Color Trial Y-8 Sunbeam Green

[bobneumann]

Here is another model we found among the Yesteryear collection we are working on. I have heard a few variations on the story that this was a Lesney proposal for the 25th Anniversary of the Yesteryear range.

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[YYS4BOB]

Sunbeams turn up in a variety of colours with a myriad of different coloured plastic components. Some were recorded as 25th Anniversary trial models, Usually blue or orangey red. I've not seen a green example before. Is it similar in colour to the Auburn from that collection? Bikes were usually sprayed after assembly, but before the wheels were added, including the plated versions. I have these on file.

[Moyboy]

I saw most of the colours when they turned up at the London Model club but never this colour Bob. The axle ends look a bit dodgy to me as very short and even R&D used to crimp them but not as short as this. Recently we have seen seats in a translucent plastic (different colours) , almost see through and again I have never seen them before.As you know hard to say without it being in hand but it doesn't look right to me in the photos and would err on the side of caution.
Also the fact all models I saw had bike and sidecar seat in same colour and suspect these have been swapped over the years to make 2 prepros out of one by putting whatever colour seat on a normal chrome model.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

I am rather surprised to see a 'Spun' down rivet rather than the normal for this model 'Pressed' down rivet. Spun rivets are post-69 and I know the Sunbeam went into 1969, so if genuine it could be a very late casting, certainly not early because of the filled-in front forks. Someone with many of these will know the 'Time-Line' regards a brace near the sidecar wheel, I don't!

I also agree with Mick about the axle-ends, plus the sidecar axle seems to have a slight bend, could this be from a home attempt at flaring the end.

Ghosthunter.

[Idris]

Bikes were usually sprayed after assembly, but before the wheels were added...

Although not my area of expertise, the shiney rivet would be a cause of concern to me since it clearly shows that the model was assembled after painting.

[bobneumann]

[quote="YYS4BOB"]Sunbeams turn up in a variety of colours with a myriad of different coloured plastic components. Some were recorded as 25th Anniversary trial models, Usually blue or orangey red. I've not seen a green example before. Is it similar in colour to the Auburn from that collection?

No, the Sunbeam is a different color of green from the Auburn.

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[Moyboy]

Bob, I wasn't sure so i decided to check all my Sunbeams including red and blue prepro versions and not one has a base rivet like that. All mine are perfectly formed rivets so I have to go with my gut and say this is a repaint and the rivet has been tampered with. That plus the axle ends would make me dubious to describe this as a prepro model but more a code 3 version.