We’re all familiar (or should be) with the fine AC Cobra, the pinnacle of Carroll Shelby’s achievement, I think:
I mean, what’s not to love? Those voluptuous lines, that tiny wheelbase and of course that burbling (also roaring) Ford V8… it almost epitomizes the concept of “affordable” [sic] race cars.
The key to the above is “race”, because the Cobra is very much a racing car, best suited for the track and much less so as a cruiser — as anyone who’s ever driven one for any distance may attest.
I however have a preference for its inspiration, the lovely Sunbeam Tiger:
Same performance: yup, that outstanding Ford 260ci (4.3-liter) V8, but with a more classic — shall we say “dated”? — shape.
And here’s one example of a restored Tiger:
…but unlike the Cobra, the Tiger comes with a hard top:
…which, if you happen to live in a place without proper open-top driving, is infinitely preferable.
Also, the Tiger doesn’t look like a stripped-down racer inside:
Much nicer, methinks. And for about a hundred grand, this particular one would definitely make it into Kim’s Lottery Garage.
Just to putter around town, en route to shopping, the range etc.
Oh, and by the way? The Tiger’s little brother, the Alpine Mk III, was James Bond’s first car (in Dr. No ). It had a dinky little 1.6-liter engine.
I can see how you could come to that conclusion. the Sunbeam was a more “finished” production car than the basically hand built AC Ace that the basis for the first Cobra. Shelby had a hand in the development of both cars and they both started out the 260 engine. The Cobra was developed first. The photo you show is a later bodied 427 version. The 260 was rapidly replaced with the 289 with 4 Webber carbs for competition but still the same narrow body. The first gen Cobras didn’t have the big fender flares and the large radiator openings and you could also buy an after market hard top for the Cobra. Both employed the same sort of ‘erector set’ fabric pretend weather protection ( as anyone who has ever owned a British sports car will attest ). Shelby did eventually make a coupe version of the 427 called the Daytona Coupe. Four became factory race cars to compete in FIA endurance championship ( which they won ) and 2 customer cars. Factory Five still makes a replica version. 100’s of them.
The Tiger was a copycat version of the first gen cobra and suffered from the lack of further development. It was best known as the car that Maxwell Smart drove in the TV series “Get Smart” and by all accounts, they were terrible cars. hopelessly unable to deliver any of that power to the road. But if all you want to do is trundle around town for short distances before they overheat, I guess the tiger is a better choice.
” But if all you want to do is trundle around town for short distances before they overheat, I guess the tiger is a better choice.”
You read my mind.
When I left Uncle Sam’s employment in 1974 I came home thinking that I was just about indestructible and could mechanic my way out of anything. I had a leather navy pilot jacket (don’t ask) and a desire to be the coolest guy in town. I found a 67 Tiger – British racing green, white factory hard top, 260. The price seemed to be reasonable and I didn’t choose to hear the seller when he told me that the handling was a “little squirrelly”. After all it was the Maxwell Smart car by way of Carroll Shelby.
My angels put in plenty of overtime keeping me out of trouble in that front end heavy overpowered monster. Back then it was just an old British car with all of the mechanical and electrical problems we’ve discussed at great length here. I did get to be good at turning wrenches and improvising parts that I couldn’t find and the car always got me home. Two years later I caught the off road disease and bought an FJ40 Land Cruiser. That’s a story for another time.
I’ve driven since 1969 and the Tiger is the only car I’ve regretting selling. These days nice ones sell in six figure prices. To me the cool factor is when this old man says he owned a Maxwell Smart car.
My dad passed on the opportunity to buy a Sunbeam Tiger just before he and mom married in 1966. He was a very aggressive driver throughout his life and once told me that not buying that car probably saved his life.