Alpine and Tiger were built on the Commercial Commer Cob van and Hillman Husky estate chassis and bulkhead which was a shorter wheelbase version of the Hillman Minx (Audax) . The sports car had extensive additional strengthening added to compensate for the removal of the roof
Maxwell Smart actually drove a Sunbeam Tiger, although the body style was identical other than thin chrome strips down the sides. Having said this, they did use Alpines at times. One example was when they had a machine gun come out of the bonnet (hood) as it wouldn't fit with the Tiger engine bay crammed with V8.
As a retired CIA Station Chief, I was always a fan of Get Smart - and my Dad and I always loved British Cars (he had a 68 Triumph TR250 once!). I finally got a beautiful restored 63 Sunbeam last May with a Nissan fuel injected engine from the early 80s. For Purists - I still have the original Engine on a pallet!
My first Alpine was great. Should have kept it but traded on another manufactured the first year of the Chrysler buy out. A serious lemon. Never ran properly and after six months and many garage trips I unloaded.
WOW! I like this little guy. (BOTH OF THEM) the "Alpine", and the "Tiger". But, why have they built a "BRITISH" car with (LEFT -HAND -DRIVE)? I've never seen that before. (Interesting)! Conversely, the only AMERICAN car I've ever seen with (RIGHT -HAND -DRIVE), is a "Mail-Truck". WOW... you said "Chrysler"... So, is it a Chrysler?
It’s a British car. Brought to the US by Chrysler and marketed as a Sunbeam by Chrysler. It wasn’t uncommon for US manufacturers to either market foreign car companies they owned in the US. Or to collaborate in partnership with foreign companies to market foreign cars in the states. Other examples are the German Opel sold by Buick. The De Tomaso Pantera sold by Ford. Mitsubishis were sold by Chrysler: such as the Plymouth “Arrow”. American Motors sold a Renault called “Alliance” and they imported a little Renault R5 and marketed it as “Le Car”.
Alpine and Tiger were built on the Commercial Commer Cob van and Hillman Husky estate chassis and bulkhead which was a shorter wheelbase version of the Hillman Minx (Audax) .
The sports car had extensive additional strengthening added to compensate for the removal of the roof
Thanks for sharing!👍
I love my '67 sunbeam. I just feels so right to drive
It's beautiful. Get Smart was where I first saw one.
Maxwell Smart actually drove a Sunbeam Tiger, although the body style was identical other than thin chrome strips down the sides. Having said this, they did use Alpines at times. One example was when they had a machine gun come out of the bonnet (hood) as it wouldn't fit with the Tiger engine bay crammed with V8.
My first car back in 1969 was a 65 Sunbeam Alpine!
As a retired CIA Station Chief, I was always a fan of Get Smart - and my Dad and I always loved British Cars (he had a 68 Triumph TR250 once!). I finally got a beautiful restored 63 Sunbeam last May with a Nissan fuel injected engine from the early 80s. For Purists - I still have the original Engine on a pallet!
Very cool! Thanks for sharing!
My first Alpine was great. Should have kept it but traded on another manufactured the first year of the Chrysler buy out. A serious lemon. Never ran properly and after six months and many garage trips I unloaded.
The number plate relates to a Green 1968 John Deere Tractor? LoL
WOW! I like this little guy. (BOTH OF THEM) the "Alpine", and the "Tiger". But, why have they built a "BRITISH" car with (LEFT -HAND -DRIVE)? I've never seen that before. (Interesting)! Conversely, the only AMERICAN car I've ever seen with (RIGHT -HAND -DRIVE), is a "Mail-Truck". WOW... you said "Chrysler"... So, is it a Chrysler?
It’s a British car. Brought to the US by Chrysler and marketed as a Sunbeam by Chrysler.
It wasn’t uncommon for US manufacturers to either market foreign car companies they owned in the US. Or to collaborate in partnership with foreign companies to market foreign cars in the states. Other examples are the German Opel sold by Buick. The De Tomaso Pantera sold by Ford.
Mitsubishis were sold by Chrysler: such as the Plymouth “Arrow”. American Motors sold a Renault called “Alliance” and they imported a little Renault R5 and marketed it as “Le Car”.