New Griffith 500 Owner
Discussion
I picked up my Griffith 500 (95) on Saturday.... from a well known place near Oxford. Moonraker Black with the light grey interior, 49k on the clock. Service history as thick as dictionary and in pretty good condition, has had a rolling road test a few years back and the engine seems to be circa 300bhp so looks to be strong end of spectrum, feels it..
I wanted a TVR when I got my first well paying job in my early 20's post Uni and really wanted 4.5 Cerebra, insurance was north of 8k.... I got a Mk2 MR2 which was still a lot.... I loved TVR's since and was close a few years ago for a T350... but flat in London and single car I opted for BMW Z4MC... So I'm now in a position with a drive, couple of cars, motorbikes and an understanding wife... I liked the more 60's vibe of the Griffith and of course I wanted a v8 before they go the way of the dodo.
I bought a middling condition car (good but not perfect) with the idea to drive for awhile with nothing needing doing and then do a full restore, ground up. Completely, chassis recondition (currently in good condition, no rust), new wiring loom, uprate suspension, brakes, recon current engine (upgrades but not looking for much power increase etc..) and gear box (although both seem silly fine for a 21yr car). New interior and full respray. So I'd like to think the car as if it came out new today, few tasteful upgrades under the hood but still the Griffith of old, make it good for the next 21yrs. As I say understanding wife... (she rides motorbike, loves fast cars).
So... I drove back from Oxford way (I live outskirts of SW London), mostly back roads, I have obviously test driven the car but surprised still at how comfortable (compared to my last car, Audi S4 and from before BMW MZC) the car is!! I don't have assisted steering which you only notice at stand still (very heavy, I'm a small cyclist bloke, no muscles!) but the rest of the drive is pretty refined and far better than a raw experience I thought it would be. Fast is probably not the word to use but I can't believe how fast it is... any gear and rev, the progression is silly, I love it, I now know what 5ltrs does.... The sound is great but will look at the ACT upgrade later on...
So all in loving the car... Total irony is I have a VW Van (for offroad enduro) and the TVR, the van broke down (damn immobiliser) and I have a working TVR....
Quick question - I can't decide on number plate, currently has original "M" plate on it... but I can't decide whether to get a personal "*--TVR" plate.. Seen one I quite like for not much money that is available but can't decide? thoughts original or "TVR" plate.... (I'm not one for personal plates usually on most cars but somehow this seems fine as the factory has done it in the past).
I wanted a TVR when I got my first well paying job in my early 20's post Uni and really wanted 4.5 Cerebra, insurance was north of 8k.... I got a Mk2 MR2 which was still a lot.... I loved TVR's since and was close a few years ago for a T350... but flat in London and single car I opted for BMW Z4MC... So I'm now in a position with a drive, couple of cars, motorbikes and an understanding wife... I liked the more 60's vibe of the Griffith and of course I wanted a v8 before they go the way of the dodo.
I bought a middling condition car (good but not perfect) with the idea to drive for awhile with nothing needing doing and then do a full restore, ground up. Completely, chassis recondition (currently in good condition, no rust), new wiring loom, uprate suspension, brakes, recon current engine (upgrades but not looking for much power increase etc..) and gear box (although both seem silly fine for a 21yr car). New interior and full respray. So I'd like to think the car as if it came out new today, few tasteful upgrades under the hood but still the Griffith of old, make it good for the next 21yrs. As I say understanding wife... (she rides motorbike, loves fast cars).
So... I drove back from Oxford way (I live outskirts of SW London), mostly back roads, I have obviously test driven the car but surprised still at how comfortable (compared to my last car, Audi S4 and from before BMW MZC) the car is!! I don't have assisted steering which you only notice at stand still (very heavy, I'm a small cyclist bloke, no muscles!) but the rest of the drive is pretty refined and far better than a raw experience I thought it would be. Fast is probably not the word to use but I can't believe how fast it is... any gear and rev, the progression is silly, I love it, I now know what 5ltrs does.... The sound is great but will look at the ACT upgrade later on...
So all in loving the car... Total irony is I have a VW Van (for offroad enduro) and the TVR, the van broke down (damn immobiliser) and I have a working TVR....
Quick question - I can't decide on number plate, currently has original "M" plate on it... but I can't decide whether to get a personal "*--TVR" plate.. Seen one I quite like for not much money that is available but can't decide? thoughts original or "TVR" plate.... (I'm not one for personal plates usually on most cars but somehow this seems fine as the factory has done it in the past).
Congrats on the Griffith mines a 95 500 too, my reg is still an M plate but M500 so ticks the box ? its not the original plate but the last owner put it on . I would like a TVR plate but not sure about spending the money on that when there's always something else to do to the Griff ,Simon
Congrats and welcome to the fold, 
Mine is also a Griff500 (95)M plate, but i ported my private plate across from my previous car...Whilst i would never have thought to buy a private plate before (came with the car) i would now, as i really like that few people have a clue as to how old Griffs are and with out the aid are a date related plate naturally assume its a classic and you get get none of the age related stigma that you sometimes get from people.
Mine is also a Griff500 (95)M plate, but i ported my private plate across from my previous car...Whilst i would never have thought to buy a private plate before (came with the car) i would now, as i really like that few people have a clue as to how old Griffs are and with out the aid are a date related plate naturally assume its a classic and you get get none of the age related stigma that you sometimes get from people.
Hi Dai,
Congratulations on your new car purchase.
You've bought my old car if the reg ends LPL. I bought it from Henley TVR in August 2006 and sold it to a chap from I think the Bristol area around June 2008. I hope you take care of him.
I saw the advert for the car before you bought it and it brought back many memories, some happy and some less so. I remember one trip I had in the car with my then girlfriend when at 80mph in the dark, on the M62 at night the car decided to conk out. Trying to explain to Sue why the lorry I had just passed at a great rate of knots was now passing us on the inside was quite difficult to say the least. When we coasted to a stop all we could smell was what I thought was burning which probably with hindsight was just a hot engine. I have never seen Sue move as fast when I told her I thought we should just get out as quickly as possible. Rather surprisingly, after a few minutes, which probably felt like hours to Sue, the car restarted and took us home with no further problems that evening.
There then followed many recurrences of the cutting out fault which resulted in Henley TVR taking the car back on a low loader to sort out the problem. I got the car back about a week later but to be honest the problem kept re-ocurring until I took it to my friend, a mechanic of the old school who looked on it as a challenge and who eventually diagnosed a faulty balance resistor on the distributor. After that, the car ran much better but really Sue had lost all confidence in the car, and because of a continuing problem with fumes in the car, I decided to sell up and marry Sue instead. With hindsight, probably the best decision I have ever made.
I am sure the next owner took good care of the car as he was a true enthusiast who saw my car in a Pistonhead advert back in 2008. I then lost touch of the car until I saw the advert a few weeks ago. I still love the idea of a big, brawny UK muscle car and the Griffith is a perfect example of this type of car. The UK really does not make cars like this anymore and I am sure your purchase will reap rewards for you in the years ahead.
Good luck. And enjoy!
Mogman
Congratulations on your new car purchase.
You've bought my old car if the reg ends LPL. I bought it from Henley TVR in August 2006 and sold it to a chap from I think the Bristol area around June 2008. I hope you take care of him.
I saw the advert for the car before you bought it and it brought back many memories, some happy and some less so. I remember one trip I had in the car with my then girlfriend when at 80mph in the dark, on the M62 at night the car decided to conk out. Trying to explain to Sue why the lorry I had just passed at a great rate of knots was now passing us on the inside was quite difficult to say the least. When we coasted to a stop all we could smell was what I thought was burning which probably with hindsight was just a hot engine. I have never seen Sue move as fast when I told her I thought we should just get out as quickly as possible. Rather surprisingly, after a few minutes, which probably felt like hours to Sue, the car restarted and took us home with no further problems that evening.
There then followed many recurrences of the cutting out fault which resulted in Henley TVR taking the car back on a low loader to sort out the problem. I got the car back about a week later but to be honest the problem kept re-ocurring until I took it to my friend, a mechanic of the old school who looked on it as a challenge and who eventually diagnosed a faulty balance resistor on the distributor. After that, the car ran much better but really Sue had lost all confidence in the car, and because of a continuing problem with fumes in the car, I decided to sell up and marry Sue instead. With hindsight, probably the best decision I have ever made.
I am sure the next owner took good care of the car as he was a true enthusiast who saw my car in a Pistonhead advert back in 2008. I then lost touch of the car until I saw the advert a few weeks ago. I still love the idea of a big, brawny UK muscle car and the Griffith is a perfect example of this type of car. The UK really does not make cars like this anymore and I am sure your purchase will reap rewards for you in the years ahead.
Good luck. And enjoy!
Mogman
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