Sunbeam Rapier Fastback Resto

[paul]

And here we go..........



Still to do

Bushes and suspension upgrades
Engine Service and Tune
Poss a custom exhaust
Change G/box and axle oil

[larry]

Paul,

I am in Sydney Australia. Still lots to do, white car has a 5 speed from a '98 Oz Falcon and front brakes from '98 Commodore and rear member is shortened '94 commodore with discs 3.55;1 LSD. Engine is 302 Windsor. Silver car will have same driveline but 347 cubes and hopefully/probably 2 small turbos.

Larry

[CologneV6]

lol, it's a Renault gold ( closest I could get plus looks tad fresher than the rootes version)

Have you still got your Alpine?

No, sold it back in 86 or 87

Reg number was GKP 347 L

Would you mind if I check with the owners club, see if it still lurking around?

Help yourself !
Would be interesting to know - spent many hours and too much money on it but I did learn my basic auto DIY skills from working on it.

[paul]

Paul,

I am in Sydney Australia. Still lots to do, white car has a 5 speed from a '98 Oz Falcon and front brakes from '98 Commodore and rear member is shortened '94 commodore with discs 3.55;1 LSD. Engine is 302 Windsor. Silver car will have same driveline but 347 cubes and hopefully/probably 2 small turbos.

Larry

Jees.....I want you to be my new best friend Are you a bit of an old hat at that level of modification, or did you dive straight in??

[paul]

Have you still got your Alpine?

No, sold it back in 86 or 87

Reg number was GKP 347 L

Would you mind if I check with the owners club, see if it still lurking around?

Help yourself !
Would be interesting to know - spent many hours and too much money on it but I did learn my basic auto DIY skills from working on it.

Just pinged the reg over to the owners club....fingers crossed and all that

[larry]

paul,
I'm actually an aircraft engineer so have a fair bit of mechanical nous. Always been involved with playing with cars but a lot of the work on the white car is being done at a good friend's workshop. The one thing that was quite simple was the brake upgrade, there is a company in Aus. called Hoppers Stoppers that does conversions for virtually anything. Sometimes I wish I left it standardish so I could be in your situation driving it. Your's looks awesome by the way. Love the wheels.

Larry

[johnbaz]

Hi Paul

You did a smashing job on the Rapier

I had a Sunbeam Alpine back in the 80's, I loved the car but it broke my heart when a Transit van rear ended me, it put a crease up from the back wheel arches and bent the whole back end down

Mine was in metallic turquoise but I had it painted dark blue..

I have a few pics that I took with a film camera (no digi back then!!) but they seem to have darkened like mad over the years




I bought a pair of Strombergs from a Rapier (my brother sold a pair of Webber twin 40's to the lad so I had his Stom's), the lad said it was a direct swap- no such luck, I had to go to a scrappers as the inlet and exhaust manifolds were different thicknesses, I eventually got them fitted and accelleration was much improved
I also managed to get a Rapier bootlid, my brother matched the paint to the rest of the car and painted it for me, it must have been after this pic wa taken as there's no spoiler on this one..

I really miss the old girl


John

[paul]

Have you still got your Alpine?

No, sold it back in 86 or 87

Reg number was GKP 347 L

Would you mind if I check with the owners club, see if it still lurking around?

Help yourself !
Would be interesting to know - spent many hours and too much money on it but I did learn my basic auto DIY skills from working on it.

Just pinged the reg over to the owners club....fingers crossed and all that

No luck at the club so far Did a look and not on Askmid, but may be off road etc

[paul]

paul,
I'm actually an aircraft engineer so have a fair bit of mechanical nous. Always been involved with playing with cars but a lot of the work on the white car is being done at a good friend's workshop. The one thing that was quite simple was the brake upgrade, there is a company in Aus. called Hoppers Stoppers that does conversions for virtually anything. Sometimes I wish I left it standardish so I could be in your situation driving it. Your's looks awesome by the way. Love the wheels.

Larry

Hey Larry,

Sorry for the delay reply.

It will all be worth it, I can just imagine the smiles as you pull away from the Porsche's

The wheels are Avon Safety wheels, still got the original receipt at £88 for the set

[paul]

Hi Paul

You did a smashing job on the Rapier

I had a Sunbeam Alpine back in the 80's, I loved the car but it broke my heart when a Transit van rear ended me, it put a crease up from the back wheel arches and bent the whole back end down

Mine was in metallic turquoise but I had it painted dark blue..

I have a few pics that I took with a film camera (no digi back then!!) but they seem to have darkened like mad over the years




I bought a pair of Strombergs from a Rapier (my brother sold a pair of Webber twin 40's to the lad so I had his Stom's), the lad said it was a direct swap- no such luck, I had to go to a scrappers as the inlet and exhaust manifolds were different thicknesses, I eventually got them fitted and accelleration was much improved
I also managed to get a Rapier bootlid, my brother matched the paint to the rest of the car and painted it for me, it must have been after this pic wa taken as there's no spoiler on this one..

I really miss the old girl


John

Thanks John, there was a few late nights but it was certainly worth it in the end.

Love the pictures John, reminds me how much I like the driving lights on the front.

All the best

Paul