1963 Sunbeam Alpine 'V6 Widebody'

The early Alpines, whilst having gorgeous looks, were lacking in performance so, in 1983, someone decided that the way forward was to fit a 2.8-litre V6 Cologne engine from a Ford Sierra to his Series I 1960 Alpine. Sounds easy, but of course a certain amount of reengineering was required. Thankfully we are told he was an engineer.

The arches had to be widened to accommodate the front suspension and the wider axle, hence our ‘Widebody’ moniker.

Other modifications included a T9 5-speed Ford gearbox, a Ford Cortina rear axle and suspension from a Capri.

We gather this was the 4264th car to be produced and rolled down the production line in early 1960. The V5 says declared manufactured in 1962… Not true.

After the modifications were carried out, the car was reregistered as a 2.8 Sunbeam Alpine in May 1986.

Our seller purchased the car from a chap who bought it in 2018, and had spent the previous three years improving the car in many ways. The work carried out included redoing the electrical system, upgrading the suspension and making a series of cosmetic upgrades to the chromework and interior.

Our seller has now had the wheel arches done properly in alloy and they look terrific. The cost to him was over £7k.

From old records, we can see that the Alpine was originally green. The colour change took place in 2011 and as such we suspect the paintwork is now over 10 years old.

The paintwork still has a good shine and polishes up well but there are a few areas of minor cosmetic damage we should mention.

There is some areas that aren’t perfect, which can be seen in photographs. There are also some paint chips around the edges of the boot lid and bonnet, as well as a mark above the rear bumper on the right-hand side.

There’s a nice mohair hood, and the windscreen was replaced at some point.

We like the stance of the car, low, wide, and now hinting at the performance potential. Those graceful and delicate convertible lines though remain unaltered when viewed in profile. Great!

Not content with exterior upgrades, this motor has Sportsman Recliner seats which are fitted with five-point Willans racing harnesses, for that full sporting effect. They are as comfortable as they look.

There is a padded rear bench still fitted, ideal for a little extra light luggage.

The carpets are in decent order and we note there is some household grade underlay beneath them.

Instruments are plentiful and are spread across the dash. The 3-spoke steering wheel is a veritable delight to hold and falling easily to hand is the wood-topped gearlever, just begging to be snicked through the trusty five-speed gearbox.

We do note that the finish to the door jams and inside of the doors is less than perfect in places. The same can be said for the bottom of the doors, where there are some signs of corrosion starting to appear.

The carpeted boot is not the most spacious.

The powerful V6 engine gives the Alpine the turn of speed that the car always deserved, and we are told by the owner that the driving experience is second to none. It is a reliable engine too, made in large numbers back in the day by Ford and fitted to Sierras, Capris, Granadas…. You get the idea.

The engine compartment itself is quite presentable and shows all the right signs that maintenance has been carried out in the past.

You will be able to spot the reconditioned radiator fitted by our seller, and there is a newish clutch. The gearbox has also been rebuilt by ‘Ed’s Garage’.

We always include photographs of a car’s underside and there are plenty here for your delectation. The paintwork to the lower sills could do with a little tidying up in our opinion, but generally we see little that would cause us much concern.

The keen eye might spot some of the upgraded suspension system, with some parts sourced from America.

We have already outlined the car’s conversion back in the 1980s, and we note a service book showing annual servicing in years 2014 to 2017. Since being acquired by our seller, the car has covered few miles.

The parts and maintenance bills over the last years tops £18,000 and includes:

• New wheels and Toyo Proxes tyres
• New rear springs and assorted suspension work
• Reconditioned radiator
• New clutch
• Complete renewal of the electrical system
• New rocker cover gasket
• Renewed gearbox oil
• New hood
• New Sportsman Recliner seats
• New windscreen frame and windscreen
• New bumper set

A labour of love without a doubt and our seller reports having fun trying to source the many rare parts from around the world. They certainly weren’t cheap either.

The conversion of the Alpine may not please the purists, but for those who are looking for an exciting driving experience, with period looks will love this car.

We are told it offers thrills behind the wheel, undreamt of when the car originally rolled down the production line.

If you fancy being the car’s lucky new owner, we estimate the Alpine will sell for between £15,000 to £20,000.

Viewing is always encouraged (strictly by appointment), and this particular car is located with us at our HQ near Abingdon; we are open Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.