Description
The Sunbeam Alpine is a plucky little British sports car that was produced by the Rootes Group from 1953 to 1955 and then again from 1959 to 1968. It quickly gained popularity, especially in the United States as it was offered as a two-seater convertible or roadster. It went through several different series and models during its production run, with various engine options and design changes, but importantly, it became a properly impressive competition car. A real David amongst Goliaths.
9201 RW is one of the three Sunbeam Alpines built by the Rootes Competition Department for the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans race. It was the first of the three cars to be completed and took part in the pre-race test day in April 1962, where it was driven by Peter Harper, lapping the Circuit de la Sarthe in just five minutes 8. 6 seconds - some 12 seconds per lap faster than had been managed by either of the Alpines in practice for the previous year's race.
Both 9201 RW and 9202 RW were equipped with a 1, 592cc inline-four-cylinder engine known as the 'Rapier 1725' engine, derived from the standard Sunbeam Rapier engine found in the road-going Sunbeam Alpine. Initially generating approximately 83bhp, this figure proved somewhat conservative, especially after Brabham's team worked their magic in preparation for the 1963 race.
9201 RW was a reserve entry for the 1962 race and, whilst it was unable to start, it took part later in the year in the Tourist Trophy at Goodwood, piloted by Peter Harper, where it was the fastest of the three Alpines in the race, finishing in 12th place overall and sixth in class.
With competition in motorsport continually evolving and intensifying, the Rootes engineering team realized that more significant modifications were imperative for the Alpine's prospects at Le Mans. In preparation for the 1963 campaign, weight needed to be shed and more power had to be harnessed. The most notable changes revolved around the engine compartment. Jack Brabham's organisation prepared the engines, lightening and polishing crankshafts, lightening pushrods, and replacing Zenith carburettors with 40 DCOE Webers, while increasing the compression ratio to 12. 5:1. These modifications, along with further lightening of the body, had the desired effect as far as speed was concerned, but at the expense of reliability.
Two of the 1962 cars were retained by the factory team and entered for the 1963 Le Mans race. 9201 RW was driven by Peter Harper and Peter Procter (race number 33), while Keith Ballisat and 'Tiny' Lewis took the reins of 9202 RW (race number 32). The Harper/ Procter car retired after 13 hours with a blown head gasket, whereas the Ballisat/ Lewis car made it to hour 19, until it broke its crank while leading the under 2-litre class. As well as the Le Mans races, both 9201 RW and 9202 RW were used on a number of rallies, including the Monte Carlo, RAC, Tulip and Tour de France.
During the tenure of its previous owner, from 1988 to 2015, 9201 RW received an extensive yet very careful restoration to then enjoy a second racing career, retaining its original 'Works' colours, registration number and 1963 Le Mans specification, albeit with a milder compression ratio to increase reliability. Unsurprisingly, its second wind of racing was significantly busier than its original career with the Rootes works team, including taking part in several Le Mans Classic races as well as appearances at the Goodwood Revival - on one occasion being driven by former Rootes works driver Peter Procter. When the car was stripped for restoration, numerous period modifications were found still to be intact, and were thankfully retained including the alloy panels, original Microcell seats, dual electrics, and BR front disc brakes.
This well-preserved car, accompanied by current FIA HTP papers valid until 2026, is eligible for a wide array of events worldwide. Whether you choose to embark on long-distance HERO rallies or vigorously compete at Le Mans and Goodwood, it offers an underrated but exceptional slice of British racing history, steeped in decades of experience and captured through a multitude of period photos spanning decades.
It not only runs beautifully and drives well but races even better, making it an excellent choice for global competition. All these remarkable qualities make this car an enticing addition to the world of historic racing.
