The blunt answer to that is that we were all wrapped up in our own automobiles that we thought better suited the geography and culture of the United States. That said, I'm about as Yankee Doodle Dandy as they come and I'd really like to import a Singer Gazelle. It's one of the Rootes Group's best efforts in my mind.
@@jakekaywell5972 A brilliant choice. My father bought a series V in 1965, when I was growing up. By chance, he chose what must be the most attractive colour scheme: ("silver moss", which was a metallic green, with a black flash down the sides). He kept until 1970, and then (while I was away at university), he replaced it with a Ford Cortina. Good luck with it.
As a Canadian who owned a 55 Alpine MK III for 29 years. I can tell you they were too under geared for the wide open spaces and multi lane limited access highways of North America. Although available as an option, the electric overdrive, (and coresponding axle ratio change) was expensive and seldom chosen. I ended up replacing the stock 4 speed, with it's weirdly chosen ratios with a 5 speed (O drive in top) Alfa Romeo box. Utterly transformed the driving experience for the better. The only car I'm sorry I sold.
British car companies never even tried to establish a good dealership and service/parts network in the USA; the only one that half-way did so was Jaguar and to a lesser degree, Land Rover. Combine that with the unreliability of British cars in general, and Sports cars/Grand tourers in particular. Most Americans, even then, couldn’t drive manual and wanted an automatic, preferably a large four-door automatic car.
Just found this vid. I imagine I'm too late with this info, but this is not a Sunbeam Alpine Special. It is an Alpine MK I, the most common of the three variants made. As you say though, with only 1588 made, still a very rare car. When you opened the bonnet, the single throat DAA36 Stromberg carburettor is clearly visible. Specials were only made in 1952, and had a large, beautifully polished cast aluminium air intake, twin throat Solex , a different intake manifold, and not the flex hose air intake system fitted to this car. The Specials also had the early black steering wheel, and dashboard knobs. Made from 1952 to 1955, all Alpines had louvered bonnets, and column shift levers. Floor shift conversions were a vast improvement, easy to do, and popular. The interior is nicely done, but not accurate. Also, the 'Sunbeam' logo on the fenders just in front of the doors is wrong. It should be an 'Alpine' badge, and not the one fitted to the 1959 and newer Alpines. There are other mistakes an omissions, but still, it is a very desirable car.
Beautiful dream car, we had a mega rare Sunbeam - Talbot 90 Mk 1 , the car I drove solo for the first time , the day I passed my driving test in the UK in ' 66.The dashboard aperture is for a bespoke ' His Masters Voice' push-button AM radio which were an option , very unusual early post-war .
I had the saloon version of this in the 1960s - wonderful cars to drive, although manoeuvring at slow speeds did build up your arm muscles. Great on long distances.
God that is gorgeous. I live in the UK and I am a classic car nerd 🤓 and have not seen one of these in the flesh yet, its so lovely. Great video as always 👍
There is a metallic shell silver- blue one Dave in the new ' Great British Car Journey ' museum in Derbyshire , the one car I would love to have taken home !.
Thank you for the detail on 'To Catch a Thief'. As much I love this movie, I always get distracted by this particular sequence through the close-up while the pedals are being worked. Very neat layout, indeed. The pedals, I mean. Aye, aye 😳.
I nearly was born in this car, even the same color. I was 10 weeks early. The car was a bit run down by the time (8 years old, was old for a car back then, especially in northwestern Europe). Eventually, my father blew up the engine chasing a hot chick in a Porsche, I think he said it was. He just went flat out for too long, apparently to the great amusement of the hot chick. She stopped, reversed, looked at all the smoke, smiled, waved and drove off. What really still amazes me, was that he told the story at home. At least my mother knew the story. She just said that men will never grow up, forgetting the fact that the beautiful woman was driving just as fast.....
What a rarity - a convertible top that not only doesn't spoil the appearance, by sagging, but actually makes the car look EVEN better with the top up! Fit for a Princess! As indeed Grace Kelly DID become - when she married Prince Rainier, and became Princess Grace of Monaco! I seem to remember Sunbeam had a spectacular Land Speed Record car in the National Motor Museum - well worth taking a look at on the internet! AND these really were successful rally cars! Someone could buy this car, and participate interested Monte Carlo rallies that feature classic cars! ( not ME, I'm not rich!,)
We had one during the late fifties but unfortunaly the stearing mechanism failed and could not be repaired. what a shame .The engine can stlill be admired in the local technical school in Brielle.
Rite off the bat @ 0:20s, he's already zeroing in on that word 'prolific', over two years ago! Can't blame that on the Corona Whiskey Therapy, ay President Bill?
Had oneof these many many years ago on a filed as young folk do put two dumper wheelson the back and went driving "how I wish i had looked after it " what would it be worth today We striped it down to the chassis If only ?????????????????
It is very gratifying that you Americans like our little Sunbeam Talbots. But where were you when we were trying to sell thousands of them to you?
The blunt answer to that is that we were all wrapped up in our own automobiles that we thought better suited the geography and culture of the United States. That said, I'm about as Yankee Doodle Dandy as they come and I'd really like to import a Singer Gazelle. It's one of the Rootes Group's best efforts in my mind.
@@jakekaywell5972
A brilliant choice.
My father bought a series V in 1965, when I was growing up. By chance, he chose what must be the most attractive colour scheme: ("silver moss", which was a metallic green, with a black flash down the sides). He kept until 1970, and then (while I was away at university), he replaced it with a Ford Cortina.
Good luck with it.
As a Canadian who owned a 55 Alpine MK III for 29 years. I can tell you they were too under geared for the wide open spaces and multi lane limited access highways of North America.
Although available as an option, the electric overdrive, (and coresponding axle ratio change) was expensive and seldom chosen. I ended up replacing the stock 4 speed, with it's weirdly chosen ratios with a 5 speed (O drive in top) Alfa Romeo box. Utterly transformed the driving experience for the better. The only car I'm sorry I sold.
British car companies never even tried to establish a good dealership and service/parts network in the USA; the only one that half-way did so was Jaguar and to a lesser degree, Land Rover. Combine that with the unreliability of British cars in general, and Sports cars/Grand tourers in particular. Most Americans, even then, couldn’t drive manual and wanted an automatic, preferably a large four-door automatic car.
Just found this vid. I imagine I'm too late with this info, but this is not a Sunbeam Alpine Special. It is an Alpine MK I, the most common of the three variants made. As you say though, with only 1588 made, still a very rare car. When you opened the bonnet, the single throat DAA36 Stromberg carburettor is clearly visible. Specials were only made in 1952, and had a large, beautifully polished cast aluminium air intake, twin throat Solex , a different intake manifold, and not the flex hose air intake system fitted to this car. The Specials also had the early black steering wheel, and dashboard knobs. Made from 1952 to 1955, all Alpines had louvered bonnets, and column shift levers. Floor shift conversions were a vast improvement, easy to do, and popular. The interior is nicely done, but not accurate. Also, the 'Sunbeam' logo on the fenders just in front of the doors is wrong. It should be an 'Alpine' badge, and not the one fitted to the 1959 and newer Alpines.
There are other mistakes an omissions, but still, it is a very desirable car.
Had a '54 saloon, an epic drive, great view framed by the screen, pulled 90 mph easy and cruised at 60,,,, Scotland to the USSR border in that motor😎
"Everything is hard to do one handed.. well, not everything". We get you, Bill!
lol...i caught that also
Beautiful dream car, we had a mega rare Sunbeam - Talbot 90 Mk 1 , the car I drove solo for the first time , the day I passed my driving test in the UK in ' 66.The dashboard aperture is for a bespoke ' His Masters Voice' push-button AM radio which were an option , very unusual early post-war .
I always love classic and vintage cars . Their designs have soul and they designed more from heart than mind . Which present gen cars don't have .
Absolutely....Modern cars leave me cold.
I disagree mostly
Cary Grant. Luv that movie!
I had the saloon version of this in the 1960s - wonderful cars to drive, although manoeuvring at slow speeds did build up your arm muscles. Great on long distances.
God that is gorgeous. I live in the UK and I am a classic car nerd 🤓 and have not seen one of these in the flesh yet, its so lovely. Great video as always 👍
There is a metallic shell silver- blue one Dave in the new ' Great British Car Journey ' museum in Derbyshire , the one car I would love to have taken home !.
Stunning. Just stunning. Thanks for the upload.
Thank you for the detail on 'To Catch a Thief'. As much I love this movie, I always get distracted by this particular sequence through the close-up while the pedals are being worked. Very neat layout, indeed. The pedals, I mean. Aye, aye 😳.
I nearly was born in this car, even the same color. I was 10 weeks early. The car was a bit run down by the time (8 years old, was old for a car back then, especially in northwestern Europe). Eventually, my father blew up the engine chasing a hot chick in a Porsche, I think he said it was. He just went flat out for too long, apparently to the great amusement of the hot chick. She stopped, reversed, looked at all the smoke, smiled, waved and drove off. What really still amazes me, was that he told the story at home. At least my mother knew the story. She just said that men will never grow up, forgetting the fact that the beautiful woman was driving just as fast.....
What a rarity - a convertible top that not only doesn't spoil the appearance, by sagging, but actually makes the car look EVEN better with the top up! Fit for a Princess! As indeed Grace Kelly DID become - when she married Prince Rainier, and became Princess Grace of Monaco! I seem to remember Sunbeam had a spectacular Land Speed Record car in the National Motor Museum - well worth taking a look at on the internet! AND these really were successful rally cars! Someone could buy this car, and participate interested Monte Carlo rallies that feature classic cars! ( not ME, I'm not rich!,)
Interesting car, thanks for the video and history.
We had one during the late fifties but unfortunaly the stearing mechanism failed and could not be repaired. what a shame .The engine can stlill be admired in the local technical school in Brielle.
Love the "Books on their head" bit..... I hear ya.....lol.
If any classic car does not leak oil it means there is none in it!
Sunbeam Alpine MkIII was also used in the cult 1957 horror movie Night of the Demon.
There was also a Peter Lawford & Sammy Davis Jr. movie where they drove one.
Wandering how much they go for this days . A true collectors car
I think they're in the $40,000 USD range.
Agree about the bonnet release spring and the catch at the front..... Ugh !!
Rite off the bat @ 0:20s, he's already zeroing in on that word 'prolific', over two years ago! Can't blame that on the Corona Whiskey Therapy, ay President Bill?
Had oneof these many many years ago on a filed as young folk do put two dumper wheelson the back and went driving "how I wish i had looked after it " what would it be worth
today We striped it down to the chassis If only ?????????????????
Great video,keep it up!₩50
5:35 Well not everything. Stay on task Bill.
E P i C
From the folks that now make toasters lol
Looks better in sapphire blue, imo. But thats probably because of the one in the Hitchcock masterpiece, To Catch a Thief
You probably know that's not a stock colour.
"I" = Ignition. You can advance and retard the ignition from the driver seat.
if driving with the camera is not going to be easy, look on amazon for a camera mount. they got thousands of the damn things.duh schoolboy error(s)
if everything is difficult to do one-handed, buy a tripod. duh