ghostwheel
New forum user
- Messages
- 4
It's been a while since I've been active with the Tiger community but I still own and love my Balmoral Grey 1965 Sunbeam Tiger, B9470535. Here's a quick story on how I acquired it.
Back in 1992 I was invited to dinner with a client at his home here in central California. Enjoying a great meal, we got to talking and discovered we had a shared interest in cars. He said he wanted me to see his Model A and Model T collection. After fetching some beers we ventured out to his shop. They were really nice, but being in my 20's at the time, not really something I was interested in personally. After checking those out and BS'ing for a bit, we ventured back in the house for another beer. On the walk across the lawn I notice his garage door open and the unmistakable rear fin of what I assumed was an Alpine. That got my attention as I had a buddy with one in high school and I knew a local fellow that had a Tiger when I was a kid. It turned out to be a Tiger that he'd bought in '68. He and his wife had their honeymoon in the car and it was of high sentimental value to them both. He said it needed a clutch but that he was old enough that doing the work himself was probably out of the question, and he didn't trust anyone else to do it. He didn't want to sell.
Fast forward a couple of years: He invited me out for dinner and said he was ready to retire. They were planning on moving out of state to be closer to their grandchildren. I remember he had a little glint in his eye when he asked if I was still interested in buying it, and of course I said yes. So he slid a piece of paper and pen across the table and said "You've got one chance at it. Write down your very best offer. I'll either accept it or take the car with us when we move."
So I thought about what I had in savings (not much). Did I have anything I could sell? (not much). So I just wrote out what I had in my bank account and slid it back across the table, assuming he'd laugh and take the car with him. But instead, he picked up the paper, his eyes lit up and he said "Sold!" and stuck his hand out.
The car was rust free, definitely needed a clutch and tires (wheels too as it had the skinny American Racing mags on it), a paint job, interior and top. It had the original air cleaner, fan shroud and remote oil setup. With a change of oil, points and condenser and new fuel, it started up immediately.
I cleaned her up, enlisting the help of a local fellow that had experience restoring a number of Tigers to put a new clutch in and modify some Porsche 924 wheels for what were intended to be temporary replacements. Martha Wheat supplied an interior and top. I decided to drive the car a bit and hold off on the paint job.
All these years later the car has given me an immense amount of pleasure. It's not perfect by any stretch, but I also don't hesitate to enjoy it a bit robustly now and then either.
Back in 1992 I was invited to dinner with a client at his home here in central California. Enjoying a great meal, we got to talking and discovered we had a shared interest in cars. He said he wanted me to see his Model A and Model T collection. After fetching some beers we ventured out to his shop. They were really nice, but being in my 20's at the time, not really something I was interested in personally. After checking those out and BS'ing for a bit, we ventured back in the house for another beer. On the walk across the lawn I notice his garage door open and the unmistakable rear fin of what I assumed was an Alpine. That got my attention as I had a buddy with one in high school and I knew a local fellow that had a Tiger when I was a kid. It turned out to be a Tiger that he'd bought in '68. He and his wife had their honeymoon in the car and it was of high sentimental value to them both. He said it needed a clutch but that he was old enough that doing the work himself was probably out of the question, and he didn't trust anyone else to do it. He didn't want to sell.
Fast forward a couple of years: He invited me out for dinner and said he was ready to retire. They were planning on moving out of state to be closer to their grandchildren. I remember he had a little glint in his eye when he asked if I was still interested in buying it, and of course I said yes. So he slid a piece of paper and pen across the table and said "You've got one chance at it. Write down your very best offer. I'll either accept it or take the car with us when we move."
So I thought about what I had in savings (not much). Did I have anything I could sell? (not much). So I just wrote out what I had in my bank account and slid it back across the table, assuming he'd laugh and take the car with him. But instead, he picked up the paper, his eyes lit up and he said "Sold!" and stuck his hand out.
The car was rust free, definitely needed a clutch and tires (wheels too as it had the skinny American Racing mags on it), a paint job, interior and top. It had the original air cleaner, fan shroud and remote oil setup. With a change of oil, points and condenser and new fuel, it started up immediately.
I cleaned her up, enlisting the help of a local fellow that had experience restoring a number of Tigers to put a new clutch in and modify some Porsche 924 wheels for what were intended to be temporary replacements. Martha Wheat supplied an interior and top. I decided to drive the car a bit and hold off on the paint job.
All these years later the car has given me an immense amount of pleasure. It's not perfect by any stretch, but I also don't hesitate to enjoy it a bit robustly now and then either.
