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Tiger Ident

RootesRooter

Donation Time
Thru all the arguments here, there's clearly no consensus on the definition of a "rebody."

Sure. there have been lots of Tigers that have had all of their exterior sheetmetal replaced; some more than once.

However, the TAC folks have applied their sticker to as little as a firewall/tranny tunnel - leaving the owner free to wrap fresh Alpine sheetmetal around those parts and proudly drive a certified Tiger down the street. You can disagree with TAC's definition of what constitutes a Tiger, but they have one, its well thought out and its consistently applied.

I seriously doubt that there are "many" examples out there of non-Tiger firewalls and tranny tunnels, carefully fabricated from scratch to match every "Tiger" wrinkle, contour, bad weld, etc that have been installed in Alpine bodies and then gone on to pass TAC inspection. The Tiger rumor mill has long said "one, maybe two" have slipped by.

As far as Tiger vs Alpine driveability, I've owned both, autocrossed both, run in open-track 'play-days' in both. Bottom line: You can make a Tiger handle almost like an Alpine, but it takes the widest, stickiest rubber to overcome the Tiger's steering compromises. I think one factory stat sums it up best: turning radius. Alpine-31ft; Tiger-37ft and squealing like a stuck pig while doing it.

Say, what was the subject of this thread anyway....??

Dick Sanders
Kent, WA
 

65beam

Donation Time
tiger

andy,
i have to agree with kevin on the steering. after driving tiger tom's car i was happy to drive my alpines. the tiger rides much rougher, the steering is quirky and my biggest problem is one that my wife refers to as OCD even though i don't have it. when a car runs hot as many tigers tend to, it drives me nuts. i can not stand for there to be a problem or situation of any kind. that's the reason i have a parts room with spares to rebuild or replace anything on the cars if needed. if an engine blows, i have everything needed to rebuild it. or since i have 14 extra engines i can get the car running quick. i encountered a similar situation last tuesday in winnamucca wy. i was pulling the mountain coming into town and the GMC kicked down a gear at 80 mph. the check engine light suddenly came on. everything was running good but deep down i knew something wasn't right. i went to two parts stores to find a scanner and three garages before i found someone to check it. i wasn't going to move on until the problem was found and corrected. i found what was the GM dealer and they scanned it and found that i was at 98% power when it downshifted and # 6 cyl went a little lean on fuel for an instant. maybe due to the car trailer i was pulling. problem solved and i moved on. the tiger running hot, puking coolant, the engine heat on my feet, the steering and ride are rough compared to the alpines are just a few of my tiger dislikes. the quirks would drive me crazy! plus the fact that i no longer demand fast. and my body is getting too worn out to tolerate the tiger ride. one ride in my 69GT would explain a lot. creature comforts! when in my twenties i was probably one of the worst speed demons you ever saw. i had a 340 duster,split bumber camaro and a 454 chevelle all at the same time. i didn't want a tiger at that time nor could i afford a tiger at that point. i had enough payments. now at 62 my wife refers to me as a slow poke unless i am traveling somewhere. the green alpine has been in the family since my teens and there have been four generations of the family drive it. one of the biggest problems of driving a tiger at this point is that i would be on a constant quest to buy spares to satisfy my demand of spares needed. does that make sense? i'm past the point of really wanting one unless a midnight blue with azure blue interior shows up and it passes the inspection of our body man doug. it would look real good setting beside the wife's alpine. twins!
 

65beam

Donation Time
tiger

i have to agree with mike on placement of the pedals. i have problems with the gas pedal on series 1 and 2 cars. it hurts my leg to keep it scrunched up. very uncomfortable. of course the wife remembers when i used to run, jump over the door and slide into the seat. now it takes me five minutes just to get into the car. bigger and older! and dick,there are folks who if paid enough can duplicate anything. including a tiger. many times! and it only takes a poor welder to duplicate jenson welds. their quality lacked a lot. i have to stop now since i have a shop floor covered with sunbeam parts i just unloaded. i have to spend several evenings sorting and storing in the bins. i even have a new harrington egg crate grill and a c/w booster for an alpine. the sunbeam shop calls!
 

steven

Donation Time
andy,
i'm past the point of really wanting one unless a midnight blue with azure blue interior shows up and it passes the inspection of our body man doug. it would look real good setting beside the wife's alpine. twins!

There is a midnight blue with azure blue interior on its way to Australia. It has been verified as a genuine unmolested Tiger. It will require a full restore however I intend it will remain midnight blue with azure blue interior. I hope to have piccies of it when it arrives and as it is rebuilt.
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
Once again people have given bob his kicks.. c;mon guys.

Bob doesnt get the TAC process, looking at a tiger and alpine body in the bare the differences are easy to spot, and they are easy to replicate. What Bob doesnt get is it's how you replicate them that will bring most conversions undone. It's all about methodology, something bob doesn't understand as he goes for whatever looks similar... there are many ways to get to the same place, its how you get there that tells the story.

Bob has always done what he likes, his cars his money, i couldn't agree more. I have never seen his cars in the metal, but have seen pics of them under resto and post.. beautiful cars, lots of time and money... they are very period correct though heaps of differences to factory spec, but as bob will tell you he does them the way he wants.. once again i couldnt agree more.

The problem starts where bob thinks whatever he does or did way back when makes things right... oh well might be age, might just be the person... i have no doubt there are people that could build good algers.. some might be able to slip past.. but they would be few and far between.

As for comfort and to correct andy.. internal space in the tiger is much smaller in the footwell.. and i think its worse on LHD Tigers. The firewall and tuneel intrude heavily into the pedal area. I cant sit on a freeway in mine for more than 1.5 hours without my right knee locking up.. pedal is all the way down.. but it does not go back as far as a RHD alpine. I'm probably a little tall for either alpine or tiger.. but hey.. i manage to squeeze in and enjoy them anyway.
 

Alpineracer8

Donation Time
Point taken, Michael, regarding the transmission tunnel in a Tiger intruding into the footwell. Once again, I am so used to the Tiger that I don't even think of stuff like that. It's fun anyway!!!!
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
Point taken, Michael, regarding the transmission tunnel in a Tiger intruding into the footwell. Once again, I am so used to the Tiger that I don't even think of stuff like that. It's fun anyway!!!!

Andy, i think i have said this a bunch of times.. around town the alpine is probably more fun, you can throw it around, run up and down the gears and really drive it.

With the Tiger the car is not as direct and with that tall 1st and a speed limit of 60kph in town and 100kph on the freeway if you go up through the gears you are going to get in trouble.

That said despite all the tigers flaws you get those chances now and then to put the foot in it and I just love it ! :D
 

65beam

Donation Time
tiger

michael,
it's you that doesn't understand. i have seen perfect" algers" as you call them. never did hear who came up with that name. you may be driving one. especially if it came from the east coast. a tac certificate doesn't mean anything except that the car meets the satisfaction of the inspectors. we have had some real good body men here in the states over the years. you talk factory original but forget that they are only original once. here in the states the clubs allow a number of changes to a stock car as long as it uses items that inhance roadability or safety. that includes changes such as carbs. that shows the common sense attitude of us yanks. you always seem to have comments on cars that you really don't know or like. but you rattle off every thing that has been printed concerning the cars and you are quick to rattle off comments that degrade cars put up for sale. you always find fault. take off the blinders and open up your ears and mind. you could learn a lot. i'm not an expert but i know guys that are. i listen to them,ask questions and use their knowledge to further improve my cars. TT and doug j were two of the first guys i met many years ago and they had a wealth of knowledge and were willing to help and still do.my cars have a lot of that knowledge showing on them. that's all for now michael. see you next time. oh,i forgot something. we were at bill's house last week. didn't get to see your tiger though. got any photos? sounds nice!
 

claf

Donation Time
I'm very glad I was able to provide the start to an interesting thread. In spite of the last 20 posts or so rambling about with no interest in helping solve my conundrum it has been entertaining. It seems there is a vast difference of opinion as to the value of originality. I am personally a middle of the road guy, I will do whatever it takes to get my probably "real" Tiger back on the highway and if I need a pair of Alpine front fenders or a whole nose, so be it. I'll be back, thanks gentlemen. Claf

One more question, on my valve covers are the following data, can someone tell me what it means ?

1982A27KA
CAPZ 6001-CF
SO 2632
 

agmason

Donation Time
65beam,


I know who your "body man" is and I have been to his shop and we talked about the differences between an Alpine and a Tiger. I'm sure you are aware of the project in the back of his shop where once complete, he will have created a Tiger that most likely will, I'm sure, pass a TAC inspection. The only problem with the "body man" is the fact that he is too neat and precise to do the half-assed job the Jensen workers did back in the day. He may be done in when his car is TAC inspected because he hates to do a poor job putting the car together. We joked about that very subject when I was there last summer. We compared the placement of several welded on parts and it differs from car to car. I told him I can come back and do some crappy welding for him because he hates the thought of doing it himself.
 

65beam

Donation Time
tiger

claf,
i have a car with the usual lower rust on the front fenders and the rest of the front is in great shape. it has no front valance. i also have an nos right front fender. our body man has many panels. it's all parked in dayton,oh.
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
michael,
it's you that doesn't understand. i have seen perfect" algers" as you call them. never did hear who came up with that name. you may be driving one. especially if it came from the east coast. a tac certificate doesn't mean anything except that the car meets the satisfaction of the inspectors. we have had some real good body men here in the states over the years. you talk factory original but forget that they are only original once. here in the states the clubs allow a number of changes to a stock car as long as it uses items that inhance roadability or safety. that includes changes such as carbs. that shows the common sense attitude of us yanks. you always seem to have comments on cars that you really don't know or like. but you rattle off every thing that has been printed concerning the cars and you are quick to rattle off comments that degrade cars put up for sale. you always find fault. take off the blinders and open up your ears and mind. you could learn a lot. i'm not an expert but i know guys that are. i listen to them,ask questions and use their knowledge to further improve my cars. TT and doug j were two of the first guys i met many years ago and they had a wealth of knowledge and were willing to help and still do.my cars have a lot of that knowledge showing on them. that's all for now michael. see you next time. oh,i forgot something. we were at bill's house last week. didn't get to see your tiger though. got any photos? sounds nice!

Bob,

you are a waste of time.. if you bothered reading (and even better trying to comprehend) what others wrote you might learn something. Maybe instead of just sprouting off about knowing the sunbeams you mention and you actually listened to them you might learn something. They know how to improve.modify the cars, and what was orignal to them.

I will point out faults on cars, sure, i don't degrade them. You however refuse to listen to anyone, you only read what you want to. Pitty you didnt get to see the car you mention, you would have been luckier than I as I havent seen it in the metal either. I have many photos of the car topside and under.. and they have been posted on this board before.. but you probably werent paying attention... a comon theme.

As for you continuing to push your point about upgrades.. well once again we get back to the issue of you either cant'/don't read or are just to plain simple to comprehend my stance.

The last time i will waste time saying this to you.. i have no issues with upgrades.. many of my cars have performance and safety upgrades.. i think it can enhance the experience.. be it driving or wanting to personalise the car the way an owner wants.. where you dont get it is when somene claims something is original when its not..

As for you trying to draw me on my car.. why dont you come and inspect it.. apparently you would know better than a TAC person. One of the main reasons i have confidence in my cars linage is that when it was restored it was not done to factory spec, indeed some of the usual tiger ID points were removed.. but the imprtant ones that show the makers mark (as in not just looking like a tiger .. but made as a tigers were) are still there (the bit you dont get about TAC).

go get some rest bob.. maybe after a good sleep you will be able to comprehend some simple concepts ... but i doubt it.
 

65beam

Donation Time
tiger

michael,
sometimes i miss things because i'm off somewhere picking up a car or maybe building one. what was it you said?
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
michael,
sometimes i miss things because i'm off somewhere picking up a car or maybe building one. what was it you said?

try the search function on any of the posts where you have wrongly stated i am against modifications..
 
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