[Sunbeam Talbot Email List] 55 Alpine Restoration

[Dan Gooding]

Don, 
 
Great job!  Thanks for sharing your tour de force.  That was a wonderful
discussion and my wife and I enjoyed the photos a lot, too.  Sure wish I had
your mechanical aptitude/experience.
 
As to springs' boot, I was told by senior Packard guys years ago that they
were used for keeping dust/grime out/off the springs to some degree.
Packard had boots over all the leaf springs (in leather) on some models.
Can't imagine they helped much, so I thought it was more a cosmetic thing
really.  Cosmetics might have been the goal with these cars too, but one
can't see these very well.  Long gone from my car, in any case.  Oh, I heard
from the respected gentleman here who looked after the car collection of a
local zillionaire that had included an Alpine Sports (it was sold to a guy a
couple of states over about ten years ago) that the louvers were closed to
keep the engine compartment warmer in the winter and cleaner too.  He said
that the louvers were meant for show/a fashion look---sort of like a silk
pocket square in a suit or sport jacket breast pocket---only slightly
functional.  That didn't make sense to me really, but I wasn't about to
debate an expert in his late seventies that had probably forgotten more than
I will ever know about mechanics.  Of course, as you point out, you were
drawn to the car in part because of those louvers.  I was too.  Maybe he has
a point.
 
I have to look into that Caswell kit.  Never heard of it.  I have a bunch of
little things I would like to plate.
 
I don't know about our other STAR members, but I was surprise to learn that
you are keeping your column shift, given that you are converting to a racer.
What is your thinking there?  
 
I think about 70% of our cars on the road have been changed to the floor
shift, now.  That from a discussion here some time back.  I was happy to
hear that though you were keeping yours as is.  I wish my car hadn't been
converted to the floor shift as the column to me is pretty cool, even if
less efficient.  And, it is original.
 
Who is making your racing screens?  I would like to have a set myself (I'd
want two).
 
My car is heading to the upholster in a couple of weeks to have a tonneau
made for it.  I have to get after the "new" radio soon, too.  Too many
distractions of late!  Hey, I helped with your project some Don, by buying
your radio! 
 
All the best, 
 
Dan
Daniel E. Gooding.
Lewisburg, WV, USA
  _____  

From: staowners-bounces at sunbeamtalbot.info
[mailto:staowners-bounces at sunbeamtalbot.info] On Behalf Of Don Herr
Sent: Saturday, January 30, 2010 9:40 AM
To: staowners at sunbeamtalbot.info
Subject: [Sunbeam Talbot Email List] 55 Alpine Restoration


Hi All, Attached are some pictures of the 55 Alpine I am restoring. 
 
SOME NOTES:
1. I am zinc plating all bolts /nuts and mechanisms that were originally
plated i.e.the emergency brake lever mounted to the rear end and gear shift
linkage etc. Using a Caswell Kit - it is quite easy and rewarding.
2. One picture shows the boot on the back of the leaf springs. I put out an
inquiry about this boot to STAR but never got a reply. I do not know the
purpose of this boot but both my 55 Alpine and a 54 Sunbeam Talbot 90 spare
parts car I bought had these boots. Maybe they are just for appearance when
viewing the car from behind? I made them out of burlap as the originals and
coated the with rubber(the kind you dip tool handles into)
3.I have all parts detailed  just waiting for reassembly. Every item has
been rebuilt or NOS parts found on Ebay. I spend 1hr.+ every evening on Ebay
looking for parts.
4. All body parts are ready for paint(Coranation Red), waiting for warm
weather. I fabricated and rebuilt the floors, tailight surrounds(salvaged
from parts car) and surrounding structures ,rocker panels,wheel well
surrounds, spare tire compartment, 6" and bottom of doors,tunnel cover,etc.
All repairs are welded and leaded. In some areas I had to use polyester
glazing to scim. All parts sprayed with zinc chromate etching primer than
topped with 2x high build primer and blocked. I made a body rotisserie out
of two HD motor stands- the body work would have been impossible without the
ability to position the body in any position for welding.
5. The frame was in pretty good shape. Had to make two new front leaf spring
mount wings-originally they never incorporated a weap hole for water
drainage so these units were totally rotten. I also beefed up the backs of
the front motor mounts which were both cracked from engine tork on fairly
thin metal. Frame painted with Imron.
6. Large chrome parts(bumpers,grill etc) are being done by NEL in Phila. I
am picking them up next week. I am doing all the small parts myself, ie
headlight rims on down in size. Using the Caswell product. VERY FUN.
7.Rear end totally rebuilt-the crown carrier was cracked-luckily the one
from the spare car was good. Motor being rebuilt by Tivvy Autocraft in
Danville VA. An Englishman who rebuilds high end English and German cars and
vintage races his own XK120-the fastest one on the east coast. Was able to
get +40 pistons from Bob Hamilton. I am also buying the recently rebuilt and
tested overdrive and trans for Bob Hamilton. THANK YOU BOB!
8. Staying with column gear shift- But do have a Kneer floor shift from the
spare car if anyone is interested in it.
9. I am a woodworker by hobby and re-did the steering wheel in walnut. The
original plastic grip was totally gone.
10. Modifications I plan or have done-Contempory Bilstien shocks on the rear
mounted on custom towers I made that bolt to the frame were the original arm
shocks were mounted. I had to make new mount tabs for the axle,which could
easily be changed back. Bilstein shocks on the front mounted inside the
front coil. I modified the bottom A=arm bottom plate for mounting but kept
the originals from the parts car if someone wants to turn it back. I plan on
running an Alternator and converting to negative ground. I am having a
racing windscreen built as per the Rootes option. I will run an AC electric
gas pump and radial black wall tires. Other than these modifications the car
is plumb stock.
 
Regards to All,Thanks to those who helped me along the way and thanks in
advance for those who will help me to completeion. I bought this car at a
local auction(rural NC-but it came out of NYC 20 years ago) for $3,000 and
knew nothing about them other than I thought it was cool looking-especially
the factory hood louvers(why did they have plates to close them off?). I am
not new to restoring cars so the challenge was welcome and I am enjoying
every minute.
 


  _____  

Hotmail: Free, trusted and rich email service. Get it
<http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390708/direct/01/> now. 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://sunbeamtalbot.info/pipermail/staowners_sunbeamtalbot.info/attachments/20100130/39f4a022/attachment.html>