April 2020
CENTRAL HAWKE’S BAY BRANCH of the VINTAGE CAR CLUB of NZ (Inc) Lamb Country Branch Email: centralhawkesbay@vcc.org.nz
Contributions to the BLEAT should be emailed to the Editor no later than (25th of each month) joycecalder@gmail.com
Club Nights
7.30pm 3rd Wednesday of every Month
CARROLL SHELBY’S—other V8 powered British Roadster The SUNBEAM TIGER.
1964 V8 Sunbeam Tiger, on display at Windsor Park
Postal Address C/-73 Porangahau Road Waipukurau, 4200
There were two Sunbeam Tiger prototypes developed in the early 1960s, one was built by Carroll Shelby and his team and the other by racing driver Ken Miles. The original idea of building a V8 version of the Sunbeam is credited to Formula 1 World Champion Jack Brabham, though it’s likely that the arrival of the Shelby Cobra was also a contributing factor.
NOMINATED POSITIONS
The team at the Rootes Group, the parent company of Sunbeam, contracted Carroll Shelby to build the first prototype of the Tiger. They gave him a car and $10,000 US, and a few weeks later in April of 1963 they had a running driving prototype. Rootes also sent a car, an engine, and $800 to British fabricator and racing driver Ken Miles to build a prototype, which he did in just a week. A remarkable feat when you consider how much work went into shoehorning an American V8 into the tight confines of the Alpine engine bay.
CLUB CAPTAIN Rod McKenzie rod.mckenzie.wpk@xtra.co.nz 06 858 9562
In order to figure out which American V8s might actually fit, the team at Rootes had measMK 1 Sunbeam Tiger—6450 where made be- ured the Sunbeam Alpine engine tween 1964 –1967 with a 260cu in(4.3L) Ford bay with a yardstick and then V8 Motor sent a staff member out to American car dealerships to find a suitable engine. The only engine that would fit was the 260 cu in (4.3L) Ford V8 and even then only just.
CHAIRMAN Lynn Cross secross@xtra.co.nz 06 858 9814 SECRETARY Ken Lyons Ken.lyons@xtra.co.nz 06 858 8093 TREASURER Kaye Carswell wpkmotors@gmail.com 021 124 3620
COMMITTEE Bruce Poole brucepoole1930@gmail.com 06 858 9940 Gary Weaver janetmweaver@gmail.com 06 858 9908 Iain and Eva Gollan nga-oki@xtra.co.nz 06 858 9105 Ruth Parker brparkrz@xtra.co.nz 06 858 5411 John Foot V.I.C. (I.D. Card) Coordinator jsfoot@xtra.co.nz 06 858 8301 PUBLICITY/WELFARE OFFICER Sandra Cross secross@xtra.co.nz 06 858 9814 EDITOR: joycecalder@gmail.com 022 166 1403