The Sunbeam Tiger Mark 2 Sports Car

A evaluate of The Sunbeam Tiger Mark 2 Sports Car, masking enhancement, important options, and technical information of this the ninth design in the Sunbeam selection.

In this Article, I present a nostalgic glimpse at the Sunbeam Tiger Mark 2, 1 of an elite group of traditional autos, which was produced in the course of the period of time January to June 1967.

The Sunbeam Tiger Mark 2

When the Mark 1A was discontinued in December 1966, it was succeeded, a thirty day period later, by the Sunbeam Tiger Mark 2 sporting activities auto.

The key feature of this model was that of the motor, which was a bored out version of the 260 cubic inch with a lengthier stroke.

The modified engine, whose potential was now 289 cubic inches (4.7 litre), produced 200 bhp at 4400 rpm.

Other traits of the Mark 2 included:

  • A new “eggcrate” grille layout, consisting of horizontal slats as a substitute of a single horizontal bar, and was the distinguishing characteristic of the Mark 2
  • The chrome strip and Tiger badge on both wings ended up taken out and changed with a stainless steel molding

In essence, apart from the larger engine, redesigned grille, and the pace stripes, the Mark 2 sporting activities motor vehicle was quite equivalent to the Mark 1A.

The new design, unavailable in the British isles, was promoted exclusively for export to the US, where by it was designated the Tiger 2.

By this time, Chrysler experienced taken in excess of management of Rootes Team, and the badge displaying “Run by Ford 260” was replaced by just one expressing “Sunbeam V8”.

Featuring the 289 cubic inch engine, and getting made in this kind of smaller figures, the Mark 2 was in all probability regarded as the most fascinating.

Even though it nevertheless retained a Ford twin choke carburettor, the Mark 2 differed from its predecessors as follows:

  • Compression ratio was enhanced from 8.8 to 9.3:1
  • Upgraded valve springs to prevail over the trouble confronted with the 260 cubic inch engine
  • Engine oil cooler
  • Dynamo was replaced by an alternator
  • A greater, hydraulically operated, one dry plate clutch
  • Wider gearbox ratios
  • Redesign of the again axle
  • Chrome strips down the facet ended up replaced with pace stripes
  • Radiator grille was modified
  • Elimination of the headlight cowls

The Tiger’s cramped motor bay produced a amount of complications, which include:

  • Spark plugs on the still left hand aspect have been only reached by way of a gap in the bulkhead, protected by a rubber bung
  • The oil filter had to be repositioned from the reduce left of the block to greater up on the ideal, behind the generator

The Mark 2 sporting activities car or truck was phased out in June 1967 just after only 536 models had been designed.

This intended that a total of 7,085 Sunbeam Tigers, masking Mark 1, 1A, and 2, had been produced in nearly three several years.

Replica Tigers

Through the 1970’s, many low-cost, 2nd hand Alpines had been offered, which permitted people and other individuals to transform them into Sunbeam Tigers.

The challenge, at that time, was how to recognise these conversions.

The answer was the Worldwide Registry of Sunbeam Tigers which held details on every real Tiger, these as engine/chassis number and existing possession, the place recognised.

In addition, the Sunbeam Tiger Homeowners Affiliation utilized a special approach in which the system shell was analyzed in purchase to establish assembly procedures specific to a Tiger.

The end result was that the moment a car or truck had been verified as being an initial Tiger, a non removable, lasting registration tag was connected to an unobtrusive overall body panel.

The Conclude Of The Tiger

By 1964, the fiscal placement at Rootes Group was getting to be extremely severe.

At the similar time, Chrysler was searching to bolster its position in Europe and so, in June 1964, it obtained a non managing stake in Rootes.

By 1967, they had been permitted, by the British isles Governing administration, to choose a total managing desire.

A person of the engines that Rootes Team deemed for the Tiger was the 3.5 litre, aluminium, V8 unit owned by Typical Motors.

Even so, this possibility was taken off when Rover obtained the engine.

Adhering to the takeover, Chrysler’s program was to install their own 273 cubic inch V8 engine into the Sunbeam Tiger, given that it had previously been employed in the Dart and Barracuda saloons.

However, they encountered the following difficulties:

  • Their individual compact block 273 cubic inch, V8 engine would not fit in the Tiger’s engine bay due to the fact the distributor was positioned at the rear, even though that of the Ford V8 was in the front
  • Their significant block V8 experienced a distributor at the entrance, but it was too significant

Realising that it would charge way too a great deal to modify the motor bay of the Tiger to take their 273 cubic inch V8, Chrysler made the decision to phase out the Tiger after the latest inventory of Ford V8 engines had been fatigued.

In the meantime, Chrysler added their individual logo to the car’s existing badges, and eradicated all reference to Ford in their Profits literature.

Consequently, the final Sunbeam Tiger Mark 3 athletics car was assembled by Jensen on 27th June 1967.

The Racing Tiger

In 1964, a few remarkably modified, creation Tigers were being fitted with fastback bodies built by LIster Cars, who were being renowned for the Lister Jaguar, and entered in the Le Mans 24 hour race, where they had been timed at above 160 mph.

Centered on the Alpine Collection 4, Carroll Shelby was questioned to make a stateside racing Tiger, which duly gained the 1964 SCCA (Sporting activities Vehicle Club of The united states) Class B Pacific Coast Championship at Willow Springs, exactly where it beat Jaguars, Stingrays, and Cobras.

Later, the motor vehicle was reassigned to the Hollywood Sports Vehicle dealership.

In 1965, its 1st race with them was the Santa Barbara Road Race, in which it acquired a Class B get.

Later that calendar year, it concluded 3rd in the SCCA Pacific Coast Division.

It was also raced on drag strips, and for two a long time, held the Nationwide Title of the American Hot Rod Affiliation.

It was entered in European Rallies, and took the first a few positions in the 1964 Geneva Rally.

In the 1965 Monte Carlo rally, two Tigers were being entered, and concluded in 4th and 11th positions.

By 1966, subsequent the Acropolis Rally in which it came to start with in its course, the sporting activities car or truck was no for a longer period entered in tough terrain competitions, because its very low slung construction was not suited to these ailments.

This marked the conclude of the Sunbeam Tiger Mark 2

Possibly this stroll down memory lane might have answered, or at least shed gentle on, a possible problem:

Which Sunbeam Sporting activities Auto is Your Favourite?

However, must this issue even now keep on being unanswered, I will be examining, in some depth, in long term article content inside this web-site, the full vary of Sunbeam sports vehicles which had been featured in the unforgettable period spanning 1948 to 1967.

I hope you be a part of me in my nostalgic travels “down sporting activities car memory lane”.