- Meticulously restored, award-winning example
- Presented in Balmoral Gray; believed to be one of 27
- Sunbeam Tiger Owners Association Certificate of Authenticity
Offered is an outstanding Mk 1 Sunbeam Tiger that has been meticulously restored to its original, very rare shade of Balmoral Gray; it is believed to be one of only 27 finished in this color. The car is accompanied by its respective Sunbeam Tiger Owners Association Certificate of Authenticity, having been inspected and certified in 2011. Its known history dates to the mid-1970s in California, where receipts and records show the car was well maintained and driven regularly. It passed to another California owner before being discovered in 2006 by Neal Wichard of La Jolla, California.
In 2007, Mr. Wichard commissioned Cobra and Tiger restoration expert Doug Pratt, David Zumstein, and Tom Shelby (Carroll’s nephew) to perform a factory-correct, nut-and-bolt restoration. Fit, finish, and paint quality are exquisite, with outstanding bodywork and panel gaps. Chrome and bright trim quality equals that of the paint and body, and the car rides on a set of period-appropriate Minilite alloy wheels. The high-quality restoration is also carried into the interior by Howard McKee with correct grain vinyl material in medium blue, piped in navy blue. The correct original steering wheel and shift lever remain in place, as well as a wonderful, correct Radiomobile 1070 radio. The Tiger comes with a factory hard top, and beneath the hard tonneau cover resides a Haartz canvas navy blue soft top. The trunk houses the car’s full-size spare, jack, handle, and tool kit.
As one would expect from such a high-level restoration, the Ford 260-cu. in. V-8 is fully detailed to show-quality standards. The engine features an upgraded larger oil filter, with an original one included with the car. The undercarriage is similarly exquisite; fully detailed with correct Koni shock absorbers, and outstanding quality finishes.
Since the completion of the restoration, the Sunbeam has earned two Best of Show awards at Sunbeam Tiger Owners Association concours in 2011, a Best of Show at the SAAC meet in Santa Monica the same year, as well as having been exhibited on the lawn at the prestigious Quail Motorsports Gathering in 2010. This Tiger remains exquisite and is easily counted among the finest Sunbeam Tigers extant, ready to join any collection of important high-performance sport cars.
