1966 Tiger garage find

Klaus and Cary

Klaus and Cary

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CAT Member
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Hi all, I did not see an introduction thread so I felt this the best place to start. This is going to be a long story to hopefully document a third or 4th owner car with tons of documentation. The last owner was a CAT member before the internet. The car came with stickers and newsletters. I think the newsletters go back to ~1972. We are still sorting through BOXES of parts and documents

Here goes. About 3 months ago, we were visiting my wife's best friend in Carlsbad. Her friend was on the phone with her dad while we were sitting on the couch making plans for the day when I over heard her friend say "so you are going to sell the tiger". I blurted out "Sunbeam", and her friend started laughing and said "yes, do you know what it is? It's been sitting in the garage since before I was born." Pictures were sent and plans were quickly made to go look at it the next day where they live near Burbank. Please be patient, I will add it's journey and updates in spurts as I have time. Pics attached from in front of it's home for ~35+ years.
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We went home after seeing it and talked over the purchase. A couple weeks went by and my wife said, you want it, just buy it. Some pics of its journey to it's new home. We went back down November 18th, rented a uhaul trailer and brought it home. Our friends followed us home and snapped some pics of the journey. They were going to come up for my moms memorial service anyway, but extended their trip(mom died 11/8 unexpectedly) We got it in the driveway next to the 71 Bronco that my daughter and I have built over the last 20 or so years.


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It was running when parked. We pulled the plugs and threw a bore scope in the cylinders. things look good, probably running a bit rich. It came with a spare 289, and boxes of parts...that's going to be another thread in the appropriate section.

It is very original, but I believe the previous owner stocked up on parts to hop it up as I think was the trend when he parked it. Fortunately, that never happened. As far as I can tell, this thing is almost stock. We started with fuel lines as they were a bit rotted...will be looking at the cooling lines tomorrow and see what I can get for replacements at NAPA. The gas tank does not smell like varnish at all. We are going to do some basic maintenance items and see if it will fire. It turns over easily and should be a runner very soon.


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Lools like a really nice mkia, seems very solid.. What a great car to recomission and enjoy.
 
I apologize if I repost pictures. I am documenting this on another auto related board as well. Engine compartment when we got it in the garage and more of the parts it came with. Have since done fuel filters and lines. The engine on the stand is for the bronco, bottom end started making noise last time we had it out on the rocks.


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A little history on me and how I learned of the Tiger. It's been 30 or so years, so some of the memories are a little fuzzy, but when I was in high school, one of my classmates parents had an Alpine, and a Tiger as well as a 350 powered Jag and I believe a 60s Ranchero. I believe the Alpine was Toyota or some other Japanese make powered. I took my first ride in a Sunbeam Alpine, sitting on an egg crate because there was no passenger seat. It handled like it was on rails and I bounced off the door a couple times as he ripped it around corners.

Well, fast forward 30+ years at a local car show, I introduce myself to some folks who have a fully restored Tiger in concourse condition. I look at the name on the information plaque in front of the car and say, I'm pretty sure I sat in this Tiger in your garage before you restored it. Sure enough it was indeed my friend from high schools parents. At the time, I did not even know about the Tiger we recently purchased. But I have them to thank for that introduction to a very cool obscure car all those years ago. (and if you are on this board reading this, I am local to you again and would love to have you over to take a look and provide some guidance)
 
I'm not surprised at a Tiger running rich. Plus it's nice to have had a peek at the cylinder bores . Four bladed fan still while some hoses are changed like the booster hose.
Can't tell if that's a 22 lb radiator caps or if it is a 12 . Plus that's a interesting thing hooked up to the fuel pump.
 
Warren said:
I'm not surprised at a Tiger running rich. Plus it's nice to have had a peek at the cylinder bores . Four bladed fan still while some hoses are changed like the booster hose.
Can't tell if that's a 22 lb radiator caps or if it is a 12 . Plus that's a interesting thing hooked up to the fuel pump.
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12 lb. Radiator has been changed. I have the original, well the core at least. Doesn't have the tanks. I'm assuming the fuel pump is not original, possibly from a later model? the lines had ferules as dimples to secure the lines. You can actually see one of the nuts on the line coming from the tank that I'm guessing was a compression connection for I don't know what.
 
Klaus and Cary said:
12 lb. Radiator has been changed. I have the original, well the core at least. Doesn't have the tanks. I'm assuming the fuel pump is not original, possibly from a later model? the lines had ferules as dimples to secure the lines. You can actually see one of the nuts on the line coming from the tank that I'm guessing was a compression connection for I don't know what.
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Fuel pump is an aftermarket replacement fer sure. Also, those rubber lines and plastic filter sitting over the exhaust gotta go , NOW !
 
I think the fuel pump is a Dupree pulse pump with points from the 1970's. They have a habit of leaking fuel over the the points, and in he Tiger, over the muffler. I had one on my Tr4 in the 1070's.
Not ideal!
Nice car. Well done.
 
Might as well relocate fuel pump to the trunk as MK2's were. The SU is a couple hundred bucks but a nice quiet unit. The general public is pretty put off by the original stock pump location. There's other things that Tiger guys don't think about in the stock tanks and lines. The fuel pick up is at the lowest point in the crossover pipes so any schmutz epoxy lining flakes or condensation gets sucked up.
 
1st thing... get rid of the plastic fuel filters... these are car fires just waiting to happen. Replace with a steel fuel filter and write the date on the can with a sharpie.. that way you can just replace them on a yearly basis....
 
Remember it is only original once It may be best to be aware of tigers faults and work around them in order to preserve it’s originality a difficult choice for sure. It does depend on what you want to do with the car ie race or show car
 
Tony butler said:
Remember it is only original once It may be best to be aware of tigers faults and work around them in order to preserve it’s originality a difficult choice for sure. It does depend on what you want to do with the car ie race or show car
Click to expand...
Current plan is to make it a Sunday driver. May throw an aftermarket FI system and DUI distributor on it to make it a little nicer to drive on longer trips.

Got it to fire off with ether and fuel pump disconnected from power. Connected power to pump and it runs, but seems there is a plugged fuel line from the tank to the filter before the pump. Pulled the line to the pump off and tried some compressed air and it is solidly plugged. Need to get it in the air to see what it's going to take to make a new one as I do not see any aftermarket.
 
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