SUNI IV - Sunbeams International
3.3. Special Guests
We have some Very Special Guests attending. Here's an intro to each of them.
| People |
| Rosemary Smith |
Rosemary is now living in Dublin having spent her car racing life in the United States, Britain and Europe. She has had her own television show on motoring. She is one of only five women in the world ever to have won an international motor race outright. She has participated in and won the following events:
| Carroll Shelby |
| George Boskoff |
| Vehicles |
| Tiger #1 : The 1925 World Land-Speed V-12 Tiger Visiting from The Mallya Collection |
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Built for Major Henry Segrave to attempt to gain the World Land Speed Record, held by Malcom Campbell in Bluebird at 150.76 mph. The flat sands of Southport were chosen for the attempt and on March 16 1926, Segrave successfully took 'Tiger' to a record speed of 152.336 mph.
After the record run 'Tiger' was taken back to the Works where twin superchargers were fitted and it began its long racing career. |
| In July 1926, Segrave drove the car in the Spanish Grand Prix, unfortunately retiring whilst in 2nd place. In 1928 Kaye Don raced 'Tiger' and, over 3 seasons, broke 24 records, breaking the Brooklands' lap record on 3 occasions. |  |
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In 1932, Malcolm Campbell bought 'Tiger' and sister car 'Tigress' and continued to campaign the car at Brooklands and Shelsley Walsh and Brighton Speed Trials. |
| Ken Miles Prototype Tiger |
Owned by Roger Willbanks, Louisville, CO
The first of two prototype Tigers commissioned by Ian Garrard and Rootes to test the feasibility of the Tiger concept and constructed by Ken Miles in his workshop. Retained and driven regularly by Ian Garrad during testing.
| Shelby Prototype Tiger |
Owned by William Carroll, Raton, NM
Comissioned by Ian Garrad and Rootes to test and refine the Alpine-V8 concept and evaluate the mass production possibilities. Built by George Boskoff in Carroll Shelby's Cobra factory. Car then shipped to England where Lord Rootes after driving it gave the approval for the production Tiger.
The second of two prototype Tigers commissioned by Rootes.
| Le Mans Tiger #9, ADU180B |
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Owned by Darrell Mountjoy, Lake Forrest, CA One of three Lister-built Le Mans Tigers for the 1964 24-Hours of Le Mans, driven by Peter Procter and Jimmy Blumer. Raced in 2002 in Goodwood and Le Mans and in 2003 at the Monterey Historics. |
| Targa Florio Tiger #192, AHP483B |
Owned and restored by David McDermott, Denver, Co
One of the first group of "Works" rally Tigers. Competed in the 1964 RAC rally then modified and driven by Peter Harper and Rupert Jones in the 1965 Targa Florio race. Raced in 2003 in the Monterey Historics.
See more at TigersUnited.com.
| Sports Car Forum #74 BP Tiger |
Owned and restored by Buck and Claudia Trippel, Manhattan Beach, Ca.
BP Tiger built by the Sports Car Forum and driven by Don Sesslar in 1965 in the SCCA Central Division and ARRC. Raced in 2003 at the Monterey pre-Historics and Coronado.
Some history...
In early 1963 the West Coast representative for Rootes, Ian Garrad, hired Shelby American to engineer the installation of the Ford 260 V-8 into the Sunbeam Alpine. George Boskoff was assigned the project. He delivered the car to Rootes at the end of April 1963. The car was shipped to Rootes in England where the decision was made to produce it as the Tiger.
In early 1964 one of the very first production cars was given to Shelby American along with a contract to race the car in SCCA events during the 1964 season.
Lew Spencer drove while Ted Sutton prepared the car. Jim O'Leary handled the engine work. Lew drove his #45 Tiger in the world's first Tiger track appearance. (Tuscon, April, 1964) He was the first Tiger race winner. (Willow Springs, May, 1964.) He is known to have also raced the car at Cotati, Salt Lake City and Laguna Seca (May, 1964) where a crash ended his involvement with the Tiger.
Ian decided to make changes.. He contracted with Hollywood Sports Cars to race the Tiger for the 1965 season. In September, 1964, Ian gave the #45 car to Sports Car Forum in Columbus, Ohio. Don Sesslar had driven the Sports Car Forum Alipine to win the FP national championship in that year. Ian wanted the Sports Car Forum's Tiger should represent Sunbeam in the eastern part of the USA..
In Lew Spencer's "45" numbers were removed and replaced with Sesslar's "74". The car was shipped to Road America for what was supposed to be Don's first Tiger race. Unfortunately just before his first Tiger race, Don crashed an Elva Porsche and broke sever ribs. Ken Miles was quickly substituted. Ken ended up winning BP in the Badger 200 (2nd overall behind Dan Gerber's Cobra), giving Sunbeam its first Bp National win. (9/13/04)
Sports Car Forum driver Dan Carmichael then took the yellow Tiger to Indianapolis where he won Bp. This qualified him for a position in the first ARRC held in November, 1964. He finished 4th in Bp, driving a local Tiger supplied by Rootes. (11/12-15/64). (These were Dan's only Tiger races.) Meanwhile, the yellow #74 Tiger was on its way to the 1964 Nassau Speed week. In the Nassau Trophy Race on 12/6/64 Don Sesslar got his first Tiger race. Unfortunately a crash required a lengthy pit stop which resulted in a middle of the pack finish.
Sports Car Forum decided that the basic tub had suffered too much damage. Sunbeam provided an empty white tub. All major pieces were stripped off the yellow car and installed on the new white car. The remnants of the Shelby tub were laterscrapped. The car, as raced in the 1965 season was white with blue racing stripes.
Meanwhile Chick Van der Griff's HSC effort was in full swing. His car was meticulously prepped by Doanne Spencer and driven by Jim Adams during the 1965 season. Many racing specific parts were created and then homologated as "LAT" factory options. Ian provided many of these parts to the Sports Car Forum effort. Some of these items were extremely rare in 1965 and only a few examples survive today. For example, the LAT 34 Kit installed on this car (LAT 35, 36, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46) is known to exist on only one other Tiger.
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3.3. Special Guests JOY/DLN/CMNY/1.6 - June 28, 2004 |
