The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, has launched an appeal to raise funds to build a new gearbox for Sir Malcolm Campbell’s historic 1920 Sunbeam 350hp Land Speed Record car.
Doug Hill, the museum’s manager and chief engineer, says: “During the Sunbeam’s long and chequered history, its Achilles heel has been a weak gearbox.
At some time after WWII, the original gearbox was removed and subsequently lost; it was replaced by a gearbox that was originally used in an Albion van with just one tenth of the power that the Sunbeam produces.
“For the next stage of the car’s restoration, we need to build a new gearbox from scratch. As the original no longer exists and there is no template to follow, this will be a challenge requiring all of our knowledge and expertise. It is a vital step in our journey to restore the car to its 1925 specification and will greatly help us to drive the car closer to the speed it was built for.”
On 21 July 1920, Sir Malcolm Campbell set a new World Land Speed record of 150mph at Pendine Sands, South Wales. On 21 July this year, the 90th anniversary was marked with a low-speed demonstration run, when the Sunbeam was back at Pendine Sands with Sir Malcolm’s grandson Don Wales in the driving seat.
He said: “This beautiful car has been lovingly restored by Doug Hill and the team, and it is only right that such an iconic car should have the final pieces in place to complete her.”
For further details of the appeal, contact the museum’s partnership manager Heather Reid (Tel: 01590 614634 e-mail: ).