1966 Sunbeam Tiger from North America - Comments

Electrical: Starter and generator.

Cooling: Radiator.

Drive train: Rear axle bearing.

Brakes: Nearly everything (fluid contamination).

Suspension: Front springs.

Despite the mechanical issues with this car, I absolutely loved it. It was the performance version of the Sunbeam Alpine, two seat roadster. Instead of the anemic 4-cylinder, the Tiger had a 260 cubic inch Ford V-8 and Ford top-loader transmission, paired with a Dana Spicer Model 44 rear end. The "conversion" of the Alpine to the Tiger was engineered by Carol Shelby, who designed the original Cobra. Drove the heck out of this car. Would love to find another one day.

I have a 66 series 5 sunbeam alpine that is currently being renovated in the east of Poland. I will be collecting it in April to bring back to London. I would love to exchange my alpine for a tiger which needs work, The alpine is nice, but the tiger is thrice! Need Tiger before spontaneous internal combustion kicks in! Yon. London. England.

This Tiger is an excellent upgrade to my previous car. it's got a spotlight and a dashboard. I love going on Safari with it. Too bad the horn isn't long (it goes 'beep')

Shades of Maxwell Smart!

Agent 86 of CONTROL loved his Tiger too. The recently deceased Don Adams took a Tiger as part of his salary for playing the bumbling superspy and kept it for a while after the series ended.

Apparently, the car was crashed twice while he owned it, each time by a different daughter of his.

Sorry about that, Chief!

I have a 1967 MK II. One of 534 built. It is mostly original with a 289 not a 260, MK IIs came with a 289. I have the LAT options of f4b Edelbrock manifold, 1850 Holley four barrel, hi-po cam and headers. Have several other LAT options as well including the traction bars and engine dress up kit and a factory hard top. This is the only car you can take to a English sports car show, a Ford show, a muscle car show, or a Mopar show... by 67 Chrysler had bought Rootes and my car has a pentastar on the lower right front fender. Now the mopar guys get a little cranked, but everyone else loves the car. And it sure is fun to drive. Parts, get most of what you need from the mustang shops and no depreciation on value.

Tigers are really cool cars. Everyone I meet loves my Tiger, whether young or old.

What I like is that all the power is available whatever the revs; you just squeeze the pedal and it growls and goes. The first gear goes to nearly 60 mph, so you there is no need for a hurried change of gear from a standing start. I went alongside an Alpha V6 from the lights, anfd he was frantically changing gear trying to keep in the power band, but he couldnt get past me. I just held that old first gear forever!

Responding to the last post of 28th Jan, I had exactly the same experience with an Alpha V6! I can't believe the coincidence. He was revving himself into a froth, and my (completely stock) Tiger 260 just stayed ahead right until the next road junction ended the race!

And I too love the high first gear. There is so much torque, you just take off without even trying and it flies.

I have done a couple of track days too, and the handling is totally predictable. Can't quite beat the hot hatches on the corners, or the turbos on the straights, but nothing else can match the great sound of the V8! There is surprisingly little body roll too, but a good set of low profile rubber certainly helps in the cornering department!

I rode in a mid 60's Griffith belonging to a kid in my high school possessing a small block Cobra. I imagine it would be very similiar to this model in some respects. Really cool fast car!

Yes - well I had one too in 1966- had it shipped to Germany where I lived - we drove all over the country doing the max on the autobahn - left everyone in the dust -

problem was - it was amazing on the straightaway - but front heavy on the corners - and we totally lost it one day on a curvy road and rolled her - end of Sunbeam Tiger! Now they are going for $50,000.00 but what the heck - we had fun!

Totally agree with Jan 07 comment. My brother had a Tiger and I had an Alpine. Of course he would blow my doors off on any straight roads, but on a totally winding road (our local one was called Snake Road), he would brake hard for the corners while the Alpine was capable of nice four wheel drifts through the corners.

I bought my 65 Sunbeam Tiger in 1976, it had 200,000 miles at the time, soon I rebuilt her from end to end. I now (2008) have

300,000 miles and we are still going strong, tho 32 years older (both of us). The Tiger has been a wonderful friend for all these years. Totally a blast to drive and performance driving helps to keep me young at 77 years of age. I live in the mountains of South Carolina where there are plenty of great mountains to charge up.

These cars are really cheap to keep up, no computer or weird electronics, of course no AC and not much of a heater. and best of all no rust, still wears the original BRG paint. I have had more expensive cars, but none with more fun per mile.

Always gets you noticed. best regards to all.

I had a 1966 Tiger that had a 302 installed. The stock tires lasted about 4 months. When the rears "thinned out", I replaced them with the fronts. I replaced those tires with some B5013s. I owned that for 17 years. Keeping within the speed limit, I could raise my adrenalin level to the point I would still be shaking by the time I got to work. I loved that car.

Hey, what do you think about a supercharged 3.8 drive train from a 1997 TB in 1967 Sunbeam mark 5?

I bought my sweatheart 1966 Sunbeam Tiger in 1976. Traded a nice 72 Karmann Ghia and 66 Ford Econoline van and some cash for. Loved the car. Mine was surprisingly reliable and just a blast to drive. The rearend was tall 2:86 so it wore out 2 clutches in 4 years. Getting away from a stop was a real chore with a first gear that was like second gear on most cars. Wow! It sounded great and handled pretty good except on wet surfaces. I couldn't really wear out the rear tires. The rears lasted 4 years and 41,+++ miles.

Tigger got about 20 miles to the gallon. The car also never needed a heater. The engine was so close to the firewall that your feet very were toasty in the summer, and warm and comfy in winter.

Wish I never sold Tigger. he got me a lot of chicks back in the day.

Bought the Tiger car back in 1972. More smiles per mile, reliable, ease of maintenance once the brake, clutch, slave masters were sleeved. That way the aluminum alloy pitting stopped in these hydraulic work horses. Just had the Tiger out with top down on a wonderful summer day in August 09. Car still brings more smiles per mile after all these years.