First registered by Humber Ltd in February 1965 and used as a photographic and press car. As such, it appears in various period road tests, copies of which are on file. EDU 296C was also widely used in the 1965 Columbia Pictures psychological thriller ‘Bunny Lake is Missing’, with Laurence Olivier.
There’s original green log book, along with the original invoice from Rootes to the first owner Mr Dessar Esq in 1967 for the sum of £867 (including a four month warranty). There are bills and paperwork since this date, with a very extensive history file, the Tiger often returning to Rootes for service work in the early days. Mr Dessar was a long term owner, keeping the Tiger until at least the late 1970s. It has had six known owners from new.
In 1987 EDU was upgraded with a ‘breathed on’ 289 fast road engine. Correspondence on file from a previous owner outlines new headers, fast-road cam, 4-branch manifolds with handmade twin Stainless Steel exhaust, electronic ignition and uprated clutch giving it a rolling-road figure of well over 300 bhp. Having demonstrated it on track at the recent Flywheel Festival here at Bicester Heritage, it certainly doesn’t seem like an exaggeration!
Finished in red with a black leather interior with red piping and Minilight wheels, this is a quick Tiger that would be suitable for fast road touring and the occasional sprint, hillclimb or trackday. A Tiger in excellent condition with a fascinating, complete history; not quite a Works car, but probably the next best thing.