Back to my Rootes
Looking forward to the return of historic rallies but behind schedule on a renovation? Simon de Burton has just the thing
This Series II Rapier, made from 1958-59, had a 1.5-litre engine enticingly referred to as the ‘Rallymaster’
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If you have regrets about failing to tackle a project during lockdown and are now fretting about having nothing to drive when we get the green light to return to the cut and thrust of historic rallying, this competition-ready Sunbeam Rapier could well be worth a bid.
The Rapier was Rootes Group’s racy coupé that first appeared in 1955 having been inspired by American Studebakers. The first versions had unsporting column gear shifts, but that didn’t stop British rally driver and Rootes Group dealer Peter Harper taking one to a respectable fifth place in the 1958 Monte Carlo Rally.
Knowledge gained from such competition led to improvements on the Series II Rapier (launched the same year) that included a floor-change transmission, bigger front brakes, more precise steering and, best of all, an upgraded, 1500cc engine that pushed out 73bhp and gave the car a top speed of more than 90mph.
