Return to factory wheels today

I like the look and swore at the 2008 Tigers United when there wasn't a single Tiger in original steel wheels and trim that I would do it before the next one. Well as it turns out work prevents me from attending at Santa Rosa but I thought I'd post a couple pics here. I got a set of wheels,caps and rings together and had the wheels blasted and powder coated to a correct "sea foam" grey color then added the Goodrich 6.00x13 bias ply tires with 1"WW. Installed them this morning. Really happy with the result.

Overall ride is improved from the 13" panasports w/radials, so is handling below 15mph. Above that it is fine and stable, but I sure don't plan any track days or autox days on these.

Looks picture perfect. Beautiful.

Justin

Steve,

WOW! you win the get smart award 2010. Car looks so period it hurts. Did you swap the alpine badges for the tiger ones? I note you still have the EU spec alpine 260 badges on the car.. didnt they also use the alpine scrpit, or did you get sick of explaining the factory alpine V8 thing?

I agree with all the positive comments! I was however not prepared for the correct color of the wheels to be described as a "sea foam gray". I still have the original wheels for my Tiger and they are definitely not gray. They are some form of off white, almost a creamy white. I am the original owner and know they have never been retouched. I had thought about repainting them from time to time over the past 43 years but never could find a version of white that seemed to match. Plus, after 43 years, it is hard to say what the original white (if that was the color) really looked like.

Is it possible that a grey could somehow fade to a whitish color? Anyone else have some sort of original white wheels?

Regards,

Gene

When I started I had one wheel that was black, one that was creme, one that was tan and a spare that was very lt grey almost off white. I compared my spare to the pics of wheels on John Boggis Alpine (very nice orig car) and a pic that Norm sent me. From those and the color description of foam grey I found a paint at a hobby shop that matched my spare. At the shop that did the sand blast for me they also powdercoat and they had a shade that also matched my spare so I went with it. I agree though that the color under certain light can look more tan than grey.

Michael...

I have my orig Alpine 260 badges on the car and have also blundered
into a pair of NOS badges as well for future use. The car needs paint. A couple clay jobs and waxes make it look better in pics than it really is. When I can afford to properly strip it, clean up small body work needs and repaint I will change from Tiger script back to the Alpine script it should carry. The PO or orig owner switched to Tiger script, I got it this way. When you look carfully around the fender script you can see knucke or pry lever imperfections from the old script change. I've seen pics of another Alpine 260 in Switzerland that appeared pretty original which confirmed for me that to be really correct I switch the sript but keep the chrome trim. My wife insists I not remove the Tiger script because it really is a TAC'd Tiger and I'd always wanted a Tiger. She say she won't allow me to make it an Alpine but I think my desire for correctness will win out. Its a more rare beast than a Tiger, but its not a Tiger, but it is a Tiger. At any rate rather than switch script now and maybe cause myself more headaches I'll wait for the repaint time.

Steve

Steve,

Very interesting car in that it has square cornered hood and doors (and I assume trunk) and the metal softtop cover.

Gary

Its a transition car. Some aspects of a MK1A and some of a Mk1. It's chassis B9473720 one of the last few Mk 1, and its trunk is round cornered.

Steve

Gary,

The late MKI's had the metal covers and the "transition" body as steve pointed out. This was the result of the SIVA alpine. They went to the square cornered bonnet (hood) and doors with a round boot (trunk)

Early SV's and MKIA Tger also cary the corss over body, they have the vynil top cover and fresh air vents, but still use the round cornered boot.


Gene, While i have not heard it called "sea foam grey" foam grey is the correct colour for all alpine and Tiger wheels S3 onwards. They are black o n the back and "grey" on the front.. the colour appears as a creamy off white in photos.. and on a red car will do even more so.. on the cars in balmoral grey or dark blue it come across a little greyer..

Steve.. thin white wall cross plys... my hero!

Steve,

Forgot to ask.. did those trims and caps come off a green tiger in reno?

Don't recall the color but they did come from Reno.

Steve and Michael,

In light of your info (and in the light of day) I took a fresh look at my old wheels. I can definitely agree with the very light gray color. No wonder I could never find a matching white! Guess it is the eyes that have changed over the past 43 years.

Just a follow on curiosity question. My beauty rings are a bit different than those pictured. Mine have simple radial slots rather than the crossed pattern in the picture. Any story behind that difference?

Best regards,

Gene

I was hoping someone for a response from a BON owner on the ring differences. I know they changed as did many other aspects over the course of Tiger production. I asked Norm Miller which was right for my car before purchasing a set. He said the x ones for a late Mk1, so thats what I went with.

Steve

The cross pattern ones were unique for the tiger to identify it from an alpine (man you'd have to be observant!!) I understand they were from the MKI to early into the cross over body MKI's.. but gone to the stock alpine ones by MKIA.. IIRC the original info in the BON was incorrect or was not noted or some such story.. i remember this coming up about 3 years back.