1978 Chrysler Sunbeam Originally LS from UK and Ireland - Comments

Original 1.0L engine was rubbish - replaced with a 1.6 which I then tuned.

Rear suspension link collapsed.

Replaced both sills, and both wings due to rust.

Replaced rear axle due to engine change.

Replaced radiator due to corrosion.

Replaced exhaust twice both times with a rally system.

Lots of tyres.

I bought the Sunbeam when I needed a car, but had little money.

I paid £100 for it as a barely running heap.

Over a few days I tidied it up and got it running properly.

Even though it was very slow it was nice to drive.

The seats are very comfortable - similar to the Avenger seats.

I obtained a cheap 1.6 engine, gearbox and plumbing and fitted them - this transformed the car's performance.

Later on I reconditioned the engine, fitted twin carburetors, a Kent camshaft, and K & N air filters, the car was rolling road tested at 90bhp at the wheels.

During this time I sorted out the suspension and wheels.

Anyway the Sunbeam is a superb handling car, with OK brakes, very easy to work on and also surprisingly reliable.

I ran this car for years and enjoyed driving it.

Some fabric seat covers, trim taken from higher spec. scrap Sunbeams provided a nice interior.

Ventilation is OK.

I ended up getting rid of it due to problems obtaining spares.

Hi.

I can't believe that you are the only person to comment on the Sunbeam (Chrysler or Talbot).

My brother and me built a Sunbeam from an Avenger it just kept going and going and I am told it is still going now since we built it in 1979 from a J Reg Avenger.

I still think the Lotus Sunbeam is the best hatchback ever!

I fell in love with the Talbot sunbeam as an 8 year old regularly applying rust treatment and red oxide primer to various rusting areas. (and there were many) I have since owned three. In a 1979, unmodified 1.1 I screamed home to liverpool from Worcester in 80 minutes. The 1.3 was a better engine, but have never tried the 1.6.

This car is undoubtedly the most under rated hatch ever built. Handles great. The driver position and comfort superb. The only let down is the corroding, but, lets face it, all cars built in this era were rust buckets.

I am now attempting to lay my hands on a Lotus Sunbeam in any condition. If you can help then contact me at john36riv@yahoo.co.uk.

I'm constantly amazed by the number of people who tell me they love the Sunbeam and yet it's the car that time forgot. The rear suspension is a four linked, coil sprung set-up as standard so naturally handles better than an Escort in standard trim. The 1.3/1.6 engines although no technical tour De force were solid and reliable (up to about 130BHP).

Sadly though, the dreaded tin worm killed off many and its difficult for owners like myself to find new or good second hand parts, but many Avenger parts are inter-changeable, which does help.

I owned three Sunbeams at one point, but now down to two. One for road and one for rallying.

I was the original poster.

After I took it off the road, it was to be converted to a grass track racer - unfortunately it disappeared and I am still owed £50 for it!

However if I could have kept it a couple of more years I think I could have sold it as a restoration job.

But it did need due to tinworm : New door panels, new front chassis rails, & inner wings.

It was starting to get difficult to MOT due to the twin carb and cam on emissions.

I ended up buying a Vauxhall Carlton - another very good car which no one remembers, my current anonymous mobile is an Omega.

The best bits were the suspension and the engine & box - it was fun out accelerating an MG Metro or GTa (not sure which) when I was towing a trailer!

I owned a 1981 Talbot Sunbeam for a couple of years between 1991 and 1993. It was a completely standard 928cc model which I used for regular commuting across London. Of course, it was a complete rustbucket - both sills replaced, (found an old Capital Radio t-shirt stuffed inside a previously filled repair when the old sills came off!!) rear nearside corner by the wheelarch actually fell off whilst I was driving home from work one evening. Exhaust valves burnt away and had to replace them, get head skimmed etc. Glass fell out of headlight, and clutch cable pulled through the bulkhead requiring welding to repair. Vacuum advance hose connection split and it took me AGES to figure out what the problem was.

Bizarrely I have very fond memories of this car and loved driving it (although engine was utterly gutless). Replaced it eventually with a Citroen AX.

The 928cc engine was a development of the Hillman Imp unit.

By the standards of the day it was a nice engine, but far too small to power the Sunbeam.