Owner: Michael Marcus
Tiger '66 Mk IA
VIN: B382002410 LRXFE JAL: 662416
Ford 260 V8: 04P2-6001-CF
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA
Hi guys.
I bought this car in January of 2002, in
Vancouver, Canada. The seller affirmed that I would be able to drive it back to
Los Angeles from Vancouver but I preferred to have it trucked. And glad I did.
The car was in NO shape to make the drive. (No top !!!) Poor brakes. Clunky
front end, unreliable carb and distribution but it looked really nice ! I paid
US$20,000 for it so he got $31,000 Canadian dollars. I guess we both made good
on the deal. I had the front end redone, the timing, the brakes, the exhaust
system replaced from the manifold out, a brand new cloth top and tonneau cover.
It has a Holley Carb mounted on an Edelbrock manifold. I'm registered with
C.A.T. in California.
Incidently...
Back in the 60's, when we lived in France, my
dad was the general sales manager for Rootes-France in Paris, on the Champs
Elysees. He mostly sold to the US GI's who were stationed there until General
DeGaulle ousted them One night, he brought back home one of the first Sunbeams
ever. As kids, my brother and I got really excited. Up until then, Dad had been
driving home each of the Rootes cars, one after the other if he had to show them
to clients the following day.
We'd always find them rather uneventful,
although very different than the current french cars. But since I learned to
drive on a Hillman Minx, I guess I got accustomed to their oddness; and I'm
still fond of their "on-the-column" gearshift. One day he brought back this
funny-looking Sunbeam shaped like a station wagon... It was a Harrington - with
white-wall tires no less ! And then on another day the first Tiger in which he
would drive us to school. I got hooked way back then. One of the last Sunbeams
he brought back home was the Venezia. My mom loved that one almost more than the
Super-Snipe she drove once in a while. My brother and I would go around the it
counting how many parts from other Rootes cars the Venezia included ! Dad's last
Sunbeam in 67 was a really nice dark blue automatic. He drove that one until he
left Rootes.
I'm now 53 and just acquired this '66 Tiger. An emotional
purchase for me in more ways than one. The sound alone of the flicking of the
dash switches reminds me of my Dad. This one looks good sitting on a set of 15"
Panasports and low profile Dunlops. I drive it as often as I can although the
shops seem to have it more than I do right now! But soon, it will be ready for
the eternal summer drives on the great coastal roads of Southern
California....
Michael Marcus
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