Sunbeam

GB, 1899 – 1937, 1953 to date

(1) John Marston Ltd, Wolverhampton, Staffs., 1899 – 1905

(2) Sunbeam Motor Car Co Ltd, Wolverhampton, Staffs., 1905 – 1935

(3) Sunbeam Motors Ltd, London W.11, 1936 – 1937

(4) Sunbeam-Talbot Ltd, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Warwickshire, 1953 – 1970

(5) Chrysler United Kingdom Ltd, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Warwickshire, 1970 to date

John Marston’s tinplate and japanware firm, which had been making bicycles since 1887, built its first 4hp belt-driven prototype Sunbeam car in 1899, followed by another machine with a twin-cylinder engine in 1901. The first model Sunbeam car to see series production was, however, the diamond-formation and allegedly skidproof Sunbeam-Mabley voiturette with 2¾hp De Dion engine, a number of which were sold for £130 in the 1901-1904 period. More conventional was the 12hp Sunbeam car marketed under T.C. Pullinger’s direction in 1903, which was based on a Berliet design and had a flitch-plate frame, chain drive with Sunbeam cars patent oil-bath chain cases, and a 2.4-litre 4-cylinder engine with automatic inlet valves. A 3.6-litre 6-cylinder Sunbeam car was on the market briefly in 1904, but Sunbeam cars soon progressed to Shaw-designed T-head fours, though another short-lived six Sunbeam car appeared in 1907. Sunbeam cars great years started in 1909 when Louis Coatalen joined the Sunbeam car firm from Hillman. In that season the Sunbeam car company was offering three L-head fours with chain drive, and capacities of 3.4, 4.5 and 6.3-litres, plus an odd 3.2-litre twin-cylinder Station Cart Sunbeam car. Coatalen’s first effort was a T-headed 14/18hp Sunbeam car, available with either shaft or chain drive. This Sunbeam car was followed a year later by a 2.4-litre 12/16 on similar lines, but with pressure lubrication and on overdrive gearbox, while overhead valves were tried out on a racing Sunbeam car, the Nautilus, at Brooklands in 1910. An improved 12/16 Sunbeam car of 3-litres’ capacity with monobloc engine ran in the 1911 Coupe de l’Auto race, foreshadowing an immensely successful touring development which Sunbeam car sold initially for £375. This Sunbeam car had an L-head engine and was made up to 1921. In 74bhp racing guise the Sunbeam car scored 1-2-3 victory in the 1912 Coupe de l’Auto, following this up with a 3rd place in 1913. In 1914 Sunbeam car company built Henri-inspired twin-ohc 4-cylinder racers both for the Tourist Trophy and for the French Grand Prix, and at the outbreak of World War 1 the Sunbeam car range consisted of the 12/16 in standard and sporting forms, a 4-litre 16/20 Sunbeam car of similar general design, and a 6.1-litre 6-cylinder Sunbeam car rated at 25/30hp, all offered with electric lighting. The Sunbeam car company concentrated on aero engines during the war years, though a 4.9-litre twin-ohc 6-cylinder Sunbeam ca  was sent to Indianapolis in 1916 and took 3rd place, while Rovers took over production of the 12/16 for the Flighting Services. Renamed the 16, this Sunbeam car reappeared in civilian form with full electrical equipment at £790, along with a smaller vesion of the pre-war 25/30 Sunbeam car powered by a 4½-litre engine.

The Sunbeam car company amalgamated with Talbot and Darracq in 1920 to form the STD combine, and the next five years saw an energetic racing programme of Sunbeam cars. Twin-ohc 108bhp straight-8 Sunbeam cars were made for the 3-litre formula of the immediate post-war years, followed by some unsuccessful 2-litre fours, and finally the twin-ohc 6-cylinder ‘Fiats in green paint’, designed by Bertarione, which won the French and Spanish GPs in 1923, and this Sunbeam car ran supercharged in 1924, as well as having a long and distinguished competition career in later years. Chassagne won the Tourist Trophy on a 3-litre straight-8 Sunbeam car in 1922, while one of the regular 3-litre sports Sunbeam cars finished 2nd at Le Mans in 1925. Sunbeam cars took the World’s Land Speed Record five times in the 1922-1927 period: Lee Guiness started with 133.75mph on the 350hp V12 sprint Sunbeam car, a figure which Campbell subsequently raised, first to 146mph on the 4-litre V12, a Sunbeam car which was also used for road racing, and the following year he became the first man to exceed 200mph on land with the twin-engined chain-drive 45-litre Sunbeam car. Sunbeam cars last record car, the Silver Bullet of 1930, was unsuccessful.

Touring Sunbeam carss of the 1920s were cars of great refinement if not outstanding performance. The basic 16 and 24hp types Sunbeam cars were redesigned with push-rod overhead valves in 19222, ohc sporting versions being also listed, while a more modest 2-litre 14hp Sunbeam car with unit gearbox was available at £725. Front-wheel brakes arried on the 6-cylinder 16/50 Sunbeam car in 1924, and were optional also on the 14/40 Sunbeam car which replaced the 14hp model. An impressive 3-litre 6-cylinder twin-ohc sports Sunbeam car with dry-sump engine was made in small numbers between 1925 and 1930, but the Sunbeam car was ‘too fast for its chassis’ as well as being expensive to make and buy. A big straight-8 Sunbeam car with a push-rod engine, available in 4.8-litre and 5.4-litre forms, was introduced in 1926 at prices from £1.295 up and front-wheel brakes became standard on all Sunbeam cars. All Sunbeam cars had the V-radiator by 1927, when the fours were dropped, and the standard touring sixes were the 2-litre 16hp at £550, the 2.9-litre 20hp Sunbeam car at £750, and the 3.6-litre 25hp at £950, all with plate clutches, spiral bevel final drive, and cantilever rear suspension. Thereafter Sunbeam car design changed little, and sales of Sunbeam cars declined though quality was maintained. Semi-elliptic springs were found at the rear of the smaller 1930 Sunbeam carmodels, in 1931 the Sunbeam cars acquired hydraylic brakes and radiator shutters, and the 16’s engine was enlarged to 2.2-litres. The 1932 Sunbeam cars’ silent-third gearboxes gave way to synchromesh on 1933 16 and 20hp Sunbeams. That year there was also a 2.9-litre Speed Model Sunbeam car with crash box at £745, though its main competitor was STD’s other fast tourer, the Talbot 105. The old Sunbeam car firm’s last new model was a ponderous 1.6-litre ohv four, the Sunbeam Dawn of 1934, with preselector gearbox and independent front suspension. This Sunbeam car was offered again in 1935, along with the 20, the 25, and the Speed Model, but the collapse of the STD combine brought receivership and purchased by Rootes, and an ohv Roesch-designed 4½-litre straight-8 Sunbeam car announced for 1937 never went into production. There were no Sunbeams in 1938, and when the Sunbeam-Talbot range was announced for 1939 the Sunbeam car was based on the later Rootes Talbots.

The name of Sunbeam cars did not reappear until 1953, when it was given to a sports two-seater Sunbeam car of the 2.3-litre ohv 4-cylinder Sunbeam-Talbot 90, the Sunbeam Alpine, which sold for £1.269, and this Sunbeam car collected four Coupes des Alpes in that year’s Alpine Rally, following this up with a Gold Cup (for Stirling Moss) and a Coupe des Dames (for Sheila Van Damm) in 1954. In 1955 the basic 90 saloon Sunbeam car was marketed as the Sunbeam MK III, and further laurels included the Malling/ Fadum win in that year’s Monte Carlo rally. The type Sunbeam car was listed until 1957, being joined in 1956 by a Hillman Minx-based sports saloon, the Sunbeam Rapier, with a 1.4-litre square 4-cylinder 62bhp engine, unitary construction, and overdrive as standard equipment, at £986. This Sunbeam car did well in subsequent Alpines and Monte Carlo Rallies, as well as winning its class in the 1956 Mille Miglia, and by 1958 the Sunbeam car had grown up to 1½-litres and 68bhp, acquiring a less Hillman-like grill in the process, though overdrive was now an extra. A sports two-seater Sunbeam car, another Alpine, with integral construction, was listed for 1960, and subsequent evolution was on regular Rootes lines: diaphragm clutches in 1964, with the option of automatic on the Alpine, all-synchromesh gearboxes in 1965, and 1.7-litre 5-bearing engines in 1966. 1964 brought two new developments of the basic theme Sunbeam car, an Italian-bodied Venezia sports saloon based on the Humber Sceptre, and the Tiger Sunbeam car, which was an Alpine with rack-and-pinion steering and a 4.3-litre, 164bhp Ford V8 engine, this despite the Rootes-Chrysler conncection. In 1966, the Rapier V, Alpine V, and Tiger comprised the Sunbeam car name. A 51bhp Sunbeam car-version of the Imp was available in the home market in 1967, and this Sunbeam car was followed by the more sporting Stiletto coupé for 1968.

An entirely new Rapier Sunbeam car on Hillman Hunter lines was announced for that year, its fastback styling inspired by Plymouth’s Barracuda. It had an 88bhp engine, a close-ratio gearbox, and overdrive as standard.

During 1968 the old Sunbeam Alpine was discontinued (the Tiger had already gone), and the Rapier range was rounded out, first by the H120 of 1969 with twin-carburettor Holbay-tuned engine giving 105bhp and Rostyle wheels, and then by the Alpine, a simplified version of the basic theme introduced for 1970. These three fastback Sunbeam cars were still being made in 1973, along with the Sunbeam Sport based on the Imp saloon. The Stiletto was discontinued during 1972.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com

Tatra

CS, 1923 to date

(1) Tatra-Werke AG, Koprivnice, 1923 – 1935

(2) Ringhoffer-Tatra-Werke AG, Koprivnice, 1935 – 1941

(3) Tatra, np, Koprivnice, 1945 to date

At first the Tatra car was a continuation of the Nesselsdorf, producing the pre-war Types T and U Tatra cars, the latter a 6½-litre ohc 6-cylinder. The first real Tatra car of 1923 was completely different from the last Nesselsdorf models. After his return from Steyr, Hans Ledwinka produced a car which became one of the classics in the history of automobile design. This Tatra car was characterized by an air-cooled opposed-twin engine of 1.056cc developing 12bhp, a central tubular frame, and special rear swing axles and differential. It was known as the Type 11, and was the basis of later Tatra car models, commercial vehicles as well as private Tatra cars. Type 12 was identical with the Type 11, but this Tatra car had 4-wheel brakes. The Tatra car design was not intended for sporting events, but nevertheless two of these Tatra cars participated in the 1925 Targa Florio and gained 1st and 2nd place in the 1.100cc class, driven by Fritz Hückel and Kart Sponer. These were standard production Tatra cars, except that two inlet valves instead of one were fitted, and the front transverse-leaf springing was replaced by swinging half axles. Josef Vermirovsky was another competition driver on the small Tatra carmodel; his successes with Tatra cars included winning a 5.000 kilometre (3.107 miles) trial from Leningrad via Tiflis to Moscow in 1925. About 25.000 Tatra cars of Types 11 and 12 were built up to 1930. Some 4-cylinder Tatra cars followed, built on the same lines with air-cooled opposed engines, central tubular frames and swing axles: the Tatra 30 (1.680cc, 40bhp) and Tatra 52 (1.910cc, 40bhp). There were also the in-line 6-cylinder Type 70 Tatra car of 3.400cc and 60bhp, and the 6-litre V12 Type 80 Tatra car with 100bhp, both featuring the same frame construction and swing axles. The Type 80 Tatra car was built only in limited numbers, like the single-cylinder, 528cc 3-wheeler Tatra car (Type 49).

The next important development was the Tatra 57 which appeared in 1932. This Tatra car had the central tubular frame and swing-axles which were traditional by this time, and an air-cooled opposed 4-cylinder engine of 1.160cc developing 22bhp. Engine capacity of the Tatra car was later increased to 1.690cc, and this Tatra car was built until 1938. The German Röhr Junior was the Tatra 57 design built under licence. Under the name of Austro-Tatra the light Tatra cars were also manufactured in Vienna.

Ledwinka and Tatra were destined to make automobile history again with the Tatra Type 77 of 1934. The all-enveloping body of the Tatra car was built strictly to aerodynamic principles. A central box-type frame was used, and in its forked rear end – behind the rear axle – an air-cooled V8 engine of 3.400cc was placed. It developed 70bhp and gave the Tatra car a maximum speed of 95mph. The 1937 Tatra 87 incorporated the same technical principles and this Tatra car used a basically similar body. Engine capacity of the Tatra car was reduced to 2.960cc; output was 75bhp – a result of weight reduction. This Tatra car was capable of 100mph. In the same year the Tatra 97 was introduced with the same body, but an opposed 4-cylinder unit of 1.760cc and 40bhp was fitted. After the district of Koprivnice had come under German occupation, and the restriction of numbers of types which had been introduced in Germany in the 1930s was enforced in Czechoslovakia too, production of the Tatra 97 ceased and only the 87 Tatra car was continued until about 1941. In 1945, after the war, the Tatra car factory were nationalized by the Czechoslovak government, and production of Tatra cars was devoted to the front-engined Type 57B Tatra car and the rear-engined Tatra Type 87. These Tatra car were replaced in 1948 by a single model, the 2-litre rear-engined Tatraplan, derived from the pre-war Type 97 Tatra car. This Tatra car was made until 1954, after which there was a three-year period when no private Tatra cars were made. In 1957 the Tatra 603 was introduced; this Tatra car again had an air-cooled V8 engine of 2.472cc mounted in the rear. The Tatra car is still in production today as the T3-603, with twin-carburettor engine, servo-assisted disc brakes, and powere assisted steering, although Tatra concentrate on commercial vehicles and railway carriages. In preparation for 1973 was the 3.4-litre T613, a development of the existing theme.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; HON 

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com