Bob,
You do not mention handling or having to stop hard when some idiot cuts in
front of you or does some other stupid maneuver. The problem is handling and
braking.
Jan
Bob Hamilton <hamilton@accesswave.ca> wrote:
> Geltlemen,
Ah, but there is no comparison between the 2.3 litre Sunbeam
Talbot OHV engine and an early Hillman Minx. I cruise comfortably at 60-65
mph all day (~3,000 rpm) if required in any of my Sunbeam Talbots and MKI
Alpine. I have logged over 3,500 miles this year alone on the 1953 Alpine.
They are a comfortable touring car, not a bumpy little sports car....(I can
hear the keyboards pounding now! ........smile...)
Later,
Bob
At 09:54 PM 10/25/2000 -0400, jeyerman@ix.netcom.com wrote:
>I too have had the itch for a somewhat exotic car-being a Hillmanite, the
>car was a 1951 Hillman Minx. A mistake.... why? I loved the car, it was
>neat but it had an absolute top speed of about 60 MPH and that sounded and
>felt like it was about to take off or blow it's poor little engine all
>over the macadam. That really wasn't the main problem though- at 40 MPH
>it felt like a modern car doing 120 .... on ice. Handling was terrible
>(even with a rebuilt suspension). So, a 10 mile trip to a local car show
>was an experience you would not want to repeat. I could have trailered it
>but what is the fun in that?
>
>A Series I Alpine is a very driveable car-it goes, turns and stops with
>modern cars-thus road trips can be fun. A Sunbeam Talbot 90 might not be
>as much fun an Interstate. It will probably go OK, but the handling and
>braking will be pure early 1950's.... pretty poor. You will develop a
>great admiration of the skill and courage of the drivers who rallied it
>accross the Alps in Winter....
>
>Jan Eyerman
>1959 Hillman Minx
>1973 Plymouth Cricket
>ex-owner of 2 1951 Hillmans plus about 100 other Rootes sedans, wagons and
>convertibles.
>
>bmounce@impop.bellatlantic.net wrote:
> > You're crazy; God bless you!
>
>I have noted over the years that people who like offbeat/unusual/not
>run-of-the-mill/etc cars strive for increasingly rare and unusual cars to
>increase the challenge and draw admiring glances from the average person
>and even from the people who drive 'exotic' cars, like Ferraris. This is
>healthy!
>
>If you've asked the question, you know the answer- scratch your itch!
>
>Bill
>
>Alex & Peggy McGregor wrote:
>
> > I'm thinking of selling my S1 and buying a 54 Talbot Drophead Coupe.
> > Anybody want to tell me I'm crazy and/or offer encouragement, and why?
=========================================================
Robert (Bob) A.C. Hamilton, Waverley, Nova Scotia, Canada
The Man of Many Sunbeams - Alpine, Drophead and Saloon 1953-1954
[Stable mates - 1973 Midget and 1968 M-B 280SE]
Home Page: www.navnet.net/~hamilton
BATANS Home Page: www.batans.ns.ca
E-Mail: hamilton@accesswave.ca
=========================================================
|