Vehicle Description
To be OFFERED AT AUCTION at Auctions America's Fort Lauderdale
event, March 31-2, 2017.
Chassis No.
B382000441LRXFE
Estimate:
$ 80,000 - $100,000 US
The Third Annual Car and Driver Reader's Choice Awards continued to
grow in participation and respect by the time their May 1966 issue
came out and featured the results of the polling. Split into 15
various classifications, the 1966 Sunbeam Tiger was victorious in
the "Best Grand Touring Sports Car" ($2,500 to $3,500) with
31-percent of the vote. Fourteen percentage points behind in second
place was the Triumph TR4A; Alfa Romeo Guilia Spider, Austin-Healey
3000 and MG MGB were the other contenders.
Sharing page 47 of the commentary with the Cobra 427 (winner of the
"Best Grand Touring Sports Car" ($3,500 to $7,000), the obvious
platform similarities was not lost on the Car and Driver staff.
They wrote of the Tiger: "Installing American V-8 engines of
various sizes in English roadster chassis has been extremely
popular for some time now, but only two models, the Cobra and the
Sunbeam Tiger have ever made it big on the American automotive
scene. Uniquely, both of them are winners in the Reader's Choice.
With the Tiger, a 260-cid Ford V-8 turns an otherwise average
English sports car into a genuinely exciting vehicle. The
conversion to American power is an especially successful one, and
the Tiger has a feeling of tautness that is missing in many sports
cars of its size. The price is right, power and performance are
fine - the Tiger's here to stay."
The platform had the standard features of rear drums with front
disc brakes, a four-speed manual transmission, and the
aforementioned 260-cid unit was spec'd as having 164-hp and dual
exhaust. This example is finished in black with black interior and
black convertible top. Roll-up windows, a woodgrain dash fascia,
center-placed armrest and ashtray and power brakes are also
onboard.
Offered by the Rootes Group when new, this beauty has received a
full rotisserie restoration by DALE Restoration in San Bernardino,
California and is a left-hand drive, rust-free California "black
plate" car. Along with the sporty polished alloy bolt-on wheels
(with Sunbeam Tiger spinners), the Sunbeam is accompanied by its
original bill of sale. The comparisons to the Cobra continue on for
the Sunbeam Tiger - lightweight, American V-8 engine and chassis
dynamics that allow driving fun are always in style.