1928 Sunbeam 16hp Weymann Saloon - absolute delight!

1928 Sunbeam 16hp Weymann 4-door 4-light Saloon - NOW SOLD - MORE CARS WANTED

In the current ownership for a 2nd time – the owner states “this car is that good”

Fabric body re-clothed by none other than Mike Thomas some years ago - and still in excellent condition

So much room in this car - it is an absolute delight

The Motor 31 January 1928 reported  : “A high grade moderately priced car of refined performance” An air of luxury.

The Autocar 20th July 1928 reported : One of the most pleasant British-built vehicles… there is a suppleness about the way the car responds… the car is delightfully light to handle and so easy to drive that a timid woman driver soon gains assurance with it and is liable to mistake 50 mph for 30 mph…! The 4 door saloon body is large to the point of speciousness, the engine develops enough power to give a really brisk performance when needed, yet there is no suggestion of over-low gearing for speed is not accompanied by fuss, and a high average over a long run is easy to maintain without strain upon driver or machine. Both back and front seats are extremely comfortable, thanks to well-chosen angles of seat cushions and support to the back from the squabs. Also the loose cushions are very soft, and well sprung beneath, so that they are most luxurious.. The steering is excellent, beautifully light, the gear change moves lightly and needs no more than the strength of two fingers, up and down, the gear change is easy to master.

I could not agree more with the above, especially with The Autocar - where I worked a while ago – an outstanding small capacity car, punching harder than its weight…

Smooth 6-cylinder with impressive torque – as demonstrated by the current custodian – from 5mph in top gear. Hardly notices hills within the car’s normal cruising range of 50mph – all from 2,035 cc

Engine rebuilt by a previous owner. Photos on file

Previously owned by the well-known vintage car dealer David Howard of Ranvilles Farm Romsey Hampshire some years ago

Retains amazing original interior

COULD CONSIDER part-exchange with cash for a light car or Austin 7 Box Saloon or possibly a Ruby?

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The Sunbeam Motor Car Company Ltd of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, were a major player in the motor industry – a prestige & repected marque of great quality – one of the great names at the top of the 1920s motor car business. John Marston had registered the company in 1888 as a bicycle manufacturer with motor car production from 1901. By 1905 the car production was separated from Marston’s pedal cycle business, with Sunbeam Motor Cycles commencing in 1912. Production levels were low in comparison for example to Austin who also made virtually all their parts in-house. 30 acres of factory floor space and nearly 4000 people were employed by Sunbeam Motor Cars.

The company spent vast fortunes on promoting themselves in motor racing, leading to the World Speed Record by Major Henry Segrave, later knighted Sir Henry Segrave for his Land Speed Record with the 1000hp Golden Arrow at 231.36 mph at Daytona Beach Florida on March 11th 1929. The 1000hp Sunbeam is currently being restored to operation in the Beaulieu Motor Museum workshops (as I have witnessed – holding various parts in my hands) - both 22.4 -litre V12 Sunbeam Matabele engines seized solid with 90 year old Castrol R oil clogging them up. It is rumoured that this car has only travelled 18.74 miles under its own steam…

However, the company had spent far too much on too many models on offer which duly came home to roost in 1935 when the Rootes brothers bought the company name but not many of the pieces, and hence, like so many prestige 1920s car manufacturers, the marque was taken down market - similar to Vauxhall Motors as early as 1926 by General Motors.

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The Sunbeam 16.9hp model

It is written in Sunbeam literature that a 1929 16hp model would accelerate in top gear from just 5 mph to 62 mph – a wonderful feature at a time when people were relatively uneasy about changing speed (gear) on a crash gearbox – torque was and is a great feature, as aforementioned in the description of the car we have for sale today. Production run was about 3495 units from 1926 to 1930 with a six-cylinder OHV engine of 2035cc, 4-speed right-hand change gearbox, torque tube, spiral bevel axle, semi-elliptic front and cantilever rear suspension, and could at the time rev to 4400 rpm and happily cruise at 4000 rpm.

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DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase was 10 foot 6 and a ¼ inches, track 4’ 7”, length 14’ 3 3/4”, width 5’ 10”, weight 23cwt, max speed 60mph.