3000S Prototype how many left

[oliverb205]

Yes, the rear bodywork is 3000M based rather than Taimar/3000S based, you can see that the rear bumpers don't sit flush too. I also suspect that the front inner wings are not double skimmed like the later Taimars and 3000Ss. I think the door bottoms are flatter too. I am pretty sure that this was the factory's first attempt at a convertible, so it is a 3000M based conversion by TVR.

Oliver.

PS. I like the plate on your Griffith, I have TVR301S (3000S) and B205TVR (wife's Toyota).

[dryden]

Er... Is this the difference between a 3000S and a Taimar convertible???!

[pridaux]

dryden said:

Er... Is this the difference between a 3000S and a Taimar convertible???!

You never know you could be right but you would need to ask the editor of ROAD and TRACK sure they might know

[jonnylayze]

oliverb205 said:

Yes, the rear bodywork is 3000M based rather than Taimar/3000S based, you can see that the rear bumpers don't sit flush too. I also suspect that the front inner wings are not double skimmed like the later Taimars and 3000Ss. I think the door bottoms are flatter too. I am pretty sure that this was the factory's first attempt at a convertible, so it is a 3000M based conversion by TVR.

Oliver.

PS. I like the plate on your Griffith, I have TVR301S (3000S) and B205TVR (wife's Toyota).

Thanks - it came with the car! If this was the factory's first attempt, is it the Martin Lilley car which was originally fitted with aero screens? It was featured in Motor Sport c. 1978 (a little before my time....)

[pridaux]

unless the doors have been changed and altered no as the Boat had flat doors without the curve.
A

[oliverb205]

As Andrew says, I think it was probably their second attempt at a convertible.

Oliver.

[pridaux]

oliverb205 said:

As Andrew says, I think it was probably their second attempt at a convertible.

Oliver.

Maybe when Martin Reads this he maybe can let us know if it was the second prototype it seems like the 3000s took a lot of trial and error to get to what we have just a shame like Morgan it did not continue as a retro classic with just modern systems added in the way Morgan has over the years.
Andrew

[Slow M]

jonnylayze said:

If you look between the bumpers on an M the rear bodywork sweeps down in a clean curve above the exhaust pipes.

On a Taimar, there is an angular section which I always took to be a way of reintroducing some rigidity into the shell after the boot had been let into it. A 3000S shares this piece of bodywork with the Taimar and this is clearly common to some of the prototypes (see pictures of the rear of the green car without a boot earlier in the thread. The red Rockingham car has rear bodywork like a 3000M and unlike a Taimar - or a production 3000Ss

Was the red car a genuine factory car or cut down from a 3000m (which would admittedly have been a lot of work)?

Thanks, never noticed that.

Best,
B.

[Slow M]

Adrian@ said:

I...I...I
JUST need add the... Taimar turbo,1600M, 3000M, Taimar, Griffith 500, and Chimaera 500

Very funny! Classics are done. As I don't venture out beyond the classics section much, you'll have to wait for the others to become classics, if I'm going to have any part of it. Not to worry though, the way time is spinning past, that could be around the middle of next week.

Best,
B.

[davepen]

pridaux said:

From all the replies it looks like there was a lot of development work to get to the final 3000s was this the first model where there was this number of prototypes.

I wouldn't infer that; the list of nearly consecutive chassis numbers from Ian shows that these cars were built as a batch. (TVRCC Sprint had these lists in about 1990:- I think our copies are now at my brother's MiL.) The later batches had a boot lid, but that doesn't mean that this first batch were development prototypes - more likely sales demonstrators. I remember a row of Speed Six Cerbera demonstrators at a Back Home one year. I think prototype is just a lazy label for this first batch of cars.

The reg plate XKU3L is pictured in both "Success against the Odds" and "Ever the Extrovert" on a 3000M. The club archive section has a picture of it on a roadster with aero screens. This has scalloped door tops. It would appear to be an article from the 1970s. I'm sure it was also pictured in Motor Sport in the day - my first view of an open TVR - it would appear that might be the Oct 75 edition. (Ever the Extrovert also says Oct 75 - so must visit the BiL's library). You might say that it took a few years to then get the first batch built, but the Taimar was released in this period.

Also to clarify - one of the links has Rob2a talking about a blue car - Rob is my brother and so is talking about HCK836S

[pridaux]

Adrian@ said:

From a previous thread
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=15&...
Adrian@

So from that previous thread then the Red car on page 2 JHG891S is the original car but re bodied hence the confusion probably kept the doors hence the push button door handles etc.
Andrew

[jonnylayze]

So it is the car which originally had the aero screens but now with a full width screen? The bodywork to the rear of the doors ahead of the boot looks slightly different to a production S

[Slow M]

Some fun stuff to wake up you sleeping S people.
Around '82

John Wadman created a rig that would show off the underside of the M series chassis at the Toronto International Auto Show.

You can't imagine how impressed people were ... with the integrity of the exhaust pipes.






The 3000S hardtop is a nice shape. Wonder how many were made, and how much they sold for.

Best,
B.

[pridaux]

There where not that many hard tops made I believe 15 To 20.
The Yellow car is now owned by Martin Lilley and still has the hard top despite it blowing off once and ending up in a field in a previous owners care.
I believe Adrian has one for his Turbo.
I am told by David Gerald that getting them to fit properly was a pain and I think they still have the mould .
Andrew

[DavidY]

Another bootless one....

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C291133

[pridaux]

DavidY said:

Another bootless one....

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C291133

Hi David
That one has been a round for a long time twice on e bay twice reserve not met then I suspect went to them on consignment was entered into an auction in feb this year and still not sold.
Guess as prices rise it may become the right car at the right price just depends how keen the seller is to sell or is getting free storage
However pictures don't show how good or bad the restoration may be???.

Andrew

[coolb]

Hi guys
The green 3000s is now my car, I bought it two years ago from a chap in oxford. I am 80% through its restoration which has been difficult as many areas of the car were never really finished off. In hoping to put it on the road this summer. If anyone has any history on the car I would be very grateful for further in-sight to its past. I was told the car was owned originally by the main man at the Coventry hood factory but have no firm conformation of its history and the file I have is very sparse before 1988.
Brian

[pridaux]

Hi Brian
Thats Fantastic post some pictures of the before and after it would be great to see her a unique car you have there
You can loose that add on fog light as for that year its not needed for the MOT however if you want one Adrian does a modification that allows you to add one to the other lights that avoids cluttering up the rear
Andrew

Edited by pridaux on Monday 29th April 06:40

[coolb]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the info, Some before pics attached, will add the afters once finished. It is currently in the trim shop having a new (as original as I can make it) black interior. Now has a set of wolfrace wheels and is metallic silver.
Brian

[coolb]