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Bob Hokanson's 322cid Ford V8 Powered 1965 Sunbeam Tiger

Bob Hokanson · 1965 Sunbeam Tiger

Sunbeam Tiger

BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports carsas published in British V8 Newsletter, Volume XIV Issue 3, December 2006

Read the full write-up at BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars ↗

Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars

A 1965 Sunbeam Tiger rebuilt with a 322ci Ford stroker V8

Bob Hokanson turned a rough, accident-damaged 1973-purchase Tiger into an autocross and drag strip regular, nicknamed T-GRRR, by building a 322 cubic inch Ford stroker motor with help from Ted King of Larson and King. The write-up covers the engine build, driveline, suspension and brake upgrades, nitrous and ignition work, and the car's competition history.

Specs

As stated in the original write-up.

Engine
322 cu. in. Ford stroker V8 built on a Boss 302 four-bolt-main block with a Reath crank, Boss rods and modified TRW flat-top pistons
Camshaft
Crower roller-tappet cam, 292 degrees duration, 0.597 inch lift
Cylinder heads
Ported 351W heads with Pro Magnum roller rockers, 1.94 inch intake and 1.60 inch exhaust valves
Induction
Four synchronized Weber IDA48 carburetors
Nitrous
NOS direct port nitrous system with fogger nozzles
Ignition
Electromotive distributorless direct-fire system with custom crank trigger
Clutch
Hays clutch with McLeod hydraulic throwout bearing in a Lakewood scattershield
Gearbox
T5 five-speed manual with Hurst shifter
Rear axle
Salisbury rear with Dana 44 Powerlock center section, modified Ford 9 inch big-bearing axles shortened and resplined
Cooling
Oversized aluminum radiator replacing an inadequate 4 row fat core unit
Front suspension
Adjustable coilover independent front suspension with tubular A-arms and improved Ackerman angle
Front brakes
JFZ 4-piston calipers with 12-1/8 inch rotors
Rear brakes
Ford Granada calipers with cable-operated parking brake
Fuel system
Harwood fuel cell mounted in trunk alongside NOS bottle and battery
Wheels
16x8 Enkei 92 wheels
Tyres
225x40 Yokohama A520 tyres
Interior
Huntmaster recliners with a custom console
Body
Cowl-induction hood scoop, polished aluminum trunk panels

Parts used

Parts named as used in the original write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.

Engine 7

Fuel & Ignition 4

  • Weber IDA48 carburetors (set of 4)Weber

    Synchronized set providing induction for the stroker V8

    In the shops
    Manifold, inlet, Weber DCOE ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £476.26 GBP
    Weber DCOE 45 Air Filter, Pair ↗Racetorations· £41.25 GBP
    Weber DCOE 40 Air Filter, Pair ↗Racetorations· £41.25 GBP
  • NOS direct port nitrous system with fogger nozzlesNOS

    Adds nitrous boost, mounted behind the carburetors

    In the shops
    Nitrous Express Dual Nozzle Nitrous System ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $1,291.93 USD
  • Electromotive distributorless direct-fire ignitionElectromotive

    Direct-fire system with custom crank trigger, coil pack hidden under a polished panel

  • Harwood fuel cellHarwood

    Mounted in the trunk alongside the NOS bottle and battery

Cooling 1

Gearbox & Drivetrain 7

Suspension & Steering 2

Brakes 2

Wheels & Tyres 2

Body & Trim 2

Interior 1

  • Huntmaster recliner seatsHuntmaster

    Flank a custom console in the cabin

Photos

20 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.

downdraft webers with velocity stacksPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
velocity stacks on downdraft webersPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Weber IDA48 carburetorsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
NOS direct port nitrous system with fogger nozzlesPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Electromotive direct ignition coil packPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
custom crank trigger for Electromotive direct ignitionPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
oversized aluminum radiatorPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Tiger coilover IFSPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
coilover front suspension for TigerPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
JFZ 4-piston caliperPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Ford Granada caliperPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
polished aluminum panelsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
NOS bottle / Harwood fuel cellPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Huntmaster reclinersPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
cowl-induction hood scoopPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Tiger sighted at Yellowstone ParkPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Woodburn DragstripPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
autocross championPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Autumn 1973Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Donate Now!Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars

How it was done

A rough start

Hokanson bought the Tiger in the autumn of 1973, describing it as very rough but affordable. The previous owner told him it had been in an end-over-end accident, leaving plenty of work ahead before it could become the car he wanted.

Building the stroker V8

With help from Ted King of Larson and King, Hokanson built a 322 cubic inch Ford stroker motor from a Boss 302 four-bolt-main block, Reath crank, Boss rods and modified TRW pistons. A Crower roller cam and Ted's ported 351W heads with Pro Magnum roller rockers rounded out the top end.

Fuel, fire and extra power

Four Weber IDA48 carburetors handle induction, hidden behind them is a NOS direct port nitrous system with fogger nozzles for extra power. Ignition comes from an Electromotive distributorless direct-fire system with a custom crank trigger, with the coil pack tucked beneath a polished aluminum panel.

Driveline and cooling

Power runs through a Hays clutch and McLeod hydraulic throwout bearing in a Lakewood scattershield to a T5 gearbox with a Hurst shifter, then to a Salisbury rear fitted with a Dana 44 Powerlock center section and shortened, resplined Ford 9 inch axles. An oversized aluminum radiator replaced the original undersized fat core unit.

Suspension and brakes

Hokanson fitted an adjustable coilover independent front suspension with tubular A-arms and improved Ackerman angle. Deciding the brakes needed improvement, he upgraded the fronts to JFZ 4-piston calipers with 12-1/8 inch rotors, while Ford Granada calipers at the rear provide a cable-operated parking brake.

Fuel cell, interior and finishing touches

Polished aluminum trunk panels conceal the NOS bottle, battery and a Harwood fuel cell. Inside, Huntmaster recliners flank a custom console, and the car wears a cowl-induction hood scoop with 225x40 Yokohama tyres on 16x8 Enkei 92 wheels.

On track and on the road

The Tiger, nicknamed T-GRRR, has seen competition at Woodburn Dragstrip and in autocross events with the Western Oregon and Washington Association of Sports Car Clubs, where Hokanson was class champion in 1978, 1980, 1985 and 1986. It also made a road trip to Yellowstone Park in 1999.

A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars ↗

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Bob Hokanson's 322cid Ford V8 Powered 1965 Sunbeam Tiger | Restomod Life