1965 Sunbeam Tiger

Fantastic California Tiger in excellent condition. Long-term ownership. Rebuilt 289 cubic inch V8. Many upgrades, including LAT Super Induction Kit, cam, distributor, aluminum heads, and more. A super clean Tiger that runs superbly!

This car was originally sold in Los Angeles, CA in 1966 and remained there until 1999 when the most recent owner brought it to Ohio. As a result, it is extremely clean and solid, something that can t be said of most Tigers, and while it has been restored as needed, it has never needed a complete tear-down. The sheetmetal is in outstanding condition with no issues hiding under the skin, and like most California cars, the undercarriage is super solid. It was refinished in its original Arctic White in 2010, and the finish is holding up extremely well and presents beautifully, with just the right amount of patina for a car that has been used and enjoyed as intended. The doors fit neatly, the hood closes easily, and all the gaps are consistent, which isn t necessarily the case with a lot of hand-built British sports cars. Most of the chrome and stainless trim was refinished, including the bumpers, and it proudly wears correct V8 emblems, a small warning to anyone who might decide to tangle with the formidable Tiger.

The interior is mostly original and holding up quite well, another hallmark of the mild California climate. The carpets have been replaced, the lovely wood steering wheel was rebuilt by Ken Corbin, and both the speedometer and tachometer have been recently rebuilt by West Valley Instruments. Slide into the bucket seat and you ll find that it s easy to get comfortable, although big shoes or boots are probably a mistake since the pedals are pretty tight. The wide array of instruments monitor the warmed-over small block Ford under the hood and all of the various switches, dials, and lights work properly. There s a Hurst cue ball shifter on top of a short-shift linkage for the HEH-E Toploader close-ratio 4-speed, making missed shifts a thing of the past, even in the heat of combat. A new Robins top was installed in 2011, along with a correct boot, although we d argue that the top is for emergency use only Tigers always look best top down. And there s a surprisingly large trunk that has a correct mat and side panels, plus a correct spare and jack assembly stowed underneath, along with the battery.

This is a Series 1A Tiger, which means it originally came with a 260, but in 2010, the original engine was pulled in favor of a period-correct 5-bolt 289, which was rebuilt by Stockman Racing Engines (the original 260 block is available). They retained all the LAT performance options from the 260, but it has additions like Edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum heads, a matching Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor, a Comp Cams XE264 cam, and a Pertronix electronic ignition system inside the original LAT dual-point distributor. The original radiator was re-cored and a new FlowKooler water pump was installed, making this the rare Tiger that runs nice and cool, no matter the weather. Of course, the original generator, air cleaner, and other details remain in place to maintain the original Tiger look under the hood. There s also a Centerforce I clutch, a balanced driveshaft, and 3.31 gears in the Salisbury rear end to make it an easy cruiser (the lightweight Tiger doesn t need a lot of gear for ferocious acceleration). The front crossmember was stripped, straightened, and reinforced using Super Pro bushings, stronger Tiger Automotive fulcrum pins and all-new steering components. The brake and clutch hydraulic systems were refurbished and the original brake servo was replaced with a Series 1 Alpine master cylinder. Factory manifolds and an all-new exhaust system were installed, and this Tiger has a spectacular soundtrack, both at idle and at full bore. Since 13-inch tires are getting tough to find, a set of 15-inch Minilite wheels were fitted along with a set of 185/55/15 performance radials that fill the fenders just right.

Documentation includes the STOA Certificate of Authenticity (this is a real Tiger), written history, photos, receipts, and more. Spare parts include the original 260 engine block (although it has already been over-bored so it may not be usable without being sleeved), original LAT headers, brake servo, windshield washer mount, fuel pump, and other small parts, all available at the new owner s discretion.

The nimble, light feeling of a British sports car combined with the torquey effortlessness of an American V8 is a combination that has been tested with varying degrees of success over the years. With only one notable exception (the Cobra), none does it better than the Tiger. Few cars are as joyous to drive as this one, and it will always command a lot of respect at shows and on the road, especially after they hear that magnificent exhaust note. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.