Regardless of your feeling on the TAC project their is a pratical side to
knowing exactly what you have purchased. Most of us approach Tigers as a
hobby and although we want to think that we aren't interested in the money
side of the hobby it is a fact of life. When and if you or your heirs decide
to sell the Tiger, the market will price your car according to what the
market thinks it's worth. When we purchased our Tigers how did we decide its
value? Most probably the market pretty much set the price. This price was
determined in part by condition and originality. Ask someone who has
advertised an Alpine conversion for sale and stated that it is in fact a
conversion, what they have been able to sell the car for. You will find in
most cases that it would sell for less than a car that came from the factory
as a Tiger.
The point is that the market says that a true Tiger is worth more than a
converted one. In the early 80's i was in the market for a 63 Vette ( the
only year with the split rear window). The Vette faternity is fanatical on
originality with all matching numbers, etc... I looked at a bunch and many
had replacement engines, transmissions, etc... I waited until i found one
that was as original as possible. I paid $12,000 for the car and kept it for
about 9 yrs. It sold for $22,5000. The buyer said that he was willing to
pay the price because the price books said that was approximately what a very
nice original with matching #'s was worth. Some 64 Vette owners had a piece
expertly fitted into the rear wondow to try and turn it into a split wondow.
Serious buyers of 63's would not pay the same price for a 64 being passed
off as a 63.
The long and short of it is that a true Tiger is worth more at sale time
than a converted Alpine. The market has determined this. There is nothing
wrong with someone enjoying a converted Alpine. They should just realize
when they purchase that they should pay less because it will sell for less
later. That seems to leave only the system for determining what a real Tiger
is. The TAC system will either prove its worth over time or it will be
replaced with another system. The market will decide.
By the way the sale of the "real 63 Vette" enabled me to purchase my
present Tiger and a new Jeep pick-up. I will shut up on this subject in the
future. Mark
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