If you are a devout lover of the famed Sunbeam Tiger you may want to look away from what we’re going to show you. If you are a hot rodder that likes stuff which hauls tail, step right in without hesitation. This is a real 1965 Mk1 Sunbeam Tiger and it has been converted into a wicked looking little drag car that harks back to the wild days of NHRA Modified Sports car category with its worked 289ci small block Ford engine and four speed Top Loader transmission. The builder of the car has tubbed it, added huge rear slicks, a cage, and all manner of parts and pieces. The car looks like it has been sitting a while and there are a few things that caught our eye, like the mounting of the coil overs. In one photo it looks like they are spaced a big strange behind the rear axle. Maybe it is just our eyes or maybe it isn’t. See for yourself below.
This is a pretty neat car and we bet it will be a fun ride for someone to take home to their shop and finish to their own liking. Removing the screaming small block and the four speed for something else would be a travesty and anyone doing that should be punished by any means we deem necessary. We’d probably make them drive around in a Prius drinking a latte or something for a week. That’s harsh but since waterboarding is kind of a no-no after recent news, that’s where we’re at.
The guy’s claims that the car should “very easily” run 9s may not be completely off base but we’re always leery of stuff like that. How many times have we seen someone’s estimations out perform the actual car? A million…give or take. The best line of the whole ad? NOT FOR THE TIMID!!!!! – We love that.
What do you think? Cool? Bad? Bad now but can be cool? You tell us!
Thanks to Robert for the tip!
HERE’S THE TEXT OF THE AD IN CASE IT SELLS QUICK –
1965 Sunbeam Tiger
PLEASE READ ENTIRE AD BEFORE CALLING!!!…….Dare to be different, you won’t see another one like this at any show….It’s a REAL Tiger. 1965 Mk1, 9″ Ford, 4 link, Koni coilovers, Wilwood rear discs, 2.5 gal. fuel cell, battery in trunk, 6 point roll cage that fits under factory hardtop, custom driveshaft loop, linelock, outside kill switch. ALL THE HARD WORK IS DONE!!!!! It has a worked 65 289 Hipo (real Hipo) with billet MSD distributer, MSD 6AL (rev limiter), Timing adjuster, LAT headers, 4 spd toploader with blowproof bell. New 9″ 4.30:1 4 pinion posi.
Very light car (under 2000 lbs.). Should very easily run 9’s. NOT FOR THE TIMID!!!!!!!!!
I have about 90% of the parts to make it drivable, A weekends worth of work could make it drivable.
Includes extra hood, doors, trunk, rear clip, most of the original parts (no rear or trunk) & a roller parts car (4 cyl).
Will sell without drivetrain. WILL SELL ENGINE/TRANS SEPARATE….Some partial trades (+ cash) considered (doesn’t have to be something cool, but something cool would be nice).
Over $20k invested in this car. This car is no joke. Please make a serious offer, Or will sell the Hipo with trans separate, make serious offer.(not looking to give it away dirt cheap)
This ain’t no Mustang or Camaro, so please no ridiculous offers!! PLEASE, SERIOUS CALLS ONLY!!! NO CRAIGSLIST BS!!! NO PAYPAL SCAMS!!! Please make sure you have the skills to finish it, and have the stones to drive it!!! Please make sure you have the funds, wifey, mommy, daddy, boyfriend, or girlfriend say it’s OK BEFORE CALLING!!! CALLS ONLY, texts will be ignored!!!
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE PHOTOS OF THIS SUNBEAM TIGER DRAG CAR AND THEN HIT THE CL LINK –
nice… reminds me of when I was still at high school, couple of kids went past our place we vaguely knew from school in a Sunbeam like this – it had no windscreen or posts which was a bit weird… then we found out they payed 200 bux for it running…..Another kid used to own it but rolled it and killed himself… they bought it off the grieving mum the next day – she understandably couldn’t handle looking at it on the front yard. After hearing the story we looked a little closer….there was blood, hair etc embedded in the gouges on the boot etc…I wouldn’t want to own it for all the money in the world…
needs more than a little work, would be great fun finished, especially at British car shows
The coil-over mounting does look a little off center, hopefully, it’s just a bad camera angle. Been a long time since I saw 4 lug Keystone mags
That will be a bad ass roller skate when done – I’d stick it in my shop – I’m not brand bias!
Looks to me like the centersection is shifted to the left, maybe to get the drive shaft in the center of the tunnel? coil overs look to be the same distance from the tires.
I think this is a cool ride, as I’ve always liked the Sunbeam Tigers after seeing the one on “Get Smart” as a kid.
I know the guy that built this years ago. Was built all by hand no crazy stuff like we have today. I work there in my late teens it was a machine shop/kind race car shop he built all kinds stuff I bet it’s been 20 year or so funny thing is my old man now rents the shop where this was built ! Funny circle of life .
I’m not a big fan of the Tiger but I’d take it. Sorry but that 289 would have to be replaced. Maybe with a 351.
More like 2500lbs Might be worth buying to use the rear section of the parts car to undo that hideous back half. Shoving the rear end back looks terrible. Welding the tubs to the quarters has done the body some harm.
Meh. Tubbed, back halved, what’s left of the “original” Tiger? It’s a paint carrier, that’s it. See, this is what I hate about the way nearly everyone builds a car today. They aren’t what they are, they are just a body to carry paint. It’s a damned shame what he did to an original Tiger.