Production Details

Pre War Numbers

This is a layout of Sunbeam models available during the years 1899 to 1917, showing the lowest and highest chassis number that were issued to each model, and if all numbers allocated were built, (which is doubtful,) how many were built of each model. (It is therefore the ‘maximum’ amounts built.)

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Post War Numbers

Sunbeams ‘post-war’ used a somewhat confusing numbering system, after a little studying it gets no easier. In principle all models use a four figure number, in most cases the first number indicating the model. From 1921 these four figure numbers were followed by a letter, this indicated the model year.

The 1919 model 16hp. starts with number ‘1' for Coachbuilt Models, ‘3' for Export Models and ‘5' for Touring cars. For 1920 the stating numbers ‘2' and ‘5' was used, and for 1921 the starting number was ‘2', all these numbers were preceded by a ‘16' in front of these four figure numbers, indicating the ‘hp’ and followed by ‘19', ‘20' & ‘21' indicating the year.

Similarly the 24hp of 1919 started with numbers ‘1' to indicate a Coachbuilt Model, and again ‘3' for an Export example, with again ‘5' for a Touring Model. ‘7' for all 1920 models, which did spread into the following year. Likewise these four figure numbers were preceded by ‘24' for the hp. and were followed by, ‘19', ‘20' & ‘21' for the year.

From these two models onwards it does get slightly easier, the 14hp, 14/40 and 16 & 16(18.2) all start with a ‘5' (except, in 1923 & 1924, in the case of the 14/40 and 1928 for the 16.9, when more than a thousand were manufactured, so they went onto use ‘6' as a starting number.)

‘2' was for the 20.9 and all the ‘Speed’ Models, ‘1' for the 20/60 and the 1926-32 25hp. models. ‘4' for the Super Sports, (or Twin-cams). ‘7' for all the 30 & 35hp. 8 cylinder models. ‘9' for the 1924 12 hp. ‘7' was used for the “Twenty” 1931-33, after this the “Twenty” models started with a ‘3'. The later “Twenty Five” used the prefix ‘8' and the Dawn used only the ‘6'. (Quite simple really!)

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(this page lists ‘maximum’ per year built numbers.)