Roughly a decade ago, Sunbeam Tigers were one of the more expensive classic sports cars you could buy without going full blue-chip. Things have changed, but mostly because other models are up. Air-cooled Porsche 911 values have overtaken the moon, even Series III E-Types are getting pricey, and if you want a reasonably fast ’60s sports car, a #3 condition Tiger might be the best bang-for-your-buck. Oh, and did I mention that Carroll Shelby co-engineered it?
Yeah, this might be the cheapest Shelby-engineered V8 car you can buy, and it’s a rare one. Only 7,128 were ever built between 1964 and 1967, and one can only imagine that the ravages of time have caused that number to dwindle. However, if you look hard, you can still pick up a Sunbeam Tiger for new Miata money. How about that?
What Are We Looking At?
The story of the Sunbeam Tiger starts with the Sunbeam Alpine, a perfectly cromulent roadster based on the British Hillman Minx, another brand in the Rootes Group. The Kenneth Howes and Jeff Crompton-designed body looked great, but with a series of four-cylinder engines all good for zero-to-60 mph in more than 13 seconds, the Alpine wasn’t winning any speed contests, even if it was good enough for Maxwell Smart. That’s where the idea of a V8 came in.
It turns out that a Ford 260-cubic-inch small-block V8 was about the right size, so through a somewhat clandestine chain of command, Rootes American Motors West Coast sales manager Ian Garrad ended up commissioning two prototypes, one by Ken Miles built in roughly a week, and one by Carroll Shelby built in roughly a month. Yes, that Carroll Shelby. With this second prototype built in Spring 1963, it was developed in the same shop and by the same hands that birthed the legendary Shelby Cobra.
While these feasibility studies were going on, it turns out that nobody had told Lord Rootes, head of the Rootes Group. The Shelby prototype was shipped back to England, and was so impressed that his tune reportedly changed overnight. An order of 3,000 engines was made to Ford, the launch timeline was fast-tracked to eight months, and Jensen—of Jensen Interceptor fame—was contracted to stuff V8s into roadsters.
The end result certainly seems like a good bit of fun. Figure zero-to-60 mph in 8.6 seconds, a figure sure to drop once enterprising dealers started bolting on performance modifications. Add in rack and pinion steering, a Panhard bar, and a four-speed BorgWarner manual gearbox, and you have all the hardware for serious fun. Oh, and with this sort of engineering pedigree, you’d almost expect reasonably priced examples to no longer exist.
How Much Are We Talking?
Believe it or not, reasonably priced Sunbeam Tiger sports cars do exist, at least in the context of classic Shelby-engineered cars and what you could buy new for similar money. For 2025, a mid-range Mazda MX-5 Club starts at $34,215 including freight. It’s a great car, and yet you can still find Tigers for cheaper. Take a look at this lovely red 1967 example which recently sold on Bring A Trailer for a reasonable $30,000. Sure, it’s had some restoration work done, total mileage is unknown, and red isn’t its original color, but that’s basically par for the course when it comes to cars of this age. What’s more, the interior’s in great shape, the car comes with a hardtop, and there’s this overall vibe of light patina that’ll only get richer with mileage.
Want one that’s already restored? It might be worth waiting for another example like this 1965 Sunbeam Tiger MkI to pop up. This one sold on Bring A Trailer last year for $33,000, and it comes with the tasty upgrade of a 289-cubic-inch small-block Ford V8. With a complete respray, a new top, new wheels, a rebuilt transmission, and a fresh engine build, this thing should be turnkey, a whole lot of classic for sensible money.
What Could Possibly Go Wrong With A Sunbeam Tiger?
With negative ground electrical systems and common Ford mechanicals, the oily bits of the Sunbeam Tiger are remarkably robust, so the real thing you have to watch out for is rust. I mean, it’s a 1960s car, corrosion protection wasn’t exactly brilliant 60 years ago. Still, many replacement parts including body repair panels are still readily available, but there’s something to be said for buying the best example you can afford.
The other thing to watch out for when buying is clones. Due to the few modifications needed to fit a small-block Ford V8 in this shell, some people have made their own Tigers out of Sunbeam Alpines. The Sunbeam Tiger Owners Association has an authentication program for shells, and that little certificate will let you know if you’re buying a real one.
Should You Buy A Sunbeam Tiger For MX-5 Money?
While buying a classic as everyday transportation is generally not a great idea, if you’re looking for a toy, a driver-condition Sunbeam Tiger is one hell of a car for new MX-5 money. It makes great V8 noises, it does the classic sports car thing, and it comes with some serious pedigree.
Top graphic credit: Bring A Trailer
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Just looked at the Post the battery is in the engine compartment in a tiger the battery is in the back of the cabin. This is a alpine faking a Tiger
I suspect that is not a Sunbeam Tiger but a Sunbeam Alpine faking a Tiger. I bet Bring a Trailer is fine faking the counterfeit. No good pictures that an alpine showing the difference from a tiger
Sunbeam was part of the Rootes Group that was acquired by Chrysler during the Tiger era. I have a Sunbeam Tiger US-version brochure from ~1966 with the Chrysler logo: unsurprisingly there’s no mention that the 260 V8 is from Ford.
I think that was one of the problems with the Tiger: Chrysler dealers weren’t hot on selling a Ford-powered car and, with the low sales volume, Rootes/Chrysler wasn’t willing to re-engineer the power train.
I love these cars. I would much rather have one of these than a Cobra. Get smart, choose a Sunbeam Tiger.
I really like these things. Alas, living in the desert means I’d need to get the hardtop addition and basically never take it off. Still would consider if I had the money.
My dad would wax nostalgic about the Sunbeam Tiger when I was a kid. He was a teenager in the 60’s. Somehow, his high school friend’s dad had the means to buy one new and do some light mods to it. I think my dad rode in it only a couple of times but it left a mark. He didnt hate cars made outside of America, but did not respect their ability to be fast. This was the exception for him. I always really liked it as well. Just such a clean, classic design and with a v8. Its like the gentlemen’s version of the AC Cobra, which was very much in your face with the big fenders and sidepipes. Don’t get me wrong, I love the AC Cobra, especially in 427 variant, but there are times when I want to turn it down just a notch. The Sunbeam Tiger is that. And the name itself has stuck with me, so different from other car company names, it conjures up something magical? I don’t know. So as I was saying, I tied an onion to my belt, as was the fashion at the time, and the Sunbeam Tiger is cool.
A quick check confirms Smart did drive a Tiger. Not an Alpine. As a previous owner I can share this…the right rear spark plug was replaced from under the dash! You removed a rubber plug and poked your socket on an extension and….working by feel? Lol
My Tiger had a 289, 4 barrel carb, dual point distributor, and Sanderson Headers.
The clutch came apart on me ( I was not driving it hard I swear! ) and what a job to replace it. Engine trans came out, undo steering column, basically only the rear diff was still in the car. My buddy left it outside after I told him DON’T do that! Hardtop stolen!
I had joined the Tiger Club (You definitely want to join!). When I had the power booster go out, a club member rebuilt it for me for a reasonable fee! Plus I was given a tip that there might be wrecked Tiger left behind a dentist office in Palo Alto. Sure enough found it, and it still had its hardtop! I went to a trailer park where I was told the owner lived. Knocked on doors til I found him. He was broke on hard times (maybe drugs?) and after I told him it was going to be towed away…soon, I told him sell it now! Told him I would give him all the
money in my wallet. Dumped it out and for $315 got the title , had it towed home and…
Stay tuned for the Rest of the Story!
David, Jason can I work for you guys?
After owning over 100 cars, could write some great stories!
Would I get paid or….open to offers! Lol
This WAS a great story!!
Many thanks! Nice to be appreciated. Dave! Jason! I’ve got lots more! There was this Plymouth GTX we took for a test drive….
While the Tiger will always famous the standard Alpine, particularly with overdrive on 3rd and 4th, is a far more balanced package at a significantly lower price. A decent alternative to an MGB. Who wants to go north of 70mph with the roof down on a sunny day anyway?
I do! I do! However I will admit that at 90 mph the steering on my Tiger was getting “ light”…enough that yeah, maybe slow down a bit. Have seen where some add a spoiler on the front of a Tiger. Most I’ve see are ugly tho…just slow down! Lol
Loved Alpine/Tigers since Dr. No. Most under appreciated Bond car, I think.
I had a lifetime of fun with my ’67 Alpine in British Racing Green while living in Central Florida.
The biggest problem?: I don’t know how many times I was asked, “Is that a Tiger?”
About 25 years ago I was at an autocross which was being held on a freshly sealed asphalt parking lot. Some guy brought his fresh from restoration Sunbeam Tiger. There was a brief light rain, after which autocrossing resumed. The guy in the Tiger managed to wrestle his car around the course and then when he hit the brakes at the finish line, a wheel promptly locked up and sent him grill first into a tree. Thankfully he was fine, but that really put a damper on the day.
If a clone is priced as such and at a decent enough discount, I’d rather have that, but I feel that way in most cases, like muscle cars, as well. I like to drive, not go to shows and brag how the original 1/12 with some certain set of options (of 200k made) is too precious to use without a thorough cleaning after the weekly short, perfect weather, under-the-speed-limit drive. In the case of the Sunbeam, they’re not exactly iconic or super rare and their value has stagnated. I don’t see them jumping in value unless they all do, so save a few grand and buy a good clone unless matching numbers that nobody else but other nerds who need an excuse as to why they overpaid for a classic really cares about is important.
I may have a shot a picking up a 1990 ZR1 in a few years. I intend to drive that SOB. I may XPel the paint first.
I’m not sure where they sit now, but they were quite the bargain for a while. I saw green one a while back for a decent enough price that I thought about buying it and I wasn’t even looking.
Dad’s neighbor has one, bought off the original owner. Plans to run a few years then sell. I asked for right of first refusal. Low miles, clean but not perfect.
IMO, that’s about perfect. A few imperfections makes it a driver.
Yep, young enough and cheap enough that a fake is good enough! All the fun with less hassle.
Agreed. But the key is finding a clone seller that admits it is a clone.
I seem to recall at the height of the Tiger’s popularity, the clones were such a problem that there were more Tigers licensed than had ever been built. I would think that would be at least a contributor, if not the outright cause, for the stagnated values.
And if you do get a clone, you might as well upgrade to a full fledged 302 since there is no worry about originality.
Definitely agree on all counts. Knowingly selling it as a real one is fraud and I don’t condone that at all. And sarcasm aside, it’s not that I think originals don’t have greater value, they’re just not worth much more to me.
In the summer of 1966, I was a newly minted 2-year tech school graduate. I found myself working in Burlington, VT. Me and my battered 1960 Volvo 544 joined the Sports Car club of Vermont.
That summer, two, sometimes 3 Sunbeam Tigers would show up for the monthly autocross events. One of the Tigers ran take-off tires from a SCCA racer. Amazing grip on a tight corner. Unfortunately, the stock steel Sunbeam rim was not up to those cornering forces. The rim broke free, leaving 4 jagged metal washers under the wheel nuts.
The next summer (1967) there were no Sunbeam Tigers. I was told that they were traded off due to maintenance problems.
Russ
If you’re looking for the V8 grumble then Miata is still the answer, plenty of kits for LS and 5.0 transplants.
I will say that if you are seriously interested in doing this, and you genuinely care very deeply whether or not the car is a factory Tiger, you need to do an awful lot of research and familiarize yourself with the Sunbeam Tiger Owner’s Association. These cars were extremely easy to fake and there are an awful lot of non-factory Tigers out there.
If you’re a sane person and don’t care too much if it was a factory Tiger, you’ll find it much easier to get a good deal on a car with a questionable past.
Yep, young enough and cheap enough that a fake is good enough! All the fun with less hassle.
Oh, not *that* sunbeam.
Me reading the headline: “the toaster company made cars?!”
I dunno why but the styling is offputting to me. Probably fun as heck to drive though!
As a former MGB owner I’ve always liked the Sunbeam Tiger. Sort of an aspirational version of a British roadster.
And also that Ken Miles.
Max: Would you believe you can buy a Sunbeam Tiger for new Miata money?
KAOS Agent: I find that very hard to believe, Mr.Smart.
Max: Would you believe old Miata money?
KAOS Agent: I don’t think so.
Max: How about an issue of Car and Driver with a Miata on the cover and the hubcaps for a Protege?
Max: “Here, I’ll show you once I bring up the Craigslist ad on my shoe……”
Worked in a British repair shop and remember the acrobatics to change plugs on these, they did rust like demons too.
A friend of mine in college had one of these and couldn’t drive if because of some part of the “robust” engine was cracked (can’t recall what), and he couldn’t find a replacement part. Back in those days (pre-internet) it was quite difficult to source uncommon parts for niche cars without a lot of effort. These days with the internet and knockoff parts I imagine it’s much easier to keep a classic daily driver running.
Ford built millions of small blocks, most as a 302 with the same footprint. Drop in a mild 302 and call it a day, go out for beers.
You’re absolutely correct. It is instead the greatest idea.
I love these cars.
Just like MG took the aluminum V8 from Buick and replaced the 4 banger. It was actually lighter than the 4 banger too. Now you can get stroker kits for them.
Just definitely check the front suspension mounting points out.
Weird geometry due to moving the steering components around to fit the V8 caused strange Ackermann angles and loading. They’d chew up balljoints and LCA mounts, if what that guy said to me once is true.