Great response Mike. I have hauled my Tiger around for over 25 years
without driving it. It has become a family possession which my kids
will fight over who "gets it when I'm gone." And, yet it's not that
"special" as far as a performance car. In fack it's dangerous if pushed
to the limits with a high horse power engine. Why is it so "special?" I
think that part of the reason is the timing of when it was introduced,
ie, muscle car era. I began driving in the early 50's. Cars were real
dogs. The most exiciting thing was to drop a big V8 into a normally
sedate car. My best friend's father was a doctor who drove chrysler's.
My friend swapped engines from his dad's car (hemi's) into 1946-50
Plymouths. this was an exciting time (the cars were loud but were
installed behind 3 speed transmissions. Anyway, the best car was a car
which had a V8 installed. So, the Sunbeam Tiger met this imagery. I had
heard about the Tiger in the early 60's. I was in collage, and I saw a
"cherry" Tiger on a Tucson street for $1300 (it was painted the most
subdued color, Moonstone.) Moonstone is not white, not blue, and not
exactly grey either. I drove the car all over, including Arizona desert
roads. I stopped driving the car in 1973. Over the years it has
deteriorated badly. I now want to get this car running. But I agree
with you that , from one point of view, the car is not that "special."
But somehow I can't get rid of it. Thanks for listening.
Cliff
COMORGAN@JUNO.COM
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