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1965 Sunbeam Tiger Project

A humble Sunbeam Alpine might not normally get your blood going, but this isn’t just any old Alpine. This is a V8-powered Tiger! Carroll Shelby had a hand in its creation and there’s a Ford engine under the hood. So, even if you’re not really into British cars, there’s good reason to get excited about this car. It’s located in Wrentham, Massachusetts and is listed here on eBay.

The seller mentions that it’s currently not running, but that it’s 99% complete and has a title. Sounds like the perfect project to me! My only other concerns would be rust and if it’s a real deal Tiger. The original color was Moonstone which is sort of a cream color and it can be seen in the jams. I don’t see a lot of rust there, so let’s hope there isn’t a bunch of Bondo hiding under the primer.

Anyone can shove a V8 into an Alpine, so it’s the numbers that count here. The last two digits in a Tiger’s serial number should be FE. That stands for “Ford Engine” and it looks like they are where they are supposed to be. You might want to check if the engine numbers line up, but other than that, I don’t see any reason to doubt the authenticity of this Tiger.

This is going to be a big project, but a Tiger is one of the most sought after British roadsters around. The Shelby connection and extra omph make it something truly special. Muscle car guys and sport car fans appreciate these cars, so you really can’t go wrong with a Tiger. Plus it won’t be bad to get behind that wheel once it’s ready to roar again!

Comments

  1. Avatar Arthur

    The Doodle Bug in the background looks interesting too.

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  2. Avatar JJ

    Killer car – so much potential

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  3. Avatar Jay M

    This is a great find. Fantastic project!

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  4. Avatar Bob C.

    Takes me back to Get Smart.

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    • Avatar Howard A Member

      Andy Rooney, too.

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  5. Avatar Scott

    Used to drive by a house with a blue tiger in the driveway. Over the years it moved from driveway to side yard, to under a tarp. Tried a few times to buy it. “Not for sale” and “going to restore it” were the responses.

    The fellow passed away and the tiger got taken to the junkyard.

    Cannot blame the man for wanting to keep a car full of memories. Just wish there was a way to preserve the cars that will never get the time or money to put them back on the road.

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  6. Avatar Joe

    In 1968 – ’69 I used to regularly run 100 to 130 coming back home to Biloxi area from up-country band gigs like U. of Ala., Southern Miss., etc. at 2 – 3 AM. Almost no traffic. That 260 just a-talking. That’s back when I had laser eyesight and could ID most any car behind me – at distance, by frontal lights configuration. That’s one of 2 or 3 cars I really wish I still had. A Triumph TR8 can’t hold a candle to them. I have one.

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  7. Avatar Cargirl

    There is actually a register of Sunbeam Tigers run by Norman C. Miller. I bought a car from a widow in Portland OR for a client and Norman was not only a delight to talk to but he is a savant when it comes to real Sunbeam Tigers. I would suggest that anyone considering this car contact Norman.
    http://www.rootes1.com/

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  8. Avatar lawrence

    Joe….right on….kept me out of a few tickets back in the day – knowing what was coming up behind you….maybe Joe Blow….or Johnny Law….haha – good story on your Tiger too !

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  9. Avatar Big Ed

    Just google sunbeam tiger race cars and the pictures go on forever. I’d like to have a Cheetah or Cunningham for grins!

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  10. Avatar MarshMountaineers

    If it is the same 1965 Tiger (which was originally moonstone as well) that I looked at in Mass. in 2015, it looked like it had a hard hit sometime in its life, and that the entire front subframe was replaced.

    The Tiger I looked at also had a 5-bolt 289 (instead of the 5-bolt 260), but the seller at the time did say he had the original 260 and that went with the car.

    Not saying it is the same car – just saying inspect in person is always the best policy.

    Either way, the Tiger is a great little Anglo-American car… Formally know as the “poor mans Cobra”, but with nice Tigers selling for over $60,000 (easily), not very many “poor men” are buying them these days.

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  11. Avatar chad

    like the Jensen/Lister prototype #3 too.
    Wuz the Tiger too nose heavy 4 good handeling?

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  12. Avatar Nick

    That looks like a great project. Just an FYI, “FE” stands for “Ford-Edsel”.

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  13. Avatar Jeff Bickel

    In 1975. I had a 1966 Tiger with 60,000 miles. I got 3 speeding tickets in 2 months and sold it….I was only 18 years old…..too young and dumb.
    JCB Fiber Splicer

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  14. Avatar Chuck F 55chevy

    The annual Brit car show in Pensacola featured 5 Tigers, owned by the same guy, this year he had six on display! And a few Alpines.

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  15. Avatar MikeH

    Someone earlier asked about the Tiger being nose heavy. I’ve always wondered what Sunbeam did to accommodate the V8 which had to be much heavier than the 4 it replaced. I remember when MG tried putting a 6 in the MGC and the extra weight destroyed the handling. The Tiger had a reputation for both power and handling while the MGC had a reputation for neither.

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  16. Avatar Big Ed

    Didnt the AC Cobras have a double round tube center spine frame with turn outs to mount the suspension. This would act like two sway bars back to back. Lifting one end as in going over track curbing would lift the back on the same side and plant the opposite sides. Tie this together with a roll cage and you had a stiff car/chasis. Drivers learned to live with the understeer and the designers started stretching the cars to enhance balance. Then Ford went with the flow, abandoned the front engine and went mid-engine with the GT 40 and your balance problems where solved. I think Corvettes had a center torque box with outer loops (square tube?) and built in roll structure. To use more power the Cobras hsd bigger tubes (wall thickness).

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  17. Avatar Big Ed

    Didnt the AC Cobras have a double round tube center spine frame with turn outs to mount the suspension. This would act like two sway bars back to back. Lifting one end as in going over track curbing would lift the back on the same side and plant the opposite sides. Tie this together with a roll cage and you had a stiff car/chasis. Drivers learned to live with the understeer and the designers started stretching the cars to enhance balance. Then Ford went with the flow, abandoned the front engine and went mid-engine with the GT 40 and your balance problems where solved. I think Corvettes had a center torque box with outer loops (square tube?) and built in roll structure. To use more power the Cobras used bigger tubes (wall thickness). Oh, but the article was about Sunbeam Tigers, pardon me

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  18. Avatar Rich Gibbons

    I have a Contemporary Classic 427 Cobra with an 1/8″ tube frame (the only replica with a tube frame). I put an aluminum Shelby side-oiler in it (250 pounds less on the front end) and it is very nicely balanced. But one still has to be careful with the loud pedal. Vroom, vroom!

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