This is the only Harrington Coupé built on a Triumph Tiger chassis (#B9472164 HROFE). Powered by a Series I Tiger's 164 bhp, 260 cu. in. OHV V-8 engine with a four-barrel carburetor, four-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension with coil springs, live axle rear suspension with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and front disc and rear drum hydraulic brakes.
British coachbuilders Thomas Harrington Ltd. built only a handful of beautifully crafted fastback Le Mans Coupé bodies for Sunbeam Alpine chassis during the early 1960s. Exactly one of those bodies was built for the Sunbeam Tiger, the potent Ford V-8-powered “pocket rocket” developed with the assistance of Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles. This is that car, which is known to Sunbeam enthusiasts as, simply, "Harry".
"Harry" was reportedly a factory developmental prototype that had been built based on future safety concerns about open-top models and with potential competition use in mind. Unfortunately, the end of Tiger production put an end to those lofty aspirations, and the Tiger Le Mans Coupé remained a one-off. This Tiger has been the winner of numerous other concours prizes in the years since, and it remains much as it was originally, with only a few modern modifications which include upgrading the high volume/high-pressure oil pump, modifying the heads for unleaded fuel, converting the original distributor to electronic switching, and adding a larger radiator with a five-blade fan and a 350-CFM Holley carburetor.
This one-of-a-kind car is the most unique and special of all Tigers, and it represents the “holy grail” to enthusiasts of these potent cats. It is scheduled to be auctioned off by RM Auctions in 2015, with an estimated price of US$200,000 - $250,000. (rmauctions.com)
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Series I Sunbeam Tiger (1964-66)
(Photos from rmauctions.com, flickr.com, ultimatecarpage.com & harringtonalpine.org)
