Dead market or what?

[montegogt]

A classic car is only that, if it was a good'un when it was made. The Wedge was that, and as such will retain a respectable value,as too will most other TVRs. If the condition is good and the price competitive it will sell.

[rev-erend]

Stig - who do you insure you wedge with ?

[davidy]

montegogt

Have to disagree with the 'classic' definition, IMHO tru classic cars are those that are revolutionary (mini, 2CV, Citroen DS, NSURo80, etc) or those that put their maker on the map (E-Type Jag, Ferrari GTO) etc. The higher values seemed to be commanded by cars/marque with a significant period competition history.

I stand in the camp that says that the Mini is a classic car and the Ford Anglia is an old car. Now they were both acceptable cars for their period, but the mini was a revolutionary design.

In the TVR world, at present I would suggest that the true classics are the 60s Griffith/Tuscan (very fast hairy chested sportscar), the 70s Turbos (the first production car Turbo) and the 90s Griffith (the car that put TVR on the map), the others are just old sports cars.

I am willing to be shot down in flames, but this after all is only my opinion. Now if you like wedge shaped cars then thats fine by me, but classics they are not.

davidy

[Podie]

davidy,

Interesting arguement... but it's all down to personal taste. Even the Classic car magazines will admit that unloved things of the past (eg an Allegro) is a classic... since they define a classic as being a car of a certain age.

So, it comes down to personal opinion and your definition of the term "classic"

[davidy]

Well I reckon that some of them should be renamed to take the 'Classic' out of title. I mean when was the last time that a 'classic' car featured in Practical Classics, it should be renamed Practical Old Car. (and Classic and Sportscar used to be called Old Motor in the distant past, so theres a clue there!!)

I think that only Supercar Classics (finished in 91) fits my definition and I have a complete set of them.

davidy

PS I have nothing against old cars, but they are just old, if you love them then fine, but they are still old (not historic, not classic, just old!!!!)

[davidy]

And back on topic to Stigs Wedge, I'm afarid mate that if its not shifting the price is wrong. Everything will sell at the right price, if you hang on waiting for Wedge prices to firm up, I reckon that your Ultima will be collecting its bus pass.

davidy

[gf350]

quote:
In the TVR world, at present I would suggest that the true classics are the 60s Griffith/Tuscan (very fast hairy chested sportscar), the 70s Turbos (the first production car Turbo) and the 90s Griffith (the car that put TVR on the map), the others are just old sports cars.

My opinion is the wedge is important to TVR History. As the replacement for the M'series the wedge was designed to shake off the kit car image which to be fair, it did do to some extent, the resultant car had disk brakes all round and electric goodies. The arival of the 350 saw the first rover v8's and later came TVR's own wishbone rear suspension and engine developments. The engine and chassis developments in the wedge made the Griffiths and Chimaeras possible. Like it or loathe it for its styling but without it, the subsequent TVR's would have been quite different if around at all!
If you could stick a Griffith body on to a 450i you would have a similar car to a Griffith.

Gareth.
PS. My insurance company says its a classic so don't tell them otherwise!

>> Edited by gf350 on Wednesday 9th October 18:45

>> Edited by gf350 on Wednesday 9th October 18:46

[davidy]

errr, sorry we are going to have to disagree (amicably!)

The wedge never had proper rear suspension and with the Griffith TVR reverted two dual unequal-length wishbones as previously used on the M series and earlier cars.

and

You could apply you argument to Lotus and say that the Wedge shaped Elite was their to shake off the kit car image and yet the 'classics' are probably the original Elite and the Elan and the 'classic of the future' (first bonded chassis volume production lightweight car) the Elise.

Maybe your insurance company should have policies for Youthfully challenged cars!!!

davidy

PS my Taimar had electric windows/aerial and radio cassette from new, does that count as electric goodies????

>> Edited by davidy on Wednesday 9th October 19:11

[ANDYM]

davidy

Just because a car is "revolutionary" dont necessarily make it a classic, ask Sir Clive Sinclair!

I brought my 400se from a classic Lotus dealers and believe me it stood out amongst the Eclats and Excels, you can not even compare them to one another!

I agree on the Mini side of being classic, but I think a car produced in such limited numbers as the 400se 420 etc will surely come into the classic sector, but hey! just my totaly biased opinion

[davidy]

Errr, more disagreements !!!

C5's are actually increasing in value and trading now for more than they cost originally (but we were talking about cars not Trikes!!!)

If low volume care were all to become classics then what about all the 60's and 70's specials from low volume British Specialist Sports Car Manufacturers such as the Tripper TX, the Probe, Piper GTT, GSM Delta and Unipower GT (etc,etc).

But I will agree that low volume cars from a significant manufacturer have a better chance of holding their value than higher volume models. The SEAC could be considered more 'classic' as it was made using Kevlar (and was chuffing quick), however we won't open a discussion here about how many real Kevlar SEACS there are and how many are really fibreglass!! We've already meandered off-topic too much!

Over to Stig, sold it yet???

davidy

[jmorgan]

quote:
the 70s Turbos (the first production car Turbo)

Didn't BM bring out the first production and TVR the next including the UK's first.
:climbsbackintoboxandcountsbuttoncollection:

[davidy]

No I'm afraid that the BMW 2002 was a 'limited' production run, there was some (legal) discussion between TVR and Saab about the first production car, and I believe that TVR won the battle.

But there were more BMW 2002 Turbos than TVR made Turbos so whivh one was really limited?!?

davidy

[jamesk]

I fear Stig has passed on to the Ultima forums

>> Edited by jamesk on Thursday 10th October 10:32