Record Breaker Roars Again

WEDNESDAY 29th January will go down in history as the day Sir Malcolm Campbell’s record breaking 350hp Sunbeam was fired up and heard in public for the first time in over 50 years. The historic event followed a complete rebuild by the National Motor Museum’s workshop team.

As the brainchild of Sunbeam’s chief engineer and racing team manager, Louis Coatalen, the car was constructed during 1919 and early 1920 and power came from an aero engine, a type used on naval seaplanes. The Sunbeam, renamed Blue Bird by Campbell, holds three world land speed records.

Campbell sold the car soon after his final record attempt and it then passed through a number of owners. For a time the car’s location was unknown, then in 1942 it was unearthed in Lancashire and was subsequently the subject of a cosmetic restoration.

In 1957 the Sunbeam was purchased by Lord Montagu, restored to working order and put on display in the Montagu Motor Museum. In 1972 it moved into the newly created National Motor Museum where it has been on permanent display ever since.

After an engine failure during a test in 1993 the car remained a static exhibit until 2007, once the damage was assessed the restoration project commenced thanks partly to an army of volunteers and donations by specialist suppliers.

Doug Hill, the National Motor Museum’s Chief Engineer said: “This project has been a long-running labour of love for the whole team and such has been their passion that many have dedicated hours of their own time to get the job done. There is huge satisfaction in seeing it finally completed.”

Andrea Bishop, Director of Collections at the museum said: “To know the 350hp Sunbeam is whole again, and to hear its tremendous roar after all those years of silence, is absolutely thrilling. I wish Doug and his team well, in realising their aspirations to undertake the next phase of work to recreate the gearbox.”

The Sunbeam will be fired up again at the Retromobile classic car show in Paris (5th – 9th February) before returning to the National Motor Museum to take its place in a new display opening for Easter 2014. More details can be found at www.beaulieu.co.uk.

By Press Association reporters