51 replies to this topic

[oli8925]

A guy down my road has one of these in loverrrrly condition, nice deep navy blue. I'll try to get a picture if it comes out again this year but I expect it's tucked in to its garage until next year now.

[Al*]

Any updates on the project? Iv just completed just over a months solid welding on a series 5 for my mother, it should be coming back from being painted in the next couple of weeks.

I think there must be a problem with the rear 1/4 panels as i had to do exactly the same to the O/S panel, the N/S rear 1/4 was also a very bad shape but i only have to add one extra section of metal.

Good luck with the project ill be checking back from time to time to check for updates.

wow i have all but forgotten that this thread was even going.. its been a long time since any updates... to be honest its been quite a while since much progress has been made.... summer time is a bad time o try to be productive... i am at the prep/paint stage with the 78 mini i am restoring so once it is out of the garage i will be turning some attention back to this... i'm optimistic (and so is my dad) that we will be getting back at this come the winter time...

currently the car is as follows.... all of the inner metal work on the right side is completed and it is ready for the outer sill, quarter panel, and wing/fender lower peice to go on... instead of completing that side though we opted to rotate the car and cut apart the left side and start working on the inner structure of that side.... once all that gets completed this winter both sides will get their outer panels put on together and it will look like a huge progress leap! haha

i'll grab some pics of how it is now next time im photographing the 78 mini in the garage....

Tomf.... i'm glad to hear that you had the same problem with the panels as i did and its not just us who had to deal with that garbage.... you should post up some pics of the series 5... i would like to see them... feel free to put them in this thread if you want...

thanks everyone whos still interested in this... keep the interest and eventualy there will be some updates...

cheers,
Al

[1403creed]

Al,
I just discovered your Sunbeam project. I have a 66 Alpine that I bought in 1972. I drove it for about a year when I was in high school and it's been in storage ever since. I'm finally about ready to restore it, and I noticed you're using a rotissere. I'm guessing you fabricated it yourself. Could you post some details of how you put it together and where it attaches to the car. Does the Alpine body unbolt from the frame or are they welded together. I don't think I have the kind of rust that you have to deal with, but I would like to be able to work in the underside of the car.

[Al*]

-1403 creed... yeah the rotisserie is one i originally built for mounting minis but i built mounts for the sunbeam... next time i'm out in the garage with a camera i will try my best to get you some pics (and measurments if you like) ... the alpine body doesn't unbolt from the frame persay' it's unitized... but the front end has a crossmember that holds all the suspension parts etc. that unbolts form the underside of the front frame rails... (which is where monted the rotisserie to...)

[Mike Delaney]

I can't wait to see some more progress on this project. There is one for sale near me I have been thinking about buying. After seeing your Dad's car I know what trouble areas look at.

[Al*]

hahaha yeah all areas are trouble areas! ... no progress on this lately as the 78 mini is in primer right next to it so cant do any cutting, grinding and welding... really need more space!!!!... also really need to get the 78 mini finished! haha

[Al*]

well not progress in the sense that we worked on the car persay, but i did buy a 69 ford f100 pickup today so the engine from that will be finding its way into the sunbeam... it's a 302ci v8 , we will also possibly use the 9" rear end (obviously will need to be bnarrowed) and the rest of the truck will be used for parts on my daily driver 71 ford f100...

the 69 and my 71 in the background...




and this is the 78' mini i am working on that is eating up most of my time... its getting close to completion now...

Edited by Al*, 15 November 2010 - 04:14 AM.