Friday 16th July 2004

TVR’s White Elephant to be Restored

Rescued from the graveyard

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West Lancs TVR Car Club member Howard Bryan has purchased Peter Wheeler’s Tasmin Holden prototype the ‘White Elephant’ as a 2 year restoration project.

The car was used by Peter Wheeler as a rolling test bed for the Holden 5-litre V8 engine which TVR were considering using during the late eighties. The Holden engine was never adopted by TVR even though performance tests saw the car reach speeds of up to 180mph. The White Elephant was subsequently shelved, being utilised for a while at the Blackpool site before being condemned to the graveyard at the back of the factory.

Howard Bryan along with fellow West Lancs wedge driver Tony Cole now begin a 22 month ground up restoration of this most impressive part of TVR’s history.

After testing and running the engine, the interior & engine bay will be catalogued and stripped, the body will be lifted off  – which could be interesting as the whole shell was over moulded and skinned whilst still actually attached to the chassis… Then the rolling chassis itself will be stripped, powder coated and carefully re-assembled.

Once the White Elephant is complete it will be driven to Blackpool and presented to Peter Wheeler for him to once again get behind the wheel and give the car his personal seal of approval. That having been granted the car shall embark on a tour of regional TVR car clubs and classic shows throughout the UK, with Howard & Tony ultimately planning on entering the car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Pictures of TVR's Graveyard take back in 2000

[FourWheelDrift]

Amazing to see what's there.

I wonder if the yellow Speed Six Griffith is still there too?

[taimar78]

Glad to see someone rescue this car. I saw it at the factory some years ago and wondered then why it, the Speed Eight,the Speed Twelve and many other prototypes weren't placed in a museum or something to keep them from rotting away.

[tvrman]

This is great news. I remember viewing the car at central TVR, when in my early 20's, when a TVR was a dream car.

One of those younger moments...

Webby

[ncs]

That is such a fantastic looking car - I was hoping someone would find it a good home.

I hope it finds its way to one of our meets when it does the tour!

Nick
SE London & NW Kent TVRCC

[900T-R]

FourWheelDrift said:

Amazing to see what's there. I wonder if the yellow Speed Six Griffith is still there too?

Now -that's- the TVR I really want!

[cotty]

FourWheelDrift said:

I wonder if the yellow Speed Six Griffith is still there too?

Do you mean this

[jmorgan]

Good to see it being looked after.

[wedg1e]

Now if tha Tasmin had always looked like that, they'd have sold millions.
Shame that the yellow Griff looks like a Porsche Boxster...

Ian

[DustyC]

TVR need their balls kicking for allowing this to happen. They should let the TVRCC in on all the prototypes for retoration projects.

[900T-R]

As a matter of interest - what happened to any/all Griffith AJP8 prototype(s) built?

[Graham]

MMMMM if the body is an over moulded shell 350i fhc presumerably...

If moulds were made it would be possible to build a race replica from an exiting 350 ......


And if its to be put on the road, it would surley make sence to make some moulds as it would be criminal if it were damaged iin an RTA...


Can it be put back on the road or is it to be a show car ?



>> Edited by Graham on Friday 16th July 13:47

[RichardR]

Great news that this is being restored. I'll look forward to seeing it at a Berks meeting...

O/T Anyone happen to know why they've got an S3 at the factory (top right of this photo)?

[woof]

not so sure that's the graveyard - looks like the customer new car collection point to me (LOL !! ) sorry chaps couldn't help myself

[RichB]

So is that a Speed 12, the one with just a chassis/frame and a load of wire coat hangers stretched over it!

[cirks]

Despite seeing the car in the flesh and in plenty of other pictures, is it just me that thinks this shot makes it have a passing resemblance to the Porker 928?

[DustyC]

RichB said:

So is that a Speed 12, the one with just a chassis/frame and a load of wire coat hangers stretched over it!

Looks like a speed 6 engine in it, difficult to see if there is a right bank or not.

Someone mentioned that TVR still have the last S4 that they built. Perhaps thats the one in the photo.

[gbbird]

cirks said:

Despite seeing the car in the flesh and in plenty of other pictures, is it just me that thinks this shot makes it have a passing resemblance to the Porker 928?

your right - it does. But only at that angle

Still looks mighty fine though

[RichardR]

cirks said:

Despite seeing the car in the flesh and in plenty of other pictures, is it just me that thinks this shot makes it have a passing resemblance to the Porker 928?

I reckon the rear has something of the original Audi Coupe about it... :sratchchin:

[/quote]

[roop]

That would be Mrs Wheeler's S4 - the last one ever built. It's completely knackered becasue it was sat out in the elements for years and the chassis rotted away.

RichardR said:

O/T Anyone happen to know why they've got an S3 at the factory (top right of this photo)?

[anonymous-user]

What's going on with the bonnet of the Tuscan on the ramp in the background of this photograph:

Looks like something's been cloned out, but what?