427 Tiger???

[twautomotive]

A guy on eBay was selling decals with this description -

Shelby
SUNBEAM TIGER 427 B
USAC Laguna Seca 1964
Driver: Lew SPENCER - #45
Lwe Spencer also drove a Shelby Cobra in 1964. Is this a translation mistake?

 

[Barry]

A guy on eBay was selling decals with this description -

Shelby
SUNBEAM TIGER 427 B
USAC Laguna Seca 1964
Driver: Lew SPENCER - #45
Lwe Spencer also drove a Shelby Cobra in 1964. Is this a translation mistake?

A short-deck SBF engine is a tight fit in a Tiger. A 427FE is about 5" wider, 5" taller and 4" longer than a short-deck SBF. Anything is possible, but there would not be much "Tiger" left afterward.

 

[Bill Blue]

Also, such adventures in stuffing challenge the definition of "in", when a goodly portion of the engine is left out in the breeze.
Bill

 

[Barry]

Also, such adventures in stuffing challenge the definition of "in", when a goodly portion of the engine is left out in the breeze.
Bill

I recall seeing a picture of a Ford 460 in a Series Alpine with the stock steering system. No hood, no upper valence, no inner fenders, no visible radiator and no forward visibility, but the engine was "in" the Alpine.

 

[mikephillips]

I have seen photos of a big block Sunbeam, wasn't clear if it was an Alpine or Tiger conversion. They'd removed everything forward of the firewall and built a tube frame, that didn't look too sturdy, to carry the engine and front suspension they'd cobbled together. Front fenders, hood and such were hinged as a unit opening forward. Never saw anything about if they got it drivable and out.

 

[alpine_64]

A guy on eBay was selling decals with this description -

Shelby
SUNBEAM TIGER 427 B
USAC Laguna Seca 1964
Driver: Lew SPENCER - #45
Lwe Spencer also drove a Shelby Cobra in 1964. Is this a translation mistake?

Tom, maybe post the link or a screenshot.

As for Lew Spencer racing a tiger.. yes .. In 1964 he raced the yellow #45, the rootes supported scca BP tiger. But it was a 260 powered car.

It raced the season. Crashed often.. at the end of the year in ran at Nassau with the sports car forum team.. it was so heavily damaged it was re-shelled for the following season.

 

[twautomotive]

Here is the link. The picture is the same as the first one in your message.

Shelby Sunbeam Tiger 427 B Usac 1966 #45 1:43 Decal | eBay

1:43 TRANSFER Shelby SUNBEAM TIGER 427 B USAC Laguna Seca 1964 Driver: Lew SPENCER - #45 size of the bow: ca. 5x3 cm The decals are water soluble You only buy the decal set WITHOUT MODEL CAR >>><<< 1:43 DECAL Shelby SUNBEAM TIGER 427 B USAC Laguna Seca 1964 Drivers:Lew SPENCER - #45 Size of the...

www.ebay.com

 

[twautomotive]

The plot thickens........Check out this listing of the race entrants. Lew spencer - #45 Cobra, Ken Miles #50 427 Tiger. Typo??

 

[twautomotive]

Yes, a typo. The 427 was not made until 1965..............sigh............
Competition models (CSX/CSB 3001–3100)
Cobra Mark III production began on 1 January 1965; two prototypes had been sent to the United States in October 1964. Cars were sent to the US as unpainted rolling chassis, and they were finished in Shelby's workshop.

Unfortunately, The MK III missed homologation for the 1965 racing season and was not raced by the Shelby team. Only 56 of the 100 planned cars were produced. Of those, 31 unsold competition models were detuned and fitted with windscreens for street use. Called S/C for semi-competition, an original example can currently sell for US$1.5 million, making it one of the most valuable Cobra variants.[13]