British car enthusiasts-
I wrote the following review for the Sunbeam Tigers Owners Association
newsletter Tiger Tracks. I can provide a contact name/address if=
desired.
The book is available at Sunbeam Specialties in Campbell CA, ph 408=
371 1649.
Book Review,
part 1 of 2
The Book of Norman, vol 1, by Norman C. Miller
As even the most lackadaisical reader of Tiger Tracks must=
know,
one of our own, Norman Miller, has written a new book about our favorite
automobile. Mr. Miller, found in Redwood City at Rootes Group Depot=
and
within these pages as AssEd, writer of the Scuttlebutt column, has=
taken
fingers to keyboard and written a reference manual for all Tiger=
owners to
read-The Book of Norman, vol 1. Within its pages, Mr. Miller provides=
a
rich text of words coupled with enough documentary pictures to keep=
a Tiger
enthusiast occupied for hours. In addition, he has for the first=
time
published the International Registry of Sunbeam Tigers.
What follows is my attempt to convey some sense of the book=
to
those who have yet to see it. I believe that with over 7,000 Tigers
originally produced and just 1,000 books printed, it's likely that=
future
Tiger enthusiasts seeking a copy will be like todays Tiger owners=
trying to
find a copy of the 60's book, Performance Tuning the Sunbeam Tiger.
-John Hess
First impressions: the paper jacket of The Book of Norman=
vol 1 is
NOT like most automobile books. The front cover is not adourned with=
a
picture of a Tiger rounding a corner at high speed, or a completely
restored Tiger in an elegant setting nor even of Norman and his car!=
The
cover is glossy black, the title in grey letters above a picture=
of the
circular ROOTES GROUP badge that occupies the center of the Tiger=
dashboard
(unless the Smiths clock is installed). The back cover shows pictures=
from
Sunbeam sales brochures from the 1960's.
The book is 371 pages long, or from a Tiger owners point=
of view,
short. Approximately the first half, chapters 1-10 are devoted to=
the
Sunbeam Tiger, facts, figures and pictures. The second half, chapter=
11,
occupies pages 177-371 and is the first printing of The International
Registry of Sunbeam Tigers. Reading the acknowledgements provides=
a hint of
the information to follow; names like Doane Spencer, Laura Garrad,=
William
Carroll, Mike Taylor, are placed with the names of STOA members we=
all turn
to for help: Rick McLeod, Terry and Maria Taylor, Tom and Betty Hall.
Genesis is the title of the first chapter and provides an
introduction to George Fallehy, the man who began The International
Registry of Sunbeam Tigers. The history behind the San Francisco=
bay area
founding of what is now known as STOA is briefly described. Then=
Norman
provides a discussion of Tiger production figures as gleaned from
re-discovered Jensen ledgers. From these ledgers, a total of 7,085=
Tigers
were officially constructed by Rootes; not all were made for sale
(prototype, competition) and not all were made in Britain by Jensen=
(South
Africa).
Revelations is the second chapter and provides details of=
the
actual construction of Tigers as well as deciphering the numbers=
and
letters of the ID tag. Significance of the JAL number and alignment=
of the
JAL with ID number is discussed. Additional information is provided
concerning the South African constructed Tigers with serial numbers
beginning B948=8A.
Chapters 3 (Rootes and Branches), 4 (Pumping Iron) , 5 (Wooden
Nickels) and 6 (Liars's Dice) discuss Tiger "scuttlebutt", some seen=
in
other places, some new (at least to me). Thus, the history of the=
Ken Miles
and Carroll Shelby prototypes is re-written and pictures of early=
Tigers
are reproduced. Importantly, and followed up quite often in the book,
pictures provide evidence for statements made in the book. The divisive
topic of Alpines turned into Tigers is also presented. Mr Miller=
makes the
point (correctly, I think) that the Tiger community should make efforts=
to
protect their investments. Actions that of late, STOA is actively=
persuing
with the TAC (Tiger Authetication Committee).
Chapter 7 is called African Violets and is a discussion of=
the
south african produced Tigers, serial numbers B948=8A. These unique=
cars were
produced from CKD (completely knocked down) "kits" and featured at=
least
one item quite a few Tiger owners would be interested in: a factory
installed thermostat/electric fan to aid cooling.=20
Chapters 8,9, and 10 provide the "meat" that I believe most=
Tiger
enthusiasts are looking for and will discuss (such a polite word,=
is argue
better?) forever. Chapter 8 provides photos and informative descriptions=
of
LAT options and stock options available for the Tiger. Chapter 9=
covers the
first ever Sunbeams International, held at Snow Mass, Colorado, 1989.
Chapter 10 will probably be xeroxed and carried around at Tiger meets=
in
the future for it details "what is stock and what is not.". Thus,=
color
codes, casting numbers, and stock colors for engine block, oil pan,=
hoses
and clamps are all listed. It is my intention to provide a more=
lengthly
discussion of these three chapters as well as the Registry in part=
2, so
stay tuned.
Book Review
part 2
As introduced in part 1, chapters 8, 9 and 10 are the sections
perhaps most interesting to Tiger owners. At least, that's my opinion,=
your
mileage may vary. Chapter 8 is entitled Stock Options. That being=
the
title, the next 50 pages are a guide book to both the highly sought=
LAT
options as well as options available for the Tiger as well as other=
Rootes
cars. Since I can't think of anyone reading this who doesn't know=
the
origin of LAT, I will pose a slightly different question. As mentioned=
in
the book, what are the first and last LAT options (number and description
please)? Included at the end of the chapter is a section on options=
that
were available from dealers and were able to be installed on the=
Tiger,
Alpine and other Rootes cars.
Time's up. The answer to the question posed above is: LAT-1,=
Super
Induction Kit, including a Tiger high rise or Edelbrock F4B aluminum
manifold and Holley 4V carburetor; the last LAT option available,=
LAT-82 a
front 7/8" sway bar. In between 1 and 82 are LAT options available=
to dress
up your car, LAT-2, engine dress up kit, consisting of cast aluminum=
valve
covers and chrome plated oil dip stick, air cleaner, radiator cap=
and oil
fill cap or dress you up, LAT-17, Sunbeam Tiger T-shirts, LAT-18,=
Sunbeam
Tiger Rally Jacket.=20
Photos accompany almost every description and the text is
supplemented with reprints from period descriptions and letters from
involved personnel. Do not be fooled into thinking that every Tiger=
secret
has been found out and is described in chapter 8. I think that the=
more you
know, the more you'll want to know. For example, the history behind=
the
popular LAT-70 wheel is covered in some detail, trying to pin down=
the
origins and the makers of the wheels. That the LAT-70 was made in=
three
different versions is documented with photos of each, plus a photo=
of an
advertisment for Cragar S/S "mags". The Cragar mags are important=
for their
spinner was to be altered slightly and used on the LAT-70 wheel.=
The
thoroughness of the chapter is shown by the following LAT designated=
parts
to accompany the LAT-70 wheel: LAT-75 spinners, LAT-78 lug nuts.
For each kind of Tiger owner, from the showcar purist who=
wants
everything correct/stock for the period or the vintage racer who=
wants
maximum performance with allowed options, this chapter has information=
for
all. It is true that most LAT options came about through the racing=
of
Tigers and the performance add ons were first developed by Shelby=
American
and very quickly adopted by Tiger enthusiasts. Thus, LAT-2 engine=
dress up
kit, LAT-4 oil pan, LAT-7, scatter shield and LAT-8 valve covers=
are
Tiger/Cobra pieces. Other examples of Cobra items that found their=
way to
the Tiger are LAT-25, fiberglass hood scoop and LAT-26 a 9 quart=
oil pan.
Additionally, the LAT items making up LAT-20, were not developed=
solely by
Rootes, but were the product of Ford development.
Chapter 9 is devoted to the first ever Sunbeam International=
held
at Snowmass, Colorado in 1989. Norman's recollections may be different=
from
others but the photos that acompany the descriptions of Harrington=
bodies
and coverage of the history of factory prepared race cars is rivetting.
Additional coverage is given to the Harrington bodied/LeMans cars.=
For
those in the northern California area, the only Harrington Tiger=
lives in
Sacramento with its owner Bill Van Velkinburg who on occassion drives=
the
restored car to Tiger events. Quite a site, I must say, predating=
the era
of the japanese hatchback by 20 years.
Chapter 10 is again reference material, much as chapter 8=
was. This
time, the title says it all "Here comes the judge". Starting with=
a
description of paint codes, Norman launches into a description of=
the Tiger
as it is/was supposed to be. You found a Showroom quality Tiger with=
a 6
bolt 289 under the hood? If it's not a Mark II, re-read chapter 6,=
Liars
Dice and see the pertinent section of chapter 10. You're having a=
Mark I
(260 cu in) engine rebuilt and want to know the correct engine/intake
manifold/other piece, correct color? Check out chapter 10, it's all=
laid
out in black and white. I'm sure that alot of question will be answered=
by
this chapter and I'm equally sure that Tiger enthusiasts will find=
some
points of contention. However, a little friendly disagreement is=
just the
sort of thing to get Norman to work on volume 2.
This ends my review. I know it has been very favorable and=
I make
no apologies for that. I love reading about my favorite car and would=
pay
even more than the $56 price for The Book of Norman. I check out=
the car
magazines hoping to catch another article or picture of a Tiger.=
This book
is much more informative than all the magazines I have bought in=
the past;
it is a necessary addition to the available Tiger literature.
John Hess, PhD Phone me 916 752 8420
Dept of Human Anatomy FAX me 916 752 8520
University of Calif Email me jfhess@ucdavis.edu
Davis, CA or leave me alone, your choice.
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