Tiger list,
I am the owner of the "Don Adams" Tiger on consignment at Fantasy Junction.
Tracking down the provenance of the car was done with the help of Steve Sage
(former owner) and Buck Tripple. Buck put me in touch with Sue Kesler, film
editor of the re-release of the"Get Smart" series . After running into
numerous dead-ends trying to work through Hollywood production studios, Ms.
Kesler was very helpful and was able to put me in touch with Don's family.
They were able to fill in key details about the title and ownership. This
car was not the "picture car" which is still missing. It was a personal
driver which Mr. Adams owned from 1966 until 1982.
Authentication of the Adams ownership was made last year by Sue, Dorothy
Adams ( Don's wife during the period) and by Tracy Adams, the daughter who
sometimes drove the car. It was corroborated with a copy from Steve of the
original California title made out to Don Adams. The title was deemed
legitimate because it was addressed to Don's personal accountant at his home;
the family was aware of this incongruous address but nobody outside would have
known this key fact.
Dorothy Adams states that there were "picture cars" as well as the personal
car because they recognized that Don would put too much wear and tear on the
car to use it in the TV series. Indeed, the car was in pretty poor shape when
he let it go, and it was partially rebuilt in Ventura CA by a dealer before
being sold to Steve.
Steve owned the car up through the nineties, and maintained and improved its
condition considerably. It had evidence of several wrecks and lots of bondo,
which he had redone properly in metal. As some of you know, he did write it
up in the CATS newsletter about the time of the Tiger-dinner with Mr Adams.
Business problems caused him to sell it at the end of this period; he did not
represent it as the Adams car. It passed through 2 or 3 owners (I have the
names of two) who did not know of the Adams connection. It was extensively
restored by Trevor Taylor in the mid 2000's, who went so far as to acid dip it
to clean up the chassis. He sold to a friend who eventually put it on ebay,
where i bought it in March 2006.
I uncovered the connection to Steve through Norman Miller, who I spoke with
several times while it was for sale. It was listed in his registry and he was
aware of the car and the possible celebrity connection. I have filled in Norm
with this new information as the process went along.
The search for the "picture car" which was a 1965 Mark 1, not a 1A like mine,
goes on. There are also several Alpines claiming to be the original "gadget
car" which contained the pop up machine gun through the hood (no room with the
V8 to do that). I encourage anyone with more first hand information on these
interesting cars to help fill in the history.
Best Regards,
Bob in Sisters OR
Bob Bridgeford
541 549 9539
Sisters OR 97759
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