My story starts in around 1984 when I was in my early 20's and first became aware of such a thing as a Sunbeam Tiger. I had seen a small car on one of the streets in my grandmothers neighborhood. It was yellow with a black hardtop. Being the son of a GM employee my car world was Firebird, Camaro & Chevelle. I did not give foreign cars a second look (could have bought a good AH 3000 for $2,000 but why?? - big mistake!).
My cousin who also lived in the same area told me one day that the yellow car had a ford V8 from the factory. At first I thought he was pulling my leg but over time I reach peace with it and believed him. That was the point when I learned of a Sunbeam Tiger and thought - I need one of those some day.
School and marriage got in the way for a few years but I always looked in the paper and car trader for Tigers. They did not show up all that often.
In 1988 I went to look at the first one I found for sale. A 1965 rust bucket with a replacement front fender brased back on. I don't remember what engine was in it. It was an early car. Red with black interior with red piping with a short shifter. I liked that look. At the end of the day I passed. Price, $2,100.
In 1990 I found a forest green Alpine. With no luck in the tiger world I purchased it for $1,400 dollars. I keep it for a few years but sold it in 1993 because of lack of space. Bad decision!
In 1992 I found a second Tiger. It was also a 65 with a cream exterior and a black interior with a black hard top. It had lost it's orginal motor and was sporting a 302. It was a sound car and I made a deal at $7,500. I acutally left a deposit and a plan to come back and get it. The very next day I learned at work that I was being transferred 100 miles away to another location. With a wife and two young boys I felt the it was bad timing for the Tiger and elected to stop the purchase. So long deposit! Also probably a mistake. Life is full of them.
I aways looked for Tigers for sale even though my life was busy with work and family. You did not see many that came up for sale.
In 1994 I just happen to be looking in Hemmings and saw a Tiger for sale with the same area code as me. I was living in Indiana at the time. Things were a little more stable at the time so I went to look at.
It was a forest green MK1A with a black interior. No hard top. It had been repainted a close color but was all there. Orginal motor, air cleaner, radiator, wheels, etc... It was a solid car with little rust. I found that the lady that owned it had gotten it from her brother and he had bought it new. He had passed away years before and she used it for years as transportation while going to college. This was the car. I cut a deal and purchased the car.
I have had this Tiger (18 years) longer than any car I have ever owned. It is the only car I can truly say is - not for sale. It took too long to find one and I don't want to loose it.
Back then (1980's early 90's) you did see a Tiger or Alpine in the paper or local car trader every so often. Today, other than ebay or hemmings you never see one for sale locally or anywhere close by.
Currently my car is under restoration (taking real long becasue of work and family, but thats OK). The thing I grapple with is do I leave it stock or warm it up a bit. Opinions??? Either way, it is not going anywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe
Hamilton Ohio
My cousin who also lived in the same area told me one day that the yellow car had a ford V8 from the factory. At first I thought he was pulling my leg but over time I reach peace with it and believed him. That was the point when I learned of a Sunbeam Tiger and thought - I need one of those some day.
School and marriage got in the way for a few years but I always looked in the paper and car trader for Tigers. They did not show up all that often.
In 1988 I went to look at the first one I found for sale. A 1965 rust bucket with a replacement front fender brased back on. I don't remember what engine was in it. It was an early car. Red with black interior with red piping with a short shifter. I liked that look. At the end of the day I passed. Price, $2,100.
In 1990 I found a forest green Alpine. With no luck in the tiger world I purchased it for $1,400 dollars. I keep it for a few years but sold it in 1993 because of lack of space. Bad decision!
In 1992 I found a second Tiger. It was also a 65 with a cream exterior and a black interior with a black hard top. It had lost it's orginal motor and was sporting a 302. It was a sound car and I made a deal at $7,500. I acutally left a deposit and a plan to come back and get it. The very next day I learned at work that I was being transferred 100 miles away to another location. With a wife and two young boys I felt the it was bad timing for the Tiger and elected to stop the purchase. So long deposit! Also probably a mistake. Life is full of them.
I aways looked for Tigers for sale even though my life was busy with work and family. You did not see many that came up for sale.
In 1994 I just happen to be looking in Hemmings and saw a Tiger for sale with the same area code as me. I was living in Indiana at the time. Things were a little more stable at the time so I went to look at.
It was a forest green MK1A with a black interior. No hard top. It had been repainted a close color but was all there. Orginal motor, air cleaner, radiator, wheels, etc... It was a solid car with little rust. I found that the lady that owned it had gotten it from her brother and he had bought it new. He had passed away years before and she used it for years as transportation while going to college. This was the car. I cut a deal and purchased the car.
I have had this Tiger (18 years) longer than any car I have ever owned. It is the only car I can truly say is - not for sale. It took too long to find one and I don't want to loose it.
Back then (1980's early 90's) you did see a Tiger or Alpine in the paper or local car trader every so often. Today, other than ebay or hemmings you never see one for sale locally or anywhere close by.
Currently my car is under restoration (taking real long becasue of work and family, but thats OK). The thing I grapple with is do I leave it stock or warm it up a bit. Opinions??? Either way, it is not going anywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe
Hamilton Ohio
Then decide.