Inherited a Mk1A Tiger project seeking advise

[wisco_nico]

First post here, and I want to share my story and get some ideas from members. My Dad was always a car guy and he bought a late 1966, titled as a '67 Tiger from a local collector. I remember the car running and going on drives with him as young child, and he eventually decided to dissemble the car for a mild restoration. As life would have it, he was busy with raising a family and never restored the car. It has sat in a garage to this day. I have a complete car, and a garage full of parts. The engine is partially dissembled along with the exterior. The interior is untouched and original. Original paint but needs body work. The car has not ran in over 40 years. Based on my research, the VIN and all indicators lead me to believe this is an authentic Rootes-Sunbeam Tiger MK1A with a original 260 motor - polar white with a red interior.

I've got estimates from friends and local shops ranging from $25k for engine rebuild, to $100k for complete restoration and assembly. I am not classic car expert, and have no place to rebuild the car on my own. I have a $30k budget to put into the car. It would seem that is not enough to even get it back on the road. The car has a lot of sentimental value, and I've always wanted to drive the dang thing...its seems impossible given the cost of labor today and my budget.

My question is - should I sell it? Keep it and build on my own. Are there any restoration shops in the midwest (Milwaukee/Chicago area) for Tigers? Is there someone on the forums looking for a new project?

I would love to see it on the road again, even if its not me behind the wheel.

Your advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Scotty]

If you want to drive it and just have a driver until you decide how much more money/time/sanity you want to put in it, I'd keep the original numbers matching stuff boxed away and get a crate motor and transmission and drop it in. Check the rear end and put the rest back together. It's a job you could do with limited trips to the shop. Get it to where you want it and go from there. If the body works isn't structural, i'd clean it up best I could or just leave it be and label it some form of 'Patina'.

I'd get the car mechanically sound and then work out the rest. Like you I was bent on driving before I even messed with bodywork, paint, etc.

The worst thing is getting it back on the road and spending all this money to discover you hate driving it. I've been where you're at and I hope my half-ass helps you somehow. I daily drive my SIV 1725 and wouldn't trade it or all I learned from doing it for nothing.

 

[Warren]

Typically a MK1A would not have a red interior. Let's see some pictures, then advice will be easier. Guys with restored cars that I know lament messing them up as drivers. I told a guy that my driver bug vert was a magnet for shipping carts and nudge and runs....
Driver's are more fun.

 

[alpine_64]

Agree with warren post photos.

25k engine rebuild is a crook.... you could always buy a decent running motor for 3k ± to get the car mobile and store the original ( if it is)

Bodywork eats money.. but depends where rust or damage is as to how expensive that gets.

 

[ForzaDesign]

Wisco
As with most things, the devils in the details.
Concur with Warren. Post some pics to help the experts on this forum provide more valuable feedback.
The question is what is the minimum. The fact that its been sitting for 40 years pretty much answers that question. EVERYTHING.
When you address one issue, another one will raise its ugly head.
Don't be fooled into thinking its a casual inexpensive endeavor. Its not!
Ask yourself what would you be satisfied with.

 

[Warren]

Remember the term rode hard and put away wet....
That applies to mechanic of contraptions as well. I spent about 5000 on a MK2 that had sat since 1977 to 2019.
What makes it particularly difficult if you're project is engine out is testing the motor out of the car prior to in car attach to gear box and in the bottom is a lot of work without and engine stand to see if it does the Jackson 5 boom shaka laka boom..... or the Bond smoke screen or mosquito fogger....
Pictures.
The days of a 25,000 blown apart Tiger are long gone

 

[Hupdoc]

First post here, and I want to share my story and get some ideas from members. My Dad was always a car guy and he bought a late 1966, titled as a '67 Tiger from a local collector. I remember the car running and going on drives with him as young child, and he eventually decided to dissemble the car for a mild restoration. As life would have it, he was busy with raising a family and never restored the car. It has sat in a garage to this day. I have a complete car, and a garage full of parts. The engine is partially dissembled along with the exterior. The interior is untouched and original. Original paint but needs body work. The car has not ran in over 40 years. Based on my research, the VIN and all indicators lead me to believe this is an authentic Rootes-Sunbeam Tiger MK1A with a original 260 motor - polar white with a red interior.

I've got estimates from friends and local shops ranging from $25k for engine rebuild, to $100k for complete restoration and assembly. I am not classic car expert, and have no place to rebuild the car on my own. I have a $30k budget to put into the car. It would seem that is not enough to even get it back on the road. The car has a lot of sentimental value, and I've always wanted to drive the dang thing...its seems impossible given the cost of labor today and my budget.

My question is - should I sell it? Keep it and build on my own. Are there any restoration shops in the midwest (Milwaukee/Chicago area) for Tigers? Is there someone on the forums looking for a new project?

I would love to see it on the road again, even if its not me behind the wheel.

Your advise would be greatly appreciated.

Having done both I'm now a rolling restoration guy- I restored my Series V Alpine many years ago as a complete restoration to pretty much concourse standards -cost a lot and was off the road for a couple of years I missed driving it and was apprehensive about driving it when finished and it now needs doing again .When it came to the Tiger I brought the best one I could afford -it has small things that need doing but I will drive it and fix the small things as time and funds allow -The concourse thng was fun but not as fun as driving the car

 

[the_elder_rocker]

Make it run. Make it safe. Make it pretty. In that order. The guys on here are the gurus. They have the knowledge and experience and will shoot you straight. It might take quite a while but the car has sat this long- what's a little longer while you fix it up? -fine print- Just my opinion.

 

[SoCal'beaming]

As Michael and Warren stated ... Post some photo's .. That will help alot with your answers. I'll build you a "SCREAMING BANCHE" for well under $25 Grand, which is an absurd estimate you got.

.... David

 

[New Mexico Tiger]

It is a car. Get it driveable and enjoy it, no matter what it looks like in the beginning. Find a good, used 289 and have it freshened and installed or just have your engine freshened and installed. Odds are that the rearend and trans are useable the way they are. You'll have to go through the brakes on all 4 corners and probably things like the clutch slave cylinder and brake master cylinder at least. You can probably get all of that done for 1/2 of your budget. So maybe you have some dash lights or gauges that don't work in the beginning. So what? Drive it and remember your dad.

 

[Acollin]

Do you know why the 260 was being disassembled? You say “partially disassembled”. How much has been taken apart? Could your father have been taking the car apart to paint/ rejuvenate, replace a few gaskets? You also say you remember the car running— Do you remember your father upset because the motor was failing? If all is original, how many miles on the odometer?
While I do not argue with any of the advice, we really do not know what our friend is dealing with. I love a good mystery and puzzles. There is just too little data to send our friend in any direction at this point.
I do not mean to be adversarial, but I am curious. Please provide pictures and any additional information. I am certain we can all agree on one thing—an original tiger is deserving of a sound plan.
I hope I have not stepped on any toes.
Be well all
Andrew

 

[Acollin]

Just had a thought
And again, not wishing to offend anyone. In this day and age, we ( I am definitely) are more suspicious of being taken in. I wonder, now if this is a fishing expedition.
1. No names/ contact info
2. Generic place
3. Tempting bait/ original tiger
4. Great story with dad
5. No contact for almost a month
6. Makes us concerned he is getting ripped of by repair guys

I apologize profusely if this is an honest reaching out for help, but there could also be something amiss here. It embarrasses me to think like this.
Be well all

 

[Scotty]

Just had a thought
And again, not wishing to offend anyone. In this day and age, we ( I am definitely) are more suspicious of being taken in. I wonder, now if this is a fishing expedition.
1. No names/ contact info
2. Generic place
3. Tempting bait/ original tiger
4. Great story with dad
5. No contact for almost a month
6. Makes us concerned he is getting ripped of by repair guys

I apologize profusely if this is an honest reaching out for help, but there could also be something amiss here. It embarrasses me to think like this.
Be well all

It read like a 'kick the tire' post in terms of possibilities and the situation like the OP was talking out their situation and presenting realistic options to work out what to do.

It's not just you, but it reads like it was an off-the-cuff post more than anything possibly sketchy. I assume we haven't heard back from them because either life got in the way or they're making moves on the Tiger.

 

[Warren]

Lol testing the waters as they say in ads. I'd guess more than one person has sent a message a email or replied to the ad. As they say location location location for buyers and sellers. There was a car a Woodley Park. The new owners wife was a caretaker for the original owner who put the original MK1A in storage in the late 70s and had been paying all this time. The new owner 80 spent 2 years with a make it run mechanical refurbishment. There was a MK2 in O.C. and it was latched on to by a Real Estate agent and of course they saw an old 200 K sale. So possibly someone has their foot in the door ....
Like the old Fuller brush man, or siding salesman. The only way for us to find this guy is for an Admin to sleuth the email address email address and name. I suggested a .50 cent or 1 dollar PayPal or other nominal payment that would add a layer of difficulty to a nefarious type to my local Tiger guys. Nowadays Craigslist uses that style paywall on cars for sale 5 bucks. But other less valuable items trailers etc.still are free.
So Caveat de Emptor on them ....
Even though a car was listed in auto parts for sale 64 black dash no.71
So you never know what you're going to get? Forrest gumps chocolates or Booger flavor from Harry Potter...