[Tigers] MkII VINs

Sat Jul 16 10:37:20 MDT 2016

Tom

                I don’t have all the records but here is what I have found.

Mk 1 production thru B382002706 = 6468

The highest B19KC engine # I have listed is 7577;  7577 – 999 = 6578, the number of 260 engines – there could be more I don’t know

That give us 110 more 260 engines than production Tigers.  There are of course variables involved here that are unaccounted for with the information I have available to me.

All of the engines that Rootes ordered  from Ford were most likely in house and stock piled by May 1966.  Therefore the 289 engines were available for install long before the end of the Mk I production and nearly 1 year before Mk II production started.  Those facts led us to wonder if production variations happened.

Let’s keep an open mind about all this and let the evidence speak for itself.

Ron Fraser

From: Tom Witt [mailto:atwittsend at verizon.net] 
Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2016 11:31 AM
To: Ron Fraser <rfraser at bluefrog.com>; tigers at Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re: [Tigers] MkII VINs

Not sure if this post goes through... (to the list) , the past few haven’t.

It would seem logical that there were a number of Mk 1A’s that were the pre-production prototypes for the Mk 2.  And, it would seem logical that most eventually found their way into some form of a general sale – even if only to Rootes employees.  Thus, the question is, would they have been sold as Mk 1A’s or completely updated to Mk 2’s? I’m doubting the latter based on the alterations needed to hide the beltline trim holes to convert Mk 1A to a Mk 2 (as one point among potentially many). If not updated visually (but were mechanically) it would seem at least plausible that a few Mk 1A’s were equipped with 289’s - even if they were not sold through the typical dealership method.   The potential Mk 1A/289 would likely not have been at the end of the Mk 1A run, but at whatever point the Mk 2 prototype development was started.

Another potential scenario would regard Rootes not having enough 260’s at the end of the Mk 1A run.  Thus using available 289’s that were either bought for Mk 2 prototypes, or waiting in the wings for the Mk 2. It would be interesting to know the number of 260’s ordered/shipped and the number of Mk 1, 1A’s produced. Also a factor would be the 260’s set aside for development/testing and warranty replacement (if any).

I’m not trying to create an Urban Legend nor support the Mk 1A 289. I’m only postulating the potential for it to have happened as I obviously have produced no evidence.  With that in mind I’d be happy to see evident that refutes the above concept and closes the door for thinking in that direction.

From: Ron Fraser via Tigers 

Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2016 5:39 AM

To: 'Tod Brown' ; tigers at Autox.Team.Net <mailto:tigers at Autox.Team.Net>  

Subject: Re: [Tigers] MkII VINs

Tod

                I don’t believe any Mk 1A originally came with a 289 engine.  I see no evidence of anything but the B19KC 260 engine group for the last production Mk 1A.  Norm Miller calls the 289 engine in Mk 1As a myth.  It would be nice to have real evidence to confirm either position.

My Original Tiger Engine Study does not contain specific information for the engines in the last dozen or so Mk 1As produced.  Owners lets change that.

I will gladly accept and examine engine information for any original Tiger engine.  I have a worksheet that is easy to fill out – just ask for one.

Ron Fraser

From: Tigers [mailto:tigers-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Tod Brown via Tigers

Sent: Friday, July 15, 2016 7:28 PM

To: tigers at autox.team.net <mailto:tigers at autox.team.net> 

Subject: Re: [Tigers] MkII VINs

Actually, there were two MkII's assembled by Rootes before production was turned 

over to Jensen. They carry serial numbers B382100001 and B382100002 but no JAL

numbers. The Jensen run began with B382100100 and ended with ...633. See the

note in the SS Catalog:

MARK II PRODUCTION NUMBERS VARY. CARS WITH

SERIAL # B382100001 

AND #B382100002 EXIST WITH NO JAL #’S (JENSEN ALPINE LTD. BODY #) 

WHICH INDICATES THE CARS WERE COMPLETELY ASSEMBLED BY ROOTES, 

NEVER GOING TO THE JENSEN PLANT AND MUST HAVE BEEN A PRE-

PRODUCTION PILOT CARS. THE NEXT MK II IS B382100

100 WHICH CARRIES 

A JAL NUMBER, THE FIRST OF THE MK II SERIES.

There were also six (IIRC) MkIA's fitted with the MkII mechanicals (289 block, wide-

ratio trans, modified Watts linkage, etc.) but were badged as MkIA's at the end of

the MkIA run at Jensen. 

Tod Brown

B382002384LRXFE

TAC 864 

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