1969 Sunbeam RAPIER H120 Race Car

First registered on the 14th of August 1969 and with the vendor for the past three years, this wonderful Sunbeam Rapier H120 has been transformed into a multi-purpose road-legal historic race and rally car.

Featuring a dream specification, it has been raced extensively in the UK and Europe and while the vendor admits that it is “not the fastest car on the grid” he went on to explain that “it is a very safe car to learn in and develop your skills”. He also smiled as he told us that he has had great fun in it embarrassing badly driven E-Types by drifting it around corners in front of them…

It has also, he notes with great satisfaction, finished every single race, so I guess we can add ‘reliable’ to its many attributes. HSCC and CSCC registered, it is described as being “on the button” and in need of nothing.

Only being offered for sale as the vendor’s circumstances have changed, it would make a great entry vehicle for many forms of historic racing as well as rallying, hillclimbing - or just as a fast and unusual road car.

The base car is from 1969 and it was chosen because it had an excellent original bodyshell that was completely free of rust. Now repainted, it also features a period vinyl roof because, well, why not?

And, you know what? It’s looks bloomin’ great. While many race cars understandably place the emphasis on performance rather than looks, the panels on this one aren’t only straight and in great shape but they’re also neatly aligned and very well painted; this is a racing car you could show and track.

The windscreen is laminated for safety, with plexiglass being used for the rest of the glazing to save weight. The latter is also drilled for ventilation, and features a window opening for the driver.

De-bumpered, the Rapier features two rear rain lights (one of which is to the latest specification and only fitted recently), an LED light bar at the front (a relic from a recent night race at Donington Circuit), front and rear towing points, and bonnet and boot pins.

The front scuttle features external switches for the Lifeline Fire Marshall fire suppression system and the master electrical cut-out.

The Rapier features 13x7” Minilite-style alloy wheels fitted with matching Yokohama Advan A048 tyres. All are in great shape, with the wheels being free of kerbing and other damage and the tyres showing good tread.

Problems? Well, one wheelnut is missing but other than that it all looks great to us.

Fitted with an FIA-spec roll-cage and door bars, the attention to detail extends to having had it painted to match the bodywork. There’s an FIA-spec five-point Sparco safety harness (now out of date) and an OMP competition seat too, plus a Lifeline Fire Marshall plumbed-in fire suppression system (in date) and master electrical cutout switch.

The rest of the interior is race-car minimal and all the better for it. And yet, for all its minimalism, an awful lot of care has gone into doing things properly, with some gorgeous little details like the switch panel in front of the gearlever, the non-slip OMP alloy pedals, the tiny Mota-Lita steering wheel, alloy gear knob and overdrive switch and much, much more.

Should the new owner want to take the Rapier rallying, they will be pleased to hear that it has been set up to accommodate a passenger seat and harness. While not supplied with the car, we are told that fitting the seat and harness would be a simple and fast job, allowing the H120 to switch between roles with ease.

The vendor tells us that everything works as it should. His last race was at Donington in late 2019.

The race-prepared engine’s specification is impressive:

An uprated and balanced bottom-end with a lightened flywheel and an H120 clutch with a roller-bearing clutch release.

Lightened and balanced connecting rods and pistons, honed to fit.

New Duplex timing gear and an H120 Kent-profiled camshaft with followers to suit.

A gas-flowed big-valve cylinder head with twin Weber 40s on a modified H120 inlet and exhaust manifold breathing through ITG foam air filters and a bespoke exhaust system.

As you can see in the video, it starts well and quickly settles into a steady tickover. Revs well too – and just listen to that exhaust note!

The rest of the car’s mechanical specification is equally impressive, and a summary is:

A new race battery.

A new bespoke boot-mounted alloy fuel tank and fuel pump complete with all new fuel lines to the engine.

A new high-capacity radiator and electric fan.

A new brake system including wheel cylinders, Aeroquip hoses, and brake pipes.

A 4.22 differential and a rebuilt gearbox and overdrive.

Uprated springs and Koni dampers on the rear axle, and uprated and lowered front springs with new Spax inserts on the front. The engine bay sports a strut brace, and front and rear anti-roll bars are fitted.

The underside is very solid and straight.

NB: A spares package is available by separate negotiation. This comprises:

A set of very good wheels fitted with two new tyres, and two almost new.

A spare engine that needs rebuilding.

Two genuine Holbay cylinder heads. These are now very rare, so their availability shouldn’t be under-estimated.

A set of gearbox internals.

The Rapier’s MOT certificate expired in May 2019 (it was needed to enter the HSCC Road series!). It also comes with an expired MOT certificate plus a few old invoices and bills.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this paperwork.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

And please be reassured, we’ve undertaken a full COVID-assessment and put into place strict control measure to enable us to safely facilitate a no-contact, socially distanced viewing that includes disinfection of the vehicle before and after your viewing.

Historic racing is big business and with big business comes big prices; accessible a few years ago, the cost of entry has been rising rapidly in recent years not least as a result of the stratospheric increase in value of fast Fords and hot Minis.

Which is why this delightful Sunbeam Rapier H120 tickled our fancy. Beautifully built and featuring all the good stuff, its status as a relative unknow – albeit one that creates an awful lot of interest in the paddock - means that it’s going to sell for considerably less than the equivalent Ford Escort.

How little? Well, we think it’ll fetch somewhere between £11,000 and £20,000 at which point it offers spectacular value given its condition, specification, and how much fun you’re going to have together.

Eligible for a variety of events, it’s still road-registered so could be used as a hugely entertaining road car during the week and for hillclimbs at the weekend should you not fancy committing to the expense of a dedicated season of classic and historic racing.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.