Lot 503: 1934 Sunbeam Dawn

Large, sporting cars had been Sunbeam’s forte, so the firm’s introduction of a smaller model, calculated to extend its appeal to a wider market, was seen by many as a bold move. Introduced in 1934 and priced at £485, the medium-sized Sunbeam Dawn was an advanced design built to the company’s traditionally exemplary standards of workmanship and engineering. The newcomer was powered by a 1,627cc overhead-valve four-cylinder engine incorporating a wet-linered aluminium-alloy cylinder block, and featured independent front suspension by means of wishbones and a transverse leaf spring. Early cars came with a Wilson pre-selector gearbox, later examples with a conventional four-speeder. Unfortunately, the collapse of the Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq combine in 1935 and its subsequent acquisition by the Rootes brothers meant that the Dawn - one of the last true Sunbeams - never got the chance it deserved, enjoying a production life of a mere two years.
One of only four (believed) survivors of the 200-or-so made, this restored Dawn previously belonged to an ex-Sunbeam employee and member of the Sunbeam Club, from whom it was purchased 17 years ago. Restored in the mid-1980s, the car was treated to a complete engine rebuild ten years ago, together with other refurbishment, and since then has been kept dry stored, MoT’d regularly and only driven in the local village fête. Finished in black with immaculate brown/coffee leather interior, the vehicle is offered engine rebuild invoices (totalling over £5,000), current MoT/road fund licence and Swansea V5 registration document.