alpines
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Was now what to do with TOM PATTON

To: <MrZAG57@aol.com>, <TIGEROOTES@aol.com>, <alpines@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Was now what to do with TOM PATTON
From: "Louis & Laila" <bwana@c2i2.com>
Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 11:43:09 -0700
I am not trying to take away anything from someone who gets out there and
puts his car wheel to wheel with other cars, in fact, I worship them! Most
people sit around and talk about what they are going to do, or have done,
but there are few who actually do it! But, Eric is right on this one. He did
preface his original statement by saying that a Tiger that had a tube frame
with fiberglass fenders etc could keep up with the current comptetion.
Having seen the car in question, I remember studying it for any factory
original production part. I think there are about 10?
Someone else brought up Doane Spencer, one of my true idols. Before he built
the Tiger, he built one of the fastest Alpines of all time. They had more
sucess with it than they did the Tiger.Here is a breakdown of the two cars
in SCCA national standing "In the day":
Alpine
1960        National Champion, G Production
1961        3rd Place National, E Production
1962        2nd Place National, E Production
1963        Tied for National Champion F Production
1964        National Champion F Production

Tiger
(      )
 Obviously, there are more types of racing involved that are worthy of
mention, such as Rallies and drag racing. The Rally record is probably about
equal with a slight edge for the Alpine since more cars were entered, but as
far as the drag racing thing goes, the Tiger seems to have edged out the
Alpine for a clear vicory, which goes back to the original statement that
"If you want to go fast in a straight line."
I think the true test of a cars ability to kick ass on the competition is
the amount of private entries that you wouls find "back in the day". This is
where sportscar enthusiasts pick out a car that they recognize has a serious
chance at winning in its class, prepare it, and race it. As we are
discovering, there were a shitload of people privately racing Alpines, one
visit to Steve Silverstiens site can show the veracity of that, but I don't
know that there were all that many Tigers raced, and all that I know of had
factory support.
In the end, I have 2 tigers, but when deciding on a car to prepare for
vintage racing, I chose an Alpine simply because there is tremnedous
potential (This is what the racers "back in the day did"). At the same time,
I love the Tigers, and would keep them over any Alpine that I have. So it is
a matter of personal preference, and certainly not grounds for any flames or
caca slinging. To quote the standing icon of moral leadership, "Can't we all
just get along?"



----- Original Message -----


> In a message dated 3/5/1 1:12:13 AM, TIGEROOTES writes:
>
> <<Tell that to Tom Patton...  SCCA  GT-2   National Champion, Sunbeam
Tiger>>
>
> Actually, Tom is one of my heroes. He exemplifies what SCCA Club racing
> should be about. He got royally screwed at tech at last years runoffs. He
has
> repesented a Marque that is dead with the highest levels of loyalty and
> dedication. AND whooped the factory asses to boot. I ran Barry out of
> T-Shirts when they were last available.
>
> The argument centered around whether the lowly Alpine was capable of
whoopin'
> ass on the track. It has digresssed to insults to it's heritage. ( Which
is
> odd seeing the Tiger came from the same place.) Let's remember when
slinging
> shit at the Alpines, that in their day, they did whoop ass against the
other
> LBCs.
>
> As always happens when people want to start an argument on the list,
someone
> takes a potshot and it escalates.
>
> My points stand as stated irregardless of potshots, facts are facts.
>
> ZAG

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>