Unrestored 1964 Sunbeam Tiger Mk I

Recent accolades include the Historic Vehicle Association â??This Car Mattersâ? award at the 2014 Hilton Head Island Concours and a preservation class win at the Boca Raton Concours, both achieved under high levels of scrutiny and requiring entirely original paint. The car is listed in the â??Book of Normanâ? and was featured in the April 2016 issue of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car as well as Classic Motorsports in January 2016. It is sold with a clean Maryland title. Few Tigers were painted in the code 1 Embassy Black seen here, only a handful of which came with red interiors. Cast alloy LAT-9 13â?³ pie-cutters were a limited period option from Los Angeles Tiger and still retain their embossed centers. BFGoodrich red line radials are included in a brief list of non-original equipment and date from 2011, though the spare wheel and tire remain original. Chrome bumpers retain a good shine and show light aging, as does other brightwork including a period accessory luggage rack and bullet mirrors. Glass is also described as original and clean other than a small area of delamination at the top of the windshield, around which the rubber seal is also cracked. The car was ordered with a hardtop that is presumed to have remained mounted since new, with the vinyl soft top beneath remaining unused. The rear window remains clear and the top is presentable despite checking plexiglass side windows, failing weather stripping, and a ding acquired in storage. An original tonneau cover is also included. Only early MkI interiors were available with contrasting piping or in colors other than black. The red material here shows its age only through light wrinkling and occasional discoloration. Both seats are fitted with Roberk lap belts dated 1964. The headliner is described as excellent, newer carpets have replaced the moth-eaten originals, and wear is light on the original vinyl parcel shelf cover. No cracks are present in the dash pad, but the original varnish has cracked on the burl wood panel beneath. Its Bakelite hub and chrome hardware present well, as does the Bakelite knob topping the early-production short shifter. Instrumentation is clear and complete including an early factory clock. The odometer shows just under 10,300 miles and is thought to be accurate based on history and condition. Paper ductwork is still present beneath the dash. The intact floor cover reveals a solid-looking lower well with small areas of missing paint from leakage of an earlier battery. A complete tool roll is present and the original Shelley-labeled jack, date-stamped spare wheel and bias ply spare tire all remain. The originality of the 260ci V8 underhood is supported by a rocker cover decal bearing number 1657-L2KA, which matches that stamped on the chassis tag. Factory tags and stencils can still be seen on the ignition coil, generator, Lucas fuel pump, and two-barrel carburetor, which breathes through a correct orange paper air filter and hammered-finish AC housing. The exhaust system has been replaced from the manifolds rearward due to age. Additional bracing was welded into already-painted Tiger engine bays and paint was reapplied over the welds, soon peeling off on most cars. Rivets affixing the VIN tag and slotted screws holding the painted JAL tag are stated to be correct. Currently unavailable herringbone hoses are on display in the engine bay as well as a yellow-striped hose secured by rare â??sardine canâ? clamps to the rebuilt original brake booster. Undercoating looks intact everywhere but the front wheel arches, where flaking has revealed correct red oxide primer. Corrosion appears limited to slight oxidation in isolated corners of the chassis, the exhaust manifold, and occasional fasteners, all of which are stated to be original. Brake lines have been replaced due to age.