Chassis No.
B382000023LRXFE
| Monterey, California
200 bhp, 289 cu. in. Ford OHV V-8 engine, four-speed manual transmission, wishbone front suspension with coil springs and anti-roll bars, solid rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and servo-assisted Girling front disc and rear drum brakes. Wheelbase: 86 in.
The Shelby Cobra, a thrilling combination of Ford V-8 power shoehorned into a lightweight British roadster, has gone down in history as an American legend. Oft forgotten is Carroll Shelby’s other pioneer “hybrid,” the Tiger, which he created at the behest of British automaker Sunbeam. At the time, Sunbeam was building an adorable slab-sided roadster, the Alpine, which offered more comfort than other British sports cars of its era and a high measure of style, but it only had lukewarm performance.
Shelby fixed that with a small block Ford V-8 and a four-speed transmission, rack-and-pinion steering, and stiffened springs. The results were figures that no sporting driver could ever possibly complain about: 0–60 mph in 7.8 seconds and a top speed of 124 mph. Like its Cobra brethren, the Tiger was a hairy beast to drive, appropriate for a vehicle that had been tamed in the test-driving hands of GT40 maestro Ken Miles.
Tiger production lasted for only four years, 1964 through 1967, and only 7,038 were made. Chrysler had purchased the Rootes Group, Sunbeam’s parent company, which put it in the awkward position of selling a Ford-powered model. Offering a MoPar version of the Tiger was out of the question, for the simple reason that Chrysler didn’t have an engine that would fit. Thus, the Tiger was soon relegated to the history books, albeit remembered fondly by sports car enthusiasts who had been lucky enough to drive one.
The Tiger Mk 1 shown here is distinguished as an early model, as it has very little extra trim, which was limited largely to a chrome body strip. Having recently completed a full ground-up restoration, in beautiful dark blue metallic with grey interior, its level of detail is impressive, including fully rebuilt Jaeger gauges, Lucas headlamps, a three-spoke wood-rimmed steering wheel, and great looking aluminum wheels. Overall, the car shows as-new, down to its fully retractable soft top, and it is listed in the Sunbeam Tiger Registry. This would be a wonderful automobile to drive and enjoy, or to display in local shows with equal pride. It would also make a wonderful counterpoint to a Cobra, as an oft-forgotten part of the Shelby story.
For those who have never experienced such a raucous ride, this car provides a special chance to tame a Tiger.
