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1967 Sunbeam Tiger

1967 Sunbeam Tiger


Description

This 1967 Sunbeam Tiger, #B382002384LRXFE, rolled off the line at Jensen Motors in West Bromwich, England, on August 27, 1966 and immediately crossed the pond to Long Island City, where it saw its debut at Nu-Trend Motors in Mt. Kisco, New York. There, it caught the eye of young Tod, who was looking to purchase his first new car. Tod was a second-year science teacher with an annual salary of $4,000; the Tiger’s price tag hovered at $3,971.50. But he negotiated an $81-per-month payment to the National Bank of Westchester, and there, on October 15, 1966, he drove away in his dream car.

Tod married Merrilee in July 1967, and the Tiger got hitched, too—to a pop-up camper that would serve at the couple’s mobile honeymoon suite as they made their way to Canada for Montreal’s Expo 67. Merrilee later learned to drive in the Tiger, and their daughters tagged along on road trips while snuggled in behind them. Though the family enjoyed many travels throughout the Northeast, they eventually moved on to other vehicles, garaging the Tiger carefully to keep it safe in its retirement.

When Tod and Merrilee moved to Midcoast Maine in 1999, they brought the vehicle with them and deposited it at Latham’s English Auto in Searsport for a complete restoration, which was completed in 2001. During the process, the original Ford 260ci engine was rebuilt and remains nearly stock to this day except for the addition of a 4bbl Holley, cam and modified ignition with some advancements to aid in cooling.

New England meant new friends for the road-hardy couple, and soon Tod and Merrilee were organizing regular get togethers for Sunbeam owners, often throwing a party one day and a ride to the Owls Head Transportation Museum for the Foreign Auto Festival the next. They also found themselves hosting a local United get together, attracting Tiger enthusiasts from around the region. For many years, the Tiger saw sunny summertime adventures in Midcoast Maine, providing its owners with countless tales and happy memories.

Tod was a lifelong educator, teaching at high schools and community colleges and joining the local board of education when he moved to Maine. Though Tod passed away in December 2016, his passion for education and learning lives on through his Tiger: the Sunbeam Scholarship at Medomak Valley High School provides assistance to students pursuing studies in science or engineering, and the sale of this 1967 Sunbeam Tiger directly supported that scholarship.


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