At 06:16 pm 3/11/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Today I was on the phone with a friend who just purchased a new body for his
>MGB. His original '64 had had it, and cost to repair would be at least twice
>the cost of the new shell. He is swapping all the original stuff over to the
>new body in about half the time. It got me thinking about bodies for Tigers,
>and the temptation to "rebody" instead of restore whatever it is you have to
>work with. At what point does it become a rebody.....over 50% replaced?
>Should he just let it go, and send to the CA. crusher program? What if a nice
>Tiger is whacked in the front end and it is replaced with a Alpine nose, as
>is the case with so many "original Tigers"....is that kinda a rebody? When
>your pocket book and brain says yes, but someone else tells you NO, where do
>you draw the line? My buddy's MGB won't be original anymore, but to restore
>the original by patching all the pieces in isn't original either, is it? New
>sheet metal (i.e. other than original)is new sheet metal right? I said "what
>the heck you want to keep the car and drive it dont ya?"
>
>Now apply this theory to the Tiger. If you have a mess of a rust bucket,
>unsafe, and insane to drive, when does it become a "crusher" over a
>conversion, or a wreck over a rebody? Replacing a tag onto another body is
>against the law, but what if you weld a hole section on without ever removing
>or replacing the tag. A lot of aftermarket parts we use on our cars are also
>deemed illegal...so is spitting and speeding in most public places, and I
>have done both. So, where does one make the decision???? Stop speeding,
> spitting, and start crushing to preserve the fabric of a pedigree, when
>actually Tigers are basically a MUTT? Are Tigers purebred?Are they like some
>others, or are they built by , and for, those who like the lines crossed
>every once in a while, creating a hybrid that never could be considered pure
>in automotive snobbery circles???........I ask the distinguished panel for
>answers. And I know many out there are in need (at this moment)as to which
>direction to go.
>
>HW
>
HW,
If you change anything to improve or attempt to improve your Tiger
that is your business. Just don't try to pass it off as "original". My
feelings
is that if you take an Alpine body including the frame with certain sheet metal
parts plus a 260 or 289 V8 , toploader ,driveshaft, and an original Tiger
rear end and then try to pass it off as a Tiger then that is not OK. If you
use Alpine body
parts to repair a Tiger, that is reasonable as they are mostly exactly
identical. If you are a "purest", then you have more money than you need
and should be spending it on a car that has a LOT more value to more
people such as an original Cobra.
My Tiger II is completely original...
(except for 351C motor, bell housing, front frames, radiator, dash board,
seat covers, under seat rubber, hood scoop, ignition, hoses, fuel pump,
fan belts, waterpump, fan, disk pads and brake shoes, clutch, pressure
plate, windshield, spark plugs, alternator resistor, headlights, brake hoses,
exhaust, seat covers, carpet, rear hardtop window, trailer hitch, paint,
steering rack boots most rubber parts, a lot of wiring and a several dozen
other items.)
Most people assume that I still drive a Tiger and I do. Some replacement
parts are made for Alpines or Tigers and some are not. No Alpine sheet
metal has ever been used on my Tiger. I do have an Alpine or two just
for spare parts just in case...
Jim Barrett Tiger II 351C and others.
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