How to tell a Tiger Mk1 shell from a MK1a or later shell

[Austin Healer]

Besides the obvious things, like square corner panels and fresh air vents, (which can be changed/altered/added) there is one obvious difference between a MK1 shell and all later variants (MK1a transition, Mk1a (series 5 type shell, and Mk2). It's also one that would be virtually impossible to do cleanly. Mk1 inner firewalls/bulkheads do NOT have a relief for the steering column. All later Tigers and series 5 Alpine do. Checking this will instantly tell you what the shell started out as regardless of how the body has been re-skinned/changed.

The red car in image one is a Mk1 in the B9470900 range and is a Tac'd car with known history. The white car is a transition bodied MK1a in the early B38200 range

 

[66TigerMK1A]

That was the 'change' they made to raise up the steering column...

 

[Austin Healer]

actually introduced on B9479975PPLRXFE... but as that serial number is well outside of the normal sequence they didn't refer to it!

 

[65beam]

photo of bracket

 

[Austin Healer]

I have an example of the one shown as item # 44 that is overlayed as illustrated

 

[Bryan]

the smaller clamp also has two diff lengths

 

[Theorangetiger]

How much difference does the change make in terms of the height/location of the bottom of the steering wheel?

 

[Austin Healer]

How much difference does the change make in terms of the height/location of the bottom of the steering wheel?

it's not a whole lot. I think that the purpose was to provide clearance between the column and the scuttle. The column touches the scuttle in a series 4 Alpine and Mk1 Tiger body and can be a noise and vibration problem... most likely a correction to eliminate the possibility of a squeak.. Looking throughout the car you see all kinds of felts strategically placed for this purpose.

 

[Theorangetiger]

Thanks. Looking at numerous examples on BAT and my car, on MKIs there is about a 5/8" gap between the top of the steering column surround and the bottom of the oil pressure gauge bezel on the dash. On MKIAs and MKIIs there is basically no gap. Project this out and it's probably about 1" difference in the vertical position of the steering wheel.
I know climbing into a Tiger is sometimes not easy for taller people so I actually think the change was made to give more clearance between the seat cushion and the bottom of the steering wheel. If the purpose was just to reduce noise and vibration, I don't think that much relief and a new bracket design were necessary.

 

[Austin Healer]

I have an early steering column bracket and the 2 piece one illustrated in the parts list. They are different in that the 2 piece bracket is 1/4" shorter. Later in the series 5 and Mk1a production the bracket reverted to a one piece design. Pictures below is my Mk2 which I know to be original. There is just over 3/8" between the oil gauge ring and the steering column cover. Below that is a pic of a Mk1 in the 900 range (chassis number) and it is just a touch over 1/2" between the oil gauge ring and the steering column cover. The 3rd pic shows the 2 brackets.

There is less than an 1/8" difference between the steering column height between the Mk1 Tiger and my Mk2. As I said, the difference in negligible.

 

[Theorangetiger]

The difference is indeed negligible in the two examples you show but looking at many examples, all which appear to be original dashboards on BAT, every MKI has a gap of about 1/2"+ and every MKIA & MKII has no gap or perhaps 1/8"max without fail.

 

[65beam]

There was a change made to the Steering column and bracket when the adjustable column came into use with the series 3 Alpine. Prior to this change the steering wheel set farther out from the dash. The tube of the steering wheel column diameter was also changed. There is a clamp that bolts to the bracket and holds the column in place at the dash. The waist roll along the bottom of the dash bolts to the bottom bracket. The column was also attached to the gear box and it bolted to the frame rail. The brackets for the gear box can be seen under the bracket for the Tiger column. There was a difference between the dash opening for the steering column of Alpines and Tigers. These photos show some of the differences