Humber / Hillman / Rootes / Chrysler / Peugeot

This is the Sunbeam Record-breaking car in 1927. It broke the Land Speed record that year - Wikipedia Entry . Its captioned as being in Coventry where it was built - Do we think this is at the Humber Works?

Hi all, I was told that when Humber, later joined by Hillman, had changed to manufacturing motor cars from bicycles, their first location was in Hillfields, in the region of where Costco/Brooker is now. Once established, their grand offices were what became Lloyds bank at the junction of Paynes Lane & Gosford Green. I believe the photo is adjacent to Alma St/Hood St, Hillfields.

Funnily enough, I was talking about this car with one of the Brooklands engineers who is also working on the resurrection of this car by Beaulieu. It was actually built in Sunbeam's Moorfield works in Wolverhampton, and powered by two Sunbeam aero engines. The towing truck has a Dudley registration plate. I'm doubtful of a Coventry connection in the making of this car. Maybe it was placed on display somewhere in Coventry after its 200mph record breaking run in '27.

Thanks Throwley - I didn't recognise it as anything Old-Cov that I had seen before - hence the posting..........

I travelled past the Humber Rd former Humber site today aboard the No 3.

Other pictures on the internet show the writing on the side which says it was made by the Sunbeam Motor Co in Wolverhamoton

Thanks Anne - could that not just be a reference to their HQ? That said I knew Bluebird was built here but not this one.

I like the casually-placed BP can in front of the car in Anne's picture. Product placement, 1927-style.

I have found several articles that say it was made in Wolverhampton and this one tells when it was leaving the works. There is a very poor picture that says it is the first time the car has left the works at Wolverhampton. Looking at the original picture though the building does not look like any Pictures I can find of the Sunbeam works there. Perhaps it came on a visit sometime after the race.

I know we eventually determined the original pic I posted wasn't Coventry but I was at the NEC over the weekend for the Classic Car show - look what I found - Its huge!

That link is only going to the FB front page for me, Earlsdon Kid?

Sorry NeilsYard, I guess the link wouldn't work because it's a group on Facebook. I'm not sure I could upload a screengab of the image because of copyright?

Photos at Humber Assembly Line, Ryton Plant Christmas party 1958 or 1959. My Grandad Clinton Gay in the glasses. My Dad Peter Gay worked there too when it was Humber/Hillman & Chrysler, and my brother worked there when it was Peugeot.

My uncle, Eric Dark worked here - I think he was an upholsterer.