1965 Sunbeam Tiger Mk1 A Race Car

Registration should read FDS 53C NOT FD5 53L

Re-patriated in 1989 from South Africa as a road car and subsequently UK registered in 1990.

AMOC Intermarque Championship winner. Still road legal

Well developed with a 100% reliability record

Purchased in 2016 by our vendor and only two track days since

Regularly maintained and prepared. Race Ready

Manufactured between March and June 1965 and marked for export to South Africa from new, the extensive owner's file that accompanies this Tiger, tells us that during its stay in South Africa it was owned by Mr Peter Van Walt of Brackenhurst who was an enthusiastic member of the Sunbeam Tiger Club of South Africa. In 1989, it was re-patriated by Mr David Barnes of Glasgow as a road car and subsequently registered in the UK in 1990. Modification and development work for its evolution from road to race car was carried out over the next two decades, culminating into its transformation into a championship winning historic race car, all documented with folders of photographs and invoices totalling thousands of man-hours and tens of thousands of pounds in race development.

Now running a David Henning Motorsport prepared 302ci/5.0-litre engine (spare matching numbers engine included with sale), spec briefly comprises; Block re-bore to +0.030, Aluminium Performer Heads, larger inlet and outlet valves, new lead free guides, screw in rocker studs / roller rockers / competition valve retainers / collets, stem seals, 280 high-lift cams, high-tension rod bolts, forged domed pistons, shot-peened rods, bigger baffled sump, new high volume Edelbrock water pump, high-volume oil pump, windage tray, high-voltage coil, 11:1 compression ratio, Holley 650 double-pump carburettor, fed through an Edelbrock inlet manifold and Carter fuel pump. 6 bolt bellhousing, remote oil filter and new McLeod Kevlar HD Competition clutch. Cooling is through a custom built aluminium radiator with twin electronic fans. Also fitted are a high-torque starter motor and high output alternator.

Much attention has been paid to geometry and the suspension set up, with a recent invoice from set up "Guru" Simon James for nearly Three Thousand Pounds. Running Watts-linkage, anti-tramp bars, Koni adjustable shocks, 3.07 LSD. braking on the front is via Brembo 4-pot callipers with RS4 4/2 Pagid Pads. Sitting on four Revolution Minilite style wheels shod with Toyo R888 tyres. The file contains an invoice from Forge Motorsport for over £1,500 for an aluminium fuel tank and other fuelling accessories. The shell is seam-welded but retains its original panels, it has a Safety Devices roll cage, with removable diagonal. Fitted with an in-date Tillet carbon fibre race seat, with a current TRS 6 point harness. The plumbed-in Lifeline system was replaced in January 2019, making it safe and ready to compete. Additional spares include 4 x Minilite wheels and tyres, plus its original matching numbers engine.

During 2011-2016, the previous owner concentrated on two other race cars, however, whilst in his ownership, the Tiger was regularly invited to all the Goodwood Members Meetings. In 2016, the Tiger was sold to its current owner where it's been stored in his private collection and, apart from shaking the car down at Mallory Park during a track day, it has not competed in anger. The current owner is an ex Peugeot Sport mechanic who owns and runs a busy service and MOT station and simply hasn't had the time recently to think about racing the car although he has continued to service and aintain this semi-tame Tiger so it can roar into action at a moment's notice. This is a seriously quick competition car and not for the faint-hearted. It will reward time spent testing before the season in order to acquaint yourself with the ways of the jungle.

Results: All AMOC Intermarque Championship

2005 Class A Joint Class Champion2006 Sunbeam 3rd in the championship. Class A Joint Class Champion2007 Sunbeam Intermarque Champions Class A Runner Up and Runner Up in Championship.2009 Sunbeam Intermarque Champions Class A Runner Up and Runner Up in Championship.2010 Sunbeam 3rd in Championship and Class A Runner Up.