what to look out for when buying a Griff?
Discussion
hi, after going in the Cerbera ive decided that i definatl want to go for a Griff 500, have roughly 15k to spend and i just wondered what advice you could give me when looking over one to check its not a dog, obviously check the history etc..... but is there anything that usually goes on them that is particularly expensive?
Have a good look at the Chassis, outriggers especially.
If you are serious Steve Heaths "Bible" is a must got loads of maintaince/history/technical etc etc info.www.tvrbooks.co.uk/
BB
www.thegriffithpages.com
If you are serious Steve Heaths "Bible" is a must got loads of maintaince/history/technical etc etc info.www.tvrbooks.co.uk/
BB
www.thegriffithpages.com
I have just bought one after a reassuring inspection from Rob Ingleby - www.findasportscar.co.uk - very good service and can also source cars Nationwide according to your spec.
Anything ususal that goes on them? yes. particuarily expensive - not really.
You are looking for all the things that also affect the Chimp, with possibly the only exception being cooling.
Chassis:
Wishbones - all go rusty but not expensive to replace (and you get new ones with better bushes anyway).
Outriggers/rest of chassis - again all goes rusty. As long aas it isn't too bad, don't worry about it. £100 at a garage or a day under the car with a wire brush and waxoyl/something else similar will sort that out.
Brake disks/pads etc all fairly cheap (Ford bits)
Clutch usually quite robust & is up to the job.
Tyres no more expensive than any other performance car, but are not ultra low profile, so not ultra expensive (how long they last depends upon how you drive).
Interior. Carpets if wet regularly can rot and smell. Replacing is not huge money, but you'll have to get the leak sorted too.
Leaks - most are quite easy to fix, once you have found the source, which can be painful, but there are a few usual suspects!
Beware a car that has obvious signs of leaking - not well looked after IMHO, as fixing the leak is not hard.
Seats not the best in the world and do crack/wear quickly. As they are leather, can be treated to bring them back to new.
Dash tends to crack, but can be replaced with metal or re veneered.
Engine. Robust RV8, but can have its bad days. A well maintained car should be fine, and lots of specialists about, but there are known weak spots. (ie cam). Again not expensive buta rattly engine best avoided if at all poss (unless you are a modder and want more power!).
TVR electrics are still a national secret and you will have gremlins with loose relays, poor earth contacts and strange things happening with your heater fan. Don't worry, thats what PH and Dave Beer are for!
Cooling. Griffs tend to need a heathy cooling circuit to remain happy. This is controlled by a not expensive Thermostat, an 'otter' switch which is just a temp switch that turns the fans on/off and the radiator. All 3 need to be tip top.
Oh, and the blue ones are the fastest, so choose wisely!
Good luck
Oh, forgot to say the most important thing. Get one that has been loved. Big wallet full of bills, photos of Griff on mantlepiece, crying children, that sort of thing ususually good indicators of a well maintained motor.
>> Edited by stringbag on Monday 12th September 09:25
You are looking for all the things that also affect the Chimp, with possibly the only exception being cooling.
Chassis:
Wishbones - all go rusty but not expensive to replace (and you get new ones with better bushes anyway).
Outriggers/rest of chassis - again all goes rusty. As long aas it isn't too bad, don't worry about it. £100 at a garage or a day under the car with a wire brush and waxoyl/something else similar will sort that out.
Brake disks/pads etc all fairly cheap (Ford bits)
Clutch usually quite robust & is up to the job.
Tyres no more expensive than any other performance car, but are not ultra low profile, so not ultra expensive (how long they last depends upon how you drive).
Interior. Carpets if wet regularly can rot and smell. Replacing is not huge money, but you'll have to get the leak sorted too.
Leaks - most are quite easy to fix, once you have found the source, which can be painful, but there are a few usual suspects!
Beware a car that has obvious signs of leaking - not well looked after IMHO, as fixing the leak is not hard.
Seats not the best in the world and do crack/wear quickly. As they are leather, can be treated to bring them back to new.
Dash tends to crack, but can be replaced with metal or re veneered.
Engine. Robust RV8, but can have its bad days. A well maintained car should be fine, and lots of specialists about, but there are known weak spots. (ie cam). Again not expensive buta rattly engine best avoided if at all poss (unless you are a modder and want more power!).
TVR electrics are still a national secret and you will have gremlins with loose relays, poor earth contacts and strange things happening with your heater fan. Don't worry, thats what PH and Dave Beer are for!
Cooling. Griffs tend to need a heathy cooling circuit to remain happy. This is controlled by a not expensive Thermostat, an 'otter' switch which is just a temp switch that turns the fans on/off and the radiator. All 3 need to be tip top.
Oh, and the blue ones are the fastest, so choose wisely!
Good luck
Oh, forgot to say the most important thing. Get one that has been loved. Big wallet full of bills, photos of Griff on mantlepiece, crying children, that sort of thing ususually good indicators of a well maintained motor.
>> Edited by stringbag on Monday 12th September 09:25
As the others have said, take a really close look at the wishbones and chassis outriggers. If they haven’t been properly attended to on a regular basis they WILL be rusty. Look at the dampers if they are old and grubby then you will probably be replacing them when you get to know the car. Is the Diff wet, if so it may have been run with low oil which is bad news. There is a spring in the gearbox that centralises the gear leaver, that can fall off so check it self centres.
From experience I would say you are always better off buying directly from a fussy owner than a dealer.
From experience I would say you are always better off buying directly from a fussy owner than a dealer.
hi everyone thanks for all the info and advice,im very grateful for your help and views on the Griff, i still have a good month or maybe 2 befor ei can buy but im looking now as i really want to be thorough and get a good one, the thing that put me off the Cerb was the fact hat its a 2+2 and a hardtop it felt a little claustrophobic to me,otherwise its a lovely car, the only thing that put me off a Tuscan is the SP6 and i still think the Griff is a very beautiful car that im sure i will love.
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