March 1, 2021
Posted By : Barrett-Jackson
Written By : independent automotive jouranlist David Neyens

COMPETING WITH COBRAS: This 1966 Sunbeam Tiger Mk IA was Built to Take on Other V8s

COMPETING WITH COBRAS: This 1966 Sunbeam Tiger Mk IA was Built to Take on Other V8s

March 1, 2021
Posted by Barrett-Jackson

Written by independent automotive jouranlist David Neyens

Selling with No Reserve at the 2021 Scottsdale Auction is this 1966 Sunbeam Tiger Series 1 Convertible (Lot #1296).

Selling with No Reserve at the 2021 Scottsdale Auction is this 1966 Sunbeam Tiger Series 1 Convertible (Lot #1296).

Lot 1296 - 1966 SUNBEAM TIGER SERIES I CONVERTIBLE_rear34Conceived by Ian Garrad, U.S. West Coast manager for Britain’s Rootes Motors, the Sunbeam Alpine-based Tiger grabbed a significant slice of America’s rabid 1960s sports-car market. Given the Alpine’s international racing success, Garrad believed it was a strong candidate for American V8 power, similar in concept to Carroll Shelby’s AC Ace-derived Cobra. Once Garrad obtained approval from Rootes, a Ford 260ci prototype was built in just a few days by Ken Miles to validate the concept and Shelby American built a more involved conversion, tested by Garrad and then evaluated in England by summer 1963. Company management, including Lord Rootes, were enthused, codenaming the project “Thunderbolt” and commissioning Jensen Motors to build it.

Lot 1296 - 1966 SUNBEAM TIGER SERIES I CONVERTIBLE_detailFirst available in the United States in 1964, the car was dubbed “Tiger” after Rootes’ 1925-26 land-speed-record car. Sales were spurred by high-profile product placements in films and on television, including Mel Brooks’ popular spy comedy series, “Get Smart.” While a GT-oriented road car from the outset, the Tiger nearly won the 1966 SCCA B/Production National Championship and, with excellent power-to-weight, the Tiger took a 1965 AHRA National drag racing championship. Only some 7,000 Tigers were built through 1968, along with the Mk I and refined Mk IA – both 260ci-powered – and the 289ci Mk II. Only Chrysler’s takeover of Rootes and cessation of Ford engine supplies ended the Tiger’s prowl.

Certified by the Sunbeam Tiger Owner’s Association (STOA), Lot #1296, a Mark IA Tiger offered with No Reserve, is a late-production example delivered new to a Covina, California, resident, who sold it in the summer of 1970. According to registration and transfer documents, the second owners, also of Covina, enjoyed the car sparingly for the next decade and stored it from 1980 to summer 2012.

Lot 1296 - 1966 SUNBEAM TIGER SERIES I CONVERTIBLE_interiorRecommissioned, serviced and tuned, the car ran fairly well and was rust-free, making it an ideal candidate for a detailed and total restoration performed by a concours award-winning shop. The body was stripped to bare metal and fitted to a rotisserie for restoration, and particular attention was paid to exceptional panel alignment and shut-lines in preparation for its stunningly deep and shiny Metallic Blue paint finish, complemented by beautifully restored, show-quality brightwork. The Tiger’s sporting cockpit was beautifully restored to match, reupholstered in tan leather, while the dash, carpets and cloth convertible top are all blue, closely matching the paint. The instrument panel was remade by a Rolls-Royce specialist in fine walnut, and a Nardi wood-rimmed steering wheel completes the interior.

Lot 1296 - 1966 SUNBEAM TIGER SERIES I CONVERTIBLE_EngineMechanical systems were rebuilt and restored, including the potent 260ci Ford V8 engine, which was carefully checked and found to deliver strong compression before being refinished, fitted with a brand-new Holley 4-barrel carburetor and reinstalled. The Tiger’s original, refurbished Toploader 4-speed manual transmission was equipped with a new clutch and the rear end was rebuilt. All ancillary systems were rebuilt, restored or replaced, including overhauling of the brakes and steering gear. The entire suspension and innumerable other parts were powder-coated for a lasting finish, a new electrical wiring harness was installed, gauges were rebuilt and restored, and all systems work as they should, resulting in a classic Tiger that drives as well as it looks.

Lot 1296 - 1966 SUNBEAM TIGER SERIES I CONVERTIBLE_sideHighly responsive and fun to drive with taut handling, the Tiger features smooth power delivery. The consignor advises that approximately $106,000 was invested in the restoration, with the car accompanied by receipts to confirm the work performed. Riding on a set of brand-new Panasport wheels with Graphite Gray painted centers surrounded by Vredestein radials, this Sunbeam Tiger Mk IA proves that Shelby’s Cobra was not the only great Anglo-American performer of the 1960s.

For up-to-date information on this vehicle, click HERE. For a look at all the vehicles headed to the 2021 Scottsdale Auction, click HERE.

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