1951 Sunbeam-Talbot 90 MkII DHC

Description

Ex-New Zealand; major mechanical overhaul about 12 years ago including MkIII engine; floor-change gearbox; new tyres; runs beautifully; driven 50 miles to the sale; utterly charming in all respects

The last car to bear the Sunbeam-Talbot name, the Sunbeam-Talbot 90 was unveiled in 1948 with dashing Trans-Atlantic looks to appeal to the vital export market. The swooping bodywork had lashings of chrome and the luxurious interior was trimmed in top quality hide with lots of lovely white Bakelite fittings.

Available as a four-door saloon or two-door drophead coupé, the car went through three versions before production ended in 1954. The MkII version came out in 1950 and gained a stiffer chassis with independent front suspension using coil springs, while the engine was enlarged from 1,944cc to 2,267cc with overhead valves. With 70bhp on tap, it had a top speed of 85mph. Only 5,493 were made in total before it was replaced by the MkIIA in late 1952.  

Built in August 1951, this MkII Drophead Coupe, coachbuilt by Thrupp & Maberly, is one of the many cars destined for the export market. Most took the relatively short hop across the Atlantic to North America but this factory RHD car travelled 12,000 miles across the Indian Ocean to New Zealand.

The original NZ logbook shows that it was supplied new via Gardner Motors of Dunedin in November 1951 and it looks to have had four owners up to 1974, all in Dunedin. An undated note on file states that it was one of only six such cars in New Zealand and that it was restored over a four-year period including new Connolly hide upholstery. The note also points out that it had the optional tachometer and overdrive gearbox.

It came back to the UK in March 1991, an old MOT showing that it had 10,794 miles on the clock at that date and it has only done around 4,000 miles since, the odometer currently showing 14,943 miles.

The V5C records four former keepers since it landed on these shores, the first being a plastic surgeon, Mr D Herbert from Notts, who only appears to have kept it for a couple of years. It was then briefly owned by a Mr Radley of North Yorkshire but it seems that Mr Herbert then bought it back again and kept it until at least 2008 when it was treated to a substantial recommissioning by those good chaps at Sherwood Restorations which cost £1,037.

It was then owned by a Mr Cornish from Monmouthshire who kept it until 2022. The majority of the bills on file date from 2012/13 when he seems to have given it a thorough going-over, fitting many new parts supplied by Sunbeam Talbot Spares of Barnsley.

The stand-out item was the fitment a later MkIII engine, the same 2,267cc capacity as the MkII but with an extra 10bhp which upped the top speed of the MkIII to 94mph. This alone cost £3,000 so it must have been a good one! Presumably it got the floor-change gearbox at the same time – vastly superior to the clumsy column-change gears fitted to most of these cars and with overdrive on 3^rd and 4^th.  

Much money was also spent on numerous other items, the highlights include: new clutch; full brake overhaul with MkIII brake drums and new master cylinder; reconditioned carburettor; high torque starter motor (now removed but in the boot); rebuilt distributor; HT leads; oil filter; new flywheel and core plugs; engine and gearbox mountings; new door, boot and windscreen rubbers; new door mirrors and boot handle; front and rear indicators; front spot lamps and reversing lights;  raised letter number plates plus much else besides.

In May 2022, when it was showing 13,971 miles, it was acquired by a Mr Drew of Norfolk from the Goytre Car Company of Pontypool, the invoice showing that he paid £19,000.

Our vendor acquired the car from Mr Drew in June last year and has continued to look after it well, including fitting five new tyres. It has only covered 970 miles on the fresh MkIII engine and we are told that it drives as well as it looks. It has certainly been starting promptly and running beautifully as we have moved it around on site, with bags of torque, an easy gearchange and healthy 55psi oil pressure. The hood is in equally good condition, as is the tonneau cover.

Driven 50 miles to the sale, it is only reluctantly for sale because our vendor has just bought a 1953 Sunbeam Alpine MkI and does not have room to store them both. 

While it doesn’t really do to make sweeping generalisations, over the 20 years that we have been hosting these sales we have noticed a trend with imported cars: American imports look great superficially but are shocking up close; cars from South Africa are just shocking; cars from Australia are rust-free but usually knackered; cars from New Zealand are utterly delightful. This fabulous Sunbeam-Talbot fits the stereotype perfectly.

Consigned by James Dennison – 07970 309907 – james.dennison@brightwells.com