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Submitted by MICHAEL SNAY (12/19/04):
"I was being measured, fitted and shoe horned into a future Tiger long
before I knew it. In 63 the Stinking Chevys were hammering the Fords at Lions
International Race Track in Santa Maria. I backed the minority few in the bleachers
for Ford. Dad was was running a big block Merc Marauder and doing well against
the sleds. .. Then it happened. The crowd favorite 63 fuel injected split window
black corvette was pitted against a woman driving an new 260 AC Cobra?? The
announcer made a bigger deal then normal because a girl of all things was driving
the funny little Cobra.. Ford powered no less?? I mean how embarrassing, another
Ford to go down to the P&H dynomotive 63 split window black corvette.. and to
heap insult a woman would drive the Ford. ... Off the line the little Cobra
sounded bad and had a slight edge. Then the lady missed a shift with second
gear and ahead shot the Vette. I took a deep breath and got ready for another
Ford trouncing. But when she found the gear and ran the undefeated black chevy
down the crown was stunned and silent. I turned around and yelled.." Ford rules"..that
nearly started a fight with arch rival chevy fans in the bleachers. Pops Merc
and that Cobra had unkowingly set the stage for the Tiger and it came on a sunny
day. We had the 170 c.i. falcon wagon working hard at 72 mph. High school friend
Darrel loved Fords like me and his Falcon was his poor boy college ride. We
just went under the overpass at Buellton, CA heading north when Darrel said
" Holly @#*!+*#@*" the first time I ever heard my friend cuss. His eyes were
open so wide on the rear view mirror that any wider, his eyeballs would have
fallen out of his head. The hair went up on the back of my neck, I snapped around
expecting to see the (pigs) period correct language for Hwy Patrol. Instead
I saw something new coming like a missile and pulling up its front end when
shifting. It went by us in the fast lane at what seemed a blurr twice our speed.
We struggled back and forth in excitement trying to identify this compact nasty
roar with amazing speed that had entered from the on ramp and over taken us
with insane ferocity. Darrel decided it must be the car he had heard and read
about... The "V-8 Sunbeam Tiger" . thoughts of past Merc and Cobra could be
held back no more and a lightning like bolt feeling burned itself into my very
being. Tiger would be mine some day. I promised that day to own this electrifying
car. Years later always In enjoyment and sometimes in stealth like driving,
I keep an eye out for that P&H Dynomotive black corvette. I haven't found the
Vette yet. No matter, I found my dream. Thanks!"
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