The Sunbeam “Alpine” name actually goes back to the 50s when the name used on a series of cars intended mostly for rally. The name as we know it today has its origins in 1956 when Kenneth Howes and Jeff Crompton were tasked with doing a complete redesign of the original car, targeted primarily at the U.S. market.
The mighty Mini. While I owned a MKI in my youth, I never really appreciated this marvelous package of engineering until I began the illustration. From the hydrolastic suspension to the transverse mounted motor and gearbox, the Austin Mini-Cooper was quite a revolutionary little car and what would turn out to be, one of the British motorcar industry’s best selling and most iconic vehicles. Not to mention, fun to drive.
The Swallow Doretti was the brainchild of a coach-builder named Eric Sanders and California Tubing Company boss Arthur Andersen. Following a visit by Eric Sanders to California in July of 1952 both men felt that, as was to be demonstrated by the Austin Healey 100 and Triumph TR2, there was a market for sports cars in the USA and at home (at the right price).
Well, it took me long enough to complete the Healey series (about 6 months) but I’m wrapping things up with the addition of the BT7, BN7, and BJ7 prints. You…
