Cats Whiskers

[stuartb]

I found this poster in an old metal chest in a skip.

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[garyf]

Marvelous!

Needs putting up on the Garage Wall I reckon?

[bernd_st]

Looks proud and determined

[pruyter]

Today I received Cats Whiskers issue 105 and as always it was a pleasure reading it.
But there is one little error on page 45 which I like to correct. The Panhard PL 17 Tigre is mentioned as the reason why Rootes had to sell the Tiger as Alpine 260 in Europe,but at the same time there is mentioned a Britisch Tiger in the garage of Jay Leno. Now, how is that possible: Alpine 260 in Europe and Tiger in the UK while, if I remember correctly (which I do,) the whole of the UK is a geographical part of Europe? This is a contradiciton.
Yes I know that the Brits prefer to think that they are not Europeans but like it or not even after Brexit is effected the whole of the UK stays a geographical part of Europe

Regards,

Peter

[pushrod]

I think Graham is correct. regarding the Tiger name sur le continent.
It worked the other way in the UK with Renault, they could not sell the Alpine GTA/610 in the UK as an Alpine, it was branded as a Renault as Rootes had the trademark for the Alpine name in the UK. This trademark did not apply on mainland Europe. Likewise with the Tiger.

[pruyter]

The essence of my remark is that the text in CW is talking about Europe while it concerns a part of Europe. The mainland Europe isn't precise either because Britain is not the only island that is part of Europe. I write this with a smile because I have seen it over and over again that a lot of Brits talk or write about the UK and Europe while this is ridiculous: the Uk is a geographical part of Europe. I remember once that I was confronted with costs of posting parts from Australia and I had to choose between Europe ,the UK and the rest of the world with different prices, so I had to contact the seller in order to clarify this for me. The result was that the price for posting was the same for what he called Europe and the UK.
So you see being precise can save one for unwanted problems. So even some Australians have no exact geographical knowledge...

Regards,

Peter

[gvickery]

I take your point Peter. Yes I used Europe in a generalised way and us Brits are guilty of forgetting the UK is part of the Continent and 'Europe'!!
Personally, I prefer that the UK remain in Europe!!

It is ironic that in fact the Sunbeam Tiger was first labelled at the design stage as 'Alpine IV Project 260'. (see image below).
This was soon shortened to 'Alpine 260'.
The supply of 'Alpine 260' wing & boot (fender & trunk) badge / motifs had been ordered and delivered to Pressed Steel before the factory decided to go with 'Sunbeam Tiger' in late March 1964. Too late to change the badge!!

So every Tiger in Europe including the UK received 'Alpine 260' badges!!

GV

[gvickery]

***CATS WHISKERS #105 IS OUT NOW - 48 COLOUR PAGES***

[garyf]

Interesting reading Graham

My late Mk1 is fitted with Sunbeam V8 Badges not Alpine 260, is this correct?

Gary

[gvickery]

Gary - The motifs on your Tiger should be 'Alpine 260'. GV