Tigers East/Alpines East (TE/AE)
When you face East, you see Tigers East / Alpines East. It wasn't always
that way, though. Until the spring of '76, there were enthusiastic Sunbeam
owners all over the East Coast of the U.S. enjoying their cars but with no
organized activities or clubs. Owners were anxious to get together but there
was no forum in which to do so. With nearly half of the Sunbeams in the U.S.
located in the East, it was only a matter of time before we bumped into each
other. And that's what happened. Word was spread by a few renegades that there
would be a party in Philadelphia, PA for anyone with a Sunbeam. Owners from as
far as two days away showed up. We got serious, decided to organize, and have
been a family ever since.
Our charter states, "The purpose of Tigers East/Alpines East is to
promote interest in the Sunbeam Marque, in general, and the Tiger/Alpine
segment in particular; to aid in the restoration, preservation, and enjoyment
of these vehicles; to promote cooperation among other similar Sunbeam
organizations; and to increase communication and fellowship among those
persons so inclined." This statement embodies the "Rootes"
or our existence. We continue to emphasize the pleasure (and agony) of
Sunbeam ownership as part of a family experience. Our meets are few during
the year because our members are dispersed over such a large geographical
area, but when we do get together, it is intense.
Are we really an East Coast club?
No. Unlike other clubs, TE/AE does not have a nucleus of owners and officers
in any specific area. Our officers and board members are scattered throughout
the eastern half of the U.S., making it necessary for us to communicate in
ways other than face-to-face. And although we originally started as an East
Coast club, our nearly 800 members are located as far North as Canada, as far
South as Florida, as far East as Australia, and as far West as California.
Our club logo, which shows the Mississippi River as a line separating the
East from the rest of the U.S., was originally designed because there were
no organizations actively supporting this area. Times have changed, making
this boundary purely symbolic; it is neither mentioned in the charter, nor
enforced for membership. TE/AE is open to anyone, anywhere who has an
interest in Sunbeams.
Updated: 2008/01/03
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