The 4.9-litre Sunbeams

Sir,

Your enthralling article on the 4.9 Sunbeams brought back some memories. In 1930 an Indianopolis Sunbeam was advertised for sale by a firm called Crayson Motors, of London. I think that the price was then £150 and it was stated that the car was fitted wth a twoseater racing body and that a four-seater body was also available. This must have been the Bouts car?

I wrote to Brayson Motors and in due course went to T & T, with Bunty Scott Moncrieff in his HE, to see the car and have a run in her if possible, I had a rather wild idea that it might be possible to make a fun road-car out of her,

We arrived at Brooklands and went to T & T who were expecting us. I towed this very impressive car with the HE, Bunty in the Sunbeam, and got her started without damage to the back of the HE. I climbed into the Sunbeam and we did a couple of laps at a not very high speed On the 2nd lap we halted near the fork to look at a doubtful tyre, and as we were able to get a glimpse of a red rubber inner-tube we called it a day!

I did not buy the car, though for once I did have the purchase price, as it seemed unsuitable even for a fun car partly owing to the matter of getting the engine started I do recall that there was on the near side of the engine a magneto operated by a handle which could be turned with vigour by a mechanic to feed a stream of sparks to the main distributors. This I think on the day was spun, by one of T & T’s mechanics.

It is sad that this fine old car should have been scrapped as were so many, such as was the fate of much of the Villiers Supercharge on which I did so much work when Ray had her.

As one ol your very old readers, and one who just hates change on principle. I have to admit that I am getting used to the “new” Motor Sport and in fact fear that I may come to like it as much as in its old guise!

Box, Wiltshire R CHAPMAN