How Many 4.3 Precat Griffiths are there now
Discussion
bluezeeland said:
The Bible states a total number of 716, consisting of 4.0, 4.0HC, 4.3, 4.3BV and 4.5BV, so surely them 706 can't be correct ?
Total number of Griff' is stated as 2445....
Frank
So, we need to take out the 4.0, 4.0HC and 4.5BV (these must be very rare)? Anyone any idea? Regards, PeteTotal number of Griff' is stated as 2445....
Frank
witenuckles said:
If you're interested in extending this survey to the 4.5BV then mine is a 1992 factory made pre-cat 4.5BV.
Hi Whitenuckles, yes that would be great to include the very rare 4.5BV. Please post some pictures and also put your details in the Wicki list I have started for the 4.3's. All the best, Pete
Another 4.3 owner here, I’m on my third pre-cat. I originally bought the factory 4.3BV from TVR, when they were having a clear out of their various cars, FFG now has that one.
A few years later on I bought a 4 litre and even although it had the ‘gas flowed 250 heads’ the best I ever saw on a couple of different dynos was 212 bhp at the flywheel and although the torque wasn’t too bad it ran out of puff very quickly and just did not want to rev. I couldn’t believe how different the two cars were, if I am honest, the 4 litre was such a disappointment performance wise compared to the 4.3BV.
When another factory BV came up for sale, I bought that and then sold the 4 litre. Over the last year or so I have completely rebuilt the car but adding subtle, old school (reversible) modifications to get the best from the chassis and engine.
With these engines, it’s not just the bigger valves, there is also a lot of porting and polishing, a lightweight flywheel, double valve springs, a 214 cam, vernier timing chain and it is all nicely balanced as standard. The attached document is the original engine build sheet for the car I have now, which lists the parts list TVR added. If you’re interested the link below for the chassis restoration shows some close ups of the engine ports.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.51380646...
Adding the ACT carbon trumpets, a 20AM airflow meter, smooth intake ducts, 250cc injectors, the ACT manifolds (with slightly smaller primaries which work far better) and a full custom map from Mark Adams produced 310 bhp and 294 lb ft torque on the dyno he uses. The engine just screamed around the rev range compared to the 4 litre and the bhp was still climbing at 6250 rpm, not like a rover engine at all. At the higher revs it also sounds completely different to my 4 litre, you just wouldn’t believe there was only 300cc different.
In terms of numbers of factory big valve engines, on page 201 of the book ‘The Griffith Story’, Dom Tricket confirms that based on the records held by TVR Power there were 28 factory 4.3 BVs with a further 10 post production upgrades. I am sure that there have since been more engines converted post end of production, but still, the original factory BVs are very rare.
A few years later on I bought a 4 litre and even although it had the ‘gas flowed 250 heads’ the best I ever saw on a couple of different dynos was 212 bhp at the flywheel and although the torque wasn’t too bad it ran out of puff very quickly and just did not want to rev. I couldn’t believe how different the two cars were, if I am honest, the 4 litre was such a disappointment performance wise compared to the 4.3BV.
When another factory BV came up for sale, I bought that and then sold the 4 litre. Over the last year or so I have completely rebuilt the car but adding subtle, old school (reversible) modifications to get the best from the chassis and engine.
With these engines, it’s not just the bigger valves, there is also a lot of porting and polishing, a lightweight flywheel, double valve springs, a 214 cam, vernier timing chain and it is all nicely balanced as standard. The attached document is the original engine build sheet for the car I have now, which lists the parts list TVR added. If you’re interested the link below for the chassis restoration shows some close ups of the engine ports.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.51380646...
Adding the ACT carbon trumpets, a 20AM airflow meter, smooth intake ducts, 250cc injectors, the ACT manifolds (with slightly smaller primaries which work far better) and a full custom map from Mark Adams produced 310 bhp and 294 lb ft torque on the dyno he uses. The engine just screamed around the rev range compared to the 4 litre and the bhp was still climbing at 6250 rpm, not like a rover engine at all. At the higher revs it also sounds completely different to my 4 litre, you just wouldn’t believe there was only 300cc different.
In terms of numbers of factory big valve engines, on page 201 of the book ‘The Griffith Story’, Dom Tricket confirms that based on the records held by TVR Power there were 28 factory 4.3 BVs with a further 10 post production upgrades. I am sure that there have since been more engines converted post end of production, but still, the original factory BVs are very rare.
Some great information there FactBV
Great pictures too. The exhaust ports look like mine. Bloody wafer thin between a couple of them.
Do you have problems with the exhaust gaskets?
I've had no end of problems with mine, until I got a set of gaskets made to a template and they've been good since.
Great pictures too. The exhaust ports look like mine. Bloody wafer thin between a couple of them.
Do you have problems with the exhaust gaskets?
I've had no end of problems with mine, until I got a set of gaskets made to a template and they've been good since.
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