RE: S1
Friday 1st January 1999

S1


Author
Discussion

Gatts

Original Poster:

25 posts

285 months

Monday 9th September 2002
quotequote all
My S1 was born in 1988, and it has twin bonnet release catches (one on either side of the car). I am told that these were only in the first 20 or so cars made. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks

Gatts

johno

8,593 posts

308 months

Monday 9th September 2002
quotequote all
I believe so yes ....

It also has the digital clock which I have only seen in early cars aswell. My S1.5 '89 has an analogue one ...

bills1

305 posts

296 months

Tuesday 10th September 2002
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I found this in the bible.
The first 20 or so S1s had twin bonnet pulls, digital clocks and the speedo and tach were not in a biased position. My S1 was first reg'd in Jan 1988 and has all the above.

muley

1,453 posts

307 months

Tuesday 10th September 2002
quotequote all
Well, my 1988 S1 has a digital clock, single bonnet pull and anti-clockwise TVR dials.

When I was looking for an S I did see one with twin bonnet pulls and clockwise Smiths dials - are the Smiths dials standard on the first 20?

shpub

8,507 posts

298 months

Tuesday 10th September 2002
quotequote all
Also bear in mind that the registration date is often later than the production date from the factory. As for using Smiths dials, the early cars were... no make that all of the cars had a policy of continual development which meant that minor things like the speedo faces and orientation changed from time to time and sometimes after the car was made. The whole S1.5 saga is a good example where parts were used as and when they could be sourced.

It makes dating by appaerance into a very inexact science...

Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

Gatts

Original Poster:

25 posts

285 months

Wednesday 11th September 2002
quotequote all
Thanks for your replies.

In addition to the twin bonnet pulls, my car has the digital clock/heater combo unit (as per the picture at the top pf the page) and the speedo and Tach (both TVR Logo'd) are in a standard (upright) orientation, with leather (not vinyl) dash, door panels and seats.

However, the steering wheel is not like the one in the above photo, it is a black flat 4 spoke one (the spokes are offsett to the left and right with a good view through the centre to see the dials) with black leather rim, and the usual allen keys around the centre cap with the TVR logo. The cap actually pulls off to reveal a single large threaded nut onto the steering column - I dont think the allen bolts actually do anything?

The dash is the same as the photo though, dark blue top and leather dashboard.

I have e-mailed the TVRCC to see if they have any history of my car from the VIN number.

johno

8,593 posts

308 months

Wednesday 11th September 2002
quotequote all
Marvyn Larner I believe still runs a register of registrations and he will be able to help you...

gatts

Original Poster:

25 posts

285 months

Wednesday 11th September 2002
quotequote all
Do you know how to contact Marvin?

Cotty

42,103 posts

310 months

Wednesday 11th September 2002
quotequote all
quote:

Thanks for your replies.

In addition to the twin bonnet pulls, my car has the digital clock/heater combo unit (as per the picture at the top pf the page) and the speedo and Tach (both TVR Logo'd) are in a standard (upright) orientation, with leather (not vinyl) dash, door panels and seats.

However, the steering wheel is not like the one in the above photo, it is a black flat 4 spoke one (the spokes are offsett to the left and right with a good view through the centre to see the dials) with black leather rim, and the usual allen keys around the centre cap with the TVR logo. The cap actually pulls off to reveal a single large threaded nut onto the steering column - I dont think the allen bolts actually do anything?

The dash is the same as the photo though, dark blue top and leather dashboard.

I have e-mailed the TVRCC to see if they have any history of my car from the VIN number.



The S1 in the pictures was mine, I believe the wooden steering wheel and gear knob were an option. There are a couple with a wooden dash in the same layout but are very rare indeed.

It was a 1988 and had a single bonnet pull

Couple of pics at http://uk.briefcase.yahoo.com/wraith34uk under my cars



>> Edited by Cotty on Wednesday 11th September 21:25

JSG

2,238 posts

309 months

Thursday 12th September 2002
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quote:

Do you know how to contact Marvin?


His name is Mervyn Larner

roy c

4,209 posts

310 months

Thursday 12th September 2002
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registrar@tvrcc.com

trevorlittlelegs

23 posts

291 months

Thursday 12th September 2002
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hi all
my s1 has twin bonnet pulls and the digital clock etc and also has the speedo and rev counter the traditional way up i have been told my car was about number 11 (it was also used in the steve heath bible reg number e357gby )(changed to e62tvr looks better)

M@H

11,298 posts

298 months

Thursday 12th September 2002
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quote:

Also bear in mind that the registration date is often later than the production date from the factory.


AS johno and I found out... our cars were about 160 cars apart in the production run (half a year) !

johno

8,593 posts

308 months

Thursday 12th September 2002
quotequote all
quote:

quote:

Also bear in mind that the registration date is often later than the production date from the factory.


AS johno and I found out... our cars were about 160 cars apart in the production run (half a year) !



In case you're not aware our Registrations are only 4 cars apart !!

M@H

11,298 posts

298 months

Thursday 12th September 2002
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Good point.. I'd just asumed everyone knew that

johno

8,593 posts

308 months

Thursday 12th September 2002
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Not long mate ....

Went to town cleaning mine last night and it looks amazing today. The bet it has looked for a long time.....

freebie

20 posts

298 months

Friday 13th September 2002
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I was curious to find out how early in the production regime my S1 was built. It has all the features of an early one but going off the chassis number and the '399' written in maker pen on the back of the handbrake cover (leather), it is actually no.399. Are these numbers less significant than I give them credit for?

shpub

8,507 posts

298 months

Friday 13th September 2002
quotequote all
quote:

I was curious to find out how early in the production regime my S1 was built. It has all the features of an early one but going off the chassis number and the '399' written in maker pen on the back of the handbrake cover (leather), it is actually no.399. Are these numbers less significant than I give them credit for?


Yes and no.

Yes when they mean something and no when they don't. The trouble is knowing which case applies. This registration vs chassis is quite common as the majority of cars where registered around August but were built throughout the year. The 399 is usually associated with the production run but was it the 399th S or the 399th TVR built that year? Or was it from another car entirely? Or did the eght fade and the number is actually 668?

Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

mash

121 posts

278 months

Saturday 31st July 2004
quotequote all
The S1 pictured now belongs to me. she was in a bit of a sorry state when I acquired her and has been undergoing a process of improvement over the last eighteen months. We all know what that means, head under the bonnet and one hand in the wallet.....Would be interested to know a bit of her history as I know she had a lot of replacement parts, clutch, gearbox etc.
The driving pleaure is still there, somewhat enhanced by the fitting of a Peninsula split pipe system and manifolds and uprated shocks and springs, although every little rattle produces a bit more paranoia....

Cotty

42,103 posts

310 months

Sunday 1st August 2004
quotequote all
mash said:
The S1 pictured now belongs to me. she was in a bit of a sorry state when I acquired her and has been undergoing a process of improvement over the last eighteen months. We all know what that means, head under the bonnet and one hand in the wallet.....Would be interested to know a bit of her history as I know she had a lot of replacement parts, clutch, gearbox etc.
The driving pleaure is still there, somewhat enhanced by the fitting of a Peninsula split pipe system and manifolds and uprated shocks and springs, although every little rattle produces a bit more paranoia....


Check my profile, I ran that S1 E114 JRD for three years as my only car. What do you want to know