A short story...
Discussion
This is a short piece that I wrote shortly after bringing my first TVR home in February. Unfortunately it never made it into "Sprint", but it seems a shame not to ever have anyone but me read it 
Hope it's not too boring 
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
My first awareness of TVRs began nearly twenty years ago. At the time, I was going out with a girl whose brother owned the local TVR dealership, Harrogate Horseless Carriages. Now, at twenty-one years of age and with a fairly impressive, or so I thought at the time, Renault 5 in my charge, complete with vinyl roof and white XR3 look-alike wheel trims, these cool and flashy sports cars didn’t really register much in my mind, me being a humble youth whose idea of flash was a new set of yellow tinted fog lights.
The dream first flickered into life five years later when I was parked up at the side of the road one summer’s day. Over the brow of the hill came a line of about five or six cars, the last of which was a bright yellow 350i. The driver poked the nose out, took one look down the mile or so straight and, seeing it empty, let rip. I don’t have to tell you the sound it made – starting with a spine tingling roar, by the time it flew past me it was howling as if all the hounds in hell had been let loose, leaving me with that awesome sound forever lodged in my head. I had to have one, I didn’t know when, I didn’t know how, I just knew that one day I would have a car that sounded like that.
Since that day I have owned some very nice cars, from the near faultless V12 engined Jaguar to what I personally believe is still the best car on the road today, the V8 Range Rover. All the time though, that dream was still there, niggling away, one day, one day.
I met Vicki, my wife, just over three years ago and, one drunken night, she proclaimed, “I tell you what, I’ll buy you a TVR for your 40th birthday!” which, nice thought though it was, I didn’t hold out too much hope for, mainly because my original dream car of a bright yellow 350i with biscuit hide and a black roof had moved slightly with the times and transformed into one of the newer, and considerably more expensive, Chimaeras.
The defining moment was sometime last December and is thanks to that fine British actor Richard E. Grant, you know the one, the Argos, or “Ahhh Arguus” TV commercials. Well, in the Christmas commercial, whilst all his guests are opening their presents, his hopeful assistant asks “Haven’t you forgotten someone?” “Of course!” he says, dragging the assistant to the front door and flinging it open to reveal a shiny red Lamborghini with a bow on it… “Happy Christmas – to me!”
What a damn fine idea!
With my 40th birthday just four months away, a more perfect excuse will be hard to come by. My first contact was with Rich Abbott (edited to say - who we all know and love as Gemini
), the Area Organiser for North Yorkshire who in turn put me in touch with Rob Ingleby, of ‘Findasportscar.com’. I cannot recommend Rob too highly. A true TVR enthusiast, he gave me endless advice and opinions and, when it became clear that the 5 litre Griffith was the car I wanted, he immediately supplied me with details and photos of two ideal cars that he had already been to inspect. The first one we missed as it had been sold just a few days earlier, but the second… it was beautiful, bright red with grey leather and full service history.
I drove my first TVR up from Hertfordshire four weeks ago now and have to say, in those four weeks it has given me an immense amount of pleasure, the sound, the looks, even confirmation of the fact that it isn’t just me who winds my car window down to hear the sound of big V8 burbling away – other people do it too – I just can’t quite get my head around the fact that it’s my car they’re listening to!
On a future note, I plan to drive the car down through France, over the Pyrenees and on to the South of Spain in August so, watch this space.
Oh, and lest I forget, although the car has been residing in Hertfordshire for the last year or so, the garage where it came from and spent the first five years of its life being serviced? You got it… Harrogate Horseless Carriages!
Written March 03... alas, never published... until now
Hope it's not too boring WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
My first awareness of TVRs began nearly twenty years ago. At the time, I was going out with a girl whose brother owned the local TVR dealership, Harrogate Horseless Carriages. Now, at twenty-one years of age and with a fairly impressive, or so I thought at the time, Renault 5 in my charge, complete with vinyl roof and white XR3 look-alike wheel trims, these cool and flashy sports cars didn’t really register much in my mind, me being a humble youth whose idea of flash was a new set of yellow tinted fog lights.
The dream first flickered into life five years later when I was parked up at the side of the road one summer’s day. Over the brow of the hill came a line of about five or six cars, the last of which was a bright yellow 350i. The driver poked the nose out, took one look down the mile or so straight and, seeing it empty, let rip. I don’t have to tell you the sound it made – starting with a spine tingling roar, by the time it flew past me it was howling as if all the hounds in hell had been let loose, leaving me with that awesome sound forever lodged in my head. I had to have one, I didn’t know when, I didn’t know how, I just knew that one day I would have a car that sounded like that.
Since that day I have owned some very nice cars, from the near faultless V12 engined Jaguar to what I personally believe is still the best car on the road today, the V8 Range Rover. All the time though, that dream was still there, niggling away, one day, one day.
I met Vicki, my wife, just over three years ago and, one drunken night, she proclaimed, “I tell you what, I’ll buy you a TVR for your 40th birthday!” which, nice thought though it was, I didn’t hold out too much hope for, mainly because my original dream car of a bright yellow 350i with biscuit hide and a black roof had moved slightly with the times and transformed into one of the newer, and considerably more expensive, Chimaeras.
The defining moment was sometime last December and is thanks to that fine British actor Richard E. Grant, you know the one, the Argos, or “Ahhh Arguus” TV commercials. Well, in the Christmas commercial, whilst all his guests are opening their presents, his hopeful assistant asks “Haven’t you forgotten someone?” “Of course!” he says, dragging the assistant to the front door and flinging it open to reveal a shiny red Lamborghini with a bow on it… “Happy Christmas – to me!”
What a damn fine idea!
With my 40th birthday just four months away, a more perfect excuse will be hard to come by. My first contact was with Rich Abbott (edited to say - who we all know and love as Gemini
), the Area Organiser for North Yorkshire who in turn put me in touch with Rob Ingleby, of ‘Findasportscar.com’. I cannot recommend Rob too highly. A true TVR enthusiast, he gave me endless advice and opinions and, when it became clear that the 5 litre Griffith was the car I wanted, he immediately supplied me with details and photos of two ideal cars that he had already been to inspect. The first one we missed as it had been sold just a few days earlier, but the second… it was beautiful, bright red with grey leather and full service history. I drove my first TVR up from Hertfordshire four weeks ago now and have to say, in those four weeks it has given me an immense amount of pleasure, the sound, the looks, even confirmation of the fact that it isn’t just me who winds my car window down to hear the sound of big V8 burbling away – other people do it too – I just can’t quite get my head around the fact that it’s my car they’re listening to!
On a future note, I plan to drive the car down through France, over the Pyrenees and on to the South of Spain in August so, watch this space.
Oh, and lest I forget, although the car has been residing in Hertfordshire for the last year or so, the garage where it came from and spent the first five years of its life being serviced? You got it… Harrogate Horseless Carriages!
Written March 03... alas, never published... until now
Yup ... I was given a lift by a a really mousey guy that I used to work with when we had to go to a meeting at the head office back in 1990 - turned out he had a 350i ... have wanted one *EVER SINCE*.
Now at the point where we're very seriously looking for one and yes ... the car windows get wound down for every passing Tiv I see. (Much easier now that I have reasonable cars with electric windows then in the crap I used to drive as a student!!!)
Phil
Now at the point where we're very seriously looking for one and yes ... the car windows get wound down for every passing Tiv I see. (Much easier now that I have reasonable cars with electric windows then in the crap I used to drive as a student!!!)
Phil
This sounds very much like the first time I "encountered" a TVR!
On the way home from holiday with my parents about 15 years ago ( I was 13) we came out of Gatwick where the perimeter road goes through a tunnel just as someone was going through there in a 350i, foot to the floor. That car was yellow as well and I can still remember the impact it had on me.
A couple of years ago I decided that I'd save up and get a 390se, which then progressed to a Griffith 500 (always the car I'd wanted) and in February this year Rob Ingleby found a fantastic 95N Grif 500 for me.
It's already cost me a few quid to have an oil leak sorted out and unfortunately I can only really drive it at weekends but it's just unbelievable fun.
I know exactly what you mean when it comes to the attention you get. I used to wind the windows down when a Tiv went past and just thought I was being a bit sad but I've noticed it several times in mine, especially since having the sports exhaust mod done, which by the way I'd strongly recommend.
So far the only negative comment I've had about it was from my 4 year old nephew. Upon first seeing it I asked him what he thought. "It's a bit girly isn't it, it's a girls car" he said!!!
He's young I guess, he'll learn!!
On the way home from holiday with my parents about 15 years ago ( I was 13) we came out of Gatwick where the perimeter road goes through a tunnel just as someone was going through there in a 350i, foot to the floor. That car was yellow as well and I can still remember the impact it had on me.
A couple of years ago I decided that I'd save up and get a 390se, which then progressed to a Griffith 500 (always the car I'd wanted) and in February this year Rob Ingleby found a fantastic 95N Grif 500 for me.
It's already cost me a few quid to have an oil leak sorted out and unfortunately I can only really drive it at weekends but it's just unbelievable fun.
I know exactly what you mean when it comes to the attention you get. I used to wind the windows down when a Tiv went past and just thought I was being a bit sad but I've noticed it several times in mine, especially since having the sports exhaust mod done, which by the way I'd strongly recommend.
So far the only negative comment I've had about it was from my 4 year old nephew. Upon first seeing it I asked him what he thought. "It's a bit girly isn't it, it's a girls car" he said!!!
He's young I guess, he'll learn!!
simpo one said:
So... did she pay for it then?
Did she bollox
She'll just have to make up for it in babysitting!!
Glad she hasn't got internet access! or
head!! Ay up Jess... long time no hear... and you haven't got one!... you've got a Chimaera
Now that is... uhoh :runslikehellforcover!:
Those wedges obviously have a lot to answer for 
especially the yellow ones - i still think they look great!
Thanks Gemini - someone else said it sounded pretty nice yesterday too - I keep thinking about having the boxes taken off altogether, but just not convinced I'll get it to sound any better than it does now!
Also, I know I missed out on the first half, but big thanks for organising yesterday - it takes a lot of time and effort to get that many people in one place at the same time - nice one Rich
We had a good run home thanks - as you might have seen on the Griff forum... bright red Griff, followed by a bright yellow Griff, followed by a bright blue Griff - a sight to behold
al
especially the yellow ones - i still think they look great! Thanks Gemini - someone else said it sounded pretty nice yesterday too - I keep thinking about having the boxes taken off altogether, but just not convinced I'll get it to sound any better than it does now!
Also, I know I missed out on the first half, but big thanks for organising yesterday - it takes a lot of time and effort to get that many people in one place at the same time - nice one Rich
We had a good run home thanks - as you might have seen on the Griff forum... bright red Griff, followed by a bright yellow Griff, followed by a bright blue Griff - a sight to behold
al
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