Growing up with a father passionate about motor vehicles it was inevitable that it would rub off on me. So when the time was right, I went in search of my first classic car. It had to be a sports car, it had to be a convertible and as I had grown up surrounded by British cars it had to be British. The obvious choice was an MGB perhaps even an MGA but it soon became apparent that they were either way too expensive for my budget or needed way too much work.
While searching through the classifieds my farther, Hayden, spotted a 3 line ad for a Sunbeam Alpine. “Sunbeam Alpine S1, Motor not running, phone “. I had never heard of an Alpine before but a quick introduction with the help of a few reference books and the new found knowledge that James Bond drove an Alpine in “Dc No”, how cool this car must be, I rang to arrange an inspection. Despite its condition, a very ruff bright orange paint job, a seized motor, no brakes, no drives seat, oversized chrome wheels and the interior filled with boxes of various cars, some of which might even have been for an Alpine and the owner becoming more desperate to sell the car by the minute, as he watched each prospective buyer come and go, a deal was done. My first classic car.
The Alpine is a Series 1 fitted with a factory hardtop and overdrive. My plan was just to get the car back on the road, doing only what was needed to be done mechanically. The body would wait until I had more time and money. The first major problem was the engine. I found the cylinders were filled with water and all but one piston had rusted into the block. I had to source a new short motor along with an ever growing list of parts. Despite various setbacks, including an engine fire, the car was back on the road in less than 6 months. It was still orange but that only added to its character. The year was 1984 and for the next 4 years I enjoyed every moment I drove it.
In 1988 the time had come for a complete restoration. Little did we know it then but when we I drove the Alpine into the garage it would be another 23 years before it would emerge under its own power.
The Alpine was stripped down to a bare shell, then chemically dipped to remove all paint, rust and more importantly filler. The body was not as bad as I had first thought. There were the usual sills and lower front passenger side guard that needed replacing, along with a complete new lower rear drivers side guard that had as it turned out been a creative use a large quantity of filler and a curved steel plate.
While the two of us will gladly take on most projects but we decided the best course of action for the body was to have it professionally done. The body was away for 2 years and went through 3 Restoration Company’s before it was completed. The first company went into receivership and I was luck to collect the car before they locked the doors for good. The second company let it sitting for months in the too hard basket, before eventually requesting we take it away. Finally we found a company who took the project on. They did a fantastic job, even down to hand fabricating new panels to replace the ill-fitting ones I had purchased from an overseas supplier. I had originally planned to paint the car red, but when I went to a local club gathering there seemed to be nothing but red Alpines, so I decided to go for Dark Blue which I think suits the car well.
During the time away every major item was inspected, cleaned, replaced or refurbished. When the body finally arrived back home, life had moved on and time and money were once again tight. The running gear was quickly installed but the project lost momentum and gradually slowed until the Alpine was lost under a sea of rubble in my father’s garage.
When my father retired his attention turned to cleaning up the garage and in the process resurrecting the Alpine. Slowly he began the process of rebuilding the car. First the mechanical’s, then the electric’s and finally the trim. As the Alpine gained momentum, so too the passion to see it completed. He did most of the work, I would just source the parts and help when I could. The good thing was that in the period the Alpine had lay dormant it popularity had grown and there was now a range of specialist around the world supplying parts. So with the help of the internet I was able to source almost any part needed to keep the project moving forward. Some parts are unique to the Series 1, like the windscreen rubber and it took much detective work to finally track one down.
I remember the first time the Alpine left the garage under its own power. My mother rang me to tell me the news and held the phone outside so I could hear the sound of the Alpine as is backed out of my parents drive and powered away up the hill. My father was quickly on the phone when he returned to tell me of the experience. His excitement was contagious and I dared again to dream of the time when I would be driving along a tree lined country road, the sun beating down and the wind in what’s left of my hair. A few weeks later I too took that test drive, quickly getting reacquainted with the feel of Alpine. Although only brief the experience was everything I had imagined it to be. Finally in August 2011 the Alpine was fully registered. Understandable there was reluctant to trust the Alpine into my care, although eventually relented and has resumed restoring his 1936 BSA which had been waiting for the Alpine to vacate the garage.
The Alpine as with all classic cars is a piece of living history. Of a time when the journey was just as important as the destination. Without Hayden’s help I would never have regained my passion for that journey. Every time the Alpine emerges from the garage it is a special occasion. Every journey is an adventure. Fittingly one such journey was when I was able to use the Alpine on my Wedding day. My wife and I being able to make a special day even more so.
As we all know you never finished a classic car restoration. There is always something that needs attention but you can never have too much of a good thing so although I still have the Alpine I am now the proud owner of a 1935 BSA / Daimler Light 6 fitted with a Mulliner’s Ltd Sports Saloon Body. It is in need of a total restoration, but with the help of Hayden and the lessons he has learnt during his ongoing BSA restoration I’m sure it won’t be too long before there are two more classic cars looking forward to their next journey. This time I promise it won’t take 23 years.
