WHY do people do crap like this?

http://delaware.craigslist.org/cto/4752713521.html

He's proud of the fact that he destroyed a real Sunbeam Tiger to do this. Why start with rare and desirable car if you are just going to build it beyond any recognition? Why not at least start with a plain jane Alpine, if you must do this?

I once saw an ICE-show-tastic Integra from the early Oughties. You remember the kind - painted like a lowrider, buried under tons of weird fiberglass, filled to the gunwales with heavy audio. Over the top hideous and heavy. The guy was really proud to point out that he had started with a berking Type-R to perpetrate this travesty on.

I understand, the hobby takes all kinds, and I'm not even arguing about what they chose to make for the final product. What I'm arguing about is why take something that is rare and beautifully tailored to its intended purpose, and then just pound that square peg into a completely different round hole? If you're going to take away everything that makes it special anyway, why NOT start with something similar, but cheaper and less rare?

To him, it's probably just another POS furrin car.

He thought he was helping it out.

...and from the looks of it, he probably started the project before Tigers were worth money or considered "rare".

Still... the CSM project car had a similar background and it was resurrected. But this car may be too far gone.

It wold be amusing to find out how much he wants for the poor thing.

'murica

For instance, I remember seeing Hot Rod and Car Craft feature cars back in the 80's that started out as very rare cars - real Hemi cars. They may be worth 6-7 figures now, but they were just used cars back then.

Same thing happening in the world of the FD (3rd gen RX7). You get all these idiots turning a low volume, cult car reknown for it's handling and driver inputs into body kitted, rimmed out rice mobile that couldn't get out of a driveway let alone turn a lap or a corner on a nice road.

berkeleying morons...

I don't understand. How can it be "not for the timid" if it doesn't even run? If it would only take a weekend to get it running again, why not do it? The damage is done, I'd love to get that car back raceable again. Also curious what the spare car and parts look like.

In reply to Ian F:

But in that case, they took muscle cars and made BETTER muscle cars. They didn't turn a sports GT into a drag racer, or take a car designed to make sweet love to a road course and add 600 pounds of fiberglass and subwoofers.

That car looks like it was built a long time ago and not by the seller. Hard to believe but at one time a clapped out Tiger was not worth much.

Ian F wrote: For instance, I remember seeing Hot Rod and Car Craft feature cars back in the 80's that started out as very rare cars - real Hemi cars. They may be worth 6-7 figures now, but they were just used cars back then.

That's one of the reasons they're rare now. :)

He's only hurt himself in terms of resale. Truth is, I'd recon that the same could be held true of the great majority of customization of cars, both classic and current. Unless you've got a following with deep pockets, the best thing that you can do to a car in terms of value is take good care of it in stock condition.

But how much fun is that?

Sorry, I like it.

It does look like it was done a long time ago. I wouldn't be surprised if was a drag car back in the late 60s and then was given the pro-street treatment 20 years later. Honestly, aside from tracking down the missing parts (especially trim), I'm not sure that this would be substantially more difficult than restoring a rusty POS Tiger back to original condition. Neither one would be an easy task.

Also: Pics of the cheap JC Whitney dune buggy seat and the bumper sticker but not a single photo of the Hi-Po?

I've seen more than one Tiger like that. It wasn't uncommon, and to a drag racer, maybe its the holy grail, who knows. It's only been somewhat recently that Tigers are considered rare and desirable.

Its not what I would build, but I can't say that I hate it. Besides, it was clearly started ages ago, and may not have been a great restoration candidate to start with. Put a sane rear axle and tires on it, and it would be a sweet challenge car .

I will guess he didn't start with something rare or beautiful. He started with a little English car with no floor. There were a number of MGs like that where I lived that guys built in to drag cars like that because they were light and cheap.

The cage looks nice but old and the tin work looks to be well done. Finished it would probably make a nice toy.

With Pro Street becoming popular again I would get some big and little billet wheels, a ginormous blower, polish up all the tin and paint it bright red with some killer '80s heartbeat strips.

He misspelled hippo... At least twice.

What's done, is done...

When I was a kid (mebbe 8 years old) there was a guy in my neighborhood with an Opel Kadett - had a rear end that looked like that. It also had wheelie bars and the driver sat in the back seat. It was inspirational.

ebonyandivory wrote: He misspelled hippo... At least twice.

Makes a large beast slightly lighter

Would you think the same thing had he done this to a very rare and attractive Fiat? Perhaps like this car?

Well, where you 20 years ago to save all the wore out worthless LBCs from this fate?

It was also probably a monster at the strip when originally built too. I see nothing wrong with it, but then again, I grew up watching old Studebaker's and Avanti's given the same treatment.

How do you know that this didn't save that particular Tiger from rotting away to nothing in a scrap heap somewhere, and ceasing to exist entirely? Any authentic Tiger parts that were salvageable but not kept may have even helped keep a much better condition unmodified original on the road.

I'd rock that.