A question for the Tiger (and V6) guys

[Alpine 1789]

I've got a few minutes to kill and want to ask a question of the Tiger owners. This has been on my mind since SUNI, when most of us drove about 45 minutes to tour the SD Badlands. My wife and I were not in a Sunbeam, so we let everyone else convoy out of the hotel before leaving on our own. I was probably driving about 75-85 on the Interstate, which wasn't that much above the speed limit. It wasn't long before we caught and passed the stock Alpines, most of whom were going around 55. We passed the modified Alpines, who were probably going around 70, a little later. What surprised me was how many Tigers we passed right after that. I expected them to be going at least as fast as we were (like I said, I was doing a little more than the speed limit, but not much), but few seemed to be.

I've never driven a Tiger, but have it on good authority that they are fast. So, that leaves me with three possible explanations for why so many were obeying the rules of the road:
1. Unlike me, they are law-abiding citizens; perhaps as a result of too many speeding tickets in the past.
2. I only caught up with the ones who chose to drive 70-ish; the others were ahead of me doing 90+.
3. Tigers are very fast and capable of scary speeds, but the reality is that they really aren't fun to drive much above 70. Their Alpine underpinnings come through somewhere above 70 and most owners are uncomfortable going at a speed that a modern car easily cruises at all day long.

Any thoughts from the Tiger or V6 owners? I'm just curious. Thanks.

 

[chris]

I think you are right about 70. On the way to Rushmore I was staying with the stock Alpines. For me traveling with friends in a convoy is what a tour was all about. But on the way back I left late and ran back with some Tigers. Most of the time we were doing between 70 & 80. At one point on the strait down hill we hit about 90. I wasn't comfortable with that so I slowed back down to 70. I haven't done any suspension updates or modifications, so 70 is about where I feel comfortable. I didn't do the conversion to make a race car or because I wanted it to be like a Tiger. When I modified it I was looking more for comfort and reliability. I wanted to be able to run at freeway speeds and not be blown off the road. Being able to get up to freeway speeds fast is just a bonus.

 

[V6 JOSE]

Hi jim,

The reason that most guys drive at the speed limit, when they have the capacity to go faster, is the LAW. Personally, when I drove close to urbanized areas, I drove at 75, which is about 5 miles over, but when I was away from there, I would usually cruise at 85-90 all day long. California´s central valley is ideal for this. With a radar detector and vigilance, you can enjoy your V engined Alpine/Tiger/Alger to your heart´s content.

I never felt unsafe at those speeds either. The Alpine handles so well, that it inspires confidence. As an example, I was driving at 80 mph up Cajon pass, in So. Cal., heading to Tennessee, when my older brother said to me, "Slow this thing down cause you´re going to kill us in it! I told him that it was alright, because the car handles so well, and continued. Later, we switched places and I went to sleep. It was dark by this time, so I slept for about three hours. When I woke up, I looked at the tachometer to see how fast we were going, because we were movin. The speedo wasn´t working, but I knew the speed of the car by the revs in each gear. I told him, "Do you know how fast you´re going?" He said no. I told him he was going 100 mph, and I was surprised he was driving at that speed, when he had, just a few hours before, told me to slow it down or we´d get killed. His answer to me was, This thing just handles so well, that he knew he could drive as fast as he wanted and there was no problem. He was following a Truck that was bob tailing it home and was using it as a rabbit. We could barely see the tail lights of the truck, about a mile ahead. That little Alpine really impressed my brother. He loved to drive it whenever he could.

Jose

 

[RootesRich]

As I recall, my group was cruising along nicely at 70mph until some nut in a BMW came up on us weaving in and out and waving his arms about.

All kidding aside, I overheard a couple the Tiger owners talking at the 1st stop about having to keep the speed down as it was a fairly warm day and engine temps were creeping up.

 

[Duke]

I believe I was the first car in the convoy to the event. I was not happy about it but let my TomTom lead the way. I purposely kept my speed to the speed limit (I have cruise control in my car). As a leader of a cruise, it is rude to go over the speed limit. On the way back, by myself, I was over 100 a few times.

I had a 1985 BMW M535i that I turbocharged before this Tiger......I ran it over the 160 mph indicated on the speedometer several times (in Germany).....120-130 mph was nothing in the car. Saying that, 80-90 mph is much more fun in a Tiger.

 

[Alpine 1789]

Thanks, guys. Like I said, was just curious. Now I have my answer(s).

 

[64beam]

Hi Jim,

When I have been on Nationals or club runs in eitherthe Tiger or Alpine, it really depends on who is leading the pack as to how fast the leaders travel. On major events, you normally find that people are less likely to speed so that they can show off their car. However, if you get caught behind a slow travelling Sunbeam you soon find a way to pass them .

Regards, Robin.

 

[66Tiger]

I am an acceleration junkie so for me...cruising at 25, 55, or 85 for that matter...it's all the same.

I like the sound, smell and feel of rowing through the gears from a stand still, while seeing how soon I can get up to the legal speed limit.

On the expressway, cruising along at speed then hitting the loud the pedal...watching the speedo needle rapidly head north into triple digits...passing the snot nosed kids in their tuner cars is what I crave.

Also driving the legal limit (or below) gets you a lot more thumbs ups as the people pass you by.

My daily drivers have always been econoboxes so it's nice to have a car that can get your heart racing and blood flowing.

If my Tiger was my daily driver I would either be dead or have no driver's license.

Paul

 

[TulsaAlpine]

Just a Word about exhaust fumes!

Hi Jim,

When I have been on Nationals or club runs in eitherthe Tiger or Alpine, it really depends on who is leading the pack as to how fast the leaders travel. On major events, you normally find that people are less likely to speed so that they can show off their car. However, if you get caught behind a slow travelling Sunbeam you soon find a way to pass them .
Regards, Robin.

When the local MG club has its road rally's I try not to show off as the ONLY Sunbeam and as one of the NEWER cars since most of the club is the older "T" MG's. Somehow Jim and I end up in the front, lead car. This is a good thing since the MG's seem to puff out more black smoke then my Alpine. Jim's favorite line is, "Ahh nothing like the smell of burnt oil in the morning". The other perk is Jim and I can handle the teasing when we do get make the wrong turn and lead the pack astray.
Now with the S2000 club rally, the fast and furious crowd, yea we hang with them since they have 2-seat roadsters and are in my MARS club, aka Mid America Roadster Society Club. We took Pumpkin the Corvette that day and someone in the back of the pack radioed with the 2-way to SLOW down, we thought it was really funny!

Donna

 

[Chuck Ingram]

I am an acceleration junkie so for me...cruising at 25, 55, or 85 for that matter...it's all the same.
Also driving the legal limit (or below) gets you a lot more thumbs ups as the people pass you by.

Paul

You have it right about accereration.For me it is the rush of being pushed back intothe seat say at about 20MPH you downshift and floor it
Here I have been pulled over at a red light next to the cop shop as they told me it look liked I was going to fast.They just wanted to check out the car.
As to the car it looks fast and they think it is fast so keeping the legal speed limit is a good thing.
Everyday car is a Kia magentis(optimum) and even over the limit by about 6 to 10 miles we are ignored mostly

 

[64beam]

When the local MG club has its road rally's I try not to show off as the ONLY Sunbeam and as one of the NEWER cars since most of the club is the older "T" MG's. Somehow Jim and I end up in the front, lead car. This is a good thing since the MG's seem to puff out more black smoke then my Alpine. Jim's favorite line is, "Ahh nothing like the smell of burnt oil in the morning". The other perk is Jim and I can handle the teasing when we do get make the wrong turn and lead the pack astray.
Now with the S2000 club rally, the fast and furious crowd, yea we hang with them since they have 2-seat roadsters and are in my MARS club, aka Mid America Roadster Society Club. We took Pumpkin the Corvette that day and someone in the back of the pack radioed with the 2-way to SLOW down, we thought it was really funny!

Donna

Hi Donna,

The S2000 club sounds like the Escape club which I am a member. There is the fast group and the slow group in the club as well. If you get caught up in the fast group, you have to be prepared to push it or get swamped (mainly the hi-tech cars, but a few classics mixed in).

Regards, Robin.