S2 or S1.5

S2 or S1.5

Author
Discussion

Fez887

Original Poster:

327 posts

73 months

Saturday 10th March 2018
quotequote all
So just reading through my Steve Heath manual and it does seem after reviewing all the the evidence, I actually own an S1.5. It’s 1989 with the TVR S decals down each side, slot wheels, but 2.9 engine. Seems to be an interesting debate looking at past chat on Pistonheads.

Anyone else think they have S1.5 and are they considered more rare?


GreenV8S

30,149 posts

283 months

Saturday 10th March 2018
quotequote all
TVR production being what it was, I suspect the number of variants was actually huge. It might be better to think of them as S1-ish, S2-ish etc. The numbers are more a guide to the differences rather than a guarantee that any two cars are the same.

Fez887

Original Poster:

327 posts

73 months

Saturday 10th March 2018
quotequote all
It’s interesting because on page 18 of Steve Heath manual (2nd edition) it has table with spec for 1.5, which suggests it’s recognised as a model. Also suggests only originally 421 made.

greymrj

3,316 posts

203 months

Saturday 10th March 2018
quotequote all
Lots of people have tried to sort this out. It just looks we should view the S1 as the 'prototype' and was continuously developed. Mine is an 88 2.8 but there are marked differences to another 88 and to an 87 car I know. The change to 2.9 doesn't even seem to be at a specific time. It seems likely Ford supplied some 2.9's then found some more 2.8's available to sell to TVR. There appear to be some 2.8's later than some 2.9's. The so called S1.5 is a car which is basically a 2.8 S1 but with a 2.9 engine.

Fez887

Original Poster:

327 posts

73 months

Saturday 10th March 2018
quotequote all
It’s interesting because on page 18 of Steve Heath manual (2nd edition) it has table with spec for 1.5, which suggests it’s recognised as a model. Also suggests only originally 421 made.

GreenV8S

30,149 posts

283 months

Saturday 10th March 2018
quotequote all
The variations in the spec are well known and it's quite common to refer to a car between the S1 and S2 specs as an S1.5. That doesn't mean all S1.5s are the same, any more than all S1s or S2s are.

Fez887

Original Poster:

327 posts

73 months

Saturday 10th March 2018
quotequote all
Would beg to differ as I have seen some S2 and alleged S1.5 with electric windows which is strange! Also the steering wheels vary from 3 too 4 spoke versions.. It’s definitely a case of let’s use the bits left over from S1 rollout before we go into the complete new spec for the S 2.
Does make it a interesting debate thought. Lol

GreenV8S

30,149 posts

283 months

Saturday 10th March 2018
quotequote all
Fez887 said:
Would beg to differ as I have seen ...
What comment are you 'differing' with?

Fez887

Original Poster:

327 posts

73 months

Saturday 10th March 2018
quotequote all
Sorry, was beg to differing with greymry comments re only diff being engine size. Sorry for confusion.

TVRees

1,080 posts

111 months

Saturday 10th March 2018
quotequote all
Fez887 said:
So just reading through my Steve Heath manual and it does seem after reviewing all the the evidence, I actually own an S1.5. It’s 1989 with the TVR S decals down each side, slot wheels, but 2.9 engine. Seems to be an interesting debate looking at past chat on Pistonheads.

Anyone else think they have S1.5 and are they considered more rare?
What does it say in your registration document ?

Mine's a 1989 S2 registered as a 280S. Good ol' TVR smile

magpies

5,129 posts

181 months

Saturday 10th March 2018
quotequote all
TVRees said:
Fez887 said:
So just reading through my Steve Heath manual and it does seem after reviewing all the the evidence, I actually own an S1.5. It’s 1989 with the TVR S decals down each side, slot wheels, but 2.9 engine. Seems to be an interesting debate looking at past chat on Pistonheads.

Anyone else think they have S1.5 and are they considered more rare?
What does it say in your registration document ?

Mine's a 1989 S2 registered as a 280S. Good ol' TVR smile
can't go by the V5 as TVR were VERY lax in that department.#

Mine is an 88 S1 but registered as a TVR and no model


GreenV8S

30,149 posts

283 months

Sunday 11th March 2018
quotequote all
Fez887 said:
greymry comments re only diff being engine size.
I don't think greymrj mean that the engine was the only difference. I think by now you must have worked out that there were numerous changes large and small over the years and finding two identical cars is more unusual than finding differences. Bonnets, wheels, lights, interior trim, engines all varied from car to car. That's not counting steering wheel, electric windows and so on which would routinely be customised at the request of the original buyer.

glenrobbo

35,061 posts

149 months

Sunday 11th March 2018
quotequote all
Here is a picture of my car, which according to TVR, is a Tasmin.


The body is quite rare for a Tasmin, and at Chatsworth the Wedge owners wouldn't let me park amongst their group, even though I showed them the registration document to prove it was a Tasmin. Unfortunately it cut no ice. I was banished. weeping

Luckily the S Series owners were more welcoming, so I parked with them. thumbup
Since then, they have never managed to escape me. evil

I have since found that in reality there is no such TVR as an S1, S1.5, S2 etc. These designations were applied by the cognoscenti ( They are people with gearboxes that have no smell smile ) later on to differentiate between the basic variants of 280S, 290S and plain "TVR".
Even some of the bigger Rover-engined S's were just registered by TVR as "290S" or just "TVR", although TVR did call some of them "V8S"s to impress the motoring press..

Steve Heath's table is in no way official, it's just a rough guide to help us distinguish the main variations that occurred during the production run.
Every TVR S Series is a rare, unique and completely random specimen, and should be treasured as such. cloud9
Not like those golf buggy things. wink

If somebody were to show me two identical TVRs, then I would almost certainly fall off my bar stool in surprise. drunk

I hope the OP finds this helpful.

Maffe

479 posts

258 months

Sunday 11th March 2018
quotequote all
glenrobbo said:
<snip> I would almost certainly fall off my bar stool in surprise <snip>
How high on the Bristol chart would that bewhistle

glenrobbo

35,061 posts

149 months

Sunday 11th March 2018
quotequote all
Maffe said:
glenrobbo said:
<snip> I would almost certainly fall off my bar stool in surprise <snip>
How high on the Bristol chart would that be? whistle
wavey Hi Maffe,
I'm not sure what you mean by "Bristol chart".*
I have always been a fan of Bristol City's, but not a great drinker of Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry.
I used to prefer Boddington's Bitter, "the Cream of Manchester" before it went corporate and was produced by Interbrew on an industrial scale somewhere in Wales.

Nowadays I will drink just about any beer placed in front of me. Even Hansa lager if I'm feeling thirsty. ( I am. smile )

Cheers! beerbeer

* If you are referring to that time in Bristol in December1968, involving those nice ladies, a very good friend of mine, an unknown party, and a lengthy police inquiry, then I cannot comment as it may lead to further recriminations. Anyway, no animals were harmed, so why resurrect it after all these years?
Suffice to say that I was nowhere near the scene. It must have been Claudio Ranieri.
whistle
.

Maffe

479 posts

258 months

Sunday 11th March 2018
quotequote all
Glen what ever you do, DO NOT google "Bristol chart" you must promise me that angel

glenrobbo

35,061 posts

149 months

Sunday 11th March 2018
quotequote all
OK Maffe, I promise. thumbup


scratchchin

.




.

type

yikes

wink

glenrobbo

35,061 posts

149 months

Sunday 11th March 2018
quotequote all
Maffe said:
How high on the Bristol chart would that bewhistle
Oh, it's right up there! thumbup

Kitchski

6,514 posts

230 months

Tuesday 13th March 2018
quotequote all
Some people started calling them an S1.5, but for me it's just overcomplicating things. If it's a 2.8, it's an S1. If it's a 2.9, it's an S2.

There were so many different crossovers during production that trying to catagorise them all individually is almost pointless. Mine's a 2.8, wind-up windows, S2 rear suspension geo, S2 wheels and no chrome trim (not under I stuck some on, anyway). Should I call mine an S1.33?

hehe