Hillman to 120 bhp for the Holbay 'Rally' engine specifications, it was mainly a question of machining out the inlet ports and inlet manifold. This brings it back to the origonal specifications ( hence the H120 name tag ) before the engine was 'calmed down' for more acceptable road use. Bernard Unett developed such an engine for a Vixen Formula three single seater, but after a serious crash in testing, the car never actually raced. At little more than 12 M.P.G. ( that's what mine does! ) It's not cheap to run.

  

The restoration took 482 hours and cost £11,243.17. Thats £19,787.98 in to-day's terms, allowing for inflation! Much more than the vaue of the car today, and I suspect, even then - despite the 1980's boom in classic car prices. This car was the 'Concours D'Elegance' winner at the national show, 1991 , under the origonal registration number ONV 262F. This was changed when the car was used abroad, so it is now registerd WGC 973F, and is still looking good (and sounding good).

   Click for information on Holbay engines.

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Left click to select picture, Right click to zoom, drag, etc.

  1. View Holbay engine conversion and restoration in 1986
  2. View Smaller fins than series 1
  3. View Wooden steering wheel and dash
  4. View Holbay engine giving top speed in excess of 115 mph
  5. View hood down
  6. View hood up

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