Idiots guide to early TVR's

[Graham]

Can someone put together a time line and the differences between the early cars, grantura through to vixen s4.

I know the basic model line goes something like this



Grantura
Griff 200 ( grantura with v8)
Griff 400 ( ban the bomb lights)
1800s
Tuscan v6 ?
vixen s1-s4, the s4 having the M chassis..


my knowledge of the early car as you can see isnt great. so I'd like to expand it.. I know a lot of the differences are wheel base and some cars are wide bodied etc, as with other TVRs there seems to be a different model for every car made...


cheers

G

[GadgeS3C]

Peter Filby has done it already - http://www.tvrbooks.com/

Not the cheapest way though and quite a few pages to get through!

[Graham]

GadgeS3C said:

Peter Filby has done it already - http://www.tvrbooks.com/

Not the cheapest way though and quite a few pages to get through!

indeed, hence asking the knowledgeable folk on here :-)

[Sonus]

http://www.tvr.at/register2.html

[GadgeS3C]

Peter's books do have a summary of each model at the end i.e. one page describing the spec etc.

If you could get sight of a copy those pages would pretty much cover what you're looking for.

[Graham]

Adrian@ said:

Does YOUR Wiki not give you enough info ...
Adrian@

it gives a good starting point for the models. but not the differences.


i.e what differentiates a tuscan from a griff?

There is a huge amount of first hand knowledge here, and I thought it might be a good place to ask and share...

[Graham]

I rarely get to TVRCC meets im away racing most weekends, and if im not I rarely get a pass out from family duties :-)

[Fiscracer]

I'll have a go on Grannies and Griffs. First of all your order isn't right

Grantura 2 - torsion bar suspension, usually MGA engine but also Climax and Ford. Undercut rear end

Grantura Mk3 early - Thurner designed all independent suspension, 1600 MGA engine. This is what ran at Le Mans with crossflow head. Rounder rear end

Grantura Mk3 late - as above but 1800 MGB engine and rear end incorporates number plate plinth and light

Griff 200 - as Mk3 above but with SBF V8

Grantura Mk3 1800S - as Grantura but new rear end with larger window and Mk1 Cortina rear lights

Griff 400 - as 1800S but with SBF V8, chassis mods and better cooling, Jag diff

Grantura Mk4 - stop gap 'luxury' model eg wooden dash essentially the same as the Vixen but MGB engine and with Griff 400 rear end

There were also minor changes to indicators, running lights and bonnets between 2a and Mk4. Many of the race Mk3s are MGA engined models built to the later FIA homologation spec with an MGB engine in. Also, although there were a few British 'Griffiths' ie Granturas that had V8s dropped in them, the Griffith was not a TVR model, it was American.

Others here know a lot more than me. I just own/drive/race them

[Graham]

thats more like it ta :-)

[Terminator]

Fiscracer said:

.... although there were a few British 'Griffiths' ie Granturas that had V8s dropped in them, the Griffith was not a TVR model, it was American.

Others here know a lot more than me. I just own/drive/race them

Martin Lilley's first TVR was a TVR Griffith. Cars 'built' in the USA were simply called Griffiths, but V8 engined Granturas built in Blackpool were TVR Griffiths. Martins car was at the factory when it went into administration in 1965 and the simplest way of getting it back was to buy the business from the administrators. The Lilleys wanted to dispel the stories of unreliability, so called in a PR company who came up with Vixen to replace Grantura (1800S) and Tuscan to replace Griffith.

As told to me over a pint (or four) of Boddingtons, by Martin, a few years ago

[DavidY]

1) Short, Stumpy, Little Doors, Little Engine, No Suspension, Bonded Body
2) Short, Stumpy, Little Doors, Little Engine, Some Suspension, Bonded Body
3) Short, Stumpy, Little Doors, Different Little Engine, Some Suspension, Bonded Body
4) Short, Stumpy, Little Doors, Big Engine, Some Suspension, Bonded Body, Very Fast
5) Manx Tail, Stumpy, Little Doors, Little Engine, Some Suspension, Bonded Body
6) Manx Tail, Stumpy, Little Doors, Big Engine, Some Suspension, Bonded Body, Very Fast
7) Manx Tail, Stumpy, Bigger Doors, Little Engine, Some Suspension, Bolt-On Body
8) Manx Tail, Stumpy, Bigger Doors, Medium Engine, Some Suspension, Bolt-On Body
9) Wider, Less Stumpy, Bigger Doors, Big Engine, Some Suspension, Bolt-On Body (though some say bonded but I've never seen one so I don't really know!), Very Fast
10) M-series!!!

Does that help, or is that just an evolution of a TVRCC member???

Edited by DavidY on Thursday 3rd April 19:14

[status]

DavidY said:

1) Short, Stumpy, Little Doors, Little Engine, No Suspension, Bonded Body
2) Short, Stumpy, Little Doors, Little Engine, Some Suspension, Bonded Body
3) Short, Stumpy, Little Doors, Different Little Engine, Some Suspension, Bonded Body
4) Short, Stumpy, Little Doors, Big Engine, Some Suspension, Bonded Body, Very Fast
5) Manx Tail, Stumpy, Little Doors, Little Engine, Some Suspension, Bonded Body
6) Manx Tail, Stumpy, Little Doors, Big Engine, Some Suspension, Bonded Body, Very Fast
7) Manx Tail, Stumpy, Bigger Doors, Little Engine, Some Suspension, Bolt-On Body
8) Manx Tail, Stumpy, Bigger Doors, Medium Engine, Some Suspension, Bolt-On Body
9) Wider, Less Stumpy, Bigger Doors, Big Engine, Some Suspension, Bolt-On Body, Very Fast
9) M-series!!!

Does that help, or is that just an evolution of a TVRCC member???