1926 Sunbeam Super-Sports Tourer
Chassis No: 4022F
Engine No: 4020F

The Sunbeam Super-Sports model sometimes known as the “3 Litre Twin Cam” was a remarkable car. Despite having been designed by one of the most flamboyant and talented aero and automobile engineers, Louis Coatalen, they have often been overshadowed by their contemporaries; the Vintage Bentley and the Vauxhall 30/98. It’s interesting to note they were actually faster than the Bentley 3 Litre, have an easier gearbox and more comfortable steering. Their impressive twin overhead cam engine was actually inspired (or copied perhaps!) by the highly rated Fiat Grand Prix racing design. In fact the Fiat engineer Vincenzo Bertarione, who had designed the winning car in the 1922 French Grand Prix, was actually engaged by Coatalen to help design the Sunbeam engine. It is a more flexible and revs more freely than the Bentley. It also incorporates “dry sump” lubrication enabling better oil flow and a lower centre of gravity. It is often forgotten that the 3 Litre Sunbeam Super-Sports driven by J. Chassagne and Sammy Davis came in second at Le Mans in 1925 beating the Bentleys!

Chassis No 4022F is a fascinating example and has had some illustrious owners. It is recorded as being built in 1926 with standard tourer coachwork by Sunbeam. Sunbeam entered two factory supported 3 Litre cars in the Essex Motor Club’s Six Hours Race at Brooklands on 7th May 1927. A third car was also entered but was not “Works” supported. One of the “Works” cars was driven by George Duller and was given the UK Registration no UK 3846 for the race, a registration number Sunbeam had “on the shelf”. The other works entry was driven by Henry Segrave was registered with the number UK 3525. It is thought that both cars were re-bodied after the race with saloon coachwork and used as factory demonstrators. There are contemporary photographs of both cars with saloon coachwork bearing those registration numbers. But there are also contemporary photographs of a car acquired by W.G. Vaughan and raced in the 1933 Mendip Grand Prix de Tourisme with registration no. YN7831. Vaughan provided a photo to the Autocar Magazine in 1933 saying it was the Six Hours Race car, and later photographs appear to show a car with the racing modifications as seen on the Duller car at Brooklands in 1927, which suggests that the car with the registration no.YN 7831 (i.e. this car) was indeed the race car that Duller drove and was not re-bodied as a saloon. It is entirely possible that Sunbeam supplied the car to Duller as new with the registration no YN 7831 and just used the registration number UK 3846 for the Six Hours race. We will never know, but early owners said the car had several racing modifications, so it is highly likely to be the car raced at Brooklands by Duller.

Subsequent owners and history are all well documented including the fitting of a new Mike Collis cylinder block, and records for substantial works over several decades. The car is very well known and respected in STD circles, and drives beautifully.