Is any of this an original interior?

[NedD]

Hey Alpine/Tiger experts, I'm trying to determine what parts of this interior are original, if any. This is an early Series I Tiger (B9470616) still in its original Embassy Black paint. The seats are obviously not original, having been re-upholstered by a previous owner back in the early 1970's.

What I'm curious about are the door panels, center console and the rear of the interior. Per documentation on this site (https://sunbeamalpine.org/color-codes-interior-schemes/) the car should have originally had Scarlet upholstery, Embassy Black seat piping with Scarlet carpets. Might these components be the original "Scarlet"?

Except for the seats and carpets the upholstery is in decent condition. We'll see how well it cleans up as I prefer to re-use original components where possible. The carpets are trashed and will be replaced but remain black (shows less dirt). This would leave the seats as the biggest issue. If possible I want to return them to the original Alpine Series III/IV/early Tiger horizontal pleat design and match the existing red interior with black seat piping. This may be unrealistic given the likely fading of the overall interior - I haven't yet talked to an upholstery expert. Vendor suggestions are welcome, especially in the northern California area.

 

[sunalp]

That looks to be pretty stock for a MK1, except for the seats (as noted) and the top of the console.
If yours is Embassy Black it should have a red interior with red carpets, not black. Scarlet is also known
as red. Check with Rick or Curt to see how long you'll have to wait.

The only thing I see that's missing are the three metal covers that hide the soft top and frame. They were
most likely left off from when the roll bar was installed.

Also looks like there may be a screw or two in the door panels. Alpines/Tigers never used them.

 

[NedD]

That looks to be pretty stock for a MK1, except for the seats (as noted) and the top of the console.
If yours is Embassy Black it should have a red interior with red carpets, not black. Scarlet is also known
as red. Check with Rick or Curt to see how long you'll have to wait.

The only thing I see that's missing are the three metal covers that hide the soft top and frame. They were
most likely left off from when the roll bar was installed.

Also looks like there may be a screw or two in the door panels. Alpines/Tigers never used them.

Thanks Sunalp. This being stock interior materials, I'll work to retain it. I call this effort a "resurrection" rather than a "restoration". It's my goal to have a safe, dependable car but not aim for showroom quality. She is almost 60 years old and entitled to gracefully show her age.

Fortunately I have the metal covers for the soft top. I need to find/replicate the hardware for them, but the covers themselves are in fine condition. I hadn't mentioned that they have the same red upholstery, which was another clue this interior might be stock.

 

[sunalp]

What hardware are you missing? I may have some of it and can probably point you to a few that also might
have it, in case I don't.

 

[NedD]

What hardware are you missing? I may have some of it and can probably point you to a few that also might
have it, in case I don't.

Thanks for the offer. I haven't done full inventory yet of what's missing and fitting these doors is a ways down on the to-do list. The doors themselves are fine, including the locking mechanism on the main door. But the seals are bad and all the attachment/pivot hardware seems to be missing in action, probably lost when a PO installed a roll bar. When I start on them I'll re-contact you.

 

[Mike O'D]

You won't be able to keep the roll bar and use the soft top covers.

 

[Warren]

There's ways to keep the roll bar and have the soft top bins work ...
Early T 10 car or had one swapped into it.
Typical upholstery guy screws on door panels. Windshield has been replaced. I can send the drivetrain numbers to be checked. You could use the conversation to send pictures of you'd like. I have a B947 Black car too.

 

[alpine_64]

As mentioned the cars seats and centre console lid have been returned. The screws at the bottom of the door panels someone has added when the trim clips probably broke.

If the car has the T10 box originally it will be a very early car and would have had a black vynil dash, but given the lettering on the dash I'd say it's an original so either it's been swapped in or the shifter has.

The amp, oil psi and water temp gauges are USA replacements.

Interesting car and project

 

[alpine_64]

As mentioned the cars seats and centre console lid have been returned. The screws at the bottom of the door panels someone has added when the trim clips probably broke.

If the car has the T10 box originally it will be a very early car and would have had a black vynil dash, but given the lettering on the dash I'd say it's an original so either it's been swapped in or the shifter has.

The amp, oil psi and water temp gauges are USA replacements.

Interesting car and project

Also.. be careful when unwrapping the steering wheel cover. It's likely the original wood rimmed wheel. If it's been covered since new might be in very nice condition.. or was covered when it started to crack.

There are good replacement hubs available for the cracked one on the wheel, contact @65sunbeam on the forum

 

[puff4]

Here’s a photo of my very original Embassy Black Tiger, back when I owned it in 1977. It was only 10 years old, so nothing had been tweaked. The door cards had been wet at one point prior to my ownership, so they had warped, and they had busted the horn ring, but most everything else was pretty good.

 

[Warren]

Michael, 616 looks to have been personalized...
Some have said and installed the later GT dash in early cars because they like the look better. Typically cars are bought and sold and time/money is shelled out either making preference mods or putting back to stock. I don't think this car is any different.

Puff4 car shows a later rear view mirror. I can recall trying to move one a little too forcefully and snapping the stem very easily. That said guy's put on what they can find that fits. It is hard to tell the length of the window cranks as well.

 

[alpine_64]

Michael, 616 looks to have been personalized...
Some have said and installed the later GT dash in early cars because they like the look better. Typically cars are bought and sold and time/money is shelled out either making preference mods or putting back to stock. I don't think this car is any different.

Puff4 car shows a later rear view mirror. I can recall trying to move one a little too forcefully and snapping the stem very easily. That said guy's put on what they can find that fits. It is hard to tell the length of the window cranks as well.

Warren,

Yes aware some of the early black dash cars get "upgraded" to the more fancy wooden dash, but given the condition of the dash and the lettering etc it appears to have been replaced with a factory one.. that said a few gauges changed, non factory lighter and that odd Green button in the choke blanking spot (also note the "choke" lettering on the dash)

I note the carpets should also be scarlet not black.

 

[NedD]

Thanks everyone for responding to this thread. Once again the Alpine/Tiger community comes through. This information is very helpful in my understanding of what is/isn't stock on the upholstery of my Tiger (#616 as Warren referred to it). I'm impressed with the details you were able to extract from my single photo.

There have been at least three previous owners of the car. It was purchased by my brother in 1973 and I bought if from him. He kept full records so I've got good documentation back that far. While he kept the car in good mechanical condition it was not his goal to keep it stock. Fun fact: he even kept the classified ad from Road & Track magazine he responded to.
1. The odd green button in the choke blanking spot is the fan speed control. It was installed by a PO. I don't yet know why they put it there.
2. The steering wheel wrap was installed by a PO apparently because there's a chip in the wood. I haven't unwrapped it yet but will use caution when I do so.
3. Yes, the H2O temp, oil pressure and ammeter gauges have been changed over to Stewart-Warner models by a PO
4. Engine and transmission are both non-original (it's a 289 now). Perhaps that explains the shifter?

 

[junkman]

Only the first 372 Tigers had black dashes. Martha Christiansen from Proprep Interiors can make those seat covers and console top for you. You may want to have her do some carpets also, they should be red Wilton wool. She did my interior kit, scarlet with black piping for my early black tiger and it really is the cats meow.