Still active in vintage racing, Chassis 4 rounds a turn at Goodwood. (Photo: Wouter Melissen)

Impressed by the pace displayed against larger-displacement machinery, Coatalen decided to send all four of the new Sunbeam Grand Prix cars to Strasbourg for the French Grand Prix. Guinness and Chassagne were joined for the occasion by Henry de Hane Segrave.

Practice went far from easy for the Sunbeam team. The cars struggled to keep up with the new six-cylinder Fiats, and the example driven by Segrave suffered a cracked crankcase. That was the result of an excessive amount of hot water being poured over the hot engine block, which was called in after a carburetor fire. Fortunately, the team had brought all four cars, so Segrave could start the race in the spare.

The Chassis 2 car will be up for auction at Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed auction on July 3rd. (Photo: Bonhams)

To bridge the gap with the Fiats, slightly shorter gears were fitted. This in turn caused the engines to over-rev during the race, resulting in cracked inlet-valves on all three engines. In a real race of attrition, the sole surviving Fiat of Felice Navarro finished a whole hour ahead of the second-place Bugatti.

The four Grand Prix cars were repaired back in Wolverhampton and subsequently sold to privateers. Coatalen had acquired the services of former Fiat engineers Vincenzo Bertarione and Walter Becchia, who built a green version of the six-cylinder Fiat for the 1923 season. This time round Sunbeam was successful and won the French Grand Prix.
Amazingly all four of the 1922 Sunbeam Grand Prix cars survive to this day, although there is ongoing discussion about exactly which car was driven by whom in period. Although not particularly successful, the 1922 version is considered the best looking of the Sunbeam Grand Prix cars.

Still subject of debate, Chassis 2 or 2.22 is believed to be the car that suffered the cracked crankcase in the French Grand Prix at Strasbourg. The car did not resurface until after the War. Still in highly original condition, it was actively campaigned in the 1950s and ’60s until it was acquired by the current owner in 1968.

Now after 40 years of inactivity, chassis 2 will be offered at Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed auction on July 3rd.

Chasssis 4 is believed to be the fourth and final 1922 Sunbeam Grand Prix car constructed. Unlike its sister cars, it did not receive a registration number, which may indicate it was the spare car. At one point in its history, it was fitted with the DA 6436 registration number and 21 racing number, which were originally applied to the first chassis.

In full running order, it is seen here at the 2008 Goodwood Festival Speed.

Read More Articles Like This at Ultimatecarpage.com


Check out More Sunbeam Photos