# British Sunbeam in Green



## bikemonkey (Jan 18, 2019)




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## HARPO (Jan 18, 2019)

Wow, it looks barely ridden. And Sunbeam is a brand not often seen, at least here on Long Island. Nice find, and even with the pump!!

My guess on year is very early 60's, but of course the hub will tell the tale. 1961?...


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## bikemonkey (Jan 18, 2019)

HARPO said:


> Wow, it looks barely ridden. And Sunbeam is a brand not often seen, at least here on Long Island. Nice find, and even with the pump!!
> 
> My guess on year is very early 60's, but of course the hub will tell the tale. 1961?...



It is not mine but a fresh listing on a local CL. Thought the pic would be better appreciated here than in the CL forum.


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## bulldog1935 (Jan 18, 2019)

you'll find the history of this bike tied with the history of BSA, acquired by BSA in 1943, and separated from the motorcycle business in 1953



they were acquired by Raleigh in 1957 - may have been made in to the early 60s, but no specific information.
I would be trying to date this bike to between 1953-57, before Raleigh bought BSA/Sunbeam bicycles. 
Though the Made in England script sure matches Raleigh script.  
Must be one of the rarest headbadges out there.


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## juvela (Jan 18, 2019)

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In its earliest form the marque was known as the Marsdon Sunbeam.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Marston_(businessman)

https://www.marston-sunbeam.org

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## bulldog1935 (Jan 18, 2019)

yes, the prewar and TOC bikes are super cool, and have a really good museum webpage (apparently tied to the BSA bike museum)
https://sunbeammuseum.wordpress.com/

@juvela, did you see my request to help date this campeur drivetrain?  https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/26-vs-27-wheels.145744/page-2#post-978237

1901 Sunbeam model OK with cycle luggage carrier


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Jan 18, 2019)

I was hoping for a Sunbeam Alpine.


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## blackhawknj (Jan 18, 2019)

An excellent find. I have one, a mens. The hub is stamped 5-71 but it came with mint Dunlop tires.


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## juvela (Jan 19, 2019)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> I was hoping for a Sunbeam Alpine.




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What?  No Tiger?





https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunbeam_Tiger

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## bulldog1935 (Jan 19, 2019)

ah, the old switch and paste trick.  
sorry about that, Chief.


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## juvela (Jan 19, 2019)

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The four foil bands on the seat tube are consistent with many Raleigh contract builds done for the U.S. market, such as those for AMF.

The Raleigh experts will likely know a launch year for their use...

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## 49autocycledeluxe (Jan 19, 2019)

juvela said:


> -----
> 
> What?  No Tiger?
> 
> ...



I had a dark green 67 Alpine a few years back.  Tigers are too expensive for my tiny wallet..


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## SirMike1983 (Jan 19, 2019)

juvela said:


> -----
> 
> The four foil bands on the seat tube are consistent with many Raleigh contract builds done for the U.S. market, such as those for AMF.
> 
> ...




Right - it's a Raleigh-made 3-speed light roadster with the Sunbeam badge. The four bands usually mean an AMF bike sent to the US. The bikes have the Sunbeam badge but are unrelated to the original, pre-Raleigh merger Sunbeam.


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## Eric Amlie (Jan 19, 2019)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> Tigers are too expensive for my tiny wallet..




And rather ill behaved from what I gathered from talking with the owner/driver of one at a vintage race several years ago.
The car wasn't well engineered to handle the power of the Ford V8 engine.


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