Back in 2023, the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, UK, announced that it was restoring Sir Henry Segrave’s Sunbeam 1000HP. Headed by lead engineer Ian Stanfield, Beaulieu’s team aims to return the Sunbeam to Daytona Beach in 2027, a century after Segrave’s 203.7mph Land Speed Record there.
Beaulieu has now revealed that the restoration has entered an exciting new phase, as one of the car’s two colossal 22.5-litre Matabele V12 aero engines has been removed from the chassis. There are plans for it to run for the first time in 80 years once it has been successfully restored.
Recommissioning the antiquated engine was far from a straightforward process. With no blueprints to work from, Beaulieu’s engineers had to rely on period photographs and documentation recorded by the original design team and factory workforce.
Compounding the problem of missing parts was the discovery of cracks in the rear engine's crankcase, which had to be carefully repaired using laser welding
“We have found unique engineering and a wonderful quality of workmanship during the restoration so far – but nothing has been easy to get at,” Ian Stanfield admitted.
Before the team could get to work, however, the vast rear engine had to be removed from the chassis with a forklift truck. Both front and rear motors were previously used for power-boat racing in Maple Leaf VII. They generate 435bhp each – an enormous figure for the time.
With the rear engine emancipated from the chassis, each component and bolt had to be removed and meticulously bagged and labelled for the rebuild. The stripdown revealed that, predictably, many of the parts were heavily corroded or missing entirely, so new bespoke components had to be manufactured while others had to be re-metalled.
A 1918 date mark was discovered on the rear engine, while, ominously, the team also found a plaque on the front unit that reads: “Engine will not start owing to a vital part of mechanism being removed.” Compounding the problem of missing parts was the discovery of cracks in the rear powerplant’s crankcase, which had to be carefully repaired using laser welding.
The removed rear engine and exposed chassis are currently on display at the National Motor Museum, where they can be viewed by visitors. Once the rear engine has been successfully reinstalled, work will begin on its counterpart, which is anticipated to take one year to recommission.
Donations are now needed to keep the restoration project on track. The Sunbeam 1000HP Restoration Campaign was created for this purpose, and it was launched in collaboration with Brookspeed Automotive with the aim of raising £300,000 for the project.
Donations for the Sunbeam 1000hp Restoration Campaign can be made online here.
