Sunbeam Lister Tiger.

Author
Discussion

lowdrag

12,889 posts

213 months

Thursday 30th January 2014
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An amusing photo at Silverstone 2009. How it didn't get black flagged I'll never know:-



However, in 2010 they seemed to have sorted the problem!



And here she was in 2008:-





Edited by lowdrag on Thursday 30th January 09:38

Chunkychucky

5,960 posts

169 months

Thursday 30th January 2014
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jimlenx said:
Another picture..... I'm going with BRM Style knockoff wheels. How do you like the flares?
That looks superb sir, loving the wheels. Great to hear of 2 replicas being built, love the shape of the Lister bodied cars and getting to see one every year at the Revival is a highlight

jimlenx

3 posts

123 months

Thursday 30th January 2014
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I believe it's an Alpine donor with all of the Tiger bits bolted on. The tell-tale is that the Tiger transmission tunnel was cut out and them cobbled back on.

Yes, I do have access to dimensions from one of the originals but have mostly worked from photos I've collected. I did a lot of conversions with a digital caliper form photographs based on dimensions of known parts. The three original cars are definitely not identical and my car won't be an exact replica but hopefully it will be close.

Front suspension is rebuilt stock Tiger with Wilwood brakes and hub conversion to 5 lug Mustang II 10" rotors. Rear suspension is rebuilt stock Tiger modified for a triangulated 4-bar linkage with coil-overs. Hubs were custom made for 5-lug to accept the pin drive adapters.

Engine will be small block Ford of some flavor... Also thinking of P38 Lightening heads but not sure if I need that kind of horse power. I just kinda want to drive the sucker and not go 150 MPH smile.

Thanks.

Bobafett

72 posts

213 months

Thursday 30th January 2014
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All three Lister Tigers started life in the Rootes 'works' dept in period as S3 Alpines. Good to see all surviving. The one that remains in the UK, was nearly scrapped. It was used a dragster in Germany by the then airforce based Americans, then unceremoniously dumped as a wreck when the Americans left the airbase. Luckily an Australian saved it and went back with him to Australia. Repatriated back to the UK by the current owner. A lot more competitive now that they've chopped into the scuttle and fitted triple webers. It's also sporting a 289, factory was 260.

The other Lister Le Mans Tiger (now in the US) that also didn't finish the 24hr race, is expected to be at Goodwood Revival as part of the club's 50th celebrations this year. Would be nice to see both Le Mans Listers on circuit together.

The 3rd car 'The Mule' was the Rootes competition's dept prototype and test bed, and was never raced in anger (now also lives the US). I knew somebody (sadly now deceased) who raced 'The Mule' as a privateer in hill climbs all over the UK back in the sixties - that must have been fun!!


uk66fastback

16,536 posts

271 months

Thursday 30th January 2014
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Very nice work jimlenx ...

I have no experience of Tigers except once when getting my Hillman Hunter fixed in about 1981, the guy mending rented out his forecourt to a local chap who used to sell cars ... he showed me this Tiger, I thought it was an Alpine! - and started it up ... well, blown away by the exhaust note. Can't remember how much it was for sale for but remember it was resale red though ...

Whatever price it was, no way could I have afforded it. He also had a rotten as a peach 4.2 E-Type 2+2 (also red). Full of filler. That was about £2500ish I think. If only ...

rolymo

595 posts

199 months

Saturday 1st February 2014
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I can confirm that there was a fastback tiger on the USAF base in Germany during the 80's as I was driving a Tiger myself at that time and was offered this car on a very good deal but there where some much more delectable machines offered at the time because of the collapse of the "Berlin Wall" all the yanks were preparing to evacuate in a hurry and were dumping cars like there was no tomorrow. The Tiger was in the auto hobby shop on base where they held the drag races when a new commanding officer was installed to organize the total army clearout and repatriation. He was ex WEST-POINT (a proper military asshole)who came up with quotes like:- "This is a military base not a damn race track get this junk(cars) outta here, now !!

rolymo

595 posts

199 months

Saturday 1st February 2014
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I enjoyed the Tiger for several months but there were some very nice machinary kicking about at the time so I got through a Shelby GT500,Boss Mustang 302,Lambo V12 Jarama and a Plymouth Barracuda and used the Tiger as a tow car for my racing Opel GT V8

Edited by rolymo on Saturday 1st February 02:10

rolymo

595 posts

199 months

Saturday 1st February 2014
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During that period in Germany there was a lot of upheaval which resulted in a number of interesting cars being found :- An original Shelby GT350 works team racer that had been raced in Europe by Ford Cologne GMBH was in a scrap yard next to a stripped out Bizzarini shell and a genuine Dodge Daytona[big-wing]which had the engine swapped out for a 440 wedge motor. I tried heaven and earth to buy that car but the guy knew it's true value and sold it to an international dealer.The GT500 was containered and shipped to the states where it made a fortune(as unrestored) photo :-one of my other Mustangs

uk66fastback

16,536 posts

271 months

Saturday 1st February 2014
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Looks like a '66 with '68 wheels and a weird hood arrangement!

GTRene

16,529 posts

224 months

Saturday 1st February 2014
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opel gt v8...cool

rolymo

595 posts

199 months

Sunday 2nd February 2014
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Bet you wish you could find one like this today ? my car for sale in the late 70's in Birmingham UK

rolymo

595 posts

199 months

Sunday 2nd February 2014
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Enjoyed the first red one so much that when I moved to states and this green one came available I could not resist getting it to compete in the traffic light races again'st Mustang V8 coupes

uk66fastback

16,536 posts

271 months

Sunday 2nd February 2014
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rolymo said:
Bet you wish you could find one like this today ?
£995!

cry

XJ13

404 posts

169 months

Monday 3rd February 2014
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Fascinating thread - I'm really looking forward to seeing pics of the restoration/rebuild(s).

Keep 'em coming gents!!

dinkel

26,941 posts

258 months

Tuesday 4th February 2014
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urquattro

755 posts

186 months

Thursday 6th February 2014
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That ADU tiger makes my heart beat a little quicker..............super thing.
I am sure I saw it at GWR this year being very competitive

Chuck Ingram

1 posts

91 months

Sunday 25th September 2016
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Huntsman said:
Mrs Huntsman wants med to build her a road going replica of the Sunbeam Lister Tiger for her 40th.

Have 5 years.

Oh heck.

Where to start.
I know this is an old post
I built a Lister Tiger replica some years ago.i used a 351 ford windsor engine. Many mechanical changes.all. Ody work was done by me
Be interested in where you are with your project

threespires

4,293 posts

211 months

Monday 26th September 2016
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Chuck Ingram said:
I know this is an old post
I built a Lister Tiger replica some years ago.i used a 351 ford windsor engine. Many mechanical changes.all. Ody work was done by me
Be interested in where you are with your project
Any pix?

Huntsman

Original Poster:

8,054 posts

250 months

Monday 26th September 2016
quotequote all
Chuck Ingram said:
I know this is an old post
I built a Lister Tiger replica some years ago.i used a 351 ford windsor engine. Many mechanical changes.all. Ody work was done by me
Be interested in where you are with your project
I haven't even started although I would still love to do it.

Keep it stiff

1,765 posts

173 months

Monday 26th September 2016
quotequote all
Huntsman said:
Mrs Huntsman wants med to build her a road going replica of the Sunbeam Lister Tiger for her 40th.

Have 5 years.

Oh heck.

Where to start.
Could you not get her a handbag instead?