Tired of being compared to junk

[phatt]

This verges on a rant, but I need to vent. I don't know about other Alpine owners but I am tired of being compared to a tiger. I changed my oil pressure gauge for the third time and it still leaks oil. I went to the gas station to fill up and check to see if it was still leaking (the oil pressure gauge) and a guy comes up and says "Oh! a Sunbeam Alpine why isn't it a tiger?!" I was in a real bad mood and I said "Because its not a piece of SH*T." I then had to listen as this guy told me how fast tigers are,(actually their not) and how the people in Northern California love their tigers. I then said some other things I won't repeat here but ended with tigers are converted Alpines not the other way around! I feel bad that I was so rude to the guy as he basically was friendly but I am really tired of this crap. How do others feel? Am I alone? Thanks for letting me vent. Paul

 

[sammaw@bellsout]

Cubic inches captures the imagination of the unimformed masses.
How many times have you, while expaining what a Alpine is, said it is similar to an MGB. I have started to describe it as being similar to an Aston Martin. Gets a whole different look on their faces.

 

[Series6]

This came up before. I had a guy in Reno drive up next to me in traffic and call over "Too bad it's not a Tiger..." I don't value opinions from idiots who think that since they know one little item about a relatively rare vehicle, it makes them a Concours judge.

This guy was driving a Pinto or something equally impressive.

Remember..all most of these guys know about cars can be carried in a 3 year old kid's sand bucket.

 

[Blue coyote]

Although I've never owned a Sunbeam, I can relate entirely...

Think about this for a second....

My hands-down favourite era of the Mustang is the 74-78...

And my favourite Mustang power plant is the 2.8....

In the eyes of most Mustang enthusiasts, I'm DOUBLE-damned, as WELL as enduring some of the most uninformed misinformation ever spewed at a car owner.

Heck, MY pride and joy keeps getting compared to a Pinto...and you're upset when some dumbass ribs you that you don't have a Tiger?

There, do you feel better now?

(note: the above post is meant to be taken with a HUGE dose of tongue firmly planted in cheek, and should be read for entertainment and general chuckles only)

 

[Alpine Bob]

Just remember one thing. When Chrysler bought Rootes, they tried to put one of their own V8's in the Tiger, but nothing would fit. So what did they do, NO MORE TIGERS, but the Alpine lived on with it's 1725, rebodied, but lived on thru the middle 1970's. And in Iran the 1725 lived on until just recently. SO THERE!!! That's ok, I like Tigers and their owners, it's those other uninformed "blankety blanks" #$@%&$## that get to me too.

 

[Jim E]

With the emblems all gone on my S3 folks got no idea "What kinda car is that? sometimes I say it is a Ferrari.

 

[MikeH]

This guy was driving a Pinto or something equally impressive.

Heck, MY pride and joy keeps getting compared to a Pinto...

I wish I had another Pinto. Had one for 26 years and was moving, had to get rid of it. Too many other cars. Been looking and Alpines are easier to find than Pintos.

 

[skywords]

I always respond with "what would you want with one those nose heavy pieces of s@%t".

Of course I like Tigers but they don't have to know that.

 

[Blue coyote]

I wish I had another Pinto. Had one for 26 years and was moving, had to get rid of it. Too many other cars. Been looking and Alpines are easier to find than Pintos.

They can still be found up here in BC occasionally, sometimes even as an unrestored daily driver!

To be honest, other than the hood and grille, I like the Pinto as well. I just don't much enjoy some ignorant SOB calling my King a Pinto any more than the owner of a 68 Shelby would like having his/her car called a Falcon, regardless of his/her feelings about the Falcon.

Aside from the perceived mystique surrounding the Tiger, I'd still be WAY happier owning a darkside Alpine...as per my love of the Cologne V6...

And Jim, I get the same kind of blank and confused reactions to my King sometimes. I deleted all the badging from it shortly after I bought it, so unless they start ferretting out the numbers on some of the parts themselves, they often don't even have a clue that its a Ford, much less a Mustang.

 

[socorob]

I usually get asked if mine is a tiger or get the nice tiger comment. Most people down here have never heard of an alpine but for some reason a lot know tigers, at least the older crowd. I guess the v8 gave it more street cred in the states. The younger guys into imports have no clue what it is.

 

[phatt]

The next day someone asked if my Alpine was the "Get Smart" car. That made me feel better. I just smiled and said Yes. Thanks for the support, Paul

 

[65beam]

being compared

we took the fastback to the pittsburgh show last july. there were several alpine and a couple tigers. i had at least six pieces of literature, the warranty book and several other sunbeam items displayed. some idiot walked up to me and asked why i put a sunbeam motor in the car. i guess he read the name on the valve cover. i told him it was a sunbeam. he pointed out to me the alpines and tigers and that those were sunbeams. my car was not a sunbeam. i walked away!

 

[Nickodell]

There was even a "gallows humor" bumper sticker some people put on their Pintos:

IF TOUCH ME THERE I'LL JUST EXPLODE!