Description
Pavilion Gardens | Buxton, Derbyshire
12th Feb 2025 - 12pm
1977 Talbot Sunbeam Ti ex-Works Rally Car
Estimate £35, 000 - £45, 000
Registration No: WAC 953S
Chassis No: R4DCC8L100044
MOT: Exempt
One of the very first Works Sunbeam rally car
Part of a private rally car collection
Benefiting from a recent engine overhaul
Rare opportunity to purchase a very special works competition car
Peugeot rebranded its latest acquisition ‘Talbot', using and reacquainting two familiar automotive names of the past, the Chrysler Sunbeam becoming the Talbot Sunbeam, a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive hatchback originally produced by Chrysler in 1976 with financial support from the British Government.
The first high-performance Talbot Sunbeam, known as the Sunbeam Ti, was powered by the same twin Weber carburettor-fed 1600cc four-cylinder engine as its Avenger Tiger big brother. With some 100bhp and 96lbft of torque on tap and a kerb weight of just 920kg, the newcomer was found capable of 0-60mph in 9. 9 seconds and 111mph. Equipped with MacPherson strut independent suspension, a coil-sprung live rear axle, slick four-speed manual gearbox and disc / drum brakes, the Ti proved eminently tuneable. Running in both Group A rallying and Group 1 circuit racing forms, it recorded more victories and podiums than its more famous Lotus-engined sibling.
The rally crowd took it to their hearts though, thanks to a plethora of off-the-shelf tuning parts and under the guidance of Des Odell, the Peugeot Talbot motorsport team was born and went on to conquer Ford's stable of high achieving Escorts with the iconic Lotus Sunbeam.
Registered to Chrysler UK Ltd on October 4th, 1977, ‘WAC 953S’ was among the earliest Works Talbot Sunbeam rally cars. Documentation states that this car initially saw action as a circuit race car before being converted for tarmac rallying. There’s expired FIA paperwork on file detailing the car’s original specifications. In the 1980s ‘WAC’ gained recognition in competitions in southern England, securing victories in both the Southern and ASWMC championships. In recent years, ‘WAC 953S’ has formed part of a private collection and has been recently subject to an engine overhaul and is now ready for a new custodian to enjoy. It’s not every day an opportunity arises to own a Works competition car of the Talbot Sunbeam. A selection of spares including wheels are included in the sale.
