Tigers 101

suntinez

Adventurist
Founding Member
This isn’t a build thread, just a summary of basic Tiger information. When I got my 1st Tiger I knew very little about them so it was a bit nerve wracking to buy one sight unseen 1500 miles away. Fortunately, it worked out well and I’m on my 3rd Tiger now.

As far as comfort goes, it’s hard to beat a Provan Tiger. With two sleeping areas, a full kitchen and bath and a pass through to the coach it has pretty much everything. Folks are always asking where to find one, and I’ve promised a lot of people these links so here they are (finally).

Provan Industries started building Tigers in 1986 and is still open for business, so you can buy them new. Their website is here.

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There are currently two online groups dedicated to Tigers, one is the yahoo group and the other is the new forum. Tigers for sale are sometimes cross posted from other places (ebay, craigslist, KSL, etc) there . RV.net and expeditionportal.com also have Tiger enthusiasts. There aren’t too many of them so if you’re in the market, patience may be needed. Since yahoo updated how groups work, I mostly just use the new site but both are still active. There's a lot more history on the yahoo site though.

If you want to see one, the last few years there has been an informal Tiger rally in CO in the summertime - check the forums. There's also a growing network of dealers for Tigers, this is new since Mark Guild took over the company.

Rob & Nina Blackwell aka “Whiteacorn” traveled the Americas for years in their 2007 Tiger CX, and kept a blog. They’ve since moved to an Earthroamer and then sold it to get a Unimog with a GXV camper on it. They definitely put the Tiger through its paces on their journeys.
 
Types of Tigers

Tigers are available on a number of different platforms, currently only truck-based models are being produced. The early production models were based on the Chevy astrovan, in either RWD or AWD and with either a pop-top or a fiberglass hardtop. Some folks have swapped transfer cases on these to make them true 4WD.

Tiger GT - astro pop-top

The astro-based pop-tops are called Tiger GTs, here’s my 2005 RWD GT. It was the last GT ever built since Chevy discontinued the astrovan line in 2005. This Tiger was only 16ft long, which made it perfect for parking in city spots, and paying car-size transport on ferries - it got measured many times.

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Tiger XL - astro hardtop

The astro-based hardtops are called Tiger XLs, here’s my 1991 AWD XL right after I got it. I made a LOT of changes to this thing, then sold it.

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a couple interior shots:
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Link to the lift I did on the XL is on the astrosafarivans forum here.

Link to Jeremy’s entertaining XL build is here.

Later model astro Tigers are hard to find, since Provan shifted the focus to truck-based platforms. Production numbers are OPIM “numbers”, my GT was OPIM 1019. I guess that means about 1000 had been produced at that time.

Tiger CXT - truck pop-top

There were a few truck-based pop-tops produced, those are called CXTs. These are pretty rare, I’ve only ever seen these built on Dodge trucks. Here’s a pic of one:

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ed604 ‘s CXT build can be found here.

Tiger CX - truck hardtop

The first truck based hardtops are called Tiger CXs and started production in 1991. They are built on Dodge, Chevy or Ford trucks with regular, extended or crew cab chassis. They’re called “Bengal CXs” now.

Here’s my current ride, a 2001 CX on a 4WD Ford F250 regular cab platform. It’s 19ft long and 10ft high since I added the AC unit.

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Bengal Tiger - taller truck hardtop

In 2010 the first Bengal TX Tiger was built on a Chevy dually 4WD platform. It’s very similar to the CX, except the fiberglass lid is different and allows for an extra 6” interior headroom. Shortbusadventures on Expo had the first Bengal built, his build thread is here.

Here’s a 2013 Bengal coach on the production floor. Notice the flares on the fiberglass top at the rear and the different windows.

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The interiors start out all pretty much the same, although obviously people modify to suit their needs. The L-shaped couch is the most common layout, but there was a booth-dinette layout in production for a while also.

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(this is from the yahoo group photo archives from one of the Tiger rallies)

Tiger #0001

After Dave Rowe sold Four Wheel Campers, he started Provan Industries which builds the Tiger motorhomes. The GTs and CXTs have the same bi-fold doors as the FWCs, so they’re closely related. Provan started out in CO, and later moved to West Columbia, SC. The first Tiger was built on a Chevy Vandura 3500, they managed to locate it and now have it at the factory. OPIM #0001

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interior:
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Siberian Tiger

When Dave Rowe sold Provan to Mark Guild in early 2009, quite a few changes ensued. Production-wise, Provan came out with the Siberian Tiger in 2012 – a very large model based on an Ford F450 gas (LT) or F550 diesel (HT) chassis. I don’t know too much about the Siberians, but the coach is very spacious and has a HUGE dry bath with a north-south upper bed orientation. Generally people perceive these as competition to the Earthroamer XV-LTs. Here’s the one they brought to OVX12. Siberian product specs are here.

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And one at the factory:

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Malayan Tiger

In 2013 they released the Malayan Tiger, I really like this one. It is floor to ceiling aluminum framed like the Siberian, without the fiberglass top. Both the LT and HT are available on a Chevy, Ford or Dodge chassis. Malayan product info is here.

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Coach construction

Reserved for Tiger coach construction / common issues, if I ever get around to it.

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Awesome thread Linda, thanks for sharing! :bowdown

I really like these, that Malayan size is perfect. The Siberian Tiger is dead sexy as well :drool

Provan is on the right path IMO.
 
Nice job on this write up. Really would love our Dodge to be CXT model. :)
 
I still miss our Tiger, seriously the most comfortable rig to travel in ever. Maybe I'll win the Mega Millions this week and I can finally travel the world in a new one!
 
Excellent thread topic, Linda, thanks for starting it.

Another blog of extended users of a Tiger is travelin-tortuga.com. I think they're in Italy now; they have put lots and lots of time in their Tiger.
 
Web sites with more info

The following web sites have good explanations of why to buy a Tiger Adventure Vehicle, what options to consider, and great photos of their travels.

Jon
Aiken, SC
 
Long time tiger fan and one recently came up for sell a few hundred miles from me. Its a 1994 on a chevy single cab.

The add:
"1994 Tiger Pro Van 4x4 RV.
Chevy 3/4 ton unit.
120,700 miles
Sleeps 4 with pull out couch and overhead bed. Runs and drives great, well maintained.
Full hook ups
3 burner, stove/oven
Microwave
Propane furnace, hot water heater
Dual kitchen sink
30 gallon fresh water tank
20 gallon grey water tank
17 gallon black water tank
Hard to find RV with four wheel drive. Easy to drive and park. Very reliable and comfortable."

My questions;

Besides rust and water leakes anything and the normal function testing of systems is there anything specific i need to look for or ask?

Prices seem to be all over the place when I look at these. What's y'alls opinion on a price range I should be shooting for? They are asking 8k for it.
 
General vehicle stuff (like maintenance records, condition of items like brakes, tires, body, suspension, interior, etc.). Figure out what is working or what is broken.

As for price, if it's in good shape, I would jump on that at 8K right away because if you don't, someone else will. They don't come up often and I would say that is a great price for a full size Tiger. Most in that price range are the Astro Van based ones.
 
Long time tiger fan and one recently came up for sell a few hundred miles from me. Its a 1994 on a chevy single cab.

The add:
"1994 Tiger Pro Van 4x4 RV.
Chevy 3/4 ton unit.
120,700 miles
Sleeps 4 with pull out couch and overhead bed. Runs and drives great, well maintained.
Full hook ups
3 burner, stove/oven
Microwave
Propane furnace, hot water heater
Dual kitchen sink
30 gallon fresh water tank
20 gallon grey water tank
17 gallon black water tank
Hard to find RV with four wheel drive. Easy to drive and park. Very reliable and comfortable."

My questions;

Besides rust and water leakes anything and the normal function testing of systems is there anything specific i need to look for or ask?

Prices seem to be all over the place when I look at these. What's y'alls opinion on a price range I should be shooting for? They are asking 8k for it.
Check out BritKLR's build,Adventure Tool Company's 4wd Provan Tiger Build it's pretty much what a '94 will be like and what it takes to bring it back.
 
HAW to bad, You need to be fast to catch a Tiger. Maybe a better deal will turn up for you. Next time you'll be ready!
 
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