1955 Sunbeam Alpine Series III Classic Drive
For many auto enthusiasts, the prospect of owning a car featured in or similar to one featured in a blockbuster movie is difficult to pass up.
In between are hundreds of interesting cars that pay tribute to famous movie cars or are the documented cars from many film classics.
This is the story of one such movie homage car, a 1955 Sunbeam Alpine Series III roadster.
If you are a fan of the films of Alfred Hitchcock, or if Grace Kelly is your idea of '50s cinematic elegance, this car will tick off all the important boxes.
This Sapphire Blue Sunbeam Alpine is almost identical to the car in which Grace Kelly gave a white-knuckled Cary Grant the ride of his life on the roads above Nice, France, in the master's 1955 classic "To Catch a Thief.".
And just 10 years after the end of the war, manufacturers on both sides of the Atlantic were addressing these needs with a wide variety of two-seat sports cars.
These cars included the obvious, such as Chevrolet's Corvette and Ford's Thunderbird, along with some lesser-known vehicles such as the Anglo-American Nash-Healey and the Kaiser Darrin.
From West Germany came the iconic, race-derived Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing and roadster, along with its little brother, the 190SL, with the BMW 507 appearing later in the decade.
And let's not forget several open variants of the classic Porsche 356, especially in the guise of the bare-bones Speedster.
Less well-known among all these postwar sports cars was the 1953-1955 Sunbeam Alpine, an open car built off a platform shared with the existing Sunbeam-Talbot sedan.
after the war, and more luxurious two-seaters such as the Jaguar XK 120. Jowett and Daimler saw the exact same opportunity.
But in the end, Sunbeam, Jowett, and Daimler were not successful. This gap was ultimately filled by Austin (BMC) with the Austin-Healey 100 and Standard-Triumph with the TR2.
The means through which Sunbeam addressed this need came from George Hartwell, the Rootes distributor in Bournemouth.
His experience with the marque dated back to 1949, when he drove for the works team that entered several postwar events, including that year's Monte Carlo Rally.Starting in 1951, Hartwell modified the Sunbeam-Talbot's 2267cc engine with four carburetors to increase output.
Ultimately this upgrade failed to make the grade, but later in the year Hartwell enjoyed more success with a supercharged engine installed in an open sports car featuring three-abreast seating and ran it in the 1951 MCC National Rally.
In the 1953 Alpine Rally, Sunbeam-Talbot entered two "Hartwell" Coupes. These cars were seen in several other events as noted by author ("Sunbeam-Talbot & Alpine in Detail") and Sunbeam-Talbot expert Anders Ditlev Clausager.
What would ultimately become the limited-production, literally handbuilt 1953 Sunbeam Alpine Series I was derived from the 1952 Sunbeam-Talbot 90 drophead coupe.
The Alpine was supposedly named by Norman Garrad of the Rootes' Competition Department, who was heavily involved in the Sunbeam-Talbot rally successes of the era.
Others, including Clausager, attribute its naming to former Autocar journalist John Dugdale, who was working for the Rootes marketing group in the United States.
"Bred in the Alps," owing to Sunbeam's rally success on the Continent, was the tag line, especially in the United States, where 961 of the original 1582 Series I and Series III (there was no Series II) Alpines were sold.
Worldwide, it's believed that fewer than 200 Series I and Series III Alpines have survived. The special Alpine bodies were produced by Mulliners of Bordesley Green in Birmingham, to be mounted on reinforced frames donated by the Sunbeam-Talbot 90 drophead coupe.
In 1954, Mulliners was awarded the contract to supply Standard-Triumph to produce the bodies for TR2.
Ultimately, it produced bodies for Standard-Triumph on an exclusive basis after the firm was absorbed by Standard-Triumph, leaving Rootes in a lurch, which probably contributed as much as slow sales to its being discontinued after the 1955 model years.
It also didn't help that in the U.S. the Sunbeam Alpine carried a base price of $2899, placing it closer to a Jaguar XK120 than an MG TD.
But when it came to its interior fittings, with its leather-trimmed seats and wool carpets, the Alpine had more in common with the higher-priced XK120.
Yet, like contemporary cars that share platforms, the instrument panel was lifted mostly intact from the Sunbeam-Talbot sedan. The result was a degree of design conflict where it seemed the bean counters had the final say.
(We try to imagine how much more sporting the Alpine might have been with white-on-black Smith gauges facing the driver.).
Before it introduced the Alpine at the New York auto show in 1953, Sunbeam embarked on a number of high-speed runs in Jabbeke, Belgium, a favorite location for British manufacturers to conduct high-speed runs of their most sporting offerings.
For the Sunbeam Alpine, this included runs by Stirling Moss and Leslie Johnson, as well as Sheila Van Damm, a member of the Rootes rally team.
Van Damm turned in the best top speed, 120.135 mph, making her the fastest woman in Europe at the time.
Given its short tenure on these shores, it isn't surprising that the Sunbeam Alpine wasn't tested by many U.S. publications. But one that did was Road & Track. It drew this conclusion:.
"The shadow the Alpine has cast is a paradox, for it is the first, and a well-executed effort to capture the American market desiring a sports car that will not run in competition, but is designed to ride well, look good, cruise fast.
Yet, other voices speak up, the Alpine has been entered in competition, has won rallys (including a win over the Austin-Healey team) and has even taken a few class wins in novice sports car events.
But in theory — and practice — the 2.25-litre Alpine would be running in the 2000-3000cc class, a class that includes the 2.9 Ferrari, [and] the 2.5 Gordini. In the face of that, boosters of the Alpine-for-competition may back down a bit.".
For film distributor Tom Holland, Road & Track's half-hearted endorsement means little.
The Sunbeam Alpine left an indelible impression on the budding film buff when it had a starring role in Alfred Hitchcock's 1955 VistaVision masterpiece "To Catch a Thief," driven by the unforgettable Grace Kelly with an extremely nervous Cary Grant in the passenger seat.
"I'll never forget the first time I saw 'To Catch a Thief," Holland tells Motor Trend Classic with a smile.
"Grace Kelly and Cary Grant were the perfect '50s sophisticate couple; the French Riviera backdrop was breathtaking; and the intrigue of high-stakes jewel robberies from fancy hotels and chateaux were the icing on this Technicolor cake.
"But for me, the real star of the movie was the sexy blue sports car Grace Kelly drove at high speed along the steep corniches above the Mediterranean.
Cary Grant played the nervous passenger, hiding both his fear of Grace's driving and his secret identity as the famous cat burglar John Robie.
When Grace and Cary arrive at their romantic picnic rendezvous, it is the postcard view of Monaco that is supposed to catch the audience's eye. I, however, was watching that jaw-droppingly beautiful car.
It was a sleek, baby-blue confection — the prettiest car I'd ever seen.
But what was it? I strained my eyes hoping to catch a glimpse of the mystery car's badge or some other way to find out what this tres chic automobile was. All I knew was that I wanted one.
"It took me a long time in those pre-Internet days to find out that Grace Kelly's car was a first-generation Sunbeam Alpine roadster, made by England's Sunbeam-Talbot Company between 1953 and 1955.
As the story goes, Hitchcock and his production team had yet to choose a car for Grace's character to drive in the pivotal chase scenes.
Some had suggested a Jaguar, but a powerful car like that just didn't seem right for a delicate millionairess. Others mentioned popular sports cars of the day like the bulky Mercedes 190SL.
Too German, they decided; and besides, the Nazis had occupied France just 10 years earlier. Ford's popular two-seat Thunderbird was ruled out as too American.
"Grace needed a cool-as-ice roadster, but the right choice couldn't be found. Then, shortly before production began, Hitch's wife Alma saw a magazine ad for a brand-new car called the Alpine.
It simply breathed sex appeal, and it was perfect. Alma told her husband about the car, and the decision was made.
"The Rootes Group, which owned the Sunbeam marque, was eager to get some publicity for their new convertible, partially contrived by the great industrial designer Raymond Lowey. So they immediately dispatched a Sapphire Blue Alpine to Cannes.
Once the French location filming was done, the car was shipped to Paramount Studios in Hollywood for all its blue-screen shots. From there, that original Sunbeam simply disappeared.
Its serial number is known, but, to date, it has not been located and probably never will be. You see, of 1582 Sunbeam Alpine Series Is and Series IIIs made, fewer than 200 exist today.
"When I mention the Sunbeam Alpine to most people, they wrongly think of the little finned roadster of the same name that began production in 1959. Close to 70,000 of those were manufactured through 1968, so they are fairly common.
But it was the rare first series of Alpine I lusted after.
For years, I watched the ads and scanned the Web for one to buy, but those I saw were rusted hulks, unrestored cars in odd color combinations, or simply not for sale.
"Finally, I heard about an Alpine that had just completed a two-year, body-off restoration by a marque expert. Every nut and bolt had been cleaned and replaced. All the chrome was brand-new. It had all its parts and a full engine restoration.
Best of all, it had been restored to duplicate Grace Kelly's ride in 'To Catch a Thief.' It was painted the most beautiful shade of blue I'd ever seen, and the leather interior was even the movie car's original 'fawn' color.
Its vintage French license plates duplicated the numbers on the film car's plate. The front license was from Monaco.
It looked like Grace Kelly had just valet-parked it at the Carlton Hotel. So, when I heard the price, I didn't argue with its owner. I just bought it. I knew I'd never find another one so perfect.
It was at these events that I realized I own the ultimate chick magnet.
You must understand, I've been around collector cars all my life, but I have never, ever seen anything like the attention this car gets from women! I can't begin to tell you the crowds of female interest my little roadster gets.
Its upcoming appearance had been mentioned in an L.A.
"I got the woman's joke, but her boyfriend certainly didn't. Let's just say there were a few uncomfortable moments.
Even folks who don't know about the car's film history stare in admiration. Most, including many car aficionados, have never seen one in the flesh.
I have friends who own shiny Ferraris, beautiful Rolls Royces, and vintage Packards, but none gets the thumbs-up and smiles of delight I get when I drive my Alpine.
But it doesn't seem to matter to them; you can see that dreamy look in their eyes. They picture themselves driving this sexy roadster along the Côte d'Azur, heading off to a secret rendezvous with Grace or Cary.".
With its 2012 release on a high-definition Blu-ray disc, "To Catch a Thief" has been restored and presented in all of its VistaVision and Technicolor glory.
And the disc includes among its special features a real treat for car buffs: an interactive travelogue allowing you to trace the routes of the movie's critical scenes.
While his passion for his Sunbeam Alpine knows no bounds, Holland's need to face the reality of being a parent means that this car will not remain in his garage forever.
"With two high-school seniors, I have to start thinking about college for both, thus my being forced to consider selling my Alpine.
Tom Holland, independent film producer and distributor, purchased this 1955 Sunbeam Alpine Series III previously restored by a marque expert.
WHY I LIKE IT: "Because of its connection to a movie that had a profound effect on my own career as well as on my tastes as a car collector.
WHY IT'S COLLECTIBLE: Its graceful styling and Grace Kelly connection to one of Alfred Hitchcock's best-known films, "To Catch a Thief" make this movie-car doppleganger particularly attractive.
BEWARE: Because the Alpine has a separate frame, check for structural integrity and the absence of rust.
Almost all the body sheetmetal is unique to the Alpine, not shared with a sedan counterpart, so it will be expensive and difficult to source or reproduce.
EXPECT TO PAY: Concours-ready, $29,925; solid driver, $15,750; tired runner, $8800 (Source: Black Book Cars of Particular Interest). JOIN THE CLUB: Sunbeam Talbot Web Page sunbeamtalbot. info.
THEN: "First of all, I wouldn't make the mistake of calling the Sunbeam Alpine a sports car, and I'm glad the builders (Sunbeam-Talbot, Ltd. ) don't either — Walt Woron, Motor Trend, February 1954.
NOW: An interesting, daring choice for a car with cinematic provenance.
Because first-generation Sunbeam Alpines are virtually unknown on this side of the Atlantic, the best potential upside when selling a 1953-1955 Sunbeam Alpine will be realized by marketing the car beyond the U.S., especially to other British Commonwealth nations.
For more infomation >> Ралли-рейд Великая степь Волга 2017 / Саратов / Питбайк Авантис 125 classic / Ралли - Duration: 3:46. 
For more infomation >> Fiat Panda 1.2 CLASSIC - Duration: 0:59. 
For more infomation >> Mercedes-Benz A-Klasse 150 95pk, CLASSIC uitv., Airco,Stoelverwarming,Radio/cd,PDC V+A,Elek pakket - Duration: 0:54. 
For more infomation >> HUBLOT CLASSIC FUSION ULTRA-THIN 515.CM.0140.LR 42MM - Duration: 1:11. 
For more infomation >> Mercedes-Benz A-Klasse 170 Classic *Airco Stoelverwarming/Electrische pakket/licht metalen velgen* - Duration: 0:42. 
For more infomation >> John Williams from The Ritz London on classic cooking and new kitchens - Duration: 4:07. 
For more infomation >> Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.0-16V Classic - Duration: 0:41. 
For more infomation >> Fiat Panda 1.2 CLASSIC - Duration: 0:59. 
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét