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COMMENTS ABOUT REGISTRY DETAILS

First, the VIN does not indicate when a Harrington conversion was completed. It was applied to an Alpine at the Rootes factory when the car was completed and before it left Rootes for the conversion. It usually took at least two months for the conversion. There are cars which are registered and licensed almost a year after they left Rootes. There are also some cars with First Registrations dates showing a much shorter conversion period but the loss of all records means that these instances remain anomolous. The Sunbeam Alpine Owners Club of America (SAOCA) website has a list of Alpine build dates by week.

It's understood that 110 Harrington Alpines were made with 26 in the registry as "existing". Up to 250 Harrington Le Mans were made with 100 in the registry as "existing". About 20 Harrington Series C have been recorded with 12 in the registry as "existing" and just 5 Series D on Alpine Series 3 chassis and 4 on Alpine Series IV chassis with all 9 "existing".

Two cars have been discovered since 2017 and the search has been going on for more than 30 years.

HC's and HD's have no numbers produced mentioned anywhere (due to lost records). The estimated 20 HC's were produced in parallel with HLM's so 20 cars seem to be realistic for a period of six months, same amount of HLM's for same period. The production tempo was slow due to different conflicts, union/economy/strikes and change of board. Or perhaps not as many were built as the figures say. Some VIN's are from donor cars if the car has been rebodied. There are cars which are Alpines with a Harrington roof and also cars which are carrying the original VIN's on a rebodied car (not legal). The most famous one is this.

 The cars not converted by H. Ltd. and are not original true Harringtons. There were some left over roofs for the HD's stored by an old employee which most likely are now in circulation

Two test cars TPN 400 and UAP 788, were often seen in Motor magazines both coming from Brighton area (Hove). Not listed and history unknown.

There are three really early Harringtons made on Alpine Series I body (PBW 262 (still exists) KRU 245 and USY 266 (still alive). In the beginning of the production it's believed that the cars once were registered as Alpines and purchased by Harrington Ltd from the open market for conversions but the latter part of the production which were made parallel with HLM's were coming to H.Ltd in batches of approx. 5-8 cars delivered by Rootes.

A prototype HLM made some tests at the British Army vehicle proving grounds at Chobham with good results. Car is unknown. Also some demo cars for the press and motor shows, VNJ 654 presented in UK motor press. Others in Geneva and USA.

 One can see in the register groups of cars with VIN's after each other or close to. The single cars might have been privately Alpines brought to H.Ltd for conversion or a dealer wanting a Harrington in the show room or a" Special order" (see Prince car).

Some privately owned Alpines were brought to H.Ltd for conversion have not been registered as Harrington's because of higher tax. Almost all HLM's were sent to Hartwell Ltd in Bournemouth in groups of 4/5 cars to be tuned up to Stage II, same as the Le Mans winning HA. Those cars were driven on the roads without any roof fitted 123 km one way (76 miles)

In spring 1962 the rear vents of the LRX HLM's were fitted by a chrome cover until mid July when the production of LHD cars (LRX and LRO) stopped. After that the production of HC began parallel with the last HLM's, (HRO, RRO) about 20 cars of each until production ended early 1963. These 20 HLM's were not fitted with Hartwell tuned up engines, says a plaque located above the VIN plate in engine bay.

 None of the 20 HC's and approx. 10 HD's engines had any Hartwell tuning. Just as an option.

The production about HD's starts in May 1963 after a "hold up" in production, reason was preparations for a new mold (new window frame).