Grand Prix Sunbeams 1922

Sunbeam Works Racing

Industry	Motor racing team
Founded	1922
Headquarters	Wolverhampton , United Kingdom
Key people	Ernest Henry (designer), Louis Coatalen (general manager), Jean Chassagne (driver), H.O.D. Segrave (driver), K. Lee Guinness (driver)
Products	Grand Prix racing cars

Sunbeam Works Racing entered the 1922 XVI Grand Prix de l'A.C.F. held at Strasbourg on 15 July 1922. The competition required cars to have engines no larger than 2 litres and mandated two-seater vehicles with a minimum weight of 650 kg. This set of regulations remained in effect for four years and introduced the inaugural rolling massed start in Grand Prix history.

The team constructed three race cars designed by Ernest Henry, preceded by a prototype that served both as a test vehicle and a backup. When H.O.D. Segrave’s designated car suffered engine damage due to fire during practice, he competed using the prototype instead. Unfortunately, all three Sunbeam engines failed during the race, resulting in none of the cars finishing.

Following the Grand Prix, one Sunbeam secured victory in a Brooklands event. Subsequently, all four vehicles were sold to private owners and competed with varying degrees of success. Remarkably, every one of these British Works cars from the Vintage period still exists today; however, only chassis number 2 retains its original condition, while the others consist of genuine parts with documented continuous histories.

The course

The Strasbourg track consisted of unsealed public roads arranged into an approximately triangular layout measuring 8.31 miles per lap. It featured three long straights and sharp bends located at Entzheim, Innenheim, and Duttlenheim. The start was positioned at Duppigheim, where grandstands and pit facilities were established. The race distance encompassed 60 laps, totaling nearly 499 miles.

The 1922 Grand Prix de l’ACF

During practice sessions, Fiat demonstrated superior pace; in response, Sunbeam altered axle ratios to enhance their competitiveness. Throughout the race, Sunbeam engines operated beyond safe revolutions per minute which led to inlet valve breakages and forced their withdrawal from competition. Team drivers Jean Chassagne (car No.9) and K. Lee Guinness (car No.16) both retired after completing five laps.

Segrave, driving car No.21 and making his debut in Grand Prix racing, managed approximately half the race distance and maintained fourth place behind the leading Fiats for much of the event despite difficulties such as fuel burns caused by rushed refueling stops; he later described his experience as ‘sheer misery’.

1922 Brooklands

On 30 September 1922, the Essex M.C. organized a series of Speed Championship races. The highlight was the 2-litre event over an 8.5-mile distance won by H.O.D. Segrave piloting a Grand Prix Sunbeam at an average speed of 92.81 mph with a fastest lap clocked at 99.81 mph. This marked the sole significant achievement for these Sunbeam machines.

Aftermath

The unsuccessful performance of the cars significantly harmed the reputation of designer Ernest Henry. Although the rear axle exhibited mechanical vulnerabilities, the Fiat 804’s capabilities motivated Louis Coatalen, Sunbeam’s general manager, to model his victorious 1923-1925 Grand Prix vehicles after its design.

The 1922 Sunbeam engines that broke down during competition were refurbished, with their sophisticated servo-operated braking systems removed and integrated into the 1923 Grand Prix Sunbeams. Additionally, the gear lever was relocated to the center of the cockpit. Following a period of inactivity, all four cars from the 1922 team—including the prototype—were sold to private collectors and remain in existence today; among them, only one (Sunbeam No 2) retains its original condition, while the others have undergone genuine restorations.

Design

Ernest Henry conceived the design in Suresnes, collaborating with Louis Coatalen and Sunbeam’s Experimental Department based in Wolverhampton, with Jean Chassagne overseeing testing procedures.

Prior to World War I, Henry contributed to Peugeot’s pioneering double overhead camshaft four-valve Grand Prix engines introduced in 1912; the 1922 Sunbeam adopted similar engineering concepts. Its aluminum body displayed sleek post-war styling, featuring a spare wheel mounted longitudinally and supported by a substantial fuel tank.

According to records from the Wolverhampton Motor Car Registry, the prototype was registered for road use before three race vehicles were built, each customized according to its driver’s specifications. The engine employed asymmetrically inclined valves (20° inlet and 40° outlet), illustrating Sunbeam and Coatalen’s longstanding interest in desaxé valve arrangements dating back to 1911. Another notable aspect was the engine’s direct attachment to the chassis frame, resembling the configuration seen on the 1921 Talbot-Darracq.

After undergoing prototype trials at Brooklands and the Isle of Man ahead of the Grand Prix, adjustments were made such as reinforcing tail support brackets. Various configurations of carburetors, tire models, axle ratios, aerodynamic screens, and mudguards were experimented with to enhance overall performance.

Colour / trim

The bodywork was painted in British Racing Green, complemented by black wheels and black leather upholstery—fluted on team vehicles and flat-panelled on the prototype.

Chassis

• Chassis designed with upswept sections over both front and rear axles to lower the center of gravity.
• Front axle constructed in three machined and polished pieces; an H-section center bolted to forged tubular ends to withstand torsional forces from front braking. The frame incorporated a front cross member, channel section amidships, and rear support.
• Polished semi-elliptical Jonas Woodhead and Sons springs arranged underslung on all corners.
• Hartford shock absorbers installed at every corner (single unit at front, double units at rear).
• Steering system featured a high-geared worm mechanism with a white-metal nut and a cord-bound spring-spoked steel steering wheel.
• Narrow, streamlined two-seater aluminum body with staggered seating; spare wheel mounted longitudinally at the rear. A louvred under-pan extended along the full length of the chassis.
• Wheelbase measured 8 ft 2 in; track width was 3 ft 11 in.
• Extensive tire testing was conducted prior to the 1922 Strasbourg Grand Prix, including Palmer Cord Beaded Edge and Dunlop Magnum Cord tires; competition runs utilized Dunlop S.S. Cord straight-sided tires on split rims.

Weight

• J Chassagne: 13 cwt 84 lb
• K. Lee Guinness: 13 cwt 101 lb
• H.O.D. Segrave: 13 cwt 57 lb

Engine

• The powerplant is a four-cylinder desaxé monobloc unit, designed by Ernest Henry, featuring a cast-iron block with an independent barrel-shaped cast-aluminum crankcase mounted directly onto the chassis.
• Sixteen valves are actuated by twin overhead camshafts housed separately, using thimble tappets; each cylinder has four valves set at asymmetric angles (inlet at 20°, exhaust at 40°).
• A balanced, built-up crankshaft runs on three ball bearings, with external oil lines fastened by perforated steel plates to resist centrifugal forces.
• Connecting rods are constructed from steel in an H-section profile, secured with four bolts on the big end; white metal bearings support the big ends while bronze bushes are used for the small ends; pistons are domed aluminum fitted with two compression rings and one scraper ring.
• At the engine’s front, a series of ten intermeshed gears drives the camshafts, magnetos, and oil and water pumps; the crankshaft gear powers the magnetos at crankshaft speed, while camshafts rotate at half that speed.
• Cylinder bore and stroke measure 68 mm by 136 mm respectively, yielding a displacement of 1975.6 cc.
• Valve timing details include inlet valves opening 10° before top dead center and closing 30° after bottom dead center; exhaust valves open 52° before bottom dead center and close 18° after top dead center.
• Compression ratios vary from 6.5:1 for Grand Prix specifications to as high as 7.6:1 for post-factory Brooklands competition setups.
• The engine produces 88 brake horsepower at 4200 rpm, with a maximum bench-tested engine speed of 4600 rpm; estimated maximum velocity is around 100 mph.
• Fuel efficiency is roughly 13 miles per gallon, with an RAC horsepower rating of 11.4 hp.

Carburation

• For Grand Prix racing, two horizontal Solex carburetors of 40 mm diameter are mounted directly on the intake manifolds; alternative setups tested include twin Zenith triple diffuser carburetors and a barrel throttle Claudel-Hobson.
• Fuel delivery is maintained by pressure from a rear-mounted 60-gallon tank secured with nickel-plated steel straps lined in leather.

Ignition

• Two Scintilla magnetos are affixed to the front of the timing gear housing and driven via Vernier couplings at crankshaft speed.
• Each cylinder contains two spark plugs: one centrally positioned in the cylinder head inclined at 10 degrees, and another located on the inlet side near the cylinder wall.

Transmission

• The gearbox includes four forward speeds plus one reverse gear and is integrated with the engine assembly, mounted directly on the chassis frame.
• Power transfer utilizes an inverted cone fabric clutch seated on a lightweight ribbed steel flywheel; drive to the rear axle is via a Hotchkiss drive. A transverse worm gear reduction was included for a servo motor braking system but was removed after Grand Prix competition.
• The propeller shaft is hollow and open, featuring two Hooke-type universal joints and slopes upward from gearbox to rear axle.
• Drive to the rear wheels is transmitted through straight-cut crown wheel and pinion gears connected to a conventional differential that drives hollow half shafts; the crown wheel housing is offset toward the nearside of the vehicle.
• Gear ratios are as follows: top gear (14-tooth pinion with 55-tooth crown) at 3.928:1; third gear at 4.6099:1; second gear at 6.383:1; first gear at 10.942:1; an alternative top ratio recorded is 4.08:1.

Lubrication

• A dry sump lubrication system is employed, utilizing a pressure/scavenge cluster gear oil pump driven from the front gear train near crankshaft speed.
• High-pressure oiling is confined to the big-end bearings; oil pressure regulation is manually controlled with visual indicators for monitoring flow.
• Excess oil drains from valve cover pipes back into the sump; a separate five-gallon brass oil reservoir hangs beneath the driver’s and mechanic’s seats for supply storage.

Cooling

• The centrifugal water pump is directly driven and mounted on the timing gear case.
• Two separate pipes run from the cylinder head to the radiator, while four additional pipes extend from the pump to the cylinder jackets, entering close to the exhaust valves.
• To avoid water accumulation at high pump speeds, the radiator incorporates a bypass pipe linking its upper and lower tanks.
• The radiator cap, equipped with a pressure relief valve, was produced by Serck.

Braking System

• Braking is applied to all four wheels via a hand lever for the rear brakes and a foot pedal.
• The brake cables are actuated by a Hispano Suiza-style servo mechanism powered from the gearbox main shaft; this system, which runs over pulleys adjustable by ratchets located beneath the riding mechanic, was removed following the Grand Prix.
• Front brakes of Perrot design feature ribbed light-section steel components with a larger diameter than the rear brakes and utilize cast iron shoes.

Instruments

• The Jaeger tachometer is driven from the front end of the camshaft; additional instrumentation includes a Sunbeam oil pressure gauge, a fuel tank air pressure gauge, dual magneto switches, and twin glass oil restrictors.
• An under-reading of 300 rpm on the Jaeger tachometer contributed to engine overstrain during racing events.
• Each dashboard and instrument panel was uniquely crafted to meet individual driver specifications.

History of individual cars

Documentation from Sunbeam Works linking chassis and engine numbers to specific drivers has been lost; however, some Brooklands chassis records remain intact. Historians William Boddy, Neville Webb, and Bruce Dowell have pieced together car histories through analysis of photographs and archival materials. While factory records are incomplete and certain details inferred, post-factory racing histories are generally well established.

A prototype test vehicle was constructed, evaluated, and refined before assembling three team cars at Sunbeam’s Wolverhampton Experimental Department. For the Grand Prix event, these vehicles were designated Sunbeam I, II, and III, assigned respectively to Jean Chassagne (with mechanic Robert Laly), Major H.O.D. Segrave (mechanic Jules Moriceau), and K. Lee Guinness (mechanic Bill Perkins). The prototype served as a spare at Strasbourg and was used during practice sessions by all three drivers; after Segrave’s assigned car was damaged in practice, he competed in the race using this spare.

Chassis marked 'No 1:22'

Completed early in 1922, this prototype test chassis formed the foundation for the three team cars competing at Strasbourg. Initially believed to be team car No.4 based on cockpit plaques, a discovery in the 1970s revealed original stamping on the front dumbirons confirming it as chassis No.1.22. Metallurgical tests showed no signs of altered stamping. The engine carries markings No.4 over No.1; identity plates added in the 1970s reflect this corrected classification.

Registered as DA6436.

Jean Chassagne tested this unpainted chassis at Brooklands before modifications such as tail support realignment were made. It was then transported to the Isle of Man (registration DA6436) for further trials during 1922 Tourist Trophy practice alongside other Grand Prix Sunbeams. All three drivers utilized it during Strasbourg practice sessions; following Segrave’s car fire during practice, this spare was prepared for racing and driven by him.

After factory use ended, it suffered fire damage but underwent modifications including engine and body updates for private speed events before World War II. In 1941, its original engine was replaced with a Riley unit paired with an ENV gearbox; a year later it received a new full-width two-seater body. Following numerous ownership changes postwar, it was restored in the early 1970s with a body replicating its 1922 Strasbourg appearance.

Significant timeline highlights:

• 1922 Constructed by Sunbeam Works and tested by Jean Chassagne
• 1922 Isle of Man testing with drivers J Chassagne, K Lee Guinness, H.O.D. Segrave
• 1922 Served as Strasbourg spare/practice car; raced by Segrave after his own car caught fire
• 1934 Bought by Jock Leith for £10 in "badly burnt" condition; rebuilt with new cylinder block and pressure lubrication; body modified with 1924-style cowled radiator and shortened tail
• 1935 Sold to motor dealer Guy Griffith for £100; compression increased and new carburetors fitted; competed at Donington and Southport
• Late 1930s Campaigned by G Ken Burness achieving podium finishes and participating in speed trials
• Early 1940s Owned by Major W K Johnson with Riley engine and supercharger; body replaced by John Wyer in 1942
• Postwar Multiple ownership transfers with continued updates throughout 1940s–60s
• Early 1970s Restored by Paul Grist revealing original chassis stamping; re-registered as DA6436
• Late 1970s–2000s Held by various collectors; entered historic events including Goodwood and Silverstone’s "100 years of Sunbeam" celebrations

This chassis stands as a testament to Sunbeam’s engineering progress and its lasting impact within historic motorsport heritage.

Chassis marked 'No 2.22'

Referred to as ‘The Time Warp Car’, chassis number 2.22 is distinguished by an engine brass plate marked no.2 and carries the registration DA6468.

This 1922 Sunbeam Works vehicle was allocated to Major H.O.D. Segrave, accompanied by riding mechanic Jules Moriceau, for the Strasbourg Grand Prix (race number 21). It suffered fire damage during practice sessions and was consequently sidelined, with Segrave opting to compete using a spare prototype on race day. It is believed that Segrave drove this car to victory in the 1922 Brooklands Essex M.C. Speed Championships, representing the sole Works triumph for any Strasbourg model. Its history prior to the war remains largely undocumented; however, photographs from the 1920s show it at the Works alongside Fred Caswell. Following the war, it passed through several long-term owners and took part in vintage competitions while preserving original elements such as the bodywork, leather upholstery, and running gear.

Significant ownership and event details:

• 1922 Sunbeam Works; practice vehicle for Strasbourg G.P., damaged by fire.
• 1922 Brooklands Essex M.C. Speed Championships winner under Segrave.
• 1946–1960s Active in various V.S.C.C. events with owners including John C. Purnell and Phillip Ashley Mann.
• 1968 Acquired by Geoffrey Thomas Geer for £1,500.
• 1999 Competed in Silverstone’s "100 years of Sunbeam" celebration.
• 2009 Sold at Bonhams auction for £463,500.

Chassis marked 'No 3.22'

Chassis no.1 paired with engine no.1; this car remains unregistered.

This 1922 Sunbeam Works entry (race number 9) was driven by Jean Chassagne with riding mechanic Robert Laly at the Strasbourg Grand Prix but retired on the fifth lap. In 1925, it was exported to Sydney for racing driver Hope Bartlett, achieving success in competitions across Australia and New Zealand. Over time, the car underwent body alterations and engine swaps, including installation of a 1940 Oldsmobile power unit.

Between the 1930s and 1960s, ownership frequently changed among Australian enthusiasts who modified and raced it in hill climbs and sprint events. By 1948, the original body had been replaced with a sports-style bodywork, along with mechanical updates such as axle replacements.

In 1964, Neville Webb from Adelaide began restoring original 1922 components and revived the car using a 1.5-litre Sunbeam racing engine; notably, the original 2-litre Grand Prix engine remains with the vehicle.

Key developments:

• 1922 Sunbeam Works; Strasbourg G.P. competitor driven by Chassagne.
• 1925 Exported to Australia; campaigned by Hope Bartlett.
• 1930s–40s Participated in Australian hill climbs and sprints under various owners.
• 1940 Engine swapped for Oldsmobile unit; subsequently fitted with Ford V8.
• 1964 Restoration led by Neville Webb focusing on original parts recovery and historical authenticity.

Chassis marked 'No 4.22'

Chassis No.3 (NS) also bears stamping of 4.22 on both dumbirons; both imprinted in Sunbeam Works font. The engine carries stamps No.3 and No.4 likewise in Sunbeam Works style. A period dashboard plate showing chassis and engine No.3 is visible in photographs from the 1930s. Experts Oliver Heal, Bruce Dowell, and Neville Webb have confirmed this vehicle as chassis no.3. It is currently unregistered.

This car served as race number 16 at the 1922 Strasbourg Grand Prix, driven by K. Lee Guinness with mechanic Bill Perkins aboard. It may have been used by H.O.D. Segrave during the 1922 Brooklands Essex M.C. Speed Championships. After being sold by the Works, it competed privately at Brooklands in both 1926 and 1930 before being adapted for touring purposes with a tail modification in 1936. Following multiple postwar owners, it was purchased in 1986 by the Evert Louwman National Dutch Motor Museum and later transferred in 1994 to Japan’s Toyota Motor Museum, where it remains an authentic example of the original 1922 Strasbourg Sunbeams.

Notable historical points:

• 1922 Sunbeam Works production
• 1922 Strasbourg G.P.; race no.16 piloted by K. Lee Guinness (retired lap five)
• 1922 Brooklands Essex M.C. Speed Championships won by H.O.D. Segrave
• 1926 J S Spencer won Brooklands Easter Private Competitors Handicap at an average speed of 91.88 mph
• 1930 Entered BRDC 500 Mile Race; withdrawn due to mechanical failure (drivers K Kenward Eggar & Mervyn Crickmay)
• 1930 Repairs conducted by J.L., Fort William, Scotland
• 1933 Regularly used in Scotland by Lee Guinness
• 1936 Owned by solicitor Tegryd Jones; tail section shortened and modified
• 1946 Owned by Terence P Breen of Whetstone
• 1960 Cameron Millar upgraded car with twin SU carburettors; competed twice at Silverstone
• 1971 Participated in Silverstone STD Parade (driver Cameron Millar)
• 1986 Acquired by Evert Louwman National Dutch Motor Museum
• 1994 Transferred to Toyota Motor Museum in Japan

1922 Strasbourg Grand Prix Additional Entrants

A total of eighteen European vehicles took part, their starting positions determined by drawing lots:

Three Fiat 804 models (Italy): equipped with a 6-cylinder twin overhead camshaft engine, displacing 1,991 cc and delivering 96 bhp at 5,500 rpm; wheelbase measuring 8 feet 2.5 inches; top speed ranging between 105 and 110 mph.

Four Bugatti Type 30 cars (France): featuring a modified chassis paired with an 8-cylinder overhead camshaft engine of 1,990 cc, utilizing three valves per cylinder and two Zenith carburetors; wheelbase at 8 feet 4.5 inches; maximum velocity approximately 98 mph.

Three Ballot 2LS vehicles (France): powered by a 4-cylinder twin overhead camshaft engine with four valves per cylinder, producing 90 bhp at 5,000 rpm from a displacement of 1,986 cc; wheelbase extended to 9 feet 2 inches; capable of speeds between 100 and 105 mph; fitted with a streamlined barrel-shaped body.

Three Rolland Pilain A22 cars (France): driven by an 8-cylinder twin overhead camshaft engine sized at 1,968 cc; equipped with hydraulic front brakes and left-hand drive configuration; wheelbase measured at 8 feet 2 inches; top speed around 100 mph.

Two Aston Martin Grand Prix cars (Britain): featuring a 4-cylinder twin overhead camshaft engine with four valves per cylinder, displacing 1,486 cc and generating 54 bhp at 4,500 rpm; wheelbase of 8 feet; maximum speed near 95 mph.

1922 Strasbourg Grand Prix Results

Fastest lap recorded by Pietro Bordino in a Fiat 804 at 5 minutes and 43 seconds.

• 1st place: Car number 4, Felice Nazzaro driving a Fiat 804, completed all 60 laps in 6 hours, 17 minutes, and 17 seconds with an average speed close to 79 mph
• 2nd place: Car number 12, Pierre De Vizcaya in a Bugatti Type 30, finished all laps in 7 hours, 15 minutes, and 9.8 seconds
• 3rd place: Car number 22, Pierre Marco piloting a Bugatti Type 30, completed the race in 7 hours, 48 minutes, and just over four seconds
• 4th place: Car number 11, Pietro Bordino in a Fiat 804 retired after completing 58 laps due to rear axle failure caused by a crash
• 5th place: Car number18, Jacques Mones-Maury driving a Bugatti Type30 retired after completing57 laps (+3 laps behind leader)
• Retired car number17 Biagio Nazzaro Fiat804 after51 laps due to rear axle failure resulting in fatal accident
• Retired car number14 Giulio Foresti Ballot2LS after44 laps due to engine trouble
• Retired car number7 Jules Goux Ballot2LS after31 laps following a crash
• Retired car number8 Clive Gallop AstonMartin G.P. after30 laps with engine failure
• Retired car number21 Henry Segrave Sunbeam after29 laps due to engine issues
• Retired car number15 Louis Zborowski AstonMartin G.P. after19 laps because of engine problems
• Retired car number20 Giulio Masetti Ballot2LS after15 laps due to engine failure
• Retired car number5 Ernest Friderich Bugatti30 after14 laps from engine malfunction
• Retired car number13 Victor Hemery Rolland Pilain A22 after12 laps caused by overheating
• Retired car number16 Kenelm Lee Guinness Sunbeam after5 laps from engine troubles
• Retired car number9 Jean Chassagne Sunbeam after5 laps because of engine failure
• Retired car number6 Albert Guyot Rolland Pilain A22 after2 laps due to engine problems
• Retired car number19 Louis Wagner Rolland Pilain A22 after2 laps caused by engine failure

Reference Materials

• The Boys’ Life of Sir Henry Segrave by Capt. Malcolm Campbell and J Wentworth Day
• The British Competition Car authored by Cyril Posthumus, published in1959
• Carbooks Volume22 edited by Michael Frostick
• The Classic Twin-Cam Engine written by Griffith Borgeson in1981
• Directory of Historic Racing Cars compiled by Denis Jenkinson in1987
• Fifty Years with the Speed Kings by David McDonald (Dunlop Mac), released in1961
• The French Grand Prix authored by Hodges in1967
• Grand Prix de L’A.C.F. Strasbourg1922 by Bernard Truche published1997
• The History of Brooklands penned by William Boddy in1957
• My Life at the Sunbeam written by Norman Cliff
• The Lonsdale Library Motor Racing edited by Earl Howe & Various Authors
• Motoring Entente authored by Ian Nickols & Kent Karslake in1956
• The Lure of Speed penned by H.O.D. Segrave in1928
• Racing Cars Between1919 and1939 written by T.A.S.O.Mathieson in1963
• Racing Cars and Record Breakers1898–1921 authored by T R Nicholson in1971
• The Roaring Twenties written by Cyril Posthumus in1980
• Sir Henry Segrave authored by Cyril Posthumus in1961
• The Strasbourg Sunbeam penned by Neville S Webb in2006
• Sunbeam Racing Cars authored by Anthony S Heal in1989
• The Vanishing Litres written by Rex Hays in1957
• The Vintage Motor Car authored by Cecil Clutton & John Stanford in1954
• Wall Smacker penned by Peter De Paolo in1935
• Famous Racing Cars & Great Racing Drivers edited by David Hodges

Magazines and Publications

• Autocar (issues from 1922: June-July; also editions from 1930 and 1941)
• Automobile April 2009 edition
• Bonham’s Auction listing Keith Taylor 2009
• L’automobiliste no. 23, featuring Jean Chassagne & Robert Jarraud, May/June 1971
• Les Miroir des Sports 1922 editions
• The Motor May and July 1922 issues
• Motorsport spanning various years including 1933-1948 and 1979
• Old Motor issue from 1981
• Omnia publication from 1922
• V.S.C.C Bulletin, summer and autumn editions containing contributions by Jean Chassagne & Ernest Henry

Additional References

• Beaulieu Photographic and Document Library & Archive
• TASO Mathieson & K Taylor Photographic Archive
• V.S.C.C. Photographic and Document Archive
• Webb Photographic and Documents Archive

Online Resources

• 1922 Strasbourg Grand Prix Sunbeam – YouTube 1922 Strasbourg Grand Prix Sunbeam
• Sunbeam Talbot Darracq Register Sunbeam Talbot Darracq Register
• Bibliothèque nationale de France En ce moment
• LAT Photographic Archive Motorsport Images | Iconic Racing Moments Captured
• Austin Harris Austin Harris photos
• Grand Prix History Grand Prix History
• Grand Prix Sunbeams – YouTube Channel GRAND PRIX SUNBEAMS - YouTube
• Sunbeam Grand Prix 1922 in Japan – YouTube Sunbeam Grand Prix 1922

Footnotes formerly linked to identity 'Sunbeam I'

• The identification of Sunbeam I at the 1922 Strasbourg Grand Prix relies on comparing photographs of the Sunbeam cars from that year with early images following their importation into Australia; as the original bodywork no longer exists, current appearances remain inconclusive.
• Photographs from Australia dated 1925 and 1938 verify characteristics consistent with J Chassagne’s race car number 9, including the shape of the scuttle, lack of a third scuttle blister, position of the rear bonnet strap bracket, and presence of a single tail strap. A publication from Australia in 1925 further supports this identification.
• Each of the three team vehicles featured fluted seats and lacked visible rivets on the tail section.
• A detailed history of the car covering the period from 1925 to 1964 is chronicled in Neville S Webb’s The Strasbourg Sunbeam (2006).

Footnotes formerly linked to identity 'Sunbeam II'

• The flat scuttle design on H.O.D. Segrave’s race car number 21 at the 1922 Strasbourg Grand Prix serves as a unique identifier, corroborated by patterns of rivets, placement of the fuel pump bracket, tax disc rivets, and other distinctive elements still observable today.
• Douglas A Armstrong, editor of Motor Sport, was the owner of this vehicle in 1946 and affirmed its status as the ‘reputed Segrave car’.
• All three team cars were equipped with fluted seats and had no visible rivets on their tails.
• The designation of Sunbeam II in the context of the 1922 Brooklands Essex M.C. Speed Championships is derived from observations documented in The Strasbourg Sunbeam alongside recorded chassis numbers from Brooklands.
• Subsequent ownership details are based on original registration records, sales documentation, and periodicals such as Old Motor (1981), Motor Sport (1946, 1948), as well as The Strasbourg Sunbeam (2006).

Footnotes formerly linked to Sunbeam III's identity

• Although the chassis number caused some confusion due to multiple stamps, the identification of Sunbeam III as chassis number 3 is corroborated by a 1926 record from Bill Perkins, an engineer at Sunbeam Works and riding mechanic during the 1922 Grand Prix; this is further supported by a dashboard plate visible in a 1938 photograph as well as publications from 1938, 1941, and a document dated 1960. Additional validation is provided by Oliver Heal, Bruce Dowell, and Neville Webb.
• The uniquely upswept scuttle characteristic of K. Lee Guinness’s car no.16 in the 1922 Strasbourg Grand Prix corresponds with the present vehicle and RU-2497 during the 1930 Scotland race, confirming its identity as No.3.
• Chassis number 3 establishes a connection to J S Spencer’s Brooklands vehicle from 1926, supported by testimony from Bill Perkins, K. Lee Guinness’s riding mechanic.
• Further verification arises from distinctive elements such as the broader collar fuel inlet positioned approximately three inches from the trim line, the location of the tax disc, front strap buckle placement, trim spacing, and rivet arrangements—features consistent with car no.16 observed after factory work; all three team vehicles displayed fluted seating without rivets on the tail.
• The nearside bonnet vents designed to release carburetor heat uniquely associate J S Spencer’s Brooklands car (1926) with subsequent owners including J. L. of Fort William, K Kenward Eggar & Mervyn Crickmay during the 1930 Brooklands "BRDC 500 Mile Race," and Terence P Breen in 1946. It is noteworthy that all team cars except Sunbeam III retained carburetor blisters after factory modifications.
• The double tail strap found exclusively on K. Lee Guinness’s car no.16 at the 1922 Strasbourg Grand Prix links it to H.O.D. Segrave at the 1922 Brooklands Essex M.C. race, J S Spencer in the Easter Brooklands event of 1926, and Eggar & Crickmay in the 1930 Brooklands "500 Mile Race." Although alterations made after 1922 could affect this feature’s dependability for identification purposes, it appears to be unique to this particular vehicle.
• Race number 27 displayed during the 1930 Brooklands "BRDC 500 Mile Race" connects this automobile to later proprietor Tegryd Jones from Whetstone. Postwar ownership has been verified by David Allen, Neville Webb, Oliver Heal and Bruce Dowell.

Footnotes formerly linked to 'test/practice car'

• Oliver Heal, Bruce Dowell, and Neville Webb in his work on the Strasbourg Sunbeams initially identified this vehicle as chassis number 4, the test car destroyed by fire prior to the race. However, Bruce Dowell’s subsequent investigations have disproved this claim.
• Although this was the earliest constructed car and may not have originally displayed a chassis number, dashboard and bulkhead plaques marked No. 4 by 1934—corroborated by a 1941 publication—later discoveries revealed the original chassis stamp '1.22' on the front dumbirons during a 1970s restoration. The identification plates showing engine and chassis number 1 were fabricated and installed at that time.
• By 1934, the original body of the test/practice car had undergone modifications and was eventually discarded in 1942; no photographs exist of the unaltered original after factory use, leaving its exact identity uncertain.
• Three factors support its provenance: chassis numbering, seat upholstery style, and condition upon recovery—all pointing to this being the test/practice vehicle. An October 1934 issue of Motor Sport mentioned: "Chassis is stamped No. 4, so it is possibly a practice car."
• While all three team cars featured fluted seats without visible tail rivets, the test/practice car was fitted with flat-panelled seats; Sunbeam I, II, and III each had fluted seats—indicating this must be the fourth test/practice model.
• The spare car’s cylinder block incurred fire damage during practice sessions, linking it to this vehicle found "badly burnt and extremely rusty." Only this particular car was recorded as having fire damage resulting in a cracked cylinder block that was subsequently replaced.
• The vehicle’s history after factory use from 1934 onward is detailed in Neville S Webb’s The Strasbourg Sunbeam (2006), pages 123–126, supplemented by various periodicals and sales records spanning 1934 to 1994.