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#1
03-13-2002, 06:05 PM
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What a way to go
Found these photos,thought they might be of interest.
http://www.dhc.net/~pmhack/mercedes/hearse66.htm When we go to meet our maker who'd want to go in anything less than a vintage Merc.Bear
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W123 '82 300D red 202,000 miles G460 '83 280 GE LWB 69,000 miles Mercedes-Benz Club member http://www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk/ S Klasse Club Deutschland http://www.s-klasse-club.de/ 
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#2
03-13-2002, 06:15 PM
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Very unusual....thanks for the pics!
Appears original, unlike the "hack" job I saw last week...a Bentley Station Wagon (or Shooting Brake) with a mid-70's Volvo rear hatch and hardware!
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#3
03-14-2002, 07:43 AM
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I always enjoy the weird and different. Ironically, I'm going to a friends funeral this afternoon. He was 81 and had heart failure last Sunday while autocrossing!
Happy Motoring, Mark
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DrDKW
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#4
03-14-2002, 08:05 AM
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Mark, sorry to hear about the loss of your friend.
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#5
03-14-2002, 09:08 AM
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Thanks. My friend was a retired Chrysler executive and was a major force in the D.C. area chapter of the Sunbeam club. He had an original, mint condition, 1967 Sunbeam Tiger and a 1967 Sunbeam Alpine set up with double stabilizers and dual twin-choke Webers for autocrossing. I can only hope I'm still able to drive when I'm 81, much less autocross!
I enjoyed your Ameilia Island photo of that 300SL. I saw a D.C. area owner 'thrash the hell' out of his silver 300SL roadster at an autocross here about 12 years ago. Happy Motoring, Mark
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DrDKW
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#6
03-14-2002, 09:21 AM
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Quote:
I like 300SL roadsters too - more practical than the coupe. The Gullwings can get awful stuffy unless you're on the highway on a cool day  I take it you are an MBCA member of Greater Washington section?
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#7
03-14-2002, 09:35 AM
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Nope. I've owned seveal Mercedes since 1973 and thought about joining but never got around to it. I am a member of the Sunbeam club (I own a '67 Alpine) the Capital area Shelby Club (I 'pit crew' for another friends '65 Sunbeam Tiger vintage racer) and I'm in the DKW club of America (I have 2 DKWs - former products of Daimler-Benz from 1957 to 1965)
Happy Motoring, Mark
__________________
DrDKW
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#8
03-14-2002, 09:51 AM
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Growing up in Annandale, my father briefly owned a 1967 (I think) Sunbeam that was light blue. But, as I recall, it was a hatchback. Did they make such a car? What model does this sound like to you?
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#9
03-14-2002, 05:10 PM
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Sunbeam
Do you perhaps mean the Sunbeam Rapier fastback?I'll try to find a photo for you.Bear
__________________
W123 '82 300D red 202,000 miles G460 '83 280 GE LWB 69,000 miles Mercedes-Benz Club member http://www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk/ S Klasse Club Deutschland http://www.s-klasse-club.de/
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#10
03-14-2002, 05:11 PM
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In 1968, after Chryslers takeover of the British Rootes Group, the Sunbeam Tiger and Alpine roadsters were discontinued, mainly due to the wave of new federal safety and emmissions regulations.
A new Sunbeam Rapier 2 door fastback was introduced in Britain but marketed here as the Alpine and, with dual carbs, the Alpine GT. It had a little trunk - the back glass was fixed. This floorpan was based on the new 4 door Sunbeam Arrow sedan/wagon chassis introduced in 1966. It was a decent small car design but the influx of more reliable German and Japanese imports killed off most small British cars in the US by the early '70s. Chryslers' British imports ended in 1970, except for a brief revival of the Hillman Avenger, sold here as the Plymouth Cricket from 1971-1973. In the mid '80s, I looked at an Alpine fastback for sale, cheap, in Annandale but the guy had parked it with the windows open and the whole interior was disintegrating.The fastback Alpines are much more rare than the roadsters but body and trim parts are almost unobtainable. There's all kinds of 'repro' stuff, availible now, for the Alpine and Tiger roadsters. Happy Motoring
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DrDKW
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#11
03-14-2002, 05:27 PM
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Rapier
El Presidente try this site
http://www.sroc.org.uk/ When you get there select cars and the one were talking about is the H120.Catch you later Bear
__________________
W123 '82 300D red 202,000 miles G460 '83 280 GE LWB 69,000 miles Mercedes-Benz Club member http://www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk/ S Klasse Club Deutschland http://www.s-klasse-club.de/
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#12
03-14-2002, 07:31 PM
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Mark / Bear
You guys are "spot on"! A Sunbeam Rapier Fastback. Man, that brings back memories! I remember we didn't have the car more that a couple years...the body lines always reminded me a of "small" 1965 Plymouth Barracuda. Thanks again!
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#13
03-14-2002, 07:58 PM
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Officially, only the Alpine and GT, Stromberg carb versions were imported to the US. The Holbay tuned Rapier 120 version, with the twin Webers, stayed out due to our regs to stamp out the 'dreaded emmissions'.
I knew a lady about 15 years ago that had a '68 Sunbeam Arrow but her horn button said 'Hunter', which was the Hillman version. I don't know if they sold the 'Arrow' in England but there were several 'badge engineered' models outside the US, including 'Singer' and 'Humber' versions. Happy Motoring, Mark P.S. At the funeral today, a crowd of fellow Sunbeamers were in attendance. There were 5 Tiger and Alpine roadsters lined up in front of the funeral home!
__________________
DrDKW
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