Tailgate M project - anyone know the car ?

[pjac67]

I will hopefully get a reply from Mervyn tomorrow with a bit more history but in the meantime wondered if anyone knew the car or any other M's with tailgates

M with tailgate (glass surround only, not tail like Taimar) allegedly (?) one of 4 factory prototypes/development vehicle?

‘OCW 136P’
Chassis 3479FM
Reg’d 1975 so another 15m and no VED !

I have spoken with Adrian Venn who doesn’t know the car and suspects it may have been US/LHD due to no heater and position of bonnet latch on passenger side?

Regards, Paul

[GTRene]

nice, not seen such before

[pjac67]

Thanks Rene - like your cars (and 'fantasy' choice in your profile - my brother has a 'Gulf' Tornado/GT40).

Well, Mervyn has kindly confirmed the following from the TVRCC records:

'Factory Build Book records car as having a "Lift up Back".
Probably a Taimar prototype'

Also it was a Brown 1600M (now a 2.0 Pinto (RS?)) and RHD with previous owners Trevor Prentice and Simon Hogg - anyone known on here?

Looking at the state of the body which seems to have damp in it, not sure if we've bitten off more than we can chew...although recent body off chassis refurb (with photos) means a very solid base for something....!?

Any thoughts/history info.?

Thanks and regards, Paul.

Edited by pjac67 on Thursday 15th January 13:43

[GTRene]

they talk about here in this old article as the "lift-up tailgate" the development Lilley car before the Taimar.

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/...

said:

Lilley's development time on the lift-up tailgate has been very well spent. The outcome is a particularly neat job which hasn't changed the TVR lines at all.

and

As well as the lift-up tailgate, the Taimar enjoys a couple of other advantages over the 3000M, the major one being the incorporation of an air-blender heater and through-flow ventilation.

Edited by GTRene on Thursday 15th January 14:03