Barking up the wrong tree?
Discussion
I have a hankering for a Griff! Don't know why but I do!
Question is, am I being realistic with a budget of up to £10K? I realise that for this sort of money I'm never going to get a 5 litre but I think I would probably be happy with the 4 litre as I'm not the most aggressive driver in the world (although I do like 'pushing on' :grin: )
Would I be better of with a pre-cat? I'm not particularly mechanically minded - topping up the oil and changing plugs is about the limit of my unsupervised capabilities.
Realistically, the car would be used for weekend blasts and hopefully LM08.
Just exploring the potential so any general advice is appreciated!!
Question is, am I being realistic with a budget of up to £10K? I realise that for this sort of money I'm never going to get a 5 litre but I think I would probably be happy with the 4 litre as I'm not the most aggressive driver in the world (although I do like 'pushing on' :grin: )
Would I be better of with a pre-cat? I'm not particularly mechanically minded - topping up the oil and changing plugs is about the limit of my unsupervised capabilities.
Realistically, the car would be used for weekend blasts and hopefully LM08.
Just exploring the potential so any general advice is appreciated!!
Edited by pincher on Saturday 1st December 18:37
)
It's true, you would get 'more' if you spent 10k on a Chim, but don't get hung up on engine size or age.
Lets face it, the smallest engine in a Griff is 4 litres - 4 litres for christ sakes, it isn't a ruddy Fiesta its a true sports car and will blow your socks off when you drive it the first time.
The pre-cats sound fantastic and are lovely revvy engines for such a big lump.
I've had mine more than 3 years now and I still drive it just for the the hell of it. I was out for an hour today just driving around and I still grin like an idiot most of the time I'm out there in it.
Get yourself the nicest, best maintained car you can find for the money and go for it. You'll never look back.
Lets face it, the smallest engine in a Griff is 4 litres - 4 litres for christ sakes, it isn't a ruddy Fiesta its a true sports car and will blow your socks off when you drive it the first time.
The pre-cats sound fantastic and are lovely revvy engines for such a big lump.
I've had mine more than 3 years now and I still drive it just for the the hell of it. I was out for an hour today just driving around and I still grin like an idiot most of the time I'm out there in it.
Get yourself the nicest, best maintained car you can find for the money and go for it. You'll never look back.
pincher said:
Oh my - that is nice!
Why's he selling?
And what's the last pic of????? (Told you I was no mechanic!)
Front offside chassis. Showing manifold,wishbone,shock absorber.Why's he selling?
And what's the last pic of????? (Told you I was no mechanic!)
It's what you would see if you could see the missing bit from the bottom right of pic 4 if that makes sense
Edited by ray_von on Saturday 1st December 20:14
A 'smash' could be a bit strong OscarT.
My pre-cat has a 500 front end on it and the story from a very reputable source is the owner came out of a pub, thought he'd put the car in reverse - but hadn't - and shunted into the towbar of a Ford Transit in front of him.
Any minor front end shunt can crack the thin section between the lights above the TVR badge and replacement 'flat nose' fronts weren't available for a while so 500 fronts were used.
Checking the car over thoroughly should reveal anything untoward, and lets face it, how many 500's are there out there with replacement front ends which aren't so obvious to spot?
My pre-cat has a 500 front end on it and the story from a very reputable source is the owner came out of a pub, thought he'd put the car in reverse - but hadn't - and shunted into the towbar of a Ford Transit in front of him.
Any minor front end shunt can crack the thin section between the lights above the TVR badge and replacement 'flat nose' fronts weren't available for a while so 500 fronts were used.
Checking the car over thoroughly should reveal anything untoward, and lets face it, how many 500's are there out there with replacement front ends which aren't so obvious to spot?
Agree completely Ian, when a front end respray for stone chips costs so much and is needed every couple of years... The opportunity of grafting front ends / changing lights / grilles is bound to appeal to quite a few owners. Goes without saying there are quite a few 'keep up with the Joneses' and 'latest is greatest' types around.
If the car had accident damage I think if a complete section is replaced its better than splintered material lurking under body filler anyway. You could also view it as keeping another car on the road, which is a positive in my book, but I sometimes wonder about your obsession with originality and rarity value Jigs?
Jigs is right to point it out tho, it is a case of caveat emptor
Dave
If the car had accident damage I think if a complete section is replaced its better than splintered material lurking under body filler anyway. You could also view it as keeping another car on the road, which is a positive in my book, but I sometimes wonder about your obsession with originality and rarity value Jigs?
Jigs is right to point it out tho, it is a case of caveat emptor
Dave
Steady on guys - the guy did ask for advice - I'm just pointing out what is obvious to Griffith fans BUT may not be obvious to a newcomer.
Many many precats, even famous high value Griffiths such as Mack's for example, have had 500 front nose cones grafted on - it needn't be a bar to buying one BUT the question has to be asked.
Also if I was interested I would want to know why it has a replacement 4.6 engine and not a rebuild original 4.3.
Like it or not originality does matter - even more so as the cars get older and become classics.
OscarT
PS Having said all that Nic Bowman's Griffith does look absolutely fabulous and looks like it has been really well maintained and presented.
Many many precats, even famous high value Griffiths such as Mack's for example, have had 500 front nose cones grafted on - it needn't be a bar to buying one BUT the question has to be asked.
Also if I was interested I would want to know why it has a replacement 4.6 engine and not a rebuild original 4.3.
Like it or not originality does matter - even more so as the cars get older and become classics.
OscarT
PS Having said all that Nic Bowman's Griffith does look absolutely fabulous and looks like it has been really well maintained and presented.
Edited by OscarT on Sunday 2nd December 11:44
I agree with the heads up, but the OP is looking for a bargain basement item rather than a collectable. I know the same principles in checking the car apply, but at the cheaper end you must be prepared to accept some negatives, and a decent panel repair is the most acceptable IMHO.
Dave
Dave
I didn't read 'bargain basement' - I read 'up to 10K'. It is possible to get an excellent Griffith for 10K - better to buy the best at the top of the budget than buy dirt cheap and 'spend' an absolute fortune on it IMO.
Wow! - just had a look at your profile - Is this why you're called Spend?
OscarT
Wow! - just had a look at your profile - Is this why you're called Spend?
OscarT
Edited by OscarT on Sunday 2nd December 13:37
OscarT said:
I didn't read 'bargain basement' - I read 'up to 10K'. It is possible to get an excellent Griffith for 10K - better to buy the best at the top of the budget than buy dirt cheap and 'spend' an absolute fortune on it IMO.
Wow! - just had a look at your profile - Is this why you're called Spend?
OscarT
I said bargain basement [b]rather[-b] than collectable, which I thought was a fair statement indicating the end of the market he was targetting?Wow! - just had a look at your profile - Is this why you're called Spend?
OscarT
Edited by OscarT on Sunday 2nd December 13:37
Yes I can still use my real name in my userid
, first used at SperryUnivac 25 years ago
Dave
Please don't have a row on my account! 
Still like the look a Nic's, even if it does have a 500 front end but I've only really just started looking (semi) seriously, so don't want to waste his time just yet. Maybe if it's still around in the New Year, I'll get in contact and arrange a viewing.
Any Griff owners near Southend that would be amenable to me having a look at theirs, just so I know what I should be looking out for?
Still like the look a Nic's, even if it does have a 500 front end
but I've only really just started looking (semi) seriously, so don't want to waste his time just yet. Maybe if it's still around in the New Year, I'll get in contact and arrange a viewing.Any Griff owners near Southend that would be amenable to me having a look at theirs, just so I know what I should be looking out for?
SHUT UPpincher said:
Any Griff owners near Southend that would be amenable to me having a look at theirs, just so I know what I should be looking out for?
Isn't Seasider from over that way. He's one of those very very nice man people we seem to be blessed with plenty of in the Griffith community and I'm sure he'll happily give you the gen on Griffith ownership.Don't worry about OscarT and Spend, you'll get their opinion whether you like it or not. We mostly tend to ignore them
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