MATTERS OF THE MOMENT
I am writing this sitting in the sun in the foothills of the Pyrenees on the STD/TOC Pyrenees Tour, Vuelta 3 (Vuelta translates into English as lap). Members can read more about this in the Newsletter, but needless to say this has been thoroughly enjoyed by all; these tours are excellent opportunities to enjoy your car and get to know your fellow members.
The STD Register enjoys good relationships with the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu – we have raised money to help restore the 1000HP Sunbeam, we have helped them with parts and advice on the restoration of this and the 350HP car which the NMM have made available to us on more than one occasion. As a result I was invited to lunch with Lord Montague in June to say thank you to the Register for our support and to discuss arrangements for the forthcoming trip to Daytona in 2027.
The second 1000HP engine is now running with last minute help from the Register in the search for magneto points caps (thank you Peter Dodds, George Carnegie and Andy Watt for responding).
The car is scheduled to depart at the end of June to begin a fund raising tour of significant USA events, starting with Pebble Beach. Doug Hill, the museum’s Chief Engineer and Ian (Stan) Stansfield, the man who has done much of the work rebuilding the engines, were also present. Beaulieu have already checked out and arranged special deals with three hotels and are planning some other events around the actual return of the car to Daytona. They are happy to share this information with us so members will be kept up to date as soon as we have the information available, if you are considering going to Daytona in March 2027, please let me know.
Paul Wignall – Chairman, STD Register
For more pictures and videos click on the image above.
Three record breaking Sunbeams.
During the 1920s, the Wolverhampton-based Sunbeam Motor Car Company dominated the World Land Speed Record scene. Driven by chief engineer Louis Coatalen’s vision of adapting powerful aircraft engines into lightweight automotive chassis, Sunbeam built three legendary record-breaking cars during this golden era.
The Sunbeam 350HP initiated a brand new era of aero-engined record-breaking cars by using a modified 18.3-litre V12 “Manitou” aircraft engine. It broke the World Land Speed Record three times.
May 17, 1922: Kenelm Lee Guinness set a record of 133.75 mph at the Brooklands circuit near London.
September 24, 1924: Renowned racer Malcolm Campbell bought the car, painted it blue and named it Blue Bird, and pushed the record to 146.16 mph at Pendine Sands, South Wales.
July 21, 1925: Campbell returned to Pendine Sands, becoming the first person to break the 150 mph barrier with a record of 150.76 mph.
The Sunbeam Tiger was built as a lightweight, dual-purpose machine that could break records and also compete in circuit racing. The V12 engine, of just 4.0 litres, remains the smallest-capacity car ever to hold the Land Speed Record.
March 16, 1926: Major Henry Segrave drove the bright red car—originally nicknamed Ladybird—to a record speed of 152.33 mph on the flat sands of Southport Beach, north of Liverpool.
The Sunbeam 1000HP was the ultimate culmination of Sunbeam’s engineering, built for the sole purpose of shattering the 200 mph barrier. Nicknamed “The Slug” due to its enclosed, aerodynamic red bodywork, it was powered by two 22.5-litre V12 Matabele aircraft engines mounted fore and aft of the driver’s cockpit.
March 29, 1927: Major Henry Segrave took the car to Daytona Beach, Florida, and successfully made history by being the first man to exceed 200 mph at the then astonishing average speed of 203.79 mph..