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Greetings!
I've been a member of CAT for a number of years and recently completed the restoration of a '66 Mk-1A I've owned since 1968. Here's some of its story.
I bought the Tiger when I lived in Ohio where it served as a daily driver off and on until I moved to Colorado in 1975. There it sat as a lump next to my woodpile until 1984 when it was resurrected for vintage racing with RMVR. I built a hipo 289 for it and race prepped it close to what would have been SCCA B-Production back in the day. For a couple of years we had some good times running with the Cobras and GT-350s. Sadly, its racing career ended when the engine swallowed a valve and put a 2" section of camshaft thru the oil pan.
With a crate engine installed and engine compartment painted, it sat for a number of years with minimal use, but its environment had improved as it was now in a garage. One side was in primer, numerous small dents had been accumulated, and the original blue paint was in sad shape.
Over a period of years, and as the mood would hit me, I did what amounted to an inside-out restoration with no real end game in sight. Eventually, everything I could do was done, which left the ratty-looking body and a desire for completion.
Finding someone to do the body was difficult as the shops that would even consider the project wanted to do a total restoration. The car is not completely stock, it has had numerous rust repairs, and I was not interested in entering car shows with it. I simply wanted a clean, straight, shiny, blue Tiger I could take from the garage without embarrassment and enjoy driving. Last summer (2014) we found a shop that would provide what I wanted and by September my goals were achieved!
Unfortunately, the car was in the shop during SUNI and I was unable to get it down to Colorado Springs to have it authenticated. That will eventually happen and is my next goal.
Dale
I've been a member of CAT for a number of years and recently completed the restoration of a '66 Mk-1A I've owned since 1968. Here's some of its story.
I bought the Tiger when I lived in Ohio where it served as a daily driver off and on until I moved to Colorado in 1975. There it sat as a lump next to my woodpile until 1984 when it was resurrected for vintage racing with RMVR. I built a hipo 289 for it and race prepped it close to what would have been SCCA B-Production back in the day. For a couple of years we had some good times running with the Cobras and GT-350s. Sadly, its racing career ended when the engine swallowed a valve and put a 2" section of camshaft thru the oil pan.
With a crate engine installed and engine compartment painted, it sat for a number of years with minimal use, but its environment had improved as it was now in a garage. One side was in primer, numerous small dents had been accumulated, and the original blue paint was in sad shape.
Over a period of years, and as the mood would hit me, I did what amounted to an inside-out restoration with no real end game in sight. Eventually, everything I could do was done, which left the ratty-looking body and a desire for completion.
Finding someone to do the body was difficult as the shops that would even consider the project wanted to do a total restoration. The car is not completely stock, it has had numerous rust repairs, and I was not interested in entering car shows with it. I simply wanted a clean, straight, shiny, blue Tiger I could take from the garage without embarrassment and enjoy driving. Last summer (2014) we found a shop that would provide what I wanted and by September my goals were achieved!
Unfortunately, the car was in the shop during SUNI and I was unable to get it down to Colorado Springs to have it authenticated. That will eventually happen and is my next goal.
Dale
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