Sunbeam Rapier I
Overview
| Produced: |
1955-1957, 7477 produced. |
|---|---|
| Types: |
Saloon, 2 doors, 4 seats
|
Sunbeam first introduced its two door, Hillman Minx based Rapier in 1955. The new model looked modern and attractive and featured a pillar-less side window arrangement. Throughout the models development the Rapier found favour amongst "sporting motorists" and achieved some successes in rally events around Europe.
The original 1955 Rapier featured a 1390cc four cylinder engine which was equipped with a single Stromberg carburettor (twin-carbs were introduced in 1957) and produced lively performance. The engine was coupled to a manual-overdrive gearbox as standard, although curiously this did have a column shift change.
Engines
| Capacity | Config | Model | Bore/Stroke | CR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1390cc | S4 OHV | Hillman S4 OHV | 76mm x 76mm | 8 |
Fuel System
| Type | Number | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Stromberg | 1 | Downdraught (DIF36) |
Performance
| Top Speed | 0-60 | SQM | MPG | Engine Pwr | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85mph | 34mpg | 62bhp @5000 |
Brakes
| Front | Rear | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Drum | Drum | Lockheed hydraulic (2LS on front) |
Dimensions
| Wheelbase | Track | Length | Width | Weight (CWT) |
Turning Circle | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front | Rear | |||||
| 8' | 4' 1" | 4' 0.5" | 13' 4.5" | 5' 0.75" | 34' | |
Body
| Type | Seats | Doors | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saloon | 4 | 2 |
Maintainability
| Mechanics | Bodywork |
|---|---|
| * * * - - | * * - - - |
People who looked at this car, also looked at:
There are 3 further pictures
[View Full Gallery]
Valuation
| Poor | Average | Excellent | Last Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| £650 | £1600 | £3250 | 26-Oct-06 |
Related Contacts
DealersParts and supplies
|
[ suggest a contact ]
Related products for sale in the shop
Books | |
 Cars Of The Rootes Group
£24.95   |
 Rootes Maestros "In their own words"
£34.95 |
 Practical Classics on Sunbeam Rapier Restoration
£8.45 |
 SUNBEAM RAPIER, ALPINE 1955-1965 OWNERS WORKSHOP MANUAL
£17.45 |
 Remembering Rootes Volume 1
£19.95 |
 Remembering Rootes Volume 2
£19.95 |
Stansted Airport Car Hire
Looking for Stansted airport car hire? Click here for great bargains. You will get more out of your holiday!
USA Car Hire
The USA has to be the ultimate road trip destination and it's a great place to hire a car.