Question: LAT Pan and Valve Covers. Original?

Paul4223

Paul4223

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For you experts out there. Is there a way to determine if my LAT oil pan and valve covers are original, not reproductions? They were on the car when I got it around 1990 and looked plenty "old".

It's more a matter of curiosity to me, rather than "the original" factor. I still run 'em only now they're powder coated black with the fins buffed out. I still think they look "way cool." :)

Thank you!
Paul
 
Paul4223 said:
For you experts out there. Is there a way to determine if my LAT oil pan and valve covers are original, not reproductions? They were on the car when I got it around 1990 and looked plenty "old".

It's more a matter of curiosity to me, rather than "the original" factor. I still run 'em only now they're powder coated black with the fins buffed out. I still think they look "way cool." :)

Thank you!
Paul
Click to expand...

Paul,

The early covers were sand castings and pretty rough then cast by Buddy Bar with Bubby Bar ID on inside. Rick @ SS bought the original tooling and repro's are now cast from the original tooling but I don't know if they have the Buddy bar logo on the inside..probably not is my guess

Moondoggie
 
Murray Cliff from Vancouver owned the original molds for a time in the '70s and made several sets... He eventually sold them to Rick at S.S. and they're back to being cast at Buddy Bar.

Jim
B382000446
 
66TigerMK1A said:
Murray Cliff from Vancouver owned the original molds for a time in the '70s and made several sets... He eventually sold them to Rick at S.S. and they're back to being cast at Buddy Bar.

Jim
B382000446
Click to expand...


Jim,

Thanks I did not know that !!! The pan was also cast by Buddy Bar and they
were derivatives of the Cobra pan which were okay ( Sorta) for the street but lacked baffles to control oil movement so not a good choice for anything other than a Sunday drive.

Moondoggie
 
Thanks, guys. Guess I'm going to have to get rather motivated and pull one of the VC's for a close look.

Based on my flawed memory- I'd bet that mine are pretty rough inside, and consequently likely original. They were pretty rough on the outside until I cleaned 'em up.

One very odd item that came with the car was a fiberglass LeMans Coupe style hard top shell. No fasteners and in pretty raw condition. I sold it because I never figured I'd use it. Maybe it's worth big bux now on eBay. :D

Anybody ever seen one of those things?

Fascinating little cars these things are. The longer I have mine the more I love it, and I was darn fond of her in the beginning, even as she sat torn completely apart in our carport, needing some significant TLC.
 
Moondoggie said:
Jim,

Thanks I did not know that !!! The pan was also cast by Buddy Bar and they
were derivatives of the Cobra pan which were okay ( Sorta) for the street but lacked baffles to control oil movement so not a good choice for anything other than a Sunday drive.

Moondoggie
Click to expand...

Again, my flawed memory tells me we likely modified the thing somehow regarding the baffle issue. One of my pals whose Tiger was his DD for many years kept talking about a windage tray- insisted on it, actually. Man, now it looks as if I gotta pull the pan as well! :)
 
Another couple things from my foggy memory bank (about 38 years ago) was that I believe Murray also owned all the Cobra casting tooling at that time and I thought he said that the oil pans were a real PITA as they were made in multiple pieces and welded... Peter MacDonald would probably know for sure...
 
Paul4223 said:
One very odd item that came with the car was a fiberglass LeMans Coupe style hard top shell. No fasteners and in pretty raw condition. I sold it because I never figured I'd use it. Maybe it's worth big bux now on eBay. :D

Anybody ever seen one of those things?

Fascinating little cars these things are. The longer I have mine the more I love it, and I was darn fond of her in the beginning, even as she sat torn completely apart in our carport, needing some significant TLC.
Click to expand...
Sounds like an astro hardtop you remove the trunk lid to fit them I have posted pics on the forum previously just do a quick search for astro
 
michael-king said:
Sounds like an astro hardtop you remove the trunk lid to fit them I have posted pics on the forum previously just do a quick search for astro
Click to expand...

Hi Michael:
YAH- found the photos of the Astro. Thanks. That's very likely the thing that came with the car. Another mystery solved. :)
 
Polished ribs...

?

Rick, current owner of Buddy Bar casting and BON both list / discuss polished ribs for the LAT option.

Mine aren't polished and I do not think they're NOS originals, rather I think they were bought a few decades back via Tony Brenda / cobra parts.

I've seen pics of both and will be curious to learn. Some early pictures don't look too polished to me anyway...
 
Recently

Had one in my sticky fingers. The oil pan had no Buddy bar casting marks..
I sent pics to my fellows versed in the obscure Tigerobilia,
One said it looks just like his, the other said he would know.
I have a line on one but can't pull trigger on a 750 or more dollar wall sconce.
If I had one I'd have to use it and add a baffle.
A set of Originals I have seen had BUDDY BAR cast on inside with the old plastic DYMO labeling sticker that made the raised name in their casting. My oil pan did not have it. I sold it now and never installed it .
 
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