Sunbeam 16hp Saloon

History

The Wolverhampton firm of Sunbeam built its first car in 1899, but it was in the Louis Coatalan years of 1909 to 1933 that the firm achieved the ranks of greatness, producing a string of record breaking racing machines and outstanding sports saloons. These included the fabulous Sunbeam 1000hp which set a land speed record of 203.792mph in 1927, and the smooth and potent 12/16. Their passenger cars were noted for their excellent build quality and refinement, as typified by the Sunbeam 16 of the late-1920s.

The example you see here is a Sunbeam 16hp Saloon, powered by a six-cylinder 2,129cc over-head valve engine. The car was first registered on 12th November 1927 and comes with a modern V5 and a buff log book dating from 1955. Not much is known about the early history of the car, but it has been in regular gentle use since the current vendor acquired it in the early 1980s.

During this time the car has always been well maintained mechanically and there are many bills and MOTs going back to 1987 to show that it has been in regular use. These include bills for a complete overhaul of the electrical, cooling and braking systems; an overhaul of the engine, gearbox and carburettor; and the fitment of uprated headlamp internals to bring them up to modern standards. On the occasion of our visit the car fired up readily and immediately settled down to a very smooth and quiet idle. It is said to drive very well and sailed through its last MOT which is valid until July 2007.

The interior of the car is totally original with a good headlining and basically sound leather seats although there is the odd split seam here and there on the front seats. The exterior of the car is very scruffy because this is the way the owner preferred to keep it! However, the aluminum panels all appear mostly sound and straight and the ash frame appears to be very solid. The chassis is also said to be very sound. Despite its neglected appearance, the car has appeared in many films and TV programmes over the last two decades.

Sunbeam cars from this era are highly sought after and rarely come on the market. This represents a fantastic opportunity to acquire a good running car that can be enjoyed as it is but that will offer huge potential for the restorer.