LHD 3000S Survivors?
Discussion
According to Wiki 67 LHD 3000s models where originally produced. Forty nine US legal models imported into the US with the balance going to other parts of the continent, mostly Germany.
How many LHD models are still survivors. According to TVRCCNA, 17 3000S models are registered members, some owners may have either never joined or dropped out? Would current LHD 3000S owners be willing to contribute to a list of frame numbers and locations worldwide to try to gauge how many are still out there? Thank you.
How many LHD models are still survivors. According to TVRCCNA, 17 3000S models are registered members, some owners may have either never joined or dropped out? Would current LHD 3000S owners be willing to contribute to a list of frame numbers and locations worldwide to try to gauge how many are still out there? Thank you.
SquashedCat said:
According to Wiki 67 LHD 3000s models where originally produced. Forty nine US legal models imported into the US with the balance going to other parts of the continent, mostly Germany.
How many LHD models are still survivors. According to TVRCCNA, 17 3000S models are registered members, some owners may have either never joined or dropped out? Would current LHD 3000S owners be willing to contribute to a list of frame numbers and locations worldwide to try to gauge how many are still out there? Thank you.
You may find that your missing 24 or so as i believe that the 24 that where arrested or impounded due to the smog issues not being addressed where held in a sort of car prison in the Docks for over a year and later sent back to Europe and sold in Europe as i am aware of a number of those cars in Europe.How many LHD models are still survivors. According to TVRCCNA, 17 3000S models are registered members, some owners may have either never joined or dropped out? Would current LHD 3000S owners be willing to contribute to a list of frame numbers and locations worldwide to try to gauge how many are still out there? Thank you.
This nearly bankrupted TVR at the Time and is my first memory of TVRs and as a child seeing Martin Lilley on the BBC News outside Parlement trying to get the British Government to help.
And the reason i bought my 3000s apart from its a stunning car of course
Andrew
Hi Prideaux,
Yes, that is my point exactly, only 49 cars were legally imported to the US, the balance were taken back to the factory, reworked and sold as 1979 models mostly in Germany. I have contacted car dealers and individuals of the 3000S models when they come up for sale, basically all I am asking if they would be so kind to provide the frame number, to keep track of how many of the original LHD cars are still out there. The location of the car becomes rather irrelevant as they are eventually traded, and sold. The only thing would that would be nice to know if they end up at the wreckers and are no longer in circulation. Some dealers and individuals have been most kind and provided their frame number. I have just started to do this, so it is a work in progress. But, any information would be welcome. I am canvassing the EU as well.
Yes, that is my point exactly, only 49 cars were legally imported to the US, the balance were taken back to the factory, reworked and sold as 1979 models mostly in Germany. I have contacted car dealers and individuals of the 3000S models when they come up for sale, basically all I am asking if they would be so kind to provide the frame number, to keep track of how many of the original LHD cars are still out there. The location of the car becomes rather irrelevant as they are eventually traded, and sold. The only thing would that would be nice to know if they end up at the wreckers and are no longer in circulation. Some dealers and individuals have been most kind and provided their frame number. I have just started to do this, so it is a work in progress. But, any information would be welcome. I am canvassing the EU as well.
Edited by SquashedCat on Tuesday 23 June 16:59
there are 4 3000S cars for sale in Germany and Belgium, one of then a very nice Turbo SE
http://suchen.mobile.de/auto/search.html?isSearchR...
http://suchen.mobile.de/auto/search.html?isSearchR...
Hi GTRene,
Thank you, for the information. Last I had checked the website, three models were for sale. I have sent requests to the car dealer with the Turbo, but have not heard back about the frame number. I did hear from the one dealer who has the gold/sand colored model and he gave me the frame number. I also contacted the person with the black model, but no reply. I will have to check out the website to see about the fourth model. Thank you.
Thank you, for the information. Last I had checked the website, three models were for sale. I have sent requests to the car dealer with the Turbo, but have not heard back about the frame number. I did hear from the one dealer who has the gold/sand colored model and he gave me the frame number. I also contacted the person with the black model, but no reply. I will have to check out the website to see about the fourth model. Thank you.
There is a number of inconsistencies here.....
Not all 67 (which is the correct number, I believe) were intended to be delivered to the States, cars have been ordered and delivered in continental Europe (via the port of Hull)
The infamous impounded cars were 22 (iirc), not all were 3000S, but also 3000M and Taimars. (got pictures to prove) They were stored at a dealer in Virginia, never imported, sent back to the factory and some were converted to RHD (....)
There are NO LHD 3000S Turbo (and certainly no original LHD 3000S Turbo SE....)
Unfortunately there is no way to know how many cars have survived, you could probably try to deduct how many were built, but there is no files of present numbers.
Wishing you success in your present crusade.
Not all 67 (which is the correct number, I believe) were intended to be delivered to the States, cars have been ordered and delivered in continental Europe (via the port of Hull)
The infamous impounded cars were 22 (iirc), not all were 3000S, but also 3000M and Taimars. (got pictures to prove) They were stored at a dealer in Virginia, never imported, sent back to the factory and some were converted to RHD (....)
There are NO LHD 3000S Turbo (and certainly no original LHD 3000S Turbo SE....)
Unfortunately there is no way to know how many cars have survived, you could probably try to deduct how many were built, but there is no files of present numbers.
Wishing you success in your present crusade.
Hi Blueezeland,
Thank you for the update, I believe I read somewhere that approximately 60 3000S models were shipped to the US, 11 cars impounded and sent back? (anyone really know the correct number?) And yes, some models (7 cars?) were sold to the continent directly from the UK. The frame number range for all the 3000S cars is listed, so I am trying to match frames numbers, as many as I can from owners or people selling them. I will have to contact TVRCCNA to see if they have any former 3000S owners who are no longer members, to see if they know of more than 17 cars. And at least 18 cars ended up on the continent, and either sold as LHDs or were converted to RHD. Anyone have a figure for how many of the LHD were converted to RHDs?
Thank you for the update, I believe I read somewhere that approximately 60 3000S models were shipped to the US, 11 cars impounded and sent back? (anyone really know the correct number?) And yes, some models (7 cars?) were sold to the continent directly from the UK. The frame number range for all the 3000S cars is listed, so I am trying to match frames numbers, as many as I can from owners or people selling them. I will have to contact TVRCCNA to see if they have any former 3000S owners who are no longer members, to see if they know of more than 17 cars. And at least 18 cars ended up on the continent, and either sold as LHDs or were converted to RHD. Anyone have a figure for how many of the LHD were converted to RHDs?
You are going to need the factory build files of 78/79, in order to deduct the numbers build, where they went (owners ordering directly, dealers or TVR NA (Sagerman or Arquino) - Available via David Gerald (now TVR Heritage ?)
My car, when back in Europe, was never intended and never went to Germany
To complicate matters, some cars have returned to Europe, sold by their then US owners
People of possible help are Marshall Moore, the then president of TVRCCNA, Richard Sails, administrator of TVRCCUK and last but not least, Martin Lilley himself....
My car, when back in Europe, was never intended and never went to Germany
To complicate matters, some cars have returned to Europe, sold by their then US owners
People of possible help are Marshall Moore, the then president of TVRCCNA, Richard Sails, administrator of TVRCCUK and last but not least, Martin Lilley himself....
Well, once a frame number is recorded and can be matched with the production frame number, it should not be hard to fill in the blanks. The real problem or area where the blanks may never be filled are the cars that will be hard to trace; cars held in storage or collections where there s little contact with TVR people, the barn find, under a tarp behind a shed, lying in field, cars that were wrecked, parted out, or just destroyed at the wreckers. One of the fastest ways to find out in the US is via law enforcement, a quick check of automobile registries (one for each of the 50 states) to find out if any TVR 3000S are actually registered in a state. They would not provide any personal information as to the who, where or even the car information beyond model and make. That could yield currently registered models but would not be able to distinguish if they were LHD or RHD cars. But it would be a good start.
The other way is to contact TVR clubs, British car clubs, and search the car classifieds, and try to contact the sellers to see if they would be willing to provide frame numbers of their cars. And some people are happy to help, others are not so keen. So, it is unlikely to be a complete list every car traced, or history as to its fate, but it is a start, at least most of the cars should be found, there will still be some MIA's.
The other way is to contact TVR clubs, British car clubs, and search the car classifieds, and try to contact the sellers to see if they would be willing to provide frame numbers of their cars. And some people are happy to help, others are not so keen. So, it is unlikely to be a complete list every car traced, or history as to its fate, but it is a start, at least most of the cars should be found, there will still be some MIA's.
SquashedCat said:
Well, once a frame number is recorded and can be matched with the production frame number, it should not be hard to fill in the blanks.
Sorry to turn up late. One slight flaw in the plan is that TVR used to use the same (chassis/frame) number series for all models, be they 2500M, 3000M, 3000S or Taimar. Okay the 2500 was nnnnTM (and earlier) and the ford nnnnFM.A previous post gives 4286FM as the first (LHD) 3000S model. From memory the last M shape car was about 5000. In about 1990 the TVRCC published a list of cars, and then known (UK?) owners. Good luck.
Hi davepen,
There is a really nice website based out of Germany that has a very good basic foundation for registering TVR's, he has several German and some Dutch LHD 3000S models registered, as well as many other classic models. Frame numbers, photos of the cars, which country they are based. http://tvrpre80s.de/
There is a really nice website based out of Germany that has a very good basic foundation for registering TVR's, he has several German and some Dutch LHD 3000S models registered, as well as many other classic models. Frame numbers, photos of the cars, which country they are based. http://tvrpre80s.de/
According to the records held by David Gerald, my car (chassis 4964FM) is the very last 3000S sent to the US, and the second-to-last 3000S built overall. I don't know whether this means that it's the last LHD 3000S, or simply the last federal car.
I imagine that DG could provide a copy of the last page or two of the build records for a small fee. It's too bad that those records haven't been digitized and made freely available...
--Colin
I imagine that DG could provide a copy of the last page or two of the build records for a small fee. It's too bad that those records haven't been digitized and made freely available...
--Colin
Have not been here in quite some time.. But I have LHD 3000S #4926. If any is off the map, I would think its the gent who imported 4 or so hardtops from DG's probably 10 years ago or more. He flies low under the radar.. and I remember he told me he bought his 3000S new, drove it back to Arizona.. (probably about 2,000 miles or so) decided there was a bunch of things he didn't like about the car and more or less promptly dismantled it to rebuild it to his liking! I think he had just about finished it when I went to get my top.
Bill
Bill
USTVRDUDE said:
Have not been here in quite some time.. But I have LHD 3000S #4926. If any is off the map, I would think its the gent who imported 4 or so hardtops from DG's probably 10 years ago or more. He flies low under the radar.. and I remember he told me he bought his 3000S new, drove it back to Arizona.. (probably about 2,000 miles or so) decided there was a bunch of things he didn't like about the car and more or less promptly dismantled it to rebuild it to his liking! I think he had just about finished it when I went to get my top.
Bill
I had LHD 4928FM for a few years before it left for Ontario. Last I knew it was for sale in British Columbia. It too had a DG hardtop - which never fit well and was separated from the car by its subsequent owner. I think there were more than 1 set of factory molds for the 3000S with varying degrees of Left-Right symmetry. 4928FM clearly wasn't made from the same molds as the car for which DG made the hardtops. Bill
I checked the German TVR register www.tvrpre80s.de did not see either frame number on their site, which is pretty extensive for 3000S models. I will check to see if TVRCCNA will provide just a list of registered frame numbers.
SquashedCat said:
I checked the German TVR register www.tvrpre80s.de did not see either frame number on their site, which is pretty extensive for 3000S models. I will check to see if TVRCCNA will provide just a list of registered frame numbers.
I've been hiding it in plain sight for almost 20 years... well, thats not true.. its been off the road for the last 10+ years..http://tvrna.tvrccna.org/racing.html
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