Price: £210.00 - £219.99, Brand: Firestone, Tyre Size: 560-13 | Sunbeam Alpine MkI 1959 to 1960

Sunbeam's 60s sportscar. Manufactured between 1959 and 1960. Originally fitted with a 560-13 crossply tyre, which is still available. There was an option to fit a 590-13. The best radial replacement is a 165SR13 radial, which would have a better speed rating compared to currently available crossplies.

Based on the same floorpan as the Hillman Husky, the Series I Sunbeam Alpine debuted in July 1959 with a 78bhp 1494cc four-cylinder engine. The transmission was shared with the Sunbeam Rapier, but with closer gear ratios and the option of a Laycock overdrive.

In 1960 the Series II Sunbeam Alpine appeared with a larger, 80bhp 1592cc engine and more comfortable seats. The Series III Alpine of 1963 brought a GT option with a hard top instead of a folding hood, wood trim for the dash and a wood-rim steering wheel. The optional detachable hard top on the Series III onwards was steel instead of aluminium and twin fuel tanks replaced the single item of earlier cars.

When the Series IV Alpine arrived in January 1964 it had smaller tailfins and the grille had become a single chrome bar in place of the previous four-bar unit. The Series V Alpine of September 1965 featured a five-bearing engine for the first time, a 1724cc unit with twin Stromberg carbs to give 92bhp. Alpine production ended in January 1968.