For Sale: 1965 Sunbeam Tiger in Grand Rapids, Michigan

CURRENTLY FOR SALE VIA BRING A TRAILER ONLINE AUCTIONS. HEAD TO THEIR WEBSITE TO BID! 1965 Sunbeam Tiger MKI - Colorado Car - BRG, aka Forest Green with Matching Hardtop - Upgraded 289ci V8 with Cam and Headers - 4 Speed Manual Transmission - Front Disc Brakes - Professionally Restored by Leadfoot Muscle Cars - 20k Miles Shown The Sunbeam Tiger has a story that involves famous car and racing individuals like Jack Brabbham, Carroll Shelby, and Ken Miles. With names like that having been involved with the concept of the Tiger, and the development of the car, how could the car not succeed? It seemed an odd idea at the time for a British company like Sunbeam to produce a powerful roadster, but the result is the Tiger, which really is a car that will put a smile on your face. The Tiger had a bit more oomph than many of the other contemporary British Roadsters. Small four cylinder engines, or straight six engines seemed the norm, and the Tiger broke that mold with the V8 shoehorned under the hood. Re-shaping a fender well was necessary to fit the engine in the engine bay of what was essentially a Sunbeam Alpine. The Alpine is a great British roadster, but the Tiger, well, it had the power and the sound to turn heads! The car you see here is a 1965 Sunbeam Tiger MKI finished in British Racing Green over a black interior, and currently showing 20,105 miles on the mechanical odometer. This car is a true Tiger, not an Alger which is an Alpine converted to look like a Tiger. The Alpine, and later the Tiger, offered sporty exterior styling. From the large grille opening, to the high finned fenders which mimicked large American cars of the day. Chrome bumpers front and rear, chrome trim throughout the exterior, and the Tiger stylized script which interrupts the thin horizontal trim that stretches from the headlight bezel to the tail lights are notable features. This car in particular is finished in the original color of Forest Green (Code 86), which was Rootes' version of British Racing Green. Whether technically called British Racing Green or not, the car looks great covered in it. The exterior is finished nicely, with glossy and even paint, panel fitment dialed in, very nice trim components, both hard and soft tops which are in great condition, and all trim and badging having been placed where it should be. The car also has LA Tiger style 70 wheels that have three finned knockoffs. A slightly upscale interior, which included wood trim, set the Alpine and Tiger apart from many of the competing British roadsters. A series of chrome bezel gauges which include a tachometer, speedometer, oil pressure, and coolant temp, are mounted in a replacement wood dashboard. A three spoke steering wheel and shifter capped with a black shift knob are within easy reach of the driver. Clarion radio is mounted at the center of the dashboard and a pair of speakers are mounted just behind the seats. Speaking of seats, the interior is in great condition, with recently added upholstery on the seats and door panels. The three-piece tonneau cover is in place, and the hardtop mounts right on top of it. That is if you choose to use the hardtop. In our opinion, this car is best enjoyed with the top down! The engine beneath the hood is a 289ci V8 mated to a four-speed manual transmission. However as a MKI, the car left the factory with a 260ci V8 under the bonnet. The 289 was not used until the later MK2 Tiger. The Ford 289 has an aftermarket camshaft and headers, believed to be LA Tiger items. The combination contributes to the nice rumble that the car makes. Tiger Powered by Ford stamped on the valve covers is a hard detail to miss on the engine, and looking closer you will also see a Holley carb with an oval-shaped air cleaner sitting on top. Other things to take note of in the engine bay are the shovel-shaped indentation on the passenger's side fender and the two holes next to it, as well as the stick-welded reinforcement of the f