Classic British sports cars from the 1950s and 1960s generally weren’t blessed with vast amounts of horsepower, but there were a few notable exceptions. When the decision was made to shoehorn a Ford V8 into a modified Sunbeam Alpine, the Tiger was born. It proved to be a Tiger with teeth, and today, spotless and original examples can command some very reasonable prices. This 1967 Tiger Mk II isn’t immaculate or original, but it is a driving project car that would benefit from a cosmetic refresh. Located in McKinney, Texas, you will find the Sunbeam listed for sale here on eBay. Strong bidding has pushed the price to $10,300, but the reserve isn’t met.
The Sunbeam has undergone a color change because the shade that it wears does not appear on the Tiger color charts. However, it looks a lot like a color called Morocco Brown, which was from the Rootes palette. If I were to buy this car, I would be tempted to perform another change, although whether I would revert to the original British Racing Green is unknown. There were some other attractive options available in that year, and given the lack of originality with this classic, I might be tempted to choose something different. I don’t think that the current color does the Tiger any favors, and the quality of the finish is pretty ordinary. The body wears a few dings and dents, but these all appear to be repairable. The hood has been modified to provide some extra cold air to the engine, which I would examine carefully. It has been a matter of necessity due to some engine bay changes, but I would be inclined to investigate a more elegant solution. British sports cars from this era had a reputation for developing rust issues, but it all seems quite positive with this one. There have been some previous rust repairs in the floor, and these would be acceptable for a driver-quality vehicle. However, if a pristine restoration is on the cards, this might need to be redone. There are a few trim pieces that are missing, but those that are present are generally in good order. The Sunbeam rolls on a shiny new set of Minilite wheels, and they suit the character of the Tiger perfectly.
The changes to this Sunbeam are more than skin-deep because the interior has also received some modifications. Whether you would call these upgrades comes down to a matter of perspective. The timber on the dash has survived relatively well, although it was cut to fit a CD player. Most of the original gauges are present, but a few have been changed. The wheel isn’t original, but it is another item that does suit the car’s character. The dash pad is cracked, and the carpet is badly faded and worn. Replacing both items would be a smart move.
This photo demonstrates the most profound changes that have been made to the Tiger’s interior. The seats aren’t original, but they and the door trims are upholstered in matching material. The condition is quite good, and if the buyer is not fixated on complete originality, they could be left untouched. The seats would almost certainly be more comfortable and supportive than the original low-back buckets, so that is a point that is worth considering.
To create the Tiger, engineers took the base Alpine and discarded its 1,725cc 4-cylinder engine. After some suitable structural modifications, a Ford V8 and 4-speed manual transmission were dropped into the engine bay. The Mk I Tiger received the 260ci version, but the 289ci unit replaced this for the Mk II. Where a ’67 Alpine had 93hp to play with, the Tiger gave the driver 200hp. Naturally, the performance took a massive step forward, with the Tiger capable of getting from 0-60mph in a respectable 7.5 seconds. Let it off the leash, and it would find its way to 122mph. This Sunbeam isn’t numbers-matching, although it does feature its original transmission and rear end. It isn’t clear what happened to the original engine, but a 347 stroker now calls this engine bay home. It isn’t clear what specifications it was built to, but the owner says it has a mild cam. I think that it would be safe to assume that there will now be more than 200hp available under the driver’s right foot. The good news is that the Tiger is said to run and drive well, so it is ready for immediate fun. The owner supplies a YouTube clip that I have included at the bottom of this article. We get to hear that V8 running, and it sounds pretty good.
If you are an enthusiast searching for a 100% original and unmolested Sunbeam Tiger, this car won’t fulfill those criteria. However, if you are looking for a distinctive vehicle that will plaster your face with an ear-to-ear grin, it has to be a strong candidate. Pristine and untouched examples can easily sell for more than $50,000, although a few gems have topped six-figures in recent times. This one will probably never achieve those upper prices, but it is still worth the time and effort to give it a bit of a birthday. Are you up for the challenge?
The recent owner claims although original vin plate on firewall is missing its the real deal with other parts. see eBay comments.
States a stroker engine then says found it matches the trans now.
Lets just say a nice modified sumbeam and leave it at that since only looked at to validate with no paperwork stating Tiger.
Its a beauty that needs a hood and misc items to finish it.
I get nervous when a resaler wants to move a item for big bucks but doesn’t have papers or tags to back it up.
Again for a reasonable price who cares Tiger 🐅 no 🐅.
Definitely a way to get into the Sunbeam club for less than Tiger money. Such an odd color choice for this car. The interior color choices are odd as well. The body just looks hammered with all the bumps and bruises. Mixed feelings about the hood as well.
The VIN plate is the only place on the car where the serial number is stamped. If one needs to register it in a local where they want to confirm the number you would have a major issue. He does have the JAL number which can be tied to the original serial number but I don’t see where he’s actually listed the VIN number.
No. Its just, wrong.
Am I the only one in this world that thinks the plain old Sunbeam Tiger was good enough? Do you really need a motor with twice the horsepower? These were a handful in their stock configuration. I guess it’s more true than ever, if this is good, more MUST be better. Weren’t these 6 figures just not too long ago, especially for one this nice?
Going to be a lot of issues with documentation. Probably not insurmountable BUT, the tiger community is very fickle. Buy it cheap and drive it after jumping through the DMV hoops. Don t expect to retire on profits from this one Mr Flipper.
First of al, its not a real tiger, its missing the molding on each side to differentiate the tiger from the alpine, they dont mention anything about the brakes, i owned 3 Tigers and none of them had proper , brakes, solid discs in front and drum s in th back, after one hard stop, forget it no more brakes , i had the 260ci and 2 with 289 which i replaced the carb with a 2 barrel holley, big difference hate that brown color, loved the 289 but the 260 was for the birds
The Mk II Tiger did not have the side moldings of the MkI and Mk1A.
From the provided pictures and from what (little) I know about Tigers, there’s no way to tell from the ad if its a “real” Tiger or not. Two of the bigger telltale signs are (i thought) the battery box being located under the parcel shelf in its own little chamber, behind the seats and the second sign is the exhaust going the frame rails. The battery box is simple enough to photograph (but the ad did not) , the exhaust, while it seems routed correctly, without seeing if the thru the frame holes are bodged or factory I can’t tell.
The fact chrome trim is missing on a repainted car is not a ‘telltale sign” of anything imho.
All that said, if it is a Mk II TIger with matching numbers, its a keeper. All the jenky work done to date is easily reversable.
These cars stock are unsafe at any speed. This one is truly frightening!
I’d be afraid to put my foot on the accelerator!
Momma said don’t buy no ugly truck! At $10000.00 don’t buy no ugly car either..ruined English rust.
This must be a blast to drive, even cruising in third, letting people hear the V8. I wouldn’t change anything but maybe the hood. Color, with my color blindness it’s red. Would look good next to my purple Mustang that’s
green to me.
I think think this is a modified Alpine and never was a Tiger.
Looking at the engine compartment it does appear to be a real Tiger. The JAL #700032 indicate a Mk 2 probably built in Dec 1966 or Jan 1967. Norm would know the VIN number that would go with that JAL number and I would certainly try to confirm that before I bid.
I have heard that they did nothing to beef up the suspension and now 50+ years later they are collapsing under the added weight. Know what you are buying. Good luck and stay safe.
Cheers
GPC
A girl in college had a real Tiger at PSU in 1977. Her dad gave it to her. It sounded great. Never saw it after 1978. It was red with black buckets.
Just another classic car turned into a mongrel for some unknown reason.Just me speaking,no value at what so ever.
In my best Andy Rooney voice, who owned a Tiger, “Did you ever wonder why someone would do this?” He was great. I believe it was his daily driver for years.
https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2015/12/25/a-few-minutes-with-andy-rooneys-tiger-1966-sunbeam-tiger
Hi Howard. Off topic- but I read andy rooney’s book and it literally changed my life. His approach on any subject is amazing. Down to earth, common sense and just being a good person and treating everyone with respect. IIRC, think he had an amazing WW2 military record. The Greatest Generation. Good luck and stay safe.
Cheers
GPC
Don’t know for sure but one of our Tiger gurus a few months ago said the real Tigers had round ends on the firewall to inner fenders struts. Any one confirm that?
It might have been me. If you look at the inner fender where the struts are bolted, the Alpines are squared off and the Tiger is rounded. It’s a quick way to tell but some Algers have these changed if they are using a rusted Tiger for the conversion.
Alpine. Hope the links work https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/Gp79Ioro3OuJN3i5ejLp6VydgkrRhdo86xqiOgBugQy3Ur7KrB2b38ri5L1QphPd25IB-Y8k–m4bWBo0KP9BbppANFVBhbjaRnp4Uy8ZHQg6Fc
Tiger
https://silodrome.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Sunbeam-Tiger-8-740×494.jpg
Alpine Link
https://www.google.ca/search?q=sunbeam+alpine+engine&sxsrf=ALeKk00C0iT32rp2OE83DcZqtUAN6-mmrg:1613012385210&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=3kCUFdEvNYqv8M%252CrR2jLrCbL6yQBM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kQ5ZjXZ31M9TVLPAJiSbQgReadTXg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjW-vOx6-DuAhUVpZ4KHVIzD4wQ9QF6BAgPEAE&biw=1920&bih=937#imgrc=F_p5LJxCykI51M&imgdii=etdnWHeOBNJv0M
Auction Ended. Final bid: $20,100.
Nobody mentioned that hood! That ruins the looks.