Sunbeam Tiger

red74

red74

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
51
Location
Ontario, Canada
Anyone ever owned one? Impressions? They (not Alpine clones) seem to be very pricey these days. But I'm thinking.
 
I drove one of those a long time ago. My memory is that is was reasonably fast (not surprisingly fast) and the handling was not great. At the time I had a TR6 and I thought it handled better and was pretty close on power (and they were not known as fast/good handling cars)!
 
Is that the one they stuck a Buick/Olds aluminum 215 ci V8 into???

mom had one in a '63 Olds F85, predecessor to the 442/Cutlass.....

:eek:
 
No, they put a 289 Ford engine into it.

I had a 215 F-85, my first car! There was a turbo version of that car that I have never seen. I'll bet that was fun.
 
My mammory not worth shit....

I always thought that 215 would have made a hell of a engine for some sports cars...like wife's Miata here...but the engine is just fine....can't justify doing it...
last I hear of those was in a Land Rover....with DPFI on them....good ticket ride in a ~2000 lbs car....

:bump:
 
mrvette said:
My mammory not worth shit....

I always thought that 215 would have made a hell of a engine for some sports cars...like wife's Miata here...but the engine is just fine....can't justify doing it...
last I hear of those was in a Land Rover....with DPFI on them....good ticket ride in a ~2000 lbs car....

:bump:
Click to expand...

That aluminum 215 Buick/Olds V8 was a great little motor. There is a local shop that was installing the "Rover" 215 V8 into an MGB. Now that little bastard is going to FLY when it is finished.

Rich:beer:
 
The Tiger can be a fun sleeper. The short wheel base makes them a handful. 260 or 289 is easy to maintain.

An old friend used to race one and the rear suspension needed a rework to put the torque down.

I'd love to have one but I'd wait for the price drop on collectibles
 
Maxwell smarts car. I saw an original owner car in a restoration shop. Completely stripped down I could see how it was 'modified' at the factory for the Ford V8. Everything was 'clearanced' with BIG hammer. No finesse. Cool cars.
 
Douglas,
Thanks for those pics. That is a very impressive Tiger!

The prices are indeed very high and seem unaffected by the recession. Hard to figure out when Corvette prices are taking a beating.
 
BRUTAL64 said:
Point of interest:
Sunbean went to Mopar first trying to get the 318. Mopar said no.;)
Click to expand...

I looked at one back in the late 60's for 700 bucks in Michigan.
It had a v8 with the valve cover center spark plugs, probably a small Chrylser hemi. I know they made some even smaller than the 331 in the 50's.

Wonder if that had something to do with Chrysler or just an old hotrodder.
 
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