Completion date: the Prom in four years

My name is Pierce Gipe.  I’m 14 years old and live in Ohio with my parents and two older brothers.  In 2020, my older brother, Rowan, bought a 1973 Triumph GT6 to restore.  It took four years, but it now looks as good as new!  When I saw them restoring that car, I thought to myself, “How much fun would it be to have a really fast and nice sounding car, but said car looks tame?” My dad then introduced me to the Sunbeam Tiger.

I’ve loved Sunbeam Tigers ever since. The thought of sitting at a red light while a Prius driver sits there and wonders what the heck is going on with my car has captivated me. The connection of the Tiger to the Shelby Cobra has also given me a big interest and love for these cars. The overall mix of a classy look but nice sounding engine has motivated me to acquire and (hopefully without losing my mind) restore it.

I know those cars are very valuable, so I wasn’t sure our budget would allow us to restore one.  A few months ago, my dad made a Facebook post showing Rowan’s project and explaining that we wanted a car with a cool story.  We also wanted to find a previous owner who would be as excited about the project as we are.  After a few weeks, we got a call from Mr. Mike Mooney (an old time TEAE member).  He offered to sell us his very original, complete car for a very reasonable price.

We made the trip to Statesville, NC to visit Mr. Mooney in October.  I would best describe him as a very caring and hospitable man who has a love for a variety of old classics. He test drove the Griffith cars back in 1963 and has since then written a book on the Griffiths vast history.

My favorite part about the trip was meeting Mr. Mooney himself. Hearing about his history with the Griffiths and the U.S Marine Corps was very interesting. He had originally wanted to restore the car himself but was injured and just couldn’t do it. When he found our post about trying to buy a Sunbeam Tiger, he thought we would do a great job caring for his once daily driver.

The part of this project I’m most excited about is starting up the engine for the first time. I can’t wait to hear the rumbling yet aggressive sounds of the Ford V8 engine. I also can’t wait to restore the interior and test out how comfy the seats really are.

I need the most help with welding. We have a MIG welder in our workshop, but my dad has never welded a car body. As for me, I have no clue how to even start the thing which could possibly be an issue. We may also need to learn the best welding technique so the body will look smooth when we finish.

My brother, Rowan, and I will be writing an article each month about our project – one month will be me, and the next will be Rowan.  I invite you to follow along!  If you would like to contact us, send an email to  hobbestiger65@gmail.com.  We would love to hear from you with tips, encouragement, or even just pictures of your cool ride.