Here's a new mistake

[mikephillips]

I heard a new misidentification this last weekend. Yes, apparently none of us ever noticed that we're not driving British made Sunbeams, we're driving Saabs.... Guy insisted it was a Saab to me, that his father had Saabs and he recognized the crown in the symbol as Saab. Couldn't convince him otherwise, he just though I didn't know much of anything...

 

[Series3Scott]

That's a new one. Usually I get "Nice MG / Triumph", or if they know enough to be dangerous "Hey, is that a Tiger?".

Don't you find it hilarious when someone actually ARGUES with you over YOUR car? It clearly says SUNBEAM on it, but he insists it's a SAAB. Too funny!

 

[MikeH]

Guess he thought is was a Sonett

 

[RootesRacer]

I used to have a friend that would argue to death that my alpine was amphibious!

 

[Duke]

or if they know enough to be dangerous "Hey, is that a Tiger?".

Wouldn't you love to say YES!

Just spreadin some Tiger loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

 

[sunalp]

Never really understood the amphibious part though. Back in college I almost bought an amphicar, but just didn't have ths $$ to do so at thetime.

Funny though, last year my daughter & I went for ice cream, parked the Alpine & sat far enough away from it so I could look at it. Wouldn't you know that some "car" guy was there looking at the car and explaining to his buddies
that the car could go in & out of water! I just couldn't belive it so I walked over to him and asked him to show me the propellers!

For some strange reason, he just couldn't find them!

Cheers!
Steve

By the way, I'm on the record for saying that the two don't even vaguely
resemble each other!

 

[Duke]

By the way, I'm on the record for saying that the two don't even vaguely resemble each other!

Awwwwww come on...sure they do -

They are both red and have four wheels.

I have always wanted an Amphicar myself, they are WAY too much money now. Crappy car and a crappy boat.

 

[Nickodell]

Can somebody dig out that April 1 spoof of the aquatic Alpine?

 

[Pumpkin]

Aqua Car

Hey wheres' the propellers?

I alway tell em I have the props retracable and they are in the up postition now. And don't come down till it touches water..
Cheers
Chuck, "Yes The Pumpkin is still on the blocks waiting for the fat guy to get under to get the brake lines fixed."..

 

[napa 1]

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. I think I might add a couple of propellors to the back of my car, just for fun. Of course then people will be coming up to me saying, "you know your amphicar looks a lot like one of those Saab Tigers!"

 

[Lee Brogden]

I had some daft sod tell me my car looked like a Harrington and wouldn't believe me when I told him it was. He even accused me of counterfeiting the Harrington plaque on my glove box door!!
Ignorance is bliss I suppose.

 

[65beam]

boat prop

it's real easy to have a prop on my series 4.i used to have one of the props that goes in the receiver of my trailer hitch.it spun going down the road.of course these were for pickups .

 

[Lee DeRamus saoca0404]

I have a friend that swears that he saw an amphicar that had Sunbeam emblems on it 20 years ago here in Louisiana. He acuses me of removing the propellers and shafts from my Alpine. I have showed him the two cars in several books, and there is no convinceing him.

 

[tigretr]

Yah, I was showing my car at the Half Moon Bay Dream Machines car show 2 weeks ago and I had some guy tell me I had the wrong badges on my car that it was a clone. Uhhhhhhh, unless the dealer sold my parents a Tiger disguised as an Alpine, this guy clearly didn't know what he was talking about. Some people just think they know everything.

Brian

 

[Armand4]

I was walking past a nicely prepared Tiger in the paddock at a vintage race, and the owner/driver noticed that I was examining it quite carefully. "It's a Sunbeam Tiger," he said, apparently assuming that I was part of the Camry-driving Great Unwashed.

"I know," I replied. "It'd make a great parts donor for my Alpine!"

I'm something of a walking encyclopedia when it comes to cars, which means I get into a lot of these situations without thinking about them. Sometimes people are impressed, sometimes they remain convinced they're right, sometimes they think (know?) I'm a pedantic ass. As the t-shirt says, people who think they know everything really annoy those of us who do.

 

[sunalp]

I know what you mean. A couple of weeks ago, with my multi marque club, I was at a tech session on paint & bodywork. The guy who's house the session was held has 10-15 cars that he's restored. One of those is a Triumph Stag. I asked the guy who owned the cars how he liked the Stag and if it still had the original engine. He replied that it did have the Triumph V8. Another member of the club said it was just a rebadged Rover/Buick V8 to which I replied, no it isn't. He was all set to bet $$ when I asked the owner to
pop the hood. Much to the other guys chagrin there was a twin cam Triumph V8 under there. He was just dumbfounded that someone knew a bit more than he did!

Cheers!
Steve

 

[Duke]

Here is a funny one. I just sent in a check to register for a local car show. It is the 27th annual Mustang-Cobra-Ford Powered Car Show and Swap Meet. There are multiple classes with my car fitting in the "60's Ford Powered" class.

I get a call from the show organizer who is a nice lady. She told me that she just received my registration and check for the show. She then said that she was not familiar with my car, her husband said that it was a Chrysler. She just wanted me to be sure what kind of car show it was. I told her that Chrysler did indeed buy Sunbeam in late 67 but the car was indeed Ford 260 V8 powered and in fact designed by Shelby's shop (meaning, it will be the only if not one of the few true Shelby cars at the show). I hated dropping Shelby's name because he is such and ass, but it was necessary.

So she said OK and still seemed a bit confused about the car. I am looking forward to doing much education at this show next weekend. One great thing about a Tiger is - you can take them to British car shows, Ford Shows, Chrysler shows and Shelby shows.

At least she did not ask if it was amphibious.

 

[mikephillips]

Read an interesting thing the other day about Shelby's charity. According to the paperwork they have to file with the government the are one of the lowest in terms of percent of donations to them -v- donations to hospitals etc. They're not high in administrative costs but only grant a couple percent a year from their trust.