The Sunbeam has a fascinating history as a car, featuring a whole host of famous car guys – Carroll Shelby, Ken Miles and Jack Brabham amongst others. This is why they command such high prices – a simple formula of adding a V8 engine to a lightweight car means these go for high 5 figures, with plenty in the 6-figure category. That makes today’s example – at a ‘reasonable’ $59,450 a steal. Even better when you realise this has had just one owner since new, and this owner has used this car to extract maximum enjoyment – hence the super high mileage of 157,156 miles (but perhaps mis-typed, more details below). For a car like this, I would be more comfortable buying a high mileage well-used example than a garage queen as it will have been kept mechanically sweet its life. If you too are interested, head over to Phil Long Ford Colorado here and schedule a test drive.
Unfortunately, the seller doesn’t include any information, other than the 35 photos and the statement that it is a one owner car. It would have been good to know if this car has been used on a weekly basis – or if everything is original, but given its age and mileage, we should assume it has had lots of work in the past and will need some careful maintenance to keep it going in the future. Externally the car looks close to mint – with the high mileage it must have had a restoration in the past as from a distance the paintwork looks immaculate. All the chromework is present, and in good condition, but it looks like the front grill may be missing. If you look closely you can see some rust developing in the wheel arches but should be reasonably easy to fix.
Moving to the inside of the car, the wooden dash is also in good condition, and the Jaeger dials are clean and showing off that mileage. However the dials only seem to show 57k miles, so perhaps it has already been around the clock once – might be worth checking with the dealer. The rest of the interior is in good condition, with no rips or tears to the leather. The headliner is a bit grubby so could do with a replacement in the future, but nothing serious.
There are no photos of the engine, however – so no idea if it’s running well – although you can see the exhaust fumes in one of the photos, it shouldn’t be too bad. So this car throws up a number of questions – from the surface, it looks great – but the new owner needs to do their research on the history of this vehicle and its current real condition. So do you think this is a good buy at the current price, or would you stump up more for a better-condition one?
Hard to find them in good condition these days. Good ones are hiding in garages and museums. Wouldn’t even go look without an engine shot.
Missing badges and side trim. Who knows what else????
Too few pictures, especially for a dealer. Could have put it on a lift and shown from underside, and definitely needs pictures of the engine bay. Listing at Phil Long indicates the odometer rolled over.
A lot of original parts missing / replaced on this Tiger. Without a real VIN it’s impossible to tell if this was an early ‘black dash’ car. Beside the obviously missing grille, trim and badging, the homemade dash in the pictures (looks like mahogany) is definitely a replacement. Without pictures of the engine compartment and underside there is no telling what else has been done to this Tiger. If I was nearer to the car, I would definitely have a close up, hands on look at it.
I can’t believe that the original owner would remove the side trim unless there was some bad damage to the side panels. Has the car been authenticated to prove that it didn’t start life as an Alpine?
Too much info missing.
Many visual clues about this car indicate it may be an Alger (Alpine conversion).
Really, a 2-owner car. Unless they can prove they bought it from the original dealer.
Unsafe at any speed. Try a quick lane change on the highway if you don’t believe me.
BF: “The rest of the interior is in good condition, with no rips or tears to the leather.”
Vinyl. These did not come with leather.
Car appears to have a plastic-rim steering wheel like the early vinyl-dash Tigers. Then again the Alpine used that wheel as well.
Prices vary but this one looks overpriced even if it proves to be a real Tiger as nicer Tigers have sold in the $40-55k range over the past year.
These are not six-figure cars, one outlier in 4 years doesn’t change that. Like someone else said, far nicer cars sell for 2/3 what this stealer is asking. A lot of buyers don’t care now a days if a car has a skin of bondo under its fresh paint, but at least the recent sales are readily identifiable as Tigers.
At first glance, I thought that this was a hardtop, and I thought that the Tiger only came as a convertible, but then I got a look at the pictures shot from behind the car, and I saw the locating pins on what looks like a removable hardtop. Could someone confirm or refute my suspicions, and tell me if the aftermarket made removable hardtops for Sunbeam Tigers?
P.S. Another famous driver of a Tiger is Don Adams, in his role as Maxwell Smart, Agent 86 of C.O.N.T.R.O.L., in the 1960’s TV series, “Get Smart”. “Missed it by THAT much!” “Sorry about that, Chief!”
Yes, there was an optional removal hardtop available.
Thank you! It’s always good to know that you’re not going crazy, LOL!
“I’m not crazy! My Mother had me tested!” – Sheldon Cooper.
THE most important part of a Sunbeam Tiger is the V8 engine and yet this “dealer” doesn’t bother to include a picture of it or even the undercarriage. Something smells like bad fish about this Alpine/Tiger. If I were a buyer I wouldn’t touch it without it being subjected to a comprehensive inspection by a qualified Tiger specialist.
Those “others” included none other than my mentor, Andy Rooney. He said, “it weakens my theory of gratification and desire, as I enjoy it as much as the day I bought it”. Tigers were poor cars, really, a poor persons( as if) Cobra. At almost $4grand new, almost as much as a Corvette, few went for them. I thought the Alpine was one of the nicest British roadsters, the V8, I feel, ruined it. Like most everything in Colorado, it’s grossly overpriced.
condition not match price. May B just out for “feelers” @ such a mis-match??
I remember the initial comments when 1st brought out (’64) but… the ford 260 like the later 255 are not much. Great paint here (an early mustang Acapulco blue ?).
Looks like mud in the wheel arches, missing trim, missing grille, etc. I suspect that once you start on it you are going to find a poorly repaired rot bucket.