Jay,
eeheeemmm......(throat clearing sound) Every now and then someone asks a
question that I think I might know something about. When I got my car, Andy
Walker here in Edmond Ok, educated me on this, and then I followed up with
some research in addition to better understand..
The "Alpine 260" is what Tigers where called that sold in several European
countries that werent exported to the united states. Although they are built
as Tigers, and outfitted as Tigers, they didn't say Tiger on them, they
actually said "Alpine" on the wings just like the Alpine that we think of
normally here with the 4 cyl. My car and Steve Ralsten's to name a couple are
originally Alpine 260's...whether or not they are technically "Tigers" in my
opinion is a prime candidate for a philosophical debate. In short, the "Tiger"
name was under copyright at the time from a couple other companies, Panhard's
Tigre in France & Messerschmitt's Tiger from Germany, if I recall. I also have
a triumph motorcycle that is called a Tiger...maybe that had something to do
with it as well....but in short, VIN's for Alpine 260's will be HROFE's and
LROFE's if I understand correctly. There arent a lot of these designations in
the states....now that Steve R has bought Carroll's old car, as far as I know
I have the only one in Oklahoma. I've never asked Norm but they may or may not
be current info. When I bought my car, Norm told me there werent very many on
the registry with that designation, but I understand that several more have
surfaced in the last few years.
I would need to double check, but I believe that other than the script saying
"Alpine" rather than "Tiger", that there were some taillight lense
differences, and badging differences. I still tell people I have a
Tiger...because only a select group of gearheads here in okahomna even know or
remember what a Sunbeam Tiger is, but I have never met anyone other than a
Tiger owner who knows what an "Alpine 260" is...so for purposes of
conversation, I tell people it's a Tiger.
Here is a link to catswhiskers tiger club out of the u.k....which I found to
be very informative on the subject...
http://www.sunbeamtiger.co.uk/catswhiskers/CW68alpine260.htm
So, is it a Tiger or not?
I would love to hear what the rest of you think on this matter.....
Subject: [Tigers] Confused
I just saw an old ad for a sunbeam 260 alpine and I was wondering what the
differance was with it and a tiger?? I am assuming that it is the same car but
tiger was never mentioned. The ad was from a road america program 1964. Any
help?
thanks
Jay
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